Phish: 2009/05/31 Boston soundcheck

Phish
2009/05/31
Fenway Park, Boston, MA

Soundcheck:

1. Star Spangled Banner
2. Funky Bitch
3. Time Turns Elastic
4. Undermind

(Thru week4paug.net)

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/05/30

John Medeski sits in with Gov't Mule - photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Second night of the 2009 Mountain Jam.

Gov't Mule
2009/05/30
Mountain Jam
Hunter Mountain, NY, USA

Disc I 1st Set

1. Hoover Jam >
2. Bad Little Doggie >
3. Brand New Angel
4. About To Rage >
5. Streamline Woman
6. When Doves Cry >
7. Beautifully Broken >
8. When Doves Cry >
9. Beautifully Broken
10. Patchwork Quilt
11. Have Mercy On The Criminal
12. Scomule *
13. Goin' Out West >
14. Bang A Gong >
15. Goin' Out West

Disc II 2nd Set

1. Jam >
2. Morning Dew
3. When The Music's Over
4. All Along The Watchtower # >
5. Devil Likes It Slow # >

Disc III 2nd Set Con't

1. Drum Solo >
2. I'm A Ram >
3. Blind Man In The Dark >
4. Ain't No Sunshine >
5. Blindman In The Dark # >
6. Whole Lotta Love >
7. Blindman In The Dark
8. E: Warren Banter - Thanks
9. Long As I Can See The Light

* w/ John Medeski on keyboards
# w/ Karl Denson on saxophone

» Grab your torrent

Living Colour: two Dutch dates in August

Living Colour: Corey Glover, Will Calhoun, Vernon Reid, Doug Wimbish

Funky hard rock pioneers Living Colour play two shows in The Netherlands:

• 08/14 Patronaat, Haarlem
• 08/15 Pinkpop Classic, Landgraaf

» livingcolourmusic.com
» myspace.com/livingcolourmusic

(Thanks: Triple-B)

Cover Me: Hocus Pocus

Give Us The Money Lebowski takes on Hocus Pocus, the Focus classic written by Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Leer. Recorded live at Ray Kelly's Pub, Bridgeport, CT- 2006/12/02.

MP3: Give Us The Money Lebowski - Hocus Pocus

» myspace.com/gustmlebowski
» Hocus Pocus on Wikipedia

Phish: Live Phish 3/6/09, 3/7/09, and 3/8/09

Live at Hampton - 2009/03/06

When Phish announced their return to the stage with a three night stand (March 6-7-9) at the Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA, online ticket services crashed when thousands of fans logged in trying to score tickets. When the dust had settled and some major brouhaha about scalpers and other riff-raff ensued before finally settling on the first and foremost topic: what would they play?

The band picked Fluffhead from their debut album Junta and crammed so many favorites (The Divided Sky, Stash, The Squirming Coil, David Bowie) into the first set that it was bursting at the seams. There were bum notes, flubs and missed cues, but the vibe was good - Phish were glad to be back and the audience lapped it up. And they kept doing it together for the next two nights.

The tapers came out in force to share the music and the band themselves offered free SBD MP3s for a limited time after each of the shows. The official remastered LivePhish CDs are a an honest warts-and-all document of what happened at Hampton. They used soundboard audio mixed with audience mics gives the listener a spot on the edge of the stage. Close to the band, but still part of the crowd. The great jams are rare - Down with Disease (03/08) and the extended Velvet Underground cover Rock and Roll segueing into Limb by Limb (03/07) are worth mentioning. You Enjoy Myself (03/06) has a false start and never really takes off. They debuted a new song during each one of the show. Trey Anastasio contributed Backwards Down the Number Line (03/06), Beauty Of A Broken Heart (03/07) was selected from Page McConnell's self-titled solo album, and Mike Gordon goes country again with his cover of She Thinks I Still Care (03/08).

Chairman of the boards Page McConnel is the best player throughout, drummer Jon Fishman comes close, while bass player Mike Gordon and guitarist Trey Anastasio need a little homework to keep up.

03/06 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

DISC ONE

1. Fluffhead
2. The Divided Sky
3. Chalk Dust Torture
4. Sample in a Jar
5. Stash
6. I Didn't Know
7. The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony
8. Suzy Greenberg
9. Farmhouse

DISC TWO

1. NICU
2. Horn
3. Rift
4. Train Song
5. Water in the Sky
6. The Squirming Coil
7. David Bowie
8. Backwards Down the Number Line
9. Tweezer
10. Taste
11. Possum

DISC THREE

1. Theme from the Bottom
2. First Tube
3. Harry Hood
4. Waste
5. You Enjoy Myself
6. Grind
7. Bouncing Around the Room
8. Loving Cup

03/07 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

DISC ONE

1. Back on the Train
2. Runaway Jim
3. Brian and Robert
4. Split Open and Melt
5. Heavy Things
6. Punch You in the Eye
7. Gumbo
8. Reba
9. Mexican Cousin
10. It's Ice

DISC TWO

1. Halley's Comet
2. Beauty Of A Broken Heart
3. Guelah Papyrus
4. Lawn Boy
5. Run Like an Antelope
6. Rock and Roll
7. Limb By Limb
8. Ghost
9. Piper
10. Birds of a Feather

DISC THREE

1. Wolfman's Brother
2. Prince Caspian
3. Mike's Song
4. I Am Hydrogen
5. Weekapaug Groove
6. Character Zero
7. A Day in the Life

03/08 Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA

DISC ONE

1. Sanity
2. Wilson
3. Foam
4. Bathtub Gin
5. Undermind
6. AC/DC Bag
7. My Friend, My Friend
8. Scent of a Mule
9. All of These Dreams

DISC TWO

1. Maze
2. She Thinks I Still Care
3. Army of One
4. Tube
5. Cars Trucks Buses
6. Free
7. Frankenstein
8. Down with Disease
9. Seven Below

DISC THREE

1. The Horse
2. Silent In The Morning
3. Twist
4. 2001
5. Moma Dance
6. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
7. Wading in the Velvet Sea
8. Slave to the Traffic Light
9. Happy Birthday Leonard
10. Contact
11. Bug
12. Tweezer Reprise

Their Summer Tour kicks off at Fenway, Boston 05/31.

Buy the Hampton CDs at Phish Dry Goods.

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/05/29

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

First night of the 2009 Mountain Jam.

Gov't Mule
2009/05/29
Mountain Jam
Hunter Mountain, NY, USA

Disc I 1st Set

1. Tuning >
2. Grinnin' In Your Face >
3. Kind Of Bird
4. Game Face >
5. I Believe To My Soul
6. Banks Of The Deep End
7. You Know What I Mean >
8. hen The Levee Breaks >
9. You Know What I Mean >
10. Slackjaw Jezebel
11. Thorazine Shuffle

Disc II 2nd Set

1. Lucky
2. Trane >
3. 3rd Stone From The Sun Jam >
4. Eternity's Breath >
5. St. Stephen Jam >
6. Larger Than Life >
7. If 6 Were 9 >
8. Larger Than Life
9. Empty Pages >
10. Drum Solo >
11. Bass And Drums * >
12. Jam * >
13. 3rd Stone From The Sun Jam *

Disc III 2nd Set Con't

1. Brighter Days >
2. Like Flies
3. Mule >
4. Who Do You Love >
5. Superstition >
6. Mule
7. E: Banter
8. #Jam #@ >
9. #Cortez The Killer #@

* w/ George Porter Jr. on bass
# w/ Josh Clark of Tea Leaf Green on guitar
@ w/ Trevor Garrod of Tea Leaf Green on keyboards

» Grab your torrent

Dave Matthews Band: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

The Dave Matthews Band (DMB) is huge in the USA. Really huge. Which is what happens if you peddle middle-of-the-road rock. The new album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is dedicated to sax player LeRoi Moore who passed halfway though the sessions for this album on August 19, 2008. It makes sense to kick off with a rather good sax part played by this founding band member, but after that it is straight to the usual DMB fare, which is the perfect antidote if you happen to suffer from insomnia.

Below par funk (Shake Me), religious fodder (Hand of God), a dragging stuck-in-the-mud swamp rock failure (Alligator Pie), it's all there and thousands of people love it. Wanna bet they love American Idol too?

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King is released on Bama Records. Release date: June 2nd.

The Dave Matthews Band plays four shows in the UK:

• 06/25 London, Brixton Academy (sold out)
• 06/26 London, Brixton Academy
• 06/28 London, Hard Rock Calling (with Bruce Springsteen)
• 06/29 Wolverhampton, Civic Hall

» davematthewsband.com

The Handsome Family: tour dates

photo: Mark Owen

The Handsome Family, arguably one the best American dark folk twosomes, embarks on a West Coast Tour and a stint at a Canadian festival. They return to Europe in October. Definitely Spain, hopefully some other places.

• 07/14 Seattle @ Tractor Tavern
• 07/15 Vancouver @ the Biltmore
• 07/16 Dawson City Music Festival
• 07/17 Dawson City Music Festival
• 07/21 Portland @ Doug Fir
• 07/23 San Francisco @ Bottom of the Hill
• 07/24 Santa Cruz @ the Crepe Place
• 07/25 Los Angeles @ Spaceland
• 07/26 Los Angeles @ McCabe’s
• 07/29 Tucson @ the Congress

» handsomefamily.com

Phish: The Clifford Ball

When the sun was setting over the former Air Force base in the upstate town of Plattsburgh, New York, on August 16, 1996 guitarist Trey Anastasio signaled the band to stop playing to look at The Divided Sky they were singing about. Phish was in the midst of the first of the festivals the Vermont quartet would stage over the years. Playing six sets over two days and a Flatbed Jam in the middle of the night, it was the first time the band faced ten thousands of fans camping out. They were out in the open before the world for the very first time, after being a slowly growing word-of-mouth live act for more than a decade.

The proceedings were filmed at the time and a special called The Clifford Ball; a beacon of light in the world of flight was aired on tv, but that was it. Until now. The lavishly packaged 7DVD boxset cotnians nine hours of footage - three discs for each day and a bonus disc with behind the scenes stuff, the soundcheck and the complete, eerie Flatbed Jam.

Vincent Minor: Born in the Wrong Era

photo: Jennifer Nies

Grief can create beauty. LA musician Vincent Minor dedicates his debut EP Born in the Wrong Era to a cousin who died of a heroin overdose. The 5-song cycle tells stories about the glorious facade of the Hollywood entertainment industry, hiding the troubles that lurk in the shadows. With the piano as the main instrument the album sounds a lost gem from the thirties, with snippets from later eras sprinkled on top - the opening notes intro of Friday the Thirteenth sounds quite a bit like the trumpets of New York New York.

His lyrics sounds easy, but are actually really smart. There are not that many songs that use prases like "He’s indoctrinated with a pregnant point of view/He’s constipated on a treadmill/On the late night, late night show" (Late Night Show) or "Jump to my bed towards a marshmallow cloud/But land on the floor with a nail through my mouth" (Friday the Thirteenth).

It would be ironic is one these songs should turn up on a movie soundtrack, but an independent director who isn't entirely tone-deaf should consider giving Vincent Minor a call.

Born in the Wrong Era is released on Social Science Recordings. Digital versions can be found at the usual outlets. Physical CD: limited run of 500 copies in digipak with color poster insert.

Tracks:

1. Fanfare
2. Late Night Show
3. A Plane Grave
4. Friday the Thirteenth
5. Born in the Wrong Era

Live date:

• 06/06 EP Release Party (Downtown L.A. Loft), Los Angeles, CA (rsvp for directions)

» vincentminor.com
» myspace.com/vincentminor

Andrew Bird: USA tour dates

photo: Brandi Ediss

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird hits the USA festival circuit, with a handful theatre dates on the side.

• 06/08 Merriweather Post Pavilion - Columbia , MD
• 06/14 Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
• 06/15 Cobb Energy PAC - Atlanta, GA
• 06/18 Radio City Music Hall - New York, NY
• 06/19 Bank of America Pavilion - Boston, MA
• 07/10 Greek Theatre - Los Angeles, CA
• 07/11 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA
• 07/13 Red Butte Garden - Salt Lake City, UT
• 07/14 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Morrison, CO
• 07/16 Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville, OR
• 07/17 Marymoor Amphitheatre - Redmond, WA
• 07/18 McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater - Troutdale, OR
• 07/19 McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater - Troutdale, OR
• 07/26 Squaw Velley Ski Resort - Olympic Valley, CA
• 08/07 Lollapalooza - Grant Park - Chicago, IL
• 08/08 Lollapalooza - Grant Park - Chicago, IL
• 08/09 Lollapalooza - Grant Park - Chicago, IL
• 10/02 Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX
• 10/03 Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX
• 10/04 Austin City Limits Festival - Austin, TX

» andrewbird.net
» myspace.com/andrewbird

Learning Music Monthy

Wouldn't it be nice to be supplied with tunes that you can share and remix like every month without lawyers knocking down your door? That is the concept behind Learning Music Monthy, a subscription service based in Los Angeles. Started in November 2006 by John Wood ((keyboardist for Inara George, Sebastien Tellier, Mike Andrews, Kelly Osbourne, Anni Rossi, etc.), each album has a different theme or modus operandi (or both).

While John Wood is the main man in this project, he can rely an a growing bunch of collaborators who even join him on stage on occasion. The cool thing that you can contribute from the comfort of your own home, downloading the stems and the sheet music, and start adding, mixing or resample. Created a nice sound? Upload it and it might be used. he best remixes are posted and shared.

Subscribers get their monthly CD in beautiful handmade packaging with cover art by a different artist each month. Or you can go eco and opt for digital only.

The CDs are released in collaboration with LA Label Vosotros.

The March issue is called Allegro. It is the first issue of new series filled with uptempo keyboard songs, bringing back memories the legendary UK band XTC.

John wood explains: "The name of the album is Allegro, in reference to the common first movement of a sonata. Some of the songs attempt to follow a sonata-allegro form, especially track one (Ask Me No Question)." Artwork by Ben White.

The April issue is called Matchstick Monument. John Wood explains: "In writing the music I used very clear, simple chord changes. In recording I used almost only room mics, picking up all the sounds of my garage-studio (including the creaks and dog barks)–(I also tried to not use any digital reverb, just the sound of the room). In the lyrics there are numerous references to my on-going romance with my wife, including multiple unashamed usages of the word “love,” a lyrical cliche which I have attempted to avoid previously, but here I felt appropriate. It is all intentional. So in the spirit of this transparency, I would like to say that this album is for Lisa." Artwork by Max Markowitz.

The May issue is called An End Like This and revisits Season One of LMM, picking nine tracks from first 12 issues that were re-recorded. Artwork by Jeff Eliassen.

» learningmusicmonthly.com
» myspace.com/learningmusicmusic

"Bad Boy Line" - a John Cale tribute song

photo: Keith Morris

Dai Griffiths is in the department of music at Oxford Brookes University. He is into John Cale, writing "Home is Living Like a Man on the Run": John Cale’s Welsh Atlantic, which might have been the first academic academic article on Cale. It's in Welsh Music History (2000), p. 159-185. Griffiths wrote and recorded a song, a tribute inspired by the Slow Dazzle album.

MP3: Dai Griffiths - Bad Boy Line (John Cale circa 1975)

There are two Welsh phrases towards the end, that mean something like: 'A vengeful God! A terrifying God!'.

» "Home is Living Like a Man on the Run": John Cale’s Welsh Atlantic

Phish: new studio album 7/28

The new Phish studio album drops July 28. It is produced by Steve Lillywhite.

Recorded in New York City, the as-yet-untitled record is Phish's first studio album in five years and its second with producer Steve Lillywhite, who produced the band's 1996 album, Billy Breathes.

» phish.com

The new Phish single Time Turns Elastic is up on iTunes.

» phish.com/timeturnselastic/

Little Foot Long Foot: Harsh Words

photo: Tim Fennell

Little Foot Long Foot is a duo from Toronto, Ontario, proving that you need only two players to create garage rock. And it helps if one them can come up with the music and lyrics. Singer Joan Smith takes care of that, and she plays a mean dirty guitar. Isaac Klein keeps it simple and tight on the drums, not getting in the way of his fellow member's blues rock lyrics.

Harsh Words builds upon the material they recorded for their debut EP Just About Broke. Joan Smith has strong opinions about the über hip music press - "I'm sorry that I sing well and that I like classic rock" (King Hipster) and the trouble of finding music that fits your mood (Market Survey) Alt.country geeks will have trouble dealing with the putdown song Fake Cowboys, but first and foremost Little Foot Long Foot is a power duo that puts the "r" back in "rock" - a breath of fresh air amidst all the self-important shoegaze dudes and indie noodlers.

Recommended if you like Blood Red Shoes and The Black Keys. Turn it up.

Little Foot Long Foot:
Joan Smith: vocals, guitar, organ
Isaac Klein: drums

Harsh Words is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. King Hipster
2. Marriage Ain't A Promise
3. Stripper Song
4. Fake Cowboys
5. Isolation Blues
6. Two Towns Over
7. June Bug
8. Market Survey
9. Thank You
10. Half Man Half Mule
11. No Holiday

Live dates:

• 05/28 The Rivoli (CD release party), Toronto, Ontario
• 06/09 Johnny B, Whitby, Ontario
• 06/20 Irene's, Ottawa, Ontario
• 06/23 The Rainbow, Ottawa, Ontario
• 06/28 Reflections, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• 07/04 The Seahorse, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• 07/15 The Apollo, Thurder Bay, Ontario
• 07/24 Broken City, Calgary, Alberta
• 07/31 The Railway Club, Vancouver, British Columbia

» littlefootlongfoot.com
» myspace.com/littlefootlongfootband

Faster Than the Speed of Light!: sci-fi in Austin, TX

A sci-fi musical featuring ukulele ballads? That's right. Thirty Austin professionals have teamed up to create Faster Than the Speed of Light!. The show was written and produced by Stanley Roy (Little Stolen Moments) and Jeremy Roye (Fiction, Archibald Adams) and directed by Kelli Bland (A Thought in Three Parts, The Bird and the Bee). The story in nutshell:

A celebrated scientist, Atom is on the verge of completing his most personal and mercurial experiment: the creation of the perfect partner. Suddenly, an explosive release of energy knocks Atom unconscious and creates two opposing beings: Chaos and Serena. After a violent struggle erupts between the two, one flees wounded. Atom awakens unaware to his destroyed laboratory, safe within the soft embrace of his adoring creation Serena.

After building a picturesque life with her, Atom's subconscious begins to split and splice as he's pulled head-first through his dreams into a topsy-turvy world dominated by its enigmatic cult leader. Chaos. While his life with Serena offers peace, tranquility, and love, the world of Chaos provides possibilities too enticing to ignore. Atom finds his life, identity, and sexuality unraveling amidst torrential dreams, psychedelic montages, gyrating henchman, seedy underground clubs, and bipolar moonlighting.

Faster Than the Speed of Light!
The Salvage Vanguard
Austin, TX
May 28, 29, 30,
June 4,5,6,11,12,13

All shows begin at 8 o'clock and cost only 12 dollars (Pay-what-you-can-Thursdays!). The Salvage Vanguard is located at 2803 Manor Road.

Lovers and Liars, an album with songs from the show, will be released in the near future.

» fasterthanthespeedoflight.org
» mypace.com/fasterthanthespeedoflightthemusical

The Band Of Heathens: European tour dates

Austin roots rockers The Band Of Heathens embark on a short European tour:

• 05/29 Kulturtransport, Frelsdorf, Germany
• 05/30 Orange Blossom Special Festival, Beverungen, Germany
• 05/31 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 06/01 The Maze, Nottingham, United Kingdom
• 06/02 The Cluny, Newcastle, United Kingdom
• 06/03 The Borderline, London, United Kingdom
• 06/04 Bonaventure's, Bristol, United Kingdom
• 06/05 Roepaen, Ottersum, The Netherlands
• 06/06 Festival Kulturwerk am See, Hamburg, Germany

» bandofheathens.com
» myspace.com/thebandofheathens

HCTF review of The Band Of Heathens.

Charlie Wadhams: In A Goldmine

photo: Michael Andrews

LA singer-songwriter Charlie Wadhams goes for the mellow jazz tinged stuff. His EP In A Goldmine is darker than it sounds. Charlie Wadhams is serious about his art - he has yet to learn to look at his music with a bit more distance. His songs have gained some airplay in the mainstream, like the horrible sitcom Men in Trees. A cover of Cold Outside will be included on We Belong, a benefit CD scheduled for release in 2009 to raise funds for Eric Lowen (i.e. Lowen & Navarro).

In A Goldmine is released on Elgin Park Recordings/ Sargent Records. It is available digitally and as a limited edition 7 inch vinyl (limited run of only 1,000 copies).

Tracks:

1. Someone To Kiss
2. Darkness
3. Blind as a Bat
4. Masters in China

» myspace.com/charliewadhams

Todd Rundgren: "A Wizard, A True Star" Akron, OH 2009 & London 2010

photo: Jean Lannen

Todd Rundgren will perform his classic album A Wizard, A True Star in its entirety in Akron, OH in September and in London next year. Tickets for the London show go on sale May 27th.

September 6, 2009
Akron Civic Theater
182 South Main Street
Akron, OH 44308
Phone: (330) 253-2488
Online Booking: awatslive.com

February 6, 2010
HMV Hammersmith Apollo
45 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9QH
Tickets: £48.50, £45.00, £40.00, £32.00
Ticket Hotline: 08700 603 777
Online Booking: seetickets.com
Venue Box Office: 08448 44 47 48

» tr-i.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic

Hill Country Revue: Make A Move

photo: Todd Roeth

Hill Country Revue is a band that does everything right. with the rhythm section of the The North Mississippi Allstars they have a solid foundation to lay down tasty bluesy southern rock grooves. Drummer Cody Dickinson shows his versatility by also playing guitar and piano, singer Daniel Coburn adds toe-tapping harp to the mix.

The bulk of the material on debut album Make A Move is written by long time friend Gary Burnside, a composer deeply rooted in the southern music scene. He contributed bass, guitar an vocals With guest spots from Luther Dickinson an Duwayne Burnside the result is a rough and ready set of songs.

Hill Country Revue:
Cody Dickinson: guitar, drums, piano, washboard
Chris Chew: bass, vocals
Ed 'Hot' Cleveland: drums
Daniel Coburn: vocals, harp
Kirk Smithhart: guitar, vocals

Make A Move is released on Razor and Tie.

Tracks:

1. Alice Mae
2. Hill Country Revue
3. Dirty Shirt
4. You Can Make
5. Let Me Love You
6. Let's Talk About Me And You
7. Georgia Women
8. Highway Blues
9. Ramblin'
10. Growing Up In Mississippi

Live dates:

• 05/30 The Jewish Mother – Virginia Beach, VA
• 06/05 Wanee Festival – Live Oak, FL
• 06/27 North MS Hill Country Picnic – Potts Camp, MS
• 07/05 Rothbury Music Fest – Rothbury, MI
• 07/10 All Good Music Festival – Masontown, WV
• 07/31 Verizon Wireless Center – Noblesville, IN **
• 08/01 Verizon Wireless Center – Noblesville, IN **

** w/ Dave Matthews Band

» hillcountryrevue.com
» myspace.com/hillcountryrevue

Lubriphonic: free show in South Barrington, IL

Live at Park West, Chicago - 2009/03/21

Chicago blues funk rockers Lubriphonic stage a free show as part of their current tour. Also on the bill: Poi Dog Pondering.

The Arboretum
Saturday May 23rd 5:00 PM
100 W. Higgins Road
South Barrington, IL 60010
(847) 426-6200

» lubriphonic.com

Cover Me: I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

The White Stripes take on I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Recorded live at the Reading Festival in 2004.

» whitestripes.com
» en.wikipedia.org

Gov't Mule: new album "By A Thread" drops 07/28

Blues rockers Gov't Mule have finished recording their new studio album By A Thread. Release date: July 28.

We are pleased to announce that Gov't Mule's eighth studio album, and first with new bassist Jorgen Carlsson, is titled "By A Thread" and will be in stores on July 28th, 2009 and is available now for PRE-ORDER. This album was recorded over the first few months of this year, and the recording process was captured via Blog, Photos and Video at mule.net/inthestudio.

» mule.net

Montt Mardié: We're All The Pirate Bay

Swedish singer-songwriter Montt Mardié goes the other way. He embraces The Pirate Bay, the worlds largest file-sharing site, writing a song called We're All The Pirate Bay and offering it as a free download.

It was made really fast and in a very light-hearted spirit” but has nevertheless galvanised the heavy weight power of the file sharing world into reaction, making this their 'Pirate Bay anthem' and clocking up over 140,000 YouTube hits and over 50 remixes in only four days.

He welcomes remixes and wants to share them: "re-mix, re-make, re-seed, re-edit and re-enjoy”.

» monttmardie.com
» myspace.com/monttmardie

HCTF review of Introducing... The Best Of.

Words about music (201): Ozzy Osbourne

I have a genuine love affair with my audience. When I'm on stage they're not privileged to see me. It's a privilege for me to see them.

Ozzy Osbourne

Matisyahu: Drown in the Now

Hassidic rap master Matisyahu is offering Drown in the Now as a free download, the result of his collaboration with The Crystal Method.

» drowninthenow.com
» matisyahuworld.com

HCTF review of Shattered.

Vagabond Opera: The Zeitgeist Beckons

photo: Alicia Rose

The Zeitgeist Beckons is concept album of sorts - an opera buffa for the cabaret age consisting of four acts (or maybe five) by Vagabond Opera a sextet from Portland, who use 13 different languages in their lyrics, cover Edith Piaf, Tom Waits, Dmitri Shostakovich and Jacques Brel, and generally let rip like they did when Weill and Brecht were the kings of the roaring Twenties.

This is an album that can serve as a treasure hunt for music geeks trying to find all the references - the easy ones are Verdi's Traviata and Grieg's Peer Gynt. The bulk of the material however are originals. The album seems to be about a professor trying to create a female golem in the catacombs of Paris, or the Belgian revolutionary Antony Antwerp Canniere who rans into Cyrano de Bergerac, (Anton's brother shows up too, but he is actually a Bulgarian woman), while in New Orleans the mayor is really pissed that a ganef has run of with his daughter, and Bubbsky, the lonely NOLA ghost, drifts down to Amsterdam and sings the famous Brel song about that lovely city. As Anton exclaims, a bit exhausted after all this: "who is this zeitgeist anyway? "And then his sister punches him in the balls. Yes, that's an opera buffa alright.

The Zeitgeist Beckons ends with an Very Extremely Super Important Legal Disclaimer, but the lawyers ramblings are drowned out by the band members talking almongst themselves and making a racket. Who need lawyers when you can have a fun? Don a straw hat, hit a serious bottle of wine and sing along. Odd, addictive, with shredding cellos, bouncy accordion, juicy saxophone, and a nod to Lady Day.

Vagabond Opera:
Eric Stern: operatic tenor, accordion
Robin Jackson: tenor saxophone, vocals
Ewalt "Skip" vonKuske: cello
Jason Flores: standup bass
Mark Burdon: drums
Lesly Kernochan: vocals, alto saxophone

The Zeitgeist Beckons is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's CD Baby.

Tracks:

1. Chimaeras Be Met
2. Welcome to the Opera
3. Farewell Kabarista
4. Milord
5. Tango 'til They're Sore
6. Mon Amy
7. Russian Jazz Waltz
8. Bulgar Romani
9. Minoushe
10. Ganef
11. New Years Eve in a Haunted House
12. Amsterdam
13. The Party
14. Goodnight Moon
15. Very Extremely Super Important Legal Disclaimer

Live dates:

• 05/22 The WOW Hall, Eugene, OR
• 05/23 Stillwater, Ashland, OR
• 06/06 Hult Center Concert in the Park, Eugene, OR
• 06/09 Mcmenamins Crystal Ballroom (w Balkan Beatbox), Portland, OR
• 06/18 San Franscisco Jazz Fest San Franscisco, CA
• 06/19 The Mystic Theatre, Sonoma, CA
• 06/20 Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, Boonville, CA
• 06/21 AMNESIA!!! San Francisco, CA
• 06/23 Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA
• 06/24 Moody’s Bistro Truckee, CA
• 06/25 Studio on 4th Reno, Nevada
• 06/27 Big Sur Spirit Garden, BI Sur, CA
• 06/28 Ford Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA
• 07/18 The Triple Door, Seattle, WA
• 08/06 Los Gatos JCC, Los Gatos, CA

» vagabondopera.com

Largest Musical Saw Ensemble in NYC

New York goeds for a world record: the Largest Musical Saw Ensemble will play on Saturday, July 18th, 2009, 2pm in Trinity Church, 31-18 37th Street (37th Street at 31st Avenue), Astoria, NY. It's part of the 7th annual NYC Musical Saw Festival.

The art form of making music with a carpenter's handsaw has been around for 300 years, but has become almost forgotten since the 1930's. The festival's founder/director Natalia 'Saw Lady' Paruz set up to make sure this unique art form does not disappear.

For the past 7 years Astoria (Queens) became a pilgrimage spot for musical saw players from all over the world. In past years musical saw players from China, Japan, India, Germany, Canada and all over the USA participated. The festival, which is supported by the Queens Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NY State Council on the Arts, includes a concert, an art exhibit and a workshop - all centered around the musical saw, of course.

Watch a video of last year's annual NYC Musical Saw Festival.

» musicalsawfestival.org

(Thanks: Michelle)

John Cale: 2009/05/10 Ferrara (Life Along the Borderline: a Tribute to Nico) photos

Photos of John Cale and his hand picked musicians performing Life Along The Borderline: a Tribute To Nico - Teatro Comunale, Ferrara, Italy - 2009/05/10. Photos: streetspirit73.

» Setlist of this show

Coming soon in Utrecht: Gogol Bordello, M Ward, Roger McGuinn, Textures ...

What's on at the Tivoli in Utrecht, The Netherlands? Some country, some metal, and everything in between. And your special attention for Roger McGuinn.

• 05/30 Textures
  avant-metal from The Netherlands
• 06/01 Sevendust *
  American nu-metal
• 06/22 Gogol Bordello
  good time balkan beats
• 07/04 M Ward & The Low Anthem
  left field Americana
• 07/10 Lucinda Williams
  the grandmother of alt-country
• 07/15 John Butler *
  Aussie singer-songwriter
• 07/15 Roger McGuinn
  Former Byrds main man flies solo
• 07/19 Deerhoof *
  Geeky indie goodness
• 09/16 Shearwater
  Experimental indie USA
• 09/26 Delain *
  Dutch Gothic rock with the obligatory female vocalist
• 10/23 Johan
  Dutch melodic pop

* Tivoli De Helling

» tivoli.nl

Crosby, Stills & Nash: tour dates

Crosby, Stills & Nash hit the road in North America and Europe. They might even play Deja Vu. A collection of vintage demos will be released June 2nd.

North America (1st leg)

• 06/03 Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, MO
• 06/04 Charter One Pavilion, Chicago, IL
• 06/06 Meadow Brook, Rochester Hills, MI
• 06/07 Zoo Amphitheatre, Toledo, OH
• 06/09 Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara, ON
• 06/10 Constellation PAC, Canadaigua, NY
• 06/12 Doubleday Field, Cooperstown, NY
• 06/13 Foxwoods, Mashantucket, CT
• 06/14 Bank of America Pavilion, Boston, MA

Europe

• 06/27 Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury, England
• 06/29 Marquee, Cork, Ireland
• 07/01 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
• 07/03 Museum Plaza, Bonn, Germany
• 07/04 The Olympia, Paris, France
• 07/06 Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 07/07 Forest National, Brussels, Belgium
• 07/10 Manchester EN Arena, Manchester, England
• 07/11 Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland

North America (2nd leg)

• 07/25 Merrill Auditorium, Portland, ME
• 07/26 Gathering Vibes, Bridgeport, CT
• 07/28 Saratoga PAC, Saratoga Springs, NY
• 07/29 Hershey Theatre, Hershey, PA
• 07/31 PNC Pavilion, Cincinnati, OH
• 08/01 Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
• 08/03 Morris PAC, South Bend, IN
• 08/04 The Lawn, Indianapolis, IN
• 08/07 Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ
• 08/08 Jones Beach, Wantagh, NY
• 08/09 Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA
• 08/11 P.N.C. BAC, Holmdel, NJ
• 08/14 Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA
• 08/15 Telos Pavilion, Portsmouth, VA
• 08/17 Chastain Park Amphitheater Atlanta, GA
• 08/18 N.C. PAC, N. Charleston, SC
• 08/20 Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, FL
• 08/22 Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, FL
• 08/23 St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, FL
• 08/24 King Center, Melbourne, FL
• 08/27 Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio, TX
• 08/28 Cynthia Woods, Houston, TX
• 08/30 Starlight Theatre, Kansas City, MO
• 09/01 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
• 09/11 Cuthbert Amphitheatre, Eugene, OR
• 09/12 Edgefield, Troutdale, OR
• 09/14 Northwest Concert Center, Puyallup, WA
• 09/15 Lithia Motors Amphitheater, Central Point, OR
• 09/18 San Jose Civic, San Jose, CA
• 09/19 Ironstone Amphitheatre, Murphys, CA
• 09/22 Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CA
• 09/23 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
• 09/25 Fantasy Springs, Indio, CA
• 09/26 M Resort & Casino, Henderson, NV
• 09/28 Humphrey's, San Diego, CA
• 09/29 Humphrey's, San Diego, CA

» crosbystillsnash.com

Pet Lions: Soft Right

photo: Eric Rejman

Pet Lions are a young quartet from Chicago who are peddling their debut EP Soft Right. They sound a bit like Weezer without the bite. Soft Right is a pretty basic indie guitar rock, with a rather cheesy keyboard bubbling under the clean cut vocals of Karl Østby in most of the tracks- innocent good time music with reflective lyrics. The Lions still need to find their own voice. Growling a bit while recording would help.

Pet Lions:
Karl Østby: guitar, vocals
Shuhei Yamamoto: bass, vocals
Tom Owens: guitar, synth
Matt Dahl: drums

Soft Right is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website or iTunes.

Tracks:

1. Roman History
2. Propeller Plane
3. Stuck at the Bottom
4. I Will Track You Dwon
5. Girls of Athens

Live date:

• 07/02 Summerfest (w/ Shiny Toy Guns, Audrye Sessions), Milwaukee, Wisconsin

» petlions.com
» myspace.com/petlionsmusic

Akron/Family: Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free

photo: Sebastian Mlynarski

Akron/Family quickly established a name for themselves with their 2005 self-titled debut album. The band from Williamsport, PA, kept releasing new material maintaining the high standard of the first one. And now there is Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free, a grab bag of songs exploring new grounds and beaten paths.

The band is all over the place, but all tracks can be huddled together under the neo-psychedelic rock banner. From the rhythmic assault of opener Everyone Is Guilty until the last notes of the short piano ballad Last Year the trio seems to have overcome the defection of fourth member Ryan Vanderhoof. They might be overcompensating at times in their determination to add even more odd sounds than before, but Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free is an interesting chapter in their saga.

Akron/Family:
Dana Janssen: drums
Seth Olinsky: vocal, guitar
Miles Seaton: bass

Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free is released on Dead Oceans (USA) and Crammed Discs (Europe).

Tracks:

1. Everyone Is Guilty
2. River
3. Creatures
4. The Alps & Their Orange Evergreen
5. Set 'Em Free
6. Gravelly Mountains of the Moon
7. Many Ghosts
8. MBF
9. They Will Appear
10. Sun Will Shine (Warmth of the Sunship version)
11. Last Year

» akronfamily.com
» myspace.com/akronfamily

Tori Amos: USA tour dates

Tori Amos goes on tour in the USA promoting her new album Abnormally Attracted to Sin.

• 07/10 Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater
• 07/11 Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
• 07/13 Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
• 07/14 Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre
• 07/16 San Diego, CA @ Humphrey’s
• 07/17 Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
• 07/18 Phoenix, AZ @ Dodge Theatre
• 07/20 Salt Lake City, UT @ Abravenal Hall
• 07/21 Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
• 07/23 Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre
• 07/24 Grand Prairie, TX @ Nokia Theatre
• 07/25 Austin, TX @ The Long Center for the Performing Arts
• 07/27 Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
• 07/28 Orlando, FL @ Bob Carr Performing Arts Center
• 07/29 Miami Beach, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach @ The Jackie Gleason Theater
• 07/31 Durham, NC @ Durham Performing Arts Center
• 08/01 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
• 08/03 Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
• 08/04 Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
• 08/05 Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
• 08/07 Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre
• 08/08 Detroit, MI @ Detroit Opera House
• 08/10 Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
• 08/11 Montreal, QC @ St. Denis Theatre,
• 08/13 New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
• 08/15 Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
• 08/17 Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion

» toriamos.com

The Penny Black Remedy: No One's Fault But Your Own

photo: Dio van der Veen

The Penny Black Remedy are finally releasing their debut album. No One's Fault But Your Own. Some tracks have been making the rounds for a little over two years, but have been re-recorded. 95 Charing Cross Road has been augmented by a cheerful brass section and an extended harmonica solo. Singer Keith Thomson now sounds like a cooler version of Neil Diamond, sporting a hat and a moustache like Lemmy of Motörhead.

No One's Fault But Your Own is an album that would have been a smash in the politicized late Seventies and early Eighties. Anthems about the state of things were all the rage then. There is sadness lurking beneath all the songs, especially in the country-esque The First Time I Saw Angels and I Won't Argue When I'm Dead, but The Penny Black Remedy are here to get the party started against all odds.

The Penny Black Remedy:
Keith Thomson: vocals, guitar, banjo, harmonica
Marijana Radcliffe: vocals, percussion
Steve Nelson: bass, vocals
Wilco van Eijk: drums, vocals

No One's Fault But Your Own is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website. Release date: May 18th.

Tracks:

1. 95 Charing Cross Road
2. Don't Count On Us
3. Come Back When You Have More Ambition
4. You Have Wasted Your Life, Now Please Stop Wasting Your Money
5. The First Time I Saw Angels
6. I Won't Argue When I'm Dead
7. Hit Hard, Aim Low
8. I Used To Have Such Nice Dreams
9. Bring Back Brando
10. Gypsy Hospital Death Match

» thepennyblackremedy.com
» myspace.com/pennyblackremedy

Her Vanished Grace: Blue

Live at Pianos, NYC - 2008/10/18. Photo: Lito Vales

Good albums can be housed in so-so cover art. Take Blue, the latest offering from Her Vanished Grace, a New York quartet with a big back catalog, who have been flying under the radar longer than they care to remember. Their dreamy richly textured pop songs were recorded and produced by guitarist Charles Nieland, a man who knows his job after handling assignments for Deborah Harry and Rufus Wainwright as one half of the Super Buddha production team.

Blue builds upon late eighties UK New Wave, with a more emphaisis on the rhythm section. Nance Nieland vocals are draped like cozy blanket over the music - her husband Charles sounds a bit rough, which makes for a nice change of pace. Think The Breeders meet Gladshot. Blue is an after party album for the incrowd.

Her Vanished Grace:
Nance Nieland: guitar, vocals
Charles Nieland: guitar, vocals
Maria Theodosiadou: bass
Billy Loose: drums

Blue is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Blue
2. Slip Away
3. Angel
4. Rush
5. Remember
6. Youth
7. Safe
8. Disappear
9. Sirens
10. Countdown
11. Outside In
12. I Do

Live date:

• 06/21 Make Music New York Festival, Brooklyn, NY

» hvgrace.com
» myspace.com/hvgrace

Stratovarius: Polaris

photo: Ville Akseli Juurikkala

Finnish metal band Stratovarius has been to legal hell and back. Their former label folded while they were on tour and took three years to sort out the mess. After a settlement was reached they entered a studio in September last year to begin working on a new album. The result - Polaris - sounds triumphant with singer Timo Kolipelto channeling Ronnie James Dio while the band is playing up a storm of layered guitars, keyboards, bass and drums.

Strotovarius are veterans on the metal circuit - their first album was released 20 years ago. They never got past the '80s keyboard sound they grew up with, and that sounds a bit dated now.

Stratovarius:
Jans Johansson: keyboards
Timo Kotipelto: vocals
Matius Kupianinen: guitar
Jorg Michael: drums
Lauri Porra: bass

Their European tour kicks off tonight in the UK in Wolverhampton. Headbanging required.

Polaris is released on earMusic. UK release date: May 18th.

Tracks:

1. Deep Unknown
2. Falling Star
3. King Of Nothing
4. Blind
5. Winter Skies
6. Forever Is Today
7. Higher We Go
8. Somehow Precious
9. Emancipation Suite: I Dusk
10. Emancipation Suite: II Dawn
11. When Mountains Fall

» stratovarius.com

Cutaways: Earth and Earthly Things

photo: Olan Byrne

Blefast trip Cutaways live up to their name. Get rid off the fluff and you end with a poppy album here keyboards and guitar are fighting for a place in the spotlights, while the drums are egging them on. Earth and Earthly Things is part B52s, part surf and has the nervousness of a young dog chasing his own tail.

Vocalists Paul McIver and Grace McMacken come up with call-and-response songs that change rhythm and pace within a few bars (or within a single bar). Drummer Ryan Simpson keeps them on the road, with countless adventurous turns and twists along the way. Listening to Earth and Earthly Things is a bit like walking on a steep rocky path in the mountains. Tiresome at times, but rewarding in the end.

Cutaways:
Grace McMacken: vocals, guitar
Paul McIver: vocals, keyboards
Ryan Simpson: drums

Earth and Earthly Things is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website. Release date: July 6th.

Tracks:

1. Milo Of Kroton
2. Weapon Of Choice1
3. I Spilled Your Drink & You Broke My Heart
4. Hey Map My Way
5. Wrong Cause, Right Words
6. Earthly Things
7. A Better Paul
8. Lovers Are Lunatics
9. I Don't Understand What You Don't Say
10. Secret Distance
11. Lights
12. Fight To The Death

Live dates:

• 05/19 QUBSU Speakeasy (supporting Chairlift), Belfast, Northern Ireland
• 06/26 4M, Omagh, Northern Ireland

» myspace.com/cutaways

Bowerbirds: tour dates, "Northern Lights" MP3

Phil Moore (guitar, lead vocals) and Beth Tacular (accordion, keys, vocals) are Bowerdbirds, a Raligh, NC Americana duo. They have finished recording their sophomore album. Upper Air will be released on July 7th (July 6th in the UK) on Dead Oceans. Northern Lights serves as a free taster.

Bowerbirds will hit Europe before embarking on an extensive USA tour.

• 05/22 Groningen, The Netherlands - Vera
• 05/23 Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Paradiso
• 05/24 Brussels, Belgium - Maison Des Musiques
• 05/25 Paris, France - Point Fmr
• 05/26 London, UK - Borderline
• 05/27 Nantes, France - Spoutnik
• 05/28 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Festival
• 05/29 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Festival
• 05/30 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Festival
• 06/01 Carpi, Italy - Mattatoia
• 06/02 Pisa, Italy - Caracol
• 06/03 Basel, Switzerland - Volkshaus
• 06/04 Zurich, Switzerland - El Lokal
• 06/05 Ebensee, Austria - Kino
• 06/06 Vienna, Austria - Arena

Opening for Bowerbirds on all dates for the American tour will be Megafaun.

• 07/06 Washington, DC - Black Cat
• 07/07 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
• 07/10 Providence, RI - Club Hell
• 07/11 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
• 07/12 Cambridge, MA - TT The Bear's Place
• 07/13 Montreal QC, Canada - La Sala Rossa
• 07/14 Toronto ON, Canada - Sneaky Dees
• 07/15 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
• 07/16 Pontiac, MI - The Pike Room at The Crofoot
• 07/17 Indianapolis, IN - Vollrath Tavern
• 07/20 Iowa City, IA - The Mill
• 07/21 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry
• 07/22 Omaha, NE - Slowdown
• 07/26 Denver, CO - Hi Dive
• 07/27 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
• 07/29 Vancouver BC, Canada - The Biltmore Cabaret
• 07/30 Seattle, WA - Triple Door
• 07/31 Anacortes, WA - Department of Safety
• 08/01 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
• 08/03 San Francisco, CA - Cafe du Nord
• 08/04 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
• 08/05 San Diego, CA - Casbah
• 08/06 Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room
• 08/10 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
• 08/12 Denton, TX - Hailey's
• 08/13 Austin, TX - The Mohawk
• 08/14 Houston, TX - Walter's On Washington
• 08/15 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
• 08/16 Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree
• 08/17 Atlanta, GA - The Earl

» bowerbirds.org
» www.myspace.com/bowerbirds

HCTF review of Hymns for a Dark Horse.

Jorma Kaukonen: interview in Modern Guitars Magazine

Modern Guitars Magazine has an interview with Jorma Kaukonen who has been playing for fifty years. He has collected a wide range of guitars:

Well, because I've been around for so long I'm one of these guys that go, “If I only had that '57 Les Paul custom, 3 pickup, black, so I could sell it today.”
You know, I've owned a lot of stuff because I've been around for a long time. But, I've never loved electric guitars the way I loved acoustic guitars.They've disappeared, they’ve been stolen, I've bought them, I've sold them, this and that. The electric guitars I'm playing here tonight with Hot Tuna, I'm playing this Chet Atkins guitar that Gibson makes which works with the finger-picking stuff with the bands. They amplify well. And I'm using a 335 style Epiphone. It’s a discontinued Jorma model. And I love those. I've been playing that guitar for 10 years now and will for as long as they hold together, because they don’t make that model anymore. That’s fine. But, acoustic guitar is another story. I still have my '59 Gibson J-50 that I paid $100 for new at Pop's Music Store in Dayton, Ohio in '59.

» jormakaukonen.com

HCTF review of River of Time.
HCTF review of Stars In My Crown.

John Cale: interview in The Guardian about the Venice Biennale project

photo: Sarah Lee

Jonathan Jones has written an article in UK newspaper The Guardian about John Cale and the commission for the Venice Biennale:

I am watching Cale's work for Venice on curator Bruce Haines's laptop. (Haines secured the commission after writing to Cale's record company and inviting him to make an artwork - simple as that.) Seeing a five-screen video projection on a computer screen is not ideal, and sounds that in Venice will echo through a brewery reach me on headphones. I am told by Haines to skim through the bits that drag.

I don't touch the cursor once. I am transfixed. This is fantastic. It was one thing hearing Cale talk about his return home, another watching this raw material transformed. The camera focuses on architectural details in an old house - Cale's old house. As it scrutinises peeling paint on a door frame, a passionate, wistful song fills the soundtrack. Cale sings of having to "Hollywood" this place - as if the very act of filming it is a betrayal. In a wonderful spoken-word recording, like a cross between Dylan Thomas and William S Burroughs played on an old radio, Cale says his childhood home was "the first place he became aware of symmetry". On film, he is walking up a mountain, his feet clinking on loose black slate.

The images in Dyddiau Du/Dark Days are lucid and exact, but it is the audio that makes this film extraordinary. In effect, Cale has created a filmed concept album and called it an artwork. It is utterly compelling, deeply felt. His renewed relationship with Wales continues to grow: he has just finished filming a documentary about drug-taking in the valleys for BBC Wales.

» guardian.co.uk

(Thanks: David Squires)

Midwest Dilemma: solo tour dates (w/ Brad Hoshaw)

Story telling folk musician Justin Lamoureux, who operates under the Midwest Dillema banner, hits the road for a solo tour with Brad Hoshaw.

• 05/14 The Waiting Room, Omaha, Nebraska
• 05/15 Ames Progressive Office, Ames, Iowa
• 05/16 Nachbar, Louisville, KY
• 05/17 The Water Heater, Roanoke, VA
• 05/18 The Red Door, Portsmouth, NH
• 05/19 Haverhouse, Havertown, PA
• 05/20 The Living Room, New York, NY
• 05/21 Pete’s Candy Store, Brooklyn, NY
• 05/22 lovinganvil AndMOR, Biddeford, Maine
• 05/23 The Lamb Abbey Montpelier, VT
• 05/25 Shäika Café, Montreal, Quebec
• 05/26 Labyrinth Press Company, Jamestown, NY
• 05/27 Northside Tavern, Cincinnati, OH
• 05/28 The Belmont, Hamtramck, MN
• 05/29 Paradigm, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
• 05/30 331 Club, Minneapolis, Minnesota

» midwestdilemma.com

HCTF review of Timelines & Tragedies.

Modernage: Sirhan Sirhan

Miami band Modernage has the nerve to name their new EP after they guy who shot Robert Kennedy in 1968. Sirhan Sirhan is filled with danceable indie rock that most likely will turn up as a footnote in a future compendium about the Florida music scene in the '00s. Great bands needs lots of mediocre bands to stand out in the crowd and Modernage is in just in front of the cheap seats yelling and screaming for attention. Nice try. Next.

Sirhan Sirhan is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. The Victim
2. Somewhere
3. Creatures
4. 7 9 12
5. Sirhan Sirhan

» myspace.com/modernage