The Heavy Pets: free album "Live @ Nectar's Burlington VT 2010/12/04"

photo: Peter Wochniak

The Heavy Pets have teamed up with the legendary Charlie Miller to take care of their soundboard recordings. They are offering a free download of their 2010/12/04 show @ at Nectar's, Burlington, VT. Their self-titled studio album was pretty straight forward. These guys need to be on stage to cut loose with a prog rock jazzy vibe.

Tracks:

1. How Would I
2. Sigismondi
3. Chew
4. 3 AM
5. Tortugas
6. Slow Down
7. Kavorka
8. Dew Point
9. John Galt
10. Holy Holy
11. No More Time
12. So Thank You Music
13. E: Waiting
14. Girl You Make Me Stupid
15. Pass It Down

MP3: The Heavy Pets - Sigismondi

» theheavypets.com

HCTF review of The Heavy Pets.

Phish 2010/2011 NYE Run SBD + torrents: 2010/12/30 New York

Phish
2010/12/30
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Set 1:

1. Cities
2. Chalk Dust Torture
3. Gumbo >
4. Quinn the Eskimo
5. Halley's Comet >
6. Camel Walk $
7. Maze
8. Driver
9. Bathtub Gin
10. Fat Man in the Bathtub
11. Timber (Jerry) >
12. Golgi Apparatus
13. Character Zero

Set 2:

1. Tweezer ->
2. Light >
3. Theme From the Bottom >
4. My Friend, My Friend #
5. Axilla >
6. Fluffhead > @
7. Boogie On Reggae Woman ->
8. Also Sprach Zarathustra >
9. Suzy Greenberg

Encore:

1. Run Like an Antelope >
2. Tweezer Reprise

Notes (from phish.net)
$ P.A. cut out.
# No "Myfe" ending.
@ Lyric changed to "Fluff came to New York"
The P.A. cut out during Camel Walk. My Friend did not contain the "Myfe" ending. Lyric in Fluffhead changed from "Fluff came to my door" to "Fluff came to New York" in a nod to the venue.

» Buy the official LivePhish 2010/12/30 release
» (FLAC | FLAC-HD | ALAC | MP3 | CD)

Audience sources:

» Grab your torrent (Schoeps mk41>)

The Flaming Lips: NYE webcast

The Flaming Lips play a sold out show in Oklahoma City, performing their 1999 album The Soft Bulletin in its entirety. Stardeath and White Dwarfs are the support act. The whole thing will be webcasted:

For fans who are unable to attend The Flaming Lips' New Years Eve show at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Rolling Stone has partnered with iClips to offer a live webcast of the performance.

Video: Flaming Lips - NYE teaser

» flaminglips.com

(Thru jambase.com)

Spottiswoode: Piano 45 + Spottiswoode & His Enemies: Wild Goosechase Expedition

photo: Samantha Moranville

Jonathan Spottiswoode is a musical tightrope walker, hovering between styles without a safety net. His latest effort is piano driven solo album and a new record under the Spottiswoode & His Enemies banner drops in 2011.

Piano 45 could be his midlife crisis album - he says so himself, but his sardonic humor will get him past that. He can be a shy knight in shining armour, inviting the listener for a leisurely ride on his Chariot. A wordsmith with an immaculate sense of timing, this set of the songs can stand up against Randy Newman and open the ears of fans of Rufus Wainwright.

Tracks:

1. Sentimental Song
2. Now, Didn't I?
3. Haven't Changed At All
4. You'll See
5. I'd Even Follow You To Philadelphia
6. Understand
7. The Walk Of Shame
8. I Know That Heaven's Gonna Come
9. Wonderful Surprise
10. Happy Or Not
11. I'm The One For You
12. Fine Wine
13. Twelve Strikes Of The Clock
14. Chariot
15. What Comes Next?

Wild Goosechase Expedition is the follow-up for double whammy release by Spottiswoode & His Enemies of the That's What I Like and Salvation albums in 2008. While those two records could be divided into a party and a mellow collection of songs, this one is more serious. The Enemies are in full swing. Think Jarvis Cocker with band that is a cross between The Pixies and The Band.

Spottiswoode's observations are draped in wall-to-wall arrangements (I'd Even Follow You To Philadelphia), sad pedal steel (Problem Child) and angry trumpets (Wake Me Up When It's Over).Happy Or Not and Chariot, two songs of his solo album get a second outing with mixed results. The solo "Happy" is more to the point, while the band version Chariot is more melancholic, with touches of brass. The songs are divided into four themes, but never mind that. Wild Goosechase Expedition is a record that flows as a concept album about loss and getting older. Luckily Spottiswoode is aging well.

Tracks:

1. Setting Out
1. Beautiful Monday
2. Happy Or Not
3. Purple River Yellow Sun
4. The Kingdom Of The Dead
5. All In The Past
6. Just A Word I Use
7. I'd Even Follow You To Philadelphia
8. Sometimes
9. Massacre In The Desert
10. Chariot
11. All Gone Wrong
12. Problem Child
13. Happy Where I Am
14. Wild Goosechase Expedition
15. All My Brothers
16. Starvation And Surrender
17. Wake Me Up When It's Over
18. The Rain Won't Come
19. Wonderful Surprise
20. You Won't Forget Your Dream

» spottiswoode.com
» myspace.com/spottiswoode

HCTF review of That's What I Like and Salvation.

Gov't Mule 2010 torrents: 2010/12/28 Washington

Gov't Mule
2010/12/28
Warner Theatre
Washington, D.C.

Set 1:

1. Grinnin' In Your Face
2. Bad Little Doggie
3. Lola Leave Your Light On >
4. Mother Earth
5. Lay Your Burden Down
6. She Said, She Said > Tomorrow Never Knows (Day Tripper, Taxman tease)
7. Gordon James
8. Kind Of Bird (Get Up Stand Up, Les Brers, Happy Together tease)
9. I'd Rather Go Blind *
10. Soulshine *

Set 2:

1. Steppin' Lightly ^
2. Any Open Window ^
3. I Think You Know What I Mean > When The Levee Breaks > I Think You Know What I Mean >
4. Slackjaw Jezebel >
5. Matt F'n Abts >
6. Fallen Down > The Other One jam * > Gimme Shelter outtro
7. Mr. Big
8. Brighter Days
9. encore call
10. I'll Be The One > Blue Sky jam > I'll Be The One

Notes:
* Ron Holloway on sax
^ Danny Louis on guitar

» Grab your torrent

Harlan Pepper: Young and Old

A young band sounding old (and young, too). Hamilton quartet Harlan Pepper are a blast from the past, cooking up a heady mixture of county, bluegrass, folk, psychedelic pop and stoner rock. Their songs have a lazy, confident swagger that belies their age. Only the vocals are a dead giveaway, but a steady diet of hard living and playing will take care of that.

Young and Old is an album that restores the harmonica and the organ as a major instruments. It's a nice sounding album that will keep you warm while driving through a snowy night.

Harlan Pepper:
Jimmy Hayes: guitar, pedal steel, harmonica
Dan Edmonds: banjo, keys, vocals
Thompson Wilson: bass, vocals
Marlon Nicolle: drums, vocals

Young and Old is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Great Lakes
2. El Jandro
3. Little Miss Sunshine
4. Sweet Lucy
5. No
6. Royal Variety
7. Reefer
8. Yeah
9. Burn Out

Live date:

• 12/31 Hamilton @ This Ain't Hollywood

» harlanpepper.com

Phish 2010/2011 NYE Run SBD + torrents: 2010/12/28 Worcester

Phish
2010/12/28
DCU Center
Worcester, MA

Set 1:

1. Kill Devil Falls
2. My Mind's Got a Mind of its Own
3. Alaska @
4. She Caught the Katy and Left Me a Mule to Ride
5. Wolfman's Brother
6. Pigtail #
7. Stash
8. Bouncing Around the Room >
9. Rift
10. Stealing Time From the Faulty Plan
11. The Birdwatcher $

Set 2:

1. Carini >
2. Backwards Down the Number Line >
3. Back on the Train % ->
4. Limb By Limb >
5. The Wedge >
6. Frankie Says >
7. Albuquerque
8. Harry Hood >
9. Bug

Encore:

1. Shine a Light

Notes (from phish.net)
@ Trey used a device that played Sarah Palin quotes.
# Debut.
$ Phish Debut.
% Streets of Cairo tease from Trey.
She Caught the Katy was last performed on July 21, 1998 (323 shows). Trey used a device that played Sarah Palin quotes during Alaska. This show featured the debut of Pigtail and the Phish debut of Birdwatcher. Back on the Train featured Streets of Cairo teases from Trey.

» Buy the official LivePhish 2010/12/28 release
» (FLAC | FLAC-HD | ALAC | MP3 | CD)

Audience sources:

» Grab your torrent (Schoeps mk5>)
» Grab your torrent (Busman Hypers)

The Ploctones: Dutch tour dates

The Ploctones hit the jazz club circuit in The Netherlands in January. Anton Goudmit (guitar), Efraïm Trujillo (saxophone), Jeroen Vierdag (electric and double bass) and Martijn Vink (drums) love creating a racket, making jazz sound fresh again by incorporating elements of rock and funk.

Live dates:

• 01/06 Amsterdam @ Bimhuis
• 01/07 Leeuwarden @ Hothouse Redband
• 01/08 Den Haag @ Paard van Troje
• 01/09 Zeewolde @ Verbeelding
• 01/11 Arnhem @ Music Sacrum
• 01/12 Middelburg @ Schuttershof
• 01/13 Edam @ Mahogony Hall
• 01/14 Leiden @ Hot House
• 01/16 Bergen op Zoom @ Pol’s Place
• 05/25 Hoofddorp @ Meerjazz 2011

Video: The Ploctones - 050 (live @ Zonnemaire)

» ploctones.com

Phish 2010/2011 NYE Run SBD + torrents: 2010/12/27 Worcester

Phish
2010/12/27
DCU Center
Worcester, MA

Set 1:

1. Sample in a Jar
2. Funky Bitch
3. Cool It Down
4. Roggae
5. Heavy Things
6. What Things Seem
7. Roses Are Free >
8. It's Ice
9. Mountains in the Mist
10. Julius

Set 2:

1. Mike's Song >
2. Mound
3. Weekapaug Groove
4. Farmhouse
5. Seven Below >
6. What's the Use? >
7. Twenty Years Later
8. Wading in the Velvet Sea
9. Possum >
10. Cavern >
11. David Bowie

Encore:

1. Loving Cup

» Buy the official LivePhish 2010/12/27 release
» (FLAC | FLAC-HD | ALAC | MP3 | CD)

Audience sources:

» Grab your torrent (Schoeps mk5)
» Grab your torrent (Busman Hypers)

Ori: "Milka's Dream" MP3

Ori Alboher is Israeli musician living in Jerusalem, mixing traditional Hassidic music with modern day dreamy soundscapes and laptop wizardry. He is a lone wolf while recording, and performs as Ori with Noam Helfer (guitar), Ben Greenberg (French horn), Rani Megiddo (computer & xylophone).

Milka's Dream is offered through Bad Panda Records. Bad Panda Records is a netlabel releasing a new Creative Commons licensed song every Monday.

» Oir on Facebook

Billy Bragg: tour dates

UK Singer-songwriter Billy Bragg wraps up 2010 with a show in Glasgow. He returns to the road in Febuary in that same city, before heading to Northern Ireland to play at the Nashville Songwriters Festival in Belfast. He heads out to New York in March for three nights at the City Winery in NYC as part of "At Home in The City" series.

UK dates:

• 12/31 Concert in the Gardens, Edinburgh, Scotland
• 02/18 Glasgow - Glasgow, Scotland
• 02/23 Nashville Songwriters Festival (Solo Concert), Belfast, Northern Ireland
• 02/24 Nashville Songwriters Festival (In the Round Concert), Belfast, Northern Ireland
• 02/24 Nashville Songwriters Festival (Workshop), Belfast, Northern Ireland

NYC run:

• 03/29 City Winery, New York, NY
• 03/30 City Winery, New York, NY
• 03/31 City Winery, New York, NY

» billybragg.co.uk

Vuvuzela Hits

A 2CD from Hell...

(Thanks: Triple-B)

Words about music (227): Ginger Baker

I have never taken more than two weeks to record an album throughout my career.

Ginger Baker

HCTF Giveaway: Zappatika - Strictly Frankly

Zappatika live @ Q-Bus, Leiden, The Netherlands - 2010/12/18 photo: HCTF

Anglo-Dutch band Zappatika made a nice tribute album called Strictly Frankly filled 14 tunes written by the one and only Frank Zappa.

Tracks:

1. Winoman
2. Dirty Love
3. Broken Hearts Are For Assholes
4. Sleep Dirt
5. Titties n Beer
6. My Guitar Wants to Kill Yer Momma
7. Bamboozled by Love
8. The Torture Never Stops
9. Black Napkins
10. Joe Cajun Garage
11. Cozmik Debris
12. City Of Tiny Lites
13. Watermelon in Easter Hay
14. Wino Willies Mountain Hop

You can pick up a copy for free at one of their shows, but don't despair if they are not playing in your neck of the woods. HCTF has a spare copy. Contact HCTF and explain why you should get it delivered to your doorstep.

Zappatika live @ Q-Bus, Leiden, The Netherlands 2010/12/18 photo: HCTF

» zappatika.com

Cover Me: Sweet Dreams

Watch Triggerfinger performing Sweet Dreams, the Eurythmics classic. Recorded live @ Bibelot, Dordrecht, The Netherlands - 2009/04/12.

» triggerfinger.net

Joe Bonamassa: "Further on up the Road" (w/ Eric Clapton) MP3, tour dates

Eric Clapton and Joe Bonamassa on stage @ Royal Albert Hall, London

Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa offers a free download of Further on up the Road, recorded live at Royal Albert Hall in London, May 4th, 2009. Special guest Eric Clapton trades licks and vocals.

North American tour:

• 02/17 Anaheim,CA @ Grove of Anaheim
• 02/18 San Diego, CA @ Balboa Theatre
• 02/19 Las Vegas,NV @ House Of Blues
• 02/22 Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre
• 02/23 Albuquerque, NM @ Kiva Auditorium at the Albuquerque Convention Center
• 02/24 El Paso,TX @ Plaza Theatre
• 02/26 Dallas, TX @ Music Hall At Fair Park
• 02/27 Tulsa,OK @ Brady Theatre
• 03/02 Sioux Falls,SD @ Washington Pavilion
• 03/03 Kansas City, MO @ The Midland by AMC
• 03/05 Ames, IA @ STEPHENS AUDITORIUM
• 03/06 Davenport, IA @ Adler Theatre
• 03/08 Aurora, IL @ Paramount Theatre
• 03/09 Peoria, IL @ Peoria Civic Center
• 03/11 Green Bay, WI @ WEIDNER CENTER
• 03/12 Milwaukee,WI @ Pabst Theatre
• 03/15 Fort Wayne, IN @ Embassy Theatre
• 03/16 Saginaw, MI @ Dow Event Center
• 03/18 Columbus, OH @ Palace Theatre Columbus
• 03/19 Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
• 03/21 Grand Rapids, MI @ DeVos Performance Hall
• 03/23 Reading, PA @ Sovereign Performing Arts Center
• 03/24 Worcester,MA @ Hanover Theatre
• 03/25 Westbury, NY @ NYCB Theatre at Westbury
• 03/27 Pittsburgh, PA @ Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland

European tour:

Just one confirmed show in Paris for now. There will be more:

• 05/05 Paris, France @ Olympia

Australian tour:

• 05/18 Newcastle, Australia @ Civic Theatre
• 05/20 Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
• 05/21 Brisbane , Australia @ The Tivoli
• 05/23 Perth , Australia @ Perth Concert Hall
• 05/26 Melbourne, Australia @ Palais Theatre
• 05/27 Adelaide, Australia @ Her Majesty’s Theatre

» jbonamassa.com

HCTF review of Joe Bonamassa: Live From Royal Albert Hall.

Modern Day Moonshine: Refuge

Modern Day Moonshine is a jukebox filled with originals, The trio from San Francisco, CA cover a lot of styles on their latest album Refuge. Allman Brothers inspired blues rock (Unsung), soulful funk (Expiration Date' and Southern Rock (Perfect Disease) and vaudeville lounge lizard stuff (Burton (things you’ve arranged)).

Songwriter, vocalist and guitar player Todd Goodnough is a man who write a tune about almost anything. Bass player Brendan McCaskey is tight in the pocket, augmenting and/or following the melody, while drummer David Burrows uses all of his kit to come up with tasty fills and frills. Being a West Coast band, these guys grew up on a healthy diet of vocal harmonizing and this album. With more than 500 live show under their belt, this trio can play for days on end without repeating the same song twice. Not a jam band as such, their repertoire has the length and depth to keep their audience guessing about with they will play next. Recommended if you like bands New Monsoon and Railroad Earth.

Modern Day Moonshine:
Todd Goodnough: guitar, vocals
David Burrows: drums
Brendan McCaskey: bass

Refuge is released on Ripple Music.

Tracks:

1. Unsung
2. Expiration Date
3. Don’t Waste
4. Living In Shadows
5. Perfect Disease
6. Burton (things you’ve arranged)
7. Fitting The Mold
8. Home on the Road
9. Marching Down the Line
10. Finding Home
11. Magistrate
12. Without Love

» moderndaymoonshine.com

Roger Waters: Wallpapers

Six wallpapers made during his North American tour are up for grabs from the official Roger Waters website.

» rogerwaters.com

Trey Anastasio and the Scorchio Quartet: Live From Princeton

LivePhish is offering another freebie. It's an incomplete show by Trey Anastasio and the Scorchio Quartet recorded at the Richardson Auditorium, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ - 2010/11/18. Big Red performed solo stuff and a few Phish songs. Some of them worked quite well in acoustic setting with strings.

Trey Anastasio: vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
Gregor Kitzis: violin
Maxim Moston: violin
Martha Mooke: viola
Leah Coloff: cello
Kris Saebo: bass

Tracks:

1. Summer Of '89
2. Divided Sky
3. Greyhound Rising
4. Bar 17
5. Stash
6. Flock of Words
7. Strange Design
8. Wolfman's Brother
9. Let Me Lie

Full show setlist:

1. Love Is Freedom
2. Water In The Sky
3. Summer of '89
4. Divided Sky
5. Greyhound Rising
6. Bar 17
7. Gone
8. Brian and Robert
9. Stash
10. Flock of Words
11. Strange Design
12. Wolfman’s Brother
13. E: Julie
14. Let Me Lie

» LivePhish.com

Radio Barons: Easy EP

The Radio Barons have just released their Easy EP. This NYC trio peddles garage lo-fi grunge rock. Just roll tape in your rehearsal room and pick the best tracks to share with the world. All members have been gigging with various hardcore bands for years. Guitarist Eric decided that is was about time to step into the spotlights as a frontman after being a hired hand for longer than he cares to remember.

The Easy EP has written "home made" all over it. It is a murky demo of sorts, with plenty of leakage, but it sounds very much alive.

Radio Barons:
Gary: drums
Eric: vocals, guitars
Chris: bass

The Easy EP is a self-released album. Download it for free from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. No One said This Would Be Easy
2. Sore Loser
3. Warm up the Room (Instrumental)

» radiobarons.com

Grinderman: "Evil" video

Watch the new Grinderman video Evil. The video was directed by Aussie film maker John Hillcoat.

» grinderman.com

Kypski: Partyscratch 1

Scratch master Kypski goes back to basics with the release of his first solo EP Partyscratch 1. He is one of the leading scratch artists in The Netherlands. He wants people to dance to his tunes.

Recently I found out that I like to make electronic dance music, with my own twist to it of course. I call it 'Partyscratch'. This is because it's music to party and dance to, but with a scratch playing the lead. I find it ironic to see that a lot of times when DJ's scratch, it is more likely to make people stop dancing than that it invites people to dance. While back in the early 80's when scratching had just been invented, people were dancing to it. That's the vibe Ì try to bring with Partyscratch. I.

Partyscratch 1 will be released on Beatport. Release date: December 21.

Roger Waters on Conan O'Brien

Watch an entertaining conversation about pudding and other The Wall related tidbits between Roger Waters and Conan O'Brien.

» rogerwaters.com

The Low Anthem: "Ghost Woman Blues" video

Alt.folk band The Low Anthem have released a video for Ghost Woman Blues, a track off of their forthcoming album Smart Flesh. The video was shot at an abandoned pasta sauce factory by Robert Houllahan.

They will be on tour in North America and Europe, kicking off in Washington, DC on February 24.

American tour:

• 02/24 Washington, DC @ Sixth & I Historic Synagogue
• 02/25 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
• 02/26 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox
• 02/27 Charleston, WV @ Mountain Stage
• 02/28 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
• 03/02 Toronto, ON @ Great Hall
• 03/03 Montreal, QC @ Sala Rosa
• 03/04 Boston, MA @ Old South Church
• 03/05 North Adams, MA @ Mass MoCA
• 03/07 Portland, ME @ Space Gallery

European tour:

• 03/18 Paris, France @ Cafe De La Danse
• 03/20 Koln, Germany @ Stadtgarten
• 03/21 Berlin, Germany @ Passionkirche
• 03/22 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Loppen
• 03/23 Oslo, Norway @ John Dee
• 03/24 Gothenburg, Sweden @ Pusterviksbaren
• 03/25 Hamburg, Germany @ Übel & Gefährlich
• 03/27 Vienna, Austria @ Flex
• 03/28 Milan, Italy @ La Salumeria Della Musica
• 03/30 Munich, Germany @ Ampere
• 03/31 Zurich, Switzerland @ El Lokal
• 04/03 Brussels, Belgium @ AB
• 04/04 Frankfurt, Germany @ Mousonturm
• 04/05 Amsterdam, The Netherlands @ Paradiso
• 04/07 Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor Auditorium
• 04/08 Manchester, UK @ St. Phillip's Church (Salford)
• 04/10 Dublin, Ireland @ Vicar St.
• 04/11 London, UK @ Queen Elizabeth Hall

» lowanthem.com

Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart): 1941-2010

Don Van Vliet, who will always be remembered by his stage name Captain Beefheart, died at a Northern California hospital from complications associated with multiple sclerosis. As a musician his released 12 albums, before taking up painting in 1982.

His Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off, Baby albums are part of any serious collection of music. A truly unique voice is now forever silent.

» en.wikipedia.org

Drive-By Truckers: more tour dates (w/ Heartless Bastards)

The Drive-By Truckers have announced a second batch of live concerts promoting their new album Go-Go Boots. Heartless Bastards opens for them on all new dates, except the very last one.

Live dates:

• 02/25 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater
• 02/26 Chicago, IL @ Vic Theater
• 02/27 Omaha, NE @ Slow Down
• 03/02 Reno, NV @ Knitting Factory
• 03/03 Las Vegas, NV @ Silverton Ccasino
• 03/04 San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore Auditorium
• 03/05 San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore Auditorium
• 03/09 Eugene, OR @ McDonald Theater
• 03/10 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
• 03/11 Vancouver, BC @ CommodoreBallroom
• 03/12 Seattle, WA @ Showbox At The Market
• 03/15 Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theater
• 03/16 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
• 03/18 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater
• 03/19 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theater

The Fervor: Arise, Great Warrior

Singer Natalie Felker is the heart and soul of The Fervor, a mid-tempo powerpop band from Louisville, KY. She sings in a matter of fact kind of way, dividing her attention between the lyrics and playing keyboards. Husband Ben takes care of the guitar in a subdued way that can suddenly explode without warning, rescuing the sound of the band from self-absorbed shoegazing. Drummer Mat Herron doesn't hold back and follows the melody while subtly changing it, an alternate current subtly clashing with the keyboards. Bass player Michael Campbell is on the same page sometimes, but he keeps a firm stand as a whole.

Arise, Great Warrior is a collection of songs that reveal more layers are each listen. The lead single Crazy For The Feeling is the most upbeat and will gain some well deserved airplay. The big one however is Bent Around A Dying Dream, with a great battle of sorts between acoustic and electric guitar, that is ended by Natalie's voice and keys and Ben's backing vocals.

Arise, Great Warrior is released via Removador and Karate Body Records (vinyl). Release date: February 8, 2011.

Tracks:

1. Arise, Great Warrior
2. Lead Me
3. Bent Around A Dying Dream
4. Clearly As The Sun
5. Birds On The Bridge
6. Crazy For The Feeling
7. Let's Get Loaded

The Fervor:
Natalie Felker: vocals, keys, Rhodes, Hammond B3
Ben Felker; guitar, backing vocals
Michael Campbell: bass, guitar
Mat Herron: drums

» thefervor.com

Phish: MSG run pay-per-view webcasts

All three Phish shows at Madison Square Garden (12/30-31, 01/01) in New York will be broadcasted as pay-per-view webcasts:

Phish has found a way to celebrate New Year's with all of their fans. The band will offer live pay-per-view webcasts at LivePhish.com of each of their three sold-out shows (including December 30th, Phish's New Year's Eve three-set performance, and the band's first-ever New Year's Day concert on January 1st) at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

A three-night pass is available for pre-order now for $39.99. You may also purchase individual night webcasts ($14.99 for December 30th and January 1st, $19.99 for New Year's Eve). In addition, CDs, MP3s and FLACs of each show will be available. For additional details or to pre-order, visit LivePhish.com.

If you're unsure as to whether or not your Mac or PC is compatable with the live- stream, we invite you to try out a test video at LivePhish.com. We're airing some unreleased video ("You Enjoy Myself" > "Piper") from Phish's 8/15/10 Alpine Valley to test your video streaming capabilities.

Pre-order the live stream.

» phish.com

Stockholm Syndrome: new album "Apollo" 02/15

After a six year wait Stockholm Syndrome will release their second studio album. Apollo drops February 15 on Response Records. The band is part of the open sea music festival Jam Cruise, which sets sail on January 4th.

Band members Jerry Joseph (The Jackmormons) and Dave Schools (Widespread Panic) have been playing with the other members over the years when they could fit it in with the schedule of their main bands.

» stockholmsyndromeband.com

The Jack Stafford Foundation: A Kinky Christmas

Amsterdam based UK one-man band The Jack Stafford Foundation has just put up A Kinky Christmas as a free download.

Five fine songs by Ray Davies recorded by Jack Stafford in a 12 hour marathon session with Keez Groenteman, Daniel Rose (C-Mon & Kypski) and Paul Willemsen. A lo-fi labor of love. Tracks:

1. Waterloo Sunset
2. A Dedicated Follower of Fashion
3. Sunny Afternoon
4. A Well Respected Man
5. Lola

Or grab all tracks in a handy zip.

» thejackstaffordfoundation.com

Phish: Alpine Valley 2010

Phish captured the August 14-15 shows at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre on film. A box set contains all of the first night on both DVD and CD, while a few tracks of the second night have been added DVD extras. While not the most adventurous of shows the three-part segue of Down With Disease > What's The Use > Scent Of A Mule went down as a memorable one - a jammed Mule is pretty rare. A few day prior to the Alnine tow-night run, the band had unearthed Fuck Your Face, an off-kilter Mike Gordon one-off that had been played at Nectar's in Burlington, VT on April 29, 1987. Fans had been hoping for a second outing for decades and the band gave in during their Charlotte show on August 7. It went down pretty well and they reprised it at Alpine. This blast from the past is followed by Alaska, proof of the more mainstream melodic course that guitar player Trey Anastasio has set for the band.

After the band reunited in 2009 after a 5-year hiatus, musical prowess is slowly evolving. Gone are the long jams - no five or six songs sets, but at least taking risks on stage is no longer avoided. Songs like Run Like An Antelope and Reba are moving again, not wandering around aimlessly. Bass player Gordon is pushing, inviting Anastasio to cut himself loose from the main melody, when he feels like it. Drummer Jon Fishman is more solid than last year, but keyboardist Page McConnell is the MVP during both nights - jazzing it up and singing his head off.

Black Dub goes West: Winter tour dates

Black Dub goes West. Guitarist/producer Daniel Lanois hits the road with Trixie Whitley (vocals), Daryl Johnson (bass) and Brian Blade performing their retro-soul with a twist material. A reinvented cover of the Stones classic The Last Time features prominently on the setlist.

Live dates:

• 01/28 El Rey, Los Angeles, CA
• 01/30 The Independent. San Francisco, CA
• 02/01 Neumos. Seattle, WA
• 02/02 Venue. Vancouver, BC
• 02/03 Aladdin, Portland, OR

» blackdub.net

HCTF review of Black Dub.

Dead Confederate: "Tonight's the Night" in full, tour dates

photo: Marc Mauldin

Athens alt.rockers Dead Confederate will be covering the classic Neil Young album Tonight's the Night in full, during a year-end tour in home state Georgia.

"Tonight's the Night" dates

• 12/23 Sky City, Augusta, GA
• 12/28 The Earl, Atlanta, GA
• 12/29 Cox Capitol Theatre, Macon, GA
• 12/30 The Max Canada, Athens, GA

They resume their regular touring in January with a hometown show at the 40 Watt Club. Europe is next, sharing the bill with The Whigs. The German leg of the tour is all set. More mainland Europe and UK dates will be announced soon.

USA dates:

• 01/21 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
• 01/22 Charley O'corley's, Valdosta, GA
• 01/23 Backbooth, Orlando, FL

Europe dates (w/ The Whigs):

• 02/15 59 to 1 München, Germany
• 02/16 Nachtleben, Frankfurt, Germany
• 02/17 Molotow, Hamburg, Germany
• 02/18 Luxor, Cologne, Germany

» deadconfederate.com

HCTF review of Sugar.

Sensual Harassment: Alpha Draconis

NYC dance rock trio Sensual Harassment offer their Alpha Draconis album for free, which is good news for all those who are totally fed up with all the Christmas fluff that is fucking up the soundsystems of every shopping mall in the Western hemisphere.

Packed with seven serious dance floor fillers, hence the working title 7 Songs, this album has all the trappings of becoming an underground favorite. Following the basic idea of the Russian Dolls, the trio hides grooves within grooves.

Sensual Harassment:
Todd Thomas: vocals, guitar, keyboards, bass
Mike Sherburn: bass, drums, keyboards
John Barclay: drums, keyboards

Tracks:

1. Fever
2. Daddy Long Legs
3. Boss
4. Soldier
5. NYC Beast
6. The Journey Has Merely Begun
7. Russian Dolls

» sensualharassment.com

The Americans: The White EP

photo: Pamela Hanson

Bringing the West Coast sound to NYC buy way of London and Paris. The Americans were founded by Charlie Klarsfeld who grew up in Europe. After releasing a self-titled EP in 2008, their second helping is called The White EP, six poppy tunes that are like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy Winter Day. Opening track Try (Nobody Wants To) ends with an extended coda featur3ing the Jackie Wilson 1967 smash hit "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher the listener is transported to the golden age of Pop radio. Lush arrangements and layered vocals galore, with nods to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Diamond is the gem on this collection of songs. Try may feature Daniel Merriweather and Sean Lennon is lending a hand for Requiem, but for Diamond Klarsfeld has come up with a guitar line that is instantly recognizamble and original, proving that new tricks can still be invented for r&b infused pop songs.

The Americans:
Charlie Klarsfeld: vocals, guitar
Sissy Clemens: vocals, tamborine
Kyle Olson: drums
James Preston: bass
John Stanesco: keys, saxophone

The White EP is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Try (Nobody Wants To)
2. The Antidote
3. Not Still In Love
4. Diamond
5. Rooftop Love
6. Requiem

Video: The Americans - Requiem

» theamericansnyc.com

Southern Shores: "Grande Comore" b/w "Mauna Loa"

A double A-side freebie from Southern Shores. This Canadian duo is currently based in Berlin, churning out sunny beats and quirks with healthy doses of trumpet and keyboards. No hint of Christmas anywhere.

Grande Comore and Mauna Loa are offered through Bad Panda Records. Bad Panda Records is a netlabel releasing a new Creative Commons licensed song every Monday.

MP3: Southern Shores - Grande Comore
MP3: Southern Shores - Mauna Loa

» grandecomore.wordpress.com

Mike Gordon: live acoustic "Idea" video

Watch Mike Gordon perform Idea live at the Madison radio station, 105.5 Triple M - 2010/11/17.

» mike-gordon.com

HCTF review of Moss.

Robert Randolph and the Family Band: tour dates

Robert Randolph and the Family Band kick off their Winter tour in Fayette, AZ. Expect lots of songs of their latest album We Walk This Road. The tour ends in Burlington, VT, performing at Higher Ground.

Live dates:

• 01/20 Fayetteville, AR @ George's Majestic
• 01/21 Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
• 01/22 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
• 01/24 Park City, UT @ House Of Blues
• 01/28 San Francisco, CA @ Independent
• 01/29 San Francisco, CA @ Independent
• 01/30 Crystal Bay, NV @ Crystal Bay Club
• 02/01 Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre
• 02/04 Austin, TX @ Antone's
• 02/05 Austin, TX @ Antone's
• 02/17 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
• 02/20 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

» robertrandolph.net

The Who: "Tattoo" video

The Who have unveiled an animated video for Tattoo to celebrate the deluxe reissue of Live At Leeds.

» thewho.com

Cover Me: Billie Jean

Watch folk duo The Civil Wars tackle Billie Jean, the Micheal Jackson classic. Recorded live @ Eddie's Attic, Decatur, GA - 2009/11/21.

» facebook.com/thecivilwars

BJ Block: Glitterball

photo: Gary Fitzpatrick

Vancouver guitarist and keyboards player BJ Block is into instrumental mid-tempo songs augmented with a bit of electronics. His full length Glitterball comes in handy to chill after attending high energy live concert or to start the day in a very relaxed way indeed.

His jazzy Seventies inspired compositions won't win awards for breaking new ground, but his chops and tone make him stand out amongst the hopefull that are looking for a place on the shelf where you keep your Sunday morning record collection. It's smooth, but when he decides to build upon it on stage with his adequate rhythm section something more memorable is likely to happen. The disco send-up Mersey Beat might evolve into a smiling mosh pit.

BJ Block: guitars, keyboards, drum progamming
Brian Mclaughlin: drum progamming, percussion
Lenny Fatigati: bass

Glitterball is a self-released album. Buy it from CD Baby.

Tracks:

1. Theme Musik
2. The Twilight Drive-In
3. Charlesgate East
4. Mersey Beat
5. Kaleidoscope
6. Stickman
7. What Could Have Been
8. The Coloring Book

» myspace.com/bjblockmusic

The Foreign Films: Fire From Spark EP

Bill Majoros from Hamilton, ON, is The Foreign Films. A veteran guitar player, singer and composer, his latest project is a 4-track EP. Fire From Spark is a garage rock album wrapped in pop sensibilities. Plenty of room for stings and piano. An urge for the grandiose symphonics clashes with basic rock, which could have led to a major train wreck of a record. Majoros holds a firm reign on the proceedings. The music may be trying to wring itself from his grip, but he brings it home safely, dripping with sweat and tired beyond belief, but knowing that he has gotten the job done.

Majoros name might ring a bell with Feist, The Great Lake Swimmers, and Holy Fuck fans. He played with Julie Fader and Graham Walsh in the cult band Flux A.D. before they became big in the indie scene. The EP serves as a teaser for a full length that he is hoping to have out in the first half of 2011.

The Fire From Spark EP is a self-released album. Download it for free from his website.

Tracks:

1. Fire From Spark
2. City Of Bright Lights
3. Imperfect Perfection
4. A Message

» myspace.com/theforeignfilms
» billmajoros.ca

The Bridge: new album "National Bohemian" 02/01, tour dates

photo: Alicia Rose

Roots rock band The Bridge will release their fifth studio album National Bohemian on February 1, 2011 through Woodberry Records/Thirty Tigers. The Baltimore band keep up with theit hectic live schedule to play the new songs in concert. Moonlight Mission is offered as a freebie.

Live dates:

• 12/30 Ram's Head Live, Baltimore, MD @
• 12/31 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA @
• 01/01 9:30 Club, Washington, DC @
• 01/14 Sound Factory, Charleston, WV
• 01/15 PJ Kelly's, Clarksburg, WV (w/ Grayson Capps)
• 01/29 Ram's Head Live, Baltimore, MD (WTMD Presents)
• 02/02 Jefferson Theatre, Charlottesville, VA #
• 02/03 Alley Katz, Richmond, VA #
• 02/04 9:30 Club, Washington, DC #
• 02/05 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA #
• 02/08 Strand Capital Performing Arts Center, York, PA #
• 02/09 Westcott Theater, Syracuse, NY #
• 02/10 Higher Ground, Burlington, VT #
• 02/11 Paradise Rock Club, Boston, MA #
• 02/12 Highline Ballroom, New York, NY #
• 02/16 The Cabooze, Minneapolis, MN $
• 02/17 Majestic Theatre, Madison, WI $
• 02/18 Park West, Chicago, IL $
• 02/19 Beachland Ballroom, Cleveland, OH $
• 02/20 Mr. Small's Theater, Pittsburgh, PA $
• 03/03 Southgate House, Newport, KY
• 03/04 Max's, Bloomington, IN
• 03/05 Trouser Mouse, Blue Springs, MO
• 03/06 Bourbon Theatre Rye Room, Lincoln, NE
• 03/11 Cervante's Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO
• 03/15 The Canopy Club, Urbana, IL
• 03/16 Canal Street, Dayton, OH
• 03/17 V Club, Huntington, WV
• 03/18 Dante's, Frostburg, MD
• 04/16 Old Settler's Music Festival, Driftwood, TX
• 06/04 Crawfish Fest, Augusta, NJ

@ w/ Trombone Shorty
# w/ Tea Leaf Green
$ w/ Galactic

» thebridgemusic.com

HCTF review of Blind Man's Hill.

Rose Hill Drive: NYE "Elephant" shows in Boulder

photo: Marty Caivano

Boulder rock band Rose Hill Drive will be performing Elephant in its entirety:

Rose Hill Drive will celebrate the New Year with a tribute to The White Stripes at Boulder’s Fox Theatre, performing the breakthrough album “Elephant” in its entirety, as well as sets of their original music, on both December 30th and 31st. Fans are encouraged to wear red and white, The White Stripes’ signature colors, to the shows. (...) Fan Club Tickets are available (...) at rosehilldrive.baselineticketing.com.

A third outing of the White Stripes album happens on January 2 at the Belly Up in Aspen, CO.

Video: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

» rosehilldrive.wordpress.com

Doghouse Roses: This Broken Key

photo: Lieve Bossauw

Guitarist Paul Tasker and singer Iona MacDonald are the Doghouse Roses, a folk duo from Glasgow. Their new album This Broken Key is a blend of traditional folk with a few grains of pop and rock. It would be called Americana if they had been living across the big pond.

Tasker is an acclaimed guitar teacher. All song are built around his six string skills and the warm voice of MacDonald, the kind that can charm swords out of stones without even trying. She has been compared with the legendary folk singer Sandy Denny and yes, she comes close. Songs like Evermore and The Highwayman would have fitted on Fairport Convention's Liege & Lief album.

"Intimate" is the one word that is needed to describe This Broken Key. They enlisted Alan Scobie on keys and percussion, Craig Strain on bass, Fraser West on drums and Ian Strain on banjo to lend a hand on the album, but the songs truly come to live when it's just the two of them, performing on a tiny stage playing for an audience that has the decency to shut up when they are playing.

This Broken Key is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website. Also available to buy in the Benelux from Rough Trade Distribution.

Tracks:

1. Atonement
2. Woodstock
3. Trouble Gathering
4. Thunder of the Dawn
5. Twisted Wheel
6. The Rain
7. Blue Moon on the Mountain
8. Any Kind of Love
9. Survival
10. Evermore
11. Devil In Me
12. The Highwayman

Video: Doghouse Roses - Thunder Of The Dawn

Live dates:

• 01/30 ABC 1, Glasgow, Scotland
• 04/23 Patronaat, Haarlem, The Netherlands
• 04/27 Burgerweeshuis, Deventer, The Netherlands

More Dutch dates to be announced in the near future.

» doghouseroses.org

In Memoriam: John Lennon

Thirty years ago John Lennon was shot by Mark Chapman in front of the Dakota building in New York.

» johnlennon.com

moe.: snoe.down 2011 lineup

photo: Jay Blakesberg

moe. have announced the initial lineup for their annual Winter Music & Sports Festival snoe.down. The Festival is held in Vermont March 25 - 27th with performances in Killington Resort, Killington and the Spartan Arena in neighbouring Rutland.

Lineup

• moe.
• Keller Williams
• Lotus
• The Brew
• Ryan Montbleau Band
• The London Souls

» moe.org

Akron/Family: new album trailer, tour dates

Watch the trailer for the new Akron/Family album S/T II:The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT. The album is stores in the USA on February 8, and March 14 in the UK. The trio from Williamsport, PA, embarks on an extensive North American tour in February. Support act for the whole tour is Delicate Steve.

Live dates:

• 02/17 Brooklyn, NY @ Knitting Factory
• 02/18 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
• 02/19 Montreal, QB @ Il Motore
• 02/20 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
• 02/22 Detroit, MI @ Lager House
• 02/23 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
• 02/24 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
• 02/25 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
• 02/26 Iowa City, IA @ The Mill
• 02/28 St Louis, MO @ Billiken Club
• 03/01 Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub
• 03/02 Columbus, OH @ Wexner Center for Arts at OSU
• 03/03 Cleveland Heights, OH @ Grog Shop
• 03/04 Philadelphia, PA @ The Blockley Pourhouse
• 03/05 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
• 03/24 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s Crystal Ball Reading Room
• 03/25 Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore Cabaret
• 03/26 Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
• 03/28 Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
• 03/29 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
• 03/31 Dallas, TX @ The Loft
• 04/01 Austin, TX @ The Parish
• 04/03 Santa Fe, NM @ Corazon
• 04/04 Phoenix, AZ @ Rhythm Room
• 04/06 Los Angeles, CA @ Echo
• 04/07 Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho Restaurant & Music Club
• 04/08 San Francisco, CA @ Independent
• 04/09 Oakland, CA @ The New Parish

» akronfamily.com

HCTF review of Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free.

Drive-By Truckers: new album "Go-Go Boots" 02/15, tour dates

photo: Danny Clinch

The new Drive-By Truckers album Go-Go Boots drops February 15th. The track Used To Be A Cop serves as a free taste. After three NYE shows they will be on tour promoting it, kicking off on January 13 in their hometown Athens, GA.

Live dates:

• 12/30 Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY
• 12/31 Terminal 5, New York, NY
• 01/01 Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA
• 01/13 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
• 01/14 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
• 01/15 40 Watt Club, Athens, GA
• 01/20 Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale, FL
• 01/21 The Ritz, Tampa, FL
• 01/22 House of Blues, Orlando, FL
• 01/23 Sun Freebird Live, Jacksonville Beach, FL
• 01/26 Vinyl Music Hall, Pensacola, FL
• 01/28 Lyric Theatre Oxford, MS
• 01/29 The Cannery, Nashville, TN
• 02/16 Pullo Center, York, PA
• 02/17 Paramount Center, Peekskill, NY
• 02/18 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
• 02/19 9:30 Club, Washington, DC

» drivebytruckers.com

The Steepwater Band: "The Stars Look Good Tonight" video & MP3

Watch the video for The Stars Look Good Tonight by Chicago power trio The Steepwater Band, the title track off of their latest 4-track EP. They are also offering this song as a free download.

» steepwater.com

John Cale: Tapei 2010/12/04 setlist

photo: Sabrina Chen

John Cale performed at the Urban Simple Life Festival, Tapei, Taiwan - December 4, 2010. Tentative listing. Running order not confirmed.

1. Venus In Furs
2. Heartbreak Hotel
3. Helen Of Troy
4. Sold Motel
5. Things
6. Whaddya Mean By That
7. Catastrophic
8. Perfect
9. Fear Is A Man's Best Friend
10. Dirty Ass Rock 'n' Roll
11. Gun > Pablo Picasso

» John Cale setlists