Friday, December 28th, 2007
When Denmark’s Raveonettes paid us a visit this past October, they were a band with a new album but without a North American label to put it out, not that any of that stopped them from packing Lee’s Palace. Some speculated that this dictated the more stripped down than usual configuration – just Sune Rose Wagner, Sharin Foo and a drummer with a two-piece kit.
So now that they’re signed to Vice Records and will release Lust Lust Lust on February 19, maybe they’ll bring along a few more players when they play the Opera House on March 21 and fill things out a bit – tickets for that show are $16.50 and go on sale January 3. As I mentioned when I reviewed the show, my first exposure to the Raveonettes, I wasn’t especially overwhelmed but I’m finding I’m enjoying listening to the record more than I did watching them play. Perhaps not standing directly in front of Wagner’s Twin Reverb is allowing me to better appreciate the nuances of their songwriting. It sounds more pop and less “kkkkksccccccchhhhhhh”.
AFP and Billboard talked to the band about their new record and they performed “Dead Sound”, one of the standout tracks from the new record, for a Black Cab session. You can sample a bit more of the record and see the first video from it below.
MP3: The Raveonettes – “Dead Sound”
MP3: The Raveonettes – “Aly, Walk With Me”
Video: The Raveonettes – “Dead Sound”
MySpace: The Raveonettes
Nina Nastasia, who put out a much-lauded record this year with The Dirty Three’s Jim White in You Follow Me, will be stopping in at the El Mocambo on February 14. Tickets for that are $8.50, on sale next Thursday.
MP3: Nina Nastasia with Jim White – “Jim’s Room”
If you don’t have plans for New Year’s Eve, consider staying in and watching Radiohead perform In Rainbows in its entirety via webcast at current.com, starting at midnight EST on Monday and repeating three more times through the day. Yes, it’s pre-taped – the band surely has better things to do New Year’s Eve than hang out in a studio entertaining your ethernet-tethered ass. In Rainbows is officially on sale January 1, though most of the record stores around town already seem to be selling it in physical form if you just gotta have it. More details on the webcast at Billboard.
Okkervil River stop in for a session and interview at NPR before heading off to Europe for some shows in February followed by a jaunt down under.
And speaking of jaunts to Europe, I’m contemplating vacation plans for next year and am thinking about the following – eight or nine days, third week of May, half in London and half in Dublin. I’ve never been to either (barring a couple hour layover in Heathrow a few years ago) and, well, that’s about as far as my planning has gotten. Thoughts? Suggestions? If I had more time off, I’d do Glasgow as well but I don’t think that’s in the cards this time around.
Thursday, December 27th, 2007
One of the best things about the end of 2007 is that now we can turn our microscopic attention spans to the class of 2008, the acts that whose creative blood will grease the gears of music reportage. Not surprisingly, the UK press has already begun setting the stage for their new musical heroes of ’08, with The Guardian soliciting predictions of who’ll be the next big thing from label folks, media folks and artists who’ve already worn that particular sash. AllMediaScotland limits their survey to a representative from HMV who offers up a lengthy list of acts, both domestic and imported, that they expect to make waves of some sort over the next twelve months.
One of which was already put on my radar by a friend over a game of Facebook Scrabulous (challenges always welcome), and that’s Glasgow’s GlasVegas. Already garnering no small amount of praise from the likes of Alan McGee who, in a quote you’re likely to see a lot if they do indeed deliver, called them the “best Scottish band of the last 20 years”. McGee is no stranger to hyperbole but in GlasVegas’ case, there could be something to it. The four-piece deliver Spector-sound doo-wop with leather and pompadour, tough-guy angst, leaning against a Jesus And Mary Chain wall of sound. Obviously all the superlatives need to be taken with some salt but based on the samples on their MySpace – only a single has officially been released and an album isn’t expected till next Summer – there’s definitely something there.
The Guardian speaks highly of them, The Scotsman has not one but two recent interviews with frontman James Allan, as does The Daily Record. And A Certain Romance has got four home demos from the band still available to download from a post made almost a year ago proclaiming the band’s greatness.
Video: GlasVegas – “Daddy’s Gone”
MySpace: GlasVegas
Meanwhile, eye forecasts the year that will be on a more local level, including a release date for the new album from Forest City Lovers – March 11. They’re playing as part of a massive New Year’s Eve bash at the Tranzac which, if you’re still looking for something to do, is certainly your best entertainment value (tickets $10 in advance).
As for what I’m personally looking forward to in ’08, obviously out of already known quantities, I can say that the new British Sea Power album Do You Like Rock Music?, out February 12, is a scorcher and a half. Also really looking forward to hearing the new Radio Dept, already overdue as far as the last status update is concerned, and new works from Doves, American Music Club (The Golden Age, out February 19) and DeVotchKa‘s A Mad And Faithful Telling, out March 18, will also be welcomed with open arms. And that’s just a very random sampling. Stereogum has been trying to keep a running list of forthcoming releases worth watching. But, like every year, it’s the stuff that I have no idea whatsoever about presently that will be most exciting. Just watch.
The Sydney Morning Herald discusses the life and times of Sufjan Stevens.
Take-Away Shows rolls tape with Jens Lekman.
Will Sheff of Okkervil River discusses sandwiches, groupies and porn with Nerve. Of course.
Gibson Guitars solicits thoughts on acoustic guitar tone woods from Mountain Goat John Darnielle. Why they got him to pose with a Les Paul for those photos, I’ve no idea but I’d love to see him break it out onstage sometime. Foot on the monitor, John. You know you want to. Heretic Pride is out February 19.
Wednesday, December 26th, 2007
Everyone have a nice break? Yeah? Good. Me too. Back to work tomorrow, though. Anyways.
I mentioned in this week’s MP3 of the week writeup that the Six By Seven compilation Any Colour So Long As It’s Black, long-discussed but never realized, was finally out. Six By Seven’s discography and history is long and convoluted, numbering countless members, at least one maybe two complete breakups, six studio albums, two odds and sods collections and a slew of b-sides and yet it’s all condensed down to eleven album tracks, one EP track and five remixes.
I only have a couple of the remixes but considering the studio tracks, they’ve actually done quite a decent job of encapsulating the breadth of the band’s work as well as eliciting that age-old question, “why weren’t they bigger?”. Their first four records were terrifically energizing slabs of rock, saturated with vitriol and just the right amount of tunefulness. The last couple, including this year’s official “comeback” record If Symptoms Persist Kill Your Doctor, had moments but didn’t have the same kick as the earlier work, even with the return of most of the original lineup including guitarist Sam Hempton, who left after 2000’s monolithic The Closer You Get.
It’s a compact package that certainly gives a taste for what the band was/is about and will ideally encourage a new listener to seek out the full records – but it’s certainly not a replacement for owning the complete discography. Which you should. At least part of, at least. As for those of us who already have all the material, there’s the DVD component (almost certainly in region 2/PAL, for North Americans thinking of picking it up) which collects all the band’s videos – most of which are tragically absent from YouTube though there are now a number of decent-quality live videos – as well as some live performances and a short film about the band. It’s also worth noting that there’s plans for a second collection with more album tracks, which may render the first line of this paragraph irrelevant, and recordings from their John Peel sessions which will make that one much more essential for those already fans of the band. Which should be everyone.
MP3: Six By Seven – “Bochum (You Light Up My Life)”
MP3: Six By Seven – “IOU Love”
Video: Six By Seven – “Ready For You Now” (YouTube)”
Video: Six By Seven – “Nowhere To Go But Home” (YouTube)”
MySpace: Six By Seven
Australia’s Devastations are set to release their new album Yes, U, which is out over here on February 5. Check out the first MP3 from it down below. They still owe us a show after their cancelled show last November so hopefully that’ll be in the offing soon. The Age talked to the band about their new album.
MP3: Devastations – “Mistakes”
Coincidentally, the band that I went to see in lieu of Devastations that night, Beach House, are also coming back with a new record and local date. Devotion is out February 26 and they will play dozy songs from it at the El Mocambo on March 28. Have a taste.
MP3: Beach House – “Gila”
Also coming to town – Bob Mould is back at the Mod Club on March 10 playing songs from Husker Du, Sugar and his new one District Line, out February 5.
Blonde Redhead play a session for Spinner’s Interface.
Billboard has the long list of nominees this year’s Shortlist Of Music prize, a grab bag far too long to be meaningful. The top ten, which though not necessarily more meaningful will at least be easier to be indignant about, will be announced early next year and the winner chosen shortly thereafter.
Monday, December 24th, 2007
Taking a quick break from my, uh, break to bring your attention to this time-limited offer. Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian has taken a break from his calendar-curating and musical-writing and scoring activities to round up the band to record a new holiday tune called “Are You Coming Over For Christmas?”, a jazzy little duet between himself and guest vocalist Celia Garcia.
You can currently stream it from their website and which they’ll be making available to download from their MySpace starting at midnight tonight (GMT, so that’s 7PM EST) until midnight tomorrow (GMT again, so once again 7PM EST – adjust for your own time zone accordingly), thereby guaranteeing this will be a staple of blogger Christmas mixes for years to come. And if you learn the lyrics, you can sing it as a carol. Or not.
And if you’re curious what Murdoch has been doing instead of writing a new B&S record, his film already has a title and website – God Help The Girl – and a MySpace where you can hear some of the songs. And you can buy that Glasgow-lovin’ calendar here.
Thanks to For The Records for drawing my attention to this. Okay, back to vacation time (I have gotten so much sleep this weekend it’s ridiculous. I think I feel well-rested for the first time in a year). Have a good one, everyone.
Friday, December 21st, 2007
I was going to save this one for Sunday as I did last year but the fact is as far as content goes, I got nothing in the hopper, the cupboard is bare, so I may as well clear this out and then take a bit of a proper holiday. Do some reading, watch some movies, listen to some music, whatever. So barring something remarkable happening over the next few days, I’ll probably be back at some point next week. Until then, have a happy and safe holiday. Cheers.
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Jenn Grant offered up a trio of seasonal songs via her MySpace. Jenn had a good year with the release of her acclaimed debut Orchestra For The Moon and will close it out with a show at the Drake Lounge on December 28.
MP3: Jenn Grant – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
MP3: Jenn Grant – “O Holy Night”
MP3: Jenn Grant – “Silver Bells” |
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Richard Hawley likewise released a fabulous album this year in Lady’s Bridge and shows he’s in the giving mood with this lullabye/carol. Imagine a troupe of Christmas carolers singing in this style? They’d get invited in for a lot more than a glass of eggnog, if ya know what I mean.
MP3: Richard Hawley – “Silent Night” |
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New York’s Daylight’s For The Birds ring in the holidays with a cover of John Lennon’s most famous contribution to the Christmas canon, done all trippy-like. They’re working on a follow-up to last year’s Trouble Everywhere with a sleepy eye towards a Summer 2008 release.
MP3: Daylight’s For The Birds – “Happy Christmas/War Is Over” |
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Belle & Sebastian recorded a special Christmas party/session for John Peel and the BBC way back in 2002 and the recordings – which have been circulating every since – have become a sort of indie-pop staple of the season. Here’s one track, I’m sure some very light digging will yield you the rest of it somewhere on the internets.
MP3: Belle & Sebastian – “O Little Town Of Bethlehem” |
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And finally, Cracker have left a double-shot of festive cheer under the tree, one with slightly sanitized lyrics suitable for soundtracking Christmas dinner and one maybe not quite so much. The song originally appeared on 2001’s Forever.
MP3: Cracker – “Merry Christmas Emily” (clean)
MP3: Cracker – “Merry Christmas Emily” (not so clean) |
Update: And head over to the resurrected (and zombiefied?) rbally for a selection of R.E.M. holiday fan club tracks.
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