Sunday's Music Picks 10/1/06

Mojave 3 @ McCabe’s ($20) – I liked Slowdive and I like Mojave 3 even better. It’s mellow, melodic rock with the occasional pedal steel part. I’ve seen them before and they were quite good live. Also on Friday 9/29 at the Roxy and 9/30 in Joshua Tree.

Also appearing:
Echo Park Music Festival @ Echo Park Lake (Free)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Palladium ($32.50) – I haven’t been to the Palladium in years. Is it still a cavern with awful sound? Also on Monday night.

Saturday's Music Picks 9/30/06

Silversun Pickups / Viva Voce @ the Echo ($10) – It’s still weird (but refreshing) when you turn on the radio (usually Indie 103) and hear the Silversun Pickups. If you haven’t seen them yet, what are you waiting for? They were named one of Rolling Stone’s 10 Bands to Watch and were recently one of MTV’s Freshmen 5. After this Viva Voce tour they’re going on the road with Wolfmother. Download Viva Voce’s “We Do Not Fuck Around”

Also appearing:
Art Brut / The Spinto Band / We Are Scientists @ the Fonda ($18) – I like the Spinto Band. They’re solid indie pop and supposedly have a fun live show. Art Brut has a lot of fans. We Are Scientists has a couple of songs.
Cold War Kids @ Detroit Bar – If you don’t wanna drive down to Long Beach they’re playing Spaceland on Oct. 11th.
Echo Park Music Festival @ Echo Park Lake (Free) – Future Pigeon plays Sunday at 6:00PM.
The Oohlas @ Sea Level 4:00PM (Free)
Starsailor / Peter Walker @ Troubadour (Sold Out)
Common @ Cal State Northridge ($10)

Tonight's Music Picks Friday 9/29

Mastodon Plays the Henry Fonda Tonight

Tonight's Pick: Mastodon / The Bronx @ the Fonda ($15) – They're not the kind of guys I normally party with, but I saw Mastodon at the Troubadour on their last tour and it was a good time. I haven’t heard the new record yet, but Pitchfork loved it. They’re incredibly tight and if you like heavy music you definitely won’t be bored. The Bronx are a local punk band that packed Spaceland during their Monday night residency.

or: Mojave 3 / Brightback Morning Light @ the Roxy ($20) – I’m a big Mojave 3 fan, but I’m making their McCabe’s show on Sunday night my pick instead, because it’s so painful to try to make it to the Roxy on a Friday night. Brightback Morning Light doesn’t have this show listed on their website, but the Roxy does. I’m guessing it has something to do with their recent performance at the Troubadour. Apparently they really fucking hate LA. I say, if you can’t enjoy playing at the Troubadour, then fuck you.

Also Playing:
The Muffs @ Safari Sam’s ($10) – Veterans and all around good people.
Occidental @ Pehr Space – Not so veteran, but definitely good people. Download “implied ii”
Jon Brion @ Largo – He’s been away for awhile, so you better get there early.
Kind Hearts & Coronets / Bodies of Water @ Spaceland
Two Dollar Guitar / The Deadly Syndrome @ El Cid ($8) – Steve Shelley from Sonic Youth. You don't get a chance to see these guys very often. The Deadly Syndrome is a new local indie band with some promising sounding demos. Download the Deadly Syndrome's "I Hope I Become a Ghost"
Del the Funky Homosapien @ Knitting Factory ($20)
Eleni Mandell / Becky Stark @ the Getty (Free)
Starsailor / Peter Walker @ Troubadour ($23)

Tonight's Live Music Options - Thurs 9/28/06

Grizzly Bear at Spaceland Tonight

This is just one those nights in LA when you can't go wrong. Sonic Youth, M. Ward and Rogue Wave are all bands that have gotten my money in the past. I haven't seen Grizzly Bear yet, so I'm recommending them. But if you haven't seen those other guys, by all means....

Tonight's Pick:
Grizzly Bear @ Spaceland ($8) – For the urban hipsters. They’re a full band now. Pitchfork (and lots of other tastemakers) absolutely loves these guys. Download “On a Neck, On a Spit”

Also Playing:
Sonic Youth @ Wiltern ($25) – For those who missed them in July at Little Radio. The new album’s really good. The live show was solid (but didn’t go back too far in the catalog). They’re also playing at the Orange County Museum on Saturday night.

M. Ward / Mike Watt @ Henry Fonda ($18) – For the singer-songwriter fans. I’ve seen M. Ward a couple of times and you kind of need to know his songs to really get into his performance. He’s a really good acoustic guitar player and a very talented songwriter. If you’re a fan of the records, you’ll really appreciate it.

Rogue Wave / Jason Collett @ Vanguard Theatre ($15) – For the indie rockers. I really like the Rogue Wave records. I’ve seen them a couple of times and been unimpressed. There’s just something about the lead singer that bugs me when I have to look at him for long periods of time. I know that I’m being completely unfair. Maybe it’s his affinity for thumb rings? He’s a good songwriter, so that really shouldn’t matter. I know. Jason Collett’s one of the many people in Broken Social Scene who releases solo albums too.

Eskimo Hunter @ the Echo (Free)
The Gossip / Mika Miko @ Troubadour ($12)

Beck @ Club Element - Concert Review

Dear Bek,

What happened to you? In the mid-to-late nineties you were one of the most original musicians in the world. You had a rare combination of creative and professional drive that few artists share. When I started seeing you Joey, Smokey and Justin were the backbone of your band. It was a total party atmosphere and you left the audience wanting more. You brought fun back to live concerts for a lot of indie rockers like myself. After Smokey and Joey left the band, you surrounded yourself with more people. Along with the horn section you added soul singers, etc. While I missed SH and JW, you still put on great shows during this period. I thought the soul singers were totally unnecessary because I was there to see you. Then you toured with the Flaming Lips. While the timing wasn’t really right (given the dour material you were performing) at least it was unpredictable and interesting. It helped that you seemed very emotionally involved with the music (and played some great covers). In the end I was still there for you (and the songs).

In the past year I’ve seen you three times. The first time was at the El Rey. I blamed your lackluster performance on breaking in a new band and the bad sound at the El Rey. You didn’t seem too together but I figured the band’s chemistry would improve after a tour. You added Ryan Faulkner around this time. He reminded me of a younger version of you. He had your (former) energy and danced wildly (like the way you used to dance). Once again, I pay my money to see you, but I guess if you’re too tired to dance, I understand. The next time I saw you at the Wiltern. This time you were joined on stage by puppets. My attention was temporarily drawn away from you towards the puppets, but since you weren’t playing behind a screen, I did glance over at you. I couldn’t help but notice that you looked completely miserable. You barely acknowledged the crowd. We paid good money to be entertained and wanted to see a Beck show. The puppets might be great in a video, but they didn’t distract me enough not to notice how bored you were. After that show I blamed the lackluster performance on the distraction of the puppets and the Wiltern’s bad sound.

Then there was last night. It’s time to take responsibility. Instead of playing Orange County or Pomona (like before previous tours) or the Echo or Spaceland (where tickets are free/cheap) you decided to charge full price for tickets at Club Element. I’d never heard of Element, but I figured I’d check it out. Turns out it’s a cheesy nightclub with overpriced drinks, overpriced parking located in the heart of Hollywood. Your set started out fairly promising with a new song. The energy from the stage was higher than the last couple of times. Ryan Faulkner was there again to represent young Bek. The crowd seemed unusually restless and my attention started to drift. I noticed that the acoustics resembled a barn. There was a weird speaker setup with a second set of mounted speakers half way back. I couldn’t hear anything so I moved back by the sound board. It wasn’t any better and I was hearing exactly what your sound guy was hearing. You played some sad songs then a string of new songs. I can’t tell you if I liked them or not because the sound was so awful and you looked so bored standing up there. I’m assuming you did an encore, but I can’t say for certain because I went over to Boardner’s to see The Movies who have a singer with stage presence and charisma. My mood immediately improved. Once again I feel like a sucker for buying such expensive tickets for your “special club show” but I won’t make that mistake again. The worst part is that I’m sure with Ticketmaster, Goldenvoice, Club Cheesedick, your managers/publicists/agents/stylists, the IRS, your church, band etc. you probably lost money on the show. It doesn’t need to be that complicated. Had you walked around the corner with me to Boardner’s you would have seen a lot of people (including the artists) having a great time. Do us all a favor and learn to have fun again. The Movies could definitely show you a thing or two.

Your (former) Pal,
Duke

Live Music Pick 9/27/06

Tonight's Pick:
NME night w/ Gliss @ Spaceland ($8) – They’re a local band that gets more love in the UK than here, so it seems appropriate they’re playing the NME night. The RSVP list may or may not be closed. Might be worth a shot. From Myspace: “Just email "contest@spaceland.tv" with your first and last name and we'll put you on the list.”
Gliss has 3,100 friends on Myspace

Also Playing:
Nina Nastasia / Tom Brosseau / Ferraby Lionheart @ Silverlake Lounge ($12)
Nina Nastasia has 474 friends on Myspace.
Tom Brosseau has no Myspace page
Ferraby Lionheart has 3,961 friends on Myspace.

Cibelle @ Tangier ($12) – From Rolling Stone: “Cibelle is a young Brazilian singer-songwriter who combines bossa nova and samba sounds of the Fifties and Sixties with modern electronics.” She has 2,757 friends on Myspace.

Snow Patrol @ Wiltern (Sold Out) – If you like Coldplay….

Tonight's Music 9/26/06

Tonight's Pick:
The Movies / Great Northern / The Western States Motel @ Boardner’s ($8) – The Radio Free Silver Lake blog is hosting/promoting a night at Boardner’s called Let’s Independent.The Movies are one of the better local bands that the average person doesn’t seem to know about (but other musicians love). Great Northern is another popular local band that just signed with a really cool label (Eenie Meenie). Their first album comes out in 2007. Western States Motel is a new band to me. It seems like a lot of people who hear a lot of music are saying nice things about them.
Download The Movies’ “Rock in the Slingshot” (my friend Stan played this at his wedding last weeknd)
Download Great Northern’s “Home”
Download Western States Motel’s “Southwest Planez”

Beck / Wounded Cougar @ Element (Sold Out) – After the last couple of disappointing Beck shows, I wasn’t going to see him again. But I have a hard time resisting because I’v seen so many great shows in the past. Hopefully it’s a good one tonight or this time might really be the last. His new album comes out on Tuesday, so it should be lots of new stuff. I’m not sure if the puppets will be there tonight.

Also Playing:
Tom Petty / The Strokes @ Hollywood Bowl ($40-125) – It took me a while to admit I like Tom Petty. But when you see those first four albums in the dollar bin of your record store, pick those up.
Pelican @ Knitting Factory ($14) – The All Music Guide calls them “instrumental art metal.”
Snow Patrol @ Wiltern (Sold Out)
TV On the Radio @ the Glass House in Pomona ($15) – It’s not as far as you think (esp if you live on the east side). I heard they were great at the Hollywood Bowl.

New Release Tuesday 9/26/06

A solid week of new stuff. I definitely recommend the Sparklehorse and My Morning Jacket. The Lemonheads and Adem are probably worth picking up for the right price. I need to hear a few other things....

Top Five New Releases:
Adem: Love and Other Planets (Domino) – He was in Fridge with Kieran Hebden. He mixes folk with electronica in a somber way. I really like several tracks off his last album so I definitely want to hear it. It’s got a 71 rating on Metacritic but Pitchfork thinks you should get the Grizzly Bear album instead. Live at the Echo on 10/24/06. Grade: ?

The Lemonheads: The Lemonheads (Vagrant) – Evan Dando hooked up with Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson from the Descendents for the first Lemonheads’ album in ten years. If you haven’t listened to It’s a Shame About Ray in a while, it holds up very well. And the Descendents were my favorite band in junior high. There are some upbeat tracks, some countrified tracks and some introspective lyrics. There’s also two tracks with J. Mascis’ characteristic jamming. Live at the Troubadour on 11/21 & 11/22. You can stream it at Myspace or AOL. Grade: B

My Morning Jacket: Okonokos (ATO Records) – They’re a great live band and this double live album captures it quite well. This one ranks up there with the Wilco double live album that came out last year. Since I don’t like a lot of My Morning Jacket’s early recordings, it’s great to have these versions. Jim James will appear solo on 10/27 opening for John Prine at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. Grade: A

Cale Parks: Illuminated Manuscript (Polyvinyl) – Drummer/percussionist for Aloha (who released one of my favorite records this year). Here he plays “bedroom ambient electronic music.” Download “Wet Paint” Grade: ?

Sparklehorse: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain (Astralwerks) – Sparklehorse is one of those totally overlooked bands that deserves a much bigger audience. It seems like their only fans are other musicians. This one has a few tracks with Dangermouse, a few tracks with Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips, a few tracks with Dave Fridmann and a track with Tom Waits. It’s haunting but pretty music. Grade: A

Other Releases:
Jay Bennett: The Magnificent Defeat (Rykodisc) – I feel like Bennett got a raw deal with that Wilco documentary. Wilco recorded their best record when Bennett was still in the lineup (and he got a lot of co-writing credits). Unfortunately I’m really not feeling this record. The All Music Guide gave it 4 stars out of 5. Grade: C
The Byrds: There Is a Season box set (Legacy) – You’ve probably already got most of this stuff. Just for the record my favorite Byrds’ records are: Notorious Byrd Brothers, Younger Than Yesterday and Sweetheart of the Rodeo. 99 songs and a DVD with a bunch of lip-synched TV performances.
Nels Cline: New Monastery (Crytogramophone) – Normally Cline’s solo records are a bit too experimental for me. This one’s a look into Andrew Hill’s music. Hill’s one of my favorite Jazz artists, so I’m intrigued. If you’re looking for some Andrew Hill, I really like Judgement!
Emily Haines: Knives Don’t Have Your Back (Last Gang Records) – The lead singer of Metric releases a solo record. I heard she was really good at the Viper Room last week. I got this one in the mail, but I haven’t listened to it yet. Download “Doctor Blind”
Horse Feathers: Words are Dead (Lucky Madison) – There was a pretty good band that was popular in Lawrence, KS called Arthur Dodge & the Horsefeathers. These guys play “chamber folk.” This free track isn’t bad. Download “Finch on Saturday”
Ladyfinger: Heavy Hands (Saddle Creek) – If you like heavy music try downloading this song. Reminds me of a cleaner version of a lot of Midwestern rock I listened to in college. Not too bad. Download “Too Cool For School”
John Lennon: The U.S. vs. John Lennon soundtrack (Capitol) – It’s a solid Lennon compilation with songs that fit the theme of the film. Looks like maybe one unreleased track.
Lucero: Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers (Liberty & Lament) – For the alt-country fans. They do get the Replacements comparisons too. At the Troubadour on 10/13.
Ludacris: Release Therapy (Def Jam)
The Oohlas: Best Stop Pop (Stolen Transmission) – Their record release party is tomorrow night at Cinespace. The press release compares them to Belly, Veruca Salt, and Weezer. Download “Gone” and “Small Parts”
Paul McCartney: Ecce Cor Meum (EMI Classics) – This is one of Sir Paul’s “accessible” classical records.
Scissor Sisters: Ta-Dah (Universal) – I think this is terrible, but I’m a party pooper so I’m probably not the right person to review it. The first track was co-written by Elton John. As they say, it’s kinda like Abba. It’s got a 72 rating on Metacritic. Grade: D
Solomon Burke: Nashville (Shout Factory) – He worked with Buddy Miller and doe soulful covers of some great country songs that were made famous by Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, George Jones, etc.
Teddybears: Soft Machine (Big Beat Records) – With guests like Ebbot Lundberg (Soundtrack of Our Lives), Iggy Pop and Neneh Cherry.
Various Artists: Friends of Old Time Music: The Folk Arrival 1961-1965 (Smithsonian Folkways) – Box set featuring live performances.
Various Artists: Open Season soundtrack (Lost Highway) – It’s mostly all new songs written and performed by Paul Westerberg. The tracks work pretty well outside of the context of the film too. A bit cleaner than some of his recent solo stuff.
Wolf Eyes: Human Animal (Sub Pop) – Scary noise rockers. Download “The Driller”

Monday Night Music 9/25/06

Tonight's Pick:
Junior Boys @ the Troubadour ($12 dos) – Pitchfork approved electro-pop darlings. Their live show even got a nice review. I’ve got the record and it makes for nice driving music. If you like bands like Postal Service you’ll probably enjoy it.

Also playing:
Sea Wolf / Patrick Park / Spookey Reuben / Dead Ponies @ Spaceland (Free) – Patrick Park is a talented local singer-songwriter. Sea Wolf has been doing the residency all month.

The Sharp Ease @ the Echo (Free)

Beck - Club Show

Beck just announced a club show for tomorrow night (Tuesday 9/26/06). This time it's not at the Echo or Spaceland, but Element. Icky. He's been disappointing that last two times I've seen him, but seeing him in a club might be worth it....

Here are the details:

Date: Tuesday, September 26th
Location: Element @ 1642 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, 90028
Tickets: On Sale this Monday, September 25th at Noon. Get them here. 2 ticket limit. The only way to retrieve your tickets is at will call the night of the show. You MUST bring the credit card you used to purchase tickets and a matching, government-issued photo ID to the box office the night of the show. These tickets are non-transferable.General Info: All Ages. Doors open at 7pm. Show starts at 8pm.

Price: $25

Support: Wounded Cougar

Serena Maneesh Plays the Troubadour on Saturday

All these shows below look pretty good. If you only have time for one band this weekend, I'd make it Serena Maneesh (or maybe TV on the Radio).

Friday's Pick (take your pick - they're all about even)
TV on the Radio @ Amoeba 6:00PM (Free) – If you’re not going to the Bowl on Sunday night.
Mission of Burma @ the Troubadour ($20) – For the punk rock fans. “(That’s When I Reach for My) Revolver” is a damn good song. I’ve got their new one. It’s solid.

Ben Kweller / Sam Roberts @ Avalon ($23) – For the singer-songwriter fans. I reviewed Kweller’s album earlier this week. I’ve seen him perform a few songs once. Pretty good. Pretty good. Sam Roberts is better than you’d think (given the weird cover art).

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings @ Henry Fonda ($14) – For the funk/soul fans. I got this CD in the mail recently. Very high energy, retro funk/soul music. If you’re into that sorta thing, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

The Deathray Davies / Pink Nasty @ Spaceland ($8) – For the indie rockers. The Deathray Davies are known to pull out the theremin.

Saturday's Pick
Serena Maneesh / Evangelicals / Midnight Movies / Woven Hand @ Troubadour ($12) – Serena Maneesh released one of the best records of the year. If you’re into shoegazer, My Bloody Valentine type rock you should get it and go to this show.

Also on Saturday:

Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Safari Sam’s ($15) - I've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. What will it be tonight?

Dublab Party @ Secret Location ($7 adv / $12 dos) – Devendra Banhart, Jimmy Tamborello, Mia Doi Todd, Daedelus, Nobody, etc.

The Morlocks / The Flash Express / Hot 4 Chocolate @ Little Pedro’s ($5) – Some rock’n’roll.

Sunday's Pick

Massive Attack / TV on the Radio @ Hollywood Bowl ($20) - I do really like that new TV on the Radio album. Only the $20 tickets are left. I heard they might be doing a secret show. Anybody else hear that? They’re playing the Glasshouse in Pomona on Tuesday if you want a more intimate setting.

Also on Sunday:

Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Safari Sam’s ($15)

DJ Shadow @ Avalon ($27.50) – I reviewed his album on Tuesday. I’ve never seen him live. He’s also playing Monday night.

Magic Bullets @ the Echo ($5) – From the Echo’s site: “One of PTP's very favorites finally return for their second appearance in anticipation of their forthcoming debut LP. Prepare for a stunning end to summer ala' The Go-Betweens, Felt and the finer moments in the Sarah Records catalogue.

Rademacher / The Pity Party @ Spaceland (Free)

MP3 Shuffle 9/21/06

Since I've never been that much into discovering (read: hyping) the latest bands, and I get bored writing about the same bands over and over again, I figured I'd try something new. Here's the first ten songs that played when I hit Shuffle on my MP3 player today.

1) The Ladies “Recycler 1A” – I liked the Ladies’ record when it first came out, but I never listen to it anymore. This is a 17 second instrumental track. The kind of thing you don’t even notice when you put your MP3 player on shuffle.
2) Elvis Presley “Kentucky Rain” – I hardly ever listen to Elvis. When I do it’s usually earlier stuff. It’s an OK song, but I wouldn’t miss it if I never heard it again.
3) Sufjan Stevens “Saul Bellow” – Probably one of the best songs on the Avalanche record, although I think that album probably should have been an internet only thing.
4) Soundtrack of Our Lives “21st Century Rip Off” – I really liked this record when it first came out in 2001, but I burned myself out on it. Still sounds good when I hear it.
5) Spoon “30 Gallon Tank” – Not one of my favorite songs off of Series of Sneaks, but still pretty darn good. This is the rare Spoon song that seems to go on a bit too long. I still like all of their records though.
6) Wilco “Thirteen” – I’m not even sure where I got this from. Wilco covering one of my favorite Big Star songs. Of all the people who covered this song, I dig Elliott Smith’s version the most. This version’s also worth tracking down, but maybe the tempo's slowed down a little too much.
7) Pink Floyd “Matilda Mother” – Classic Syd Barrett track from the first (and my favorite) Pink Floyd album.
8) The Small Faces “Here Comes the Nice” – Part of the joy of putting your MP3 on shuffle is weird accidents like this. An ode to the drug dealer that comes right after a song by one of rock's most famous drug casualties. It also happens to be a really good single.
9) Wilco “In a Future Age” – I don’t have an IPod for a few reasons (don’t want to be forced into iTunes, I wanted a line in plug on my MP3 player, I wanted a radio tuner, I liked having a color screen, I found a cheaper alternative). Unfortunately the database program on my IRiver is crap. I need to look into upgrades. Anyway, I’m always getting two songs by the same artist in close proximity. One of the lesser tracks from Summer Teeth (my favorite Wilco record) but still a really good song.
10) Pandamonium “No Presents For Me” – Do you own Nuggets? How about Nuggets 2? This is from Nuggets 2. I don’t know anything about it because I don’t have the liner notes in front of me. Decent stuff.

Out of 5,600 songs, these are the ten that popped up.....

Live Music Picks Thursday 9/21/06

Envelopes play Spaceland Tonight

Tonight's Pick:
Envelopes / Panther / Pop Kids @ Spaceland ($8) – Envelopes are a Swedish band (but the lady is French). They’re on tour with Ratatat and played the Troubadour last night. I got their CD, listened to it, remember liking it and then promptly lost it. According to all the reviews, they deconstruct pop and incorporate elements of all your favorite band: VU, Talking Heads, Beck, Stereolab, etc. I know that says nothing, but go to their Myspace page and listen for yourself. Download "Sister in Love"

Also Appearing:
Irving / The Oohlas / Monsters Are Waiting @ Hollywood & Highland (Free) – From 8-10PM. You can actually catch Irving and then cruise over to Spaceland for Envelopes.

Phoenix / dios (malos) / La Rocca @ Wiltern ($25) – According to dios, tickets are “like 40 million dollars (each).”

Music Options Wed 9/20/06

Tonight's Pick:
Circle Jerks @ Safari Sam’s – As I’ve said before, Group Sex holds up really well. I missed them at the F Yeah Fest, so I’d like to see them. They’re going out on the road soon with Pennywise. This is a party to celebrate the release of the new American Hardcore movie.

Also Appearing:
The Presets @ Spaceland ($10) –The Presets are an Australian “indie/electro” buzz band that Flavorpill thinks you’ll like. One of the guys from Bauhaus and two of the guys from Nine Inch Nails will be guest DJs. Does it make you nervous when a band is listed on a Club’s site and the same gig is not listed on the band’s site (either Myspace or official site)? If Fields is playing Spaceland it sounds like something definitely worth checking out. Just go to their Myspace page and listen to “Song For the Fields.” It’s good. I’m just not sure they’re actually playing tonight? Anybody know?

Ratatat / Envelopes / Panther @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – In case you didn’t get tix, Panther and Envelopes are playing Spaceland tomorrow. I like Envelopes. Haven’t heard much of Ratatat.

Veruca Salt @ Key Club ($18)

New Release Tuesday 9/19

Just for fun I’m going to start giving a letter grade to the albums I write about (provided I’ve actually heard them).

Top Five New Releases:
Ben Kweller: Ben Kweller (Red Ink) – My friends who are big Ben Kweller fans tell me that Sha Sha is the album to get. I’ve always liked the Kweller songs I’ve heard, but this is the first one I’ve sat down with and listened to all the way through. He comes across as a very likeable guy - kind of a nerdy underdog that you want to root for. Overall the lyrics and songs just aren’t interesting enough to warrant repeated listens. I’m sure fans will find plenty to like. If you’re unfamiliar, you might want to listen to it before making the purchase. See him live at the Avalon on 9/22/06. Letter Grade: B-

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: The Letting Go (Drag City) – I’ve been a Will Oldham fan since Palace Music’s Viva Last Blues (still my favorite Oldham album). I’ve always admired his fractured voice and skill as a lyricist (even Johnny Cash covered him). He writes incredibly maudlin songs but sometimes shows off his wicked sense of humor. The arrangements on this album are varied (some some songs have strings, some are very sparse) and there’s a very prominent female voice (Dawn McCarthy from Faun Fables). The record’s heavy and not a lot of fun to listen to (you won’t hear this at fashion parties or poolside at the Standard) but if you’re in the right mood, it’s one of Oldham’s best since the Palace days. See him live at McCabe’s on 10/22/06. Letter Grade: A-

DJ Shadow: Outsider (Universal) – I could never get into Private Press or Preemptive Strike because I wanted them to sound more like Endtroducing. I threw this one in the player with no expectations. Endtroducing it is not. This album goes all over the place - from a few solid hip-hop tracks to some pretty awful wimpy rock. Overall, it’s impossible to really recommend, but in the ago of ITunes, there are definitely a few tracks worth downloading. Live at the Avalon on 9/24/06. Letter Grade: C

Joseph Arthur: Nuclear Daydream (Lonely Astronaut) – Joseph Arthur is one of those singer-songwriters that has three or four really good tracks on each record. Unfortunately those tracks inevitably get licensed to TV and film and then you never really listen to the albums again. I haven’t heard this one yet or even read any reviews? See him live at El Rey Theatre on 10/17. Letter Grade: ?

Whitest Boy Alive: Dreams (Bubbles) – Whitest Boy Alive is Erlend Oye from Kings of Convenience and German DJ Marcin Oz. I really like several songs on Kings of Convenience’s Quiet Is the New Loud so I was looking forward to this one. I’ve had this for about a month and listened to it probably 15 times and I really can’t remember anything specific about this record. The only thing I can tell you is that the first song is my favorite. After that I quickly get bored and forget I’m listening to it. Nothing stands out for me and the songs all flow into one another. Although I’m sure Erlend’s hardcore fans will disagree. Letter Grade: B-

Also Released:
Chingy: Hood Star (Capitol)
Darkel: Darkel (Astralwerks) – One half of Air
Guy Clark: Workbench Songs (Dualtone) – Americana fans.
Lupe Fiasco: Food & Liquor (Atlantic) – Hip-hop fans.
The Hidden Cameras: Awoo (Arts & Crafts) – From the Arts & Crafts’ website: “Joel Gibb’s lyrics explore gay love and sex with a rare fearless explicitness.” Live at the Echo on 11/28
The Howling Hex: Nightclub Version of the Eternal (Drag City) – At the Echo on 10/20. Download “Hammer and Bluebell (edit)”
Jane’s Addiction: Up From the Catacombs – The Best of Jane’s Addiction (Rhino) - I'd probably just pick up Nothing's Shocking and Ritual in the used bin.
Kasabian: Empire (RCA) – At the Henry Fonda on 10/11.
The Now People: Last Great 20th Century Love Affair (Bird Song)

Live Music Tonight 9/19/06

A picture of The Moon Upstairs would be here if Blogger's picture function was working.......

Tuesday 9/19/06
The Moon Upstairs / The Faraway Places / Lavender Diamond / @ Spaceland ($10) – Although I've never seen The Moon Upstairs, I have heard good things. Supposedly they used to sound like John Lennon’s solo stuff, but now they sound more like George Harrison’s solo stuff. And it's a benefit for NRDC

Also appearing:
The Mae Shi @ the Smell ($5) – For the dissonant rock fans. This probably would have been my pick of the night, but I'm not that into the Smell (What can I sawy? I like to drink.) Download “Born For a Short Time”

Deadboy & the Elephantmen @ the Troubadour ($15) – For the rootsy-rock fans. They’re also playing for free at Amoeba at 7:00PM.

Favourite Sons @ Safari Sam’s ($5) – If you missed them at Spaceland on Monday. They're getting the Echo & the Bunnymen comparisons. I haven't been to a Tuesday night at Safari Sam's since Franki Chan's first week booking it, but I hear it's competing with Cinespace as the place to be (or the place to avoid - depending on your taste for that kind of thing). Download “Hang On Girl”

Indian Jewelry @ the Echo ($7) – Not too familiar with these guys, but Monitor Records is releasing some quality stuff for a newer label. Download “Come Closer”

A Few Thoughts

Banksy - Did anybody else check out the exhibit? This is probably a little harsh - but I found it about as thought-provoking as a Jenna Jameson film.

The Little Ones - Apparently the rumors we've all been hearing are true, the bloggers are reporting that they officially signed with Astralwerks. Anybody else hear those stories about their other label meetings? Funny.

Pernice Brothers - Long time readers probably know that I think the Pernice Brothers are one of the most underrated bands. They're currently streaming their new album on their website and if you pre-order the album by 9/22 you'll get a bonus homemade CD with 17 bonus tracks and a cover designed and signed by Joe Pernice. They always come up with great ways to have a direct relationship with their fans.

Elliott Smith - Four more Basement-era unreleased tracks over at Elliott Smith b-sides. Get them while you can.

Recent Live Music Reviews

Some overdue live reviews:


On Saturday September 10th I saw Willie Nelson at the Hollywood Bowl. Going to school in Austin, TX you hear so many stories of legendary Willie Nelson shows. Shows at Stubb’s, The Backyard, etc. where people just have amazing times. My expectations were pretty high. Unfortunately I was a bit of a cheapskate and I sat all the way back in section S. When you sit that far back at the Bowl, the performer looks like an ant (even with the small binoculars I have from last Christmas’ $20 gift exchange). Willie came out with the LA Phil (Beck’s dad conducting) and sounded great. His voice is so deep and soulful (constant dope smoking hasn’t negatively affected it at all). He did about five or six songs with the full orchestra, including “Crazy.” After a quick break, he came back without the orchestra and jumped into “Whiskey River.” His voice still sounded great, but the band seemed a little too far down in the mix. Unfortunately bands are never quite loud enough for me at the Bowl. I didn’t write down the setlist and my memory has gone a little hazy, but he played a lot of great songs including: “Me and Paul,” “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” “Good Hearted Woman,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “On the Road Again,” “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” “Pancho and Lefty,” “City of New Orleans” and “Always on My Mind.” When you hear a song like “Always on My Mind” on the radio you totally take it for granted, but there’s some real emotional resonance when you hear it performed live. Willie didn’t interact much with the audience – you’re never really sure if he even knows where he is. Overall a very good show, but looking down on the audience from the back of the house made it seem like the people in front weren’t that into it. It made we want to see him back in Austin.

Last Wednesday 9/13/06 I saw Golden Smog at the Avalon. I’m not a big fan of the Avalon. The sound there is good and there are decent sightlines, but I just never seemt to have a very good time. It might be because I’m reminded of the days of the Palace when they’d always kick you out early for the DJ nights or perhaps that the parking costs $15. For me, any amount I pay for parking at a show comes directly out of the amount I spend at the bar. $15 for parking means I didn’t have any drinks. My friend and I rushed through dinner and hurried over thinking the headliner would go on at 9:30. Instead we got there just in time for the unannounced second opener. I didn’t catch her name, but she had Tommy Stinson on bass (and she later came out and sang with Golden Smog). I wasn’t feeling it, so we stood outside for a while. Golden Smog came on about 10:30. They came out strong and sounded really great on the first couple of songs. Unfortunately they were under-rehearsed with their new drummer, Sim Cain (Henry Rollins’ old drummer). There were several false starts and uncomfortable beginnings as they struggled to get the tempo right. They joked that it was only their third show. Not unforgivable, given that Golden Smog has always felt like a bar band where several really good musicians meet up and try out originals and work through some covers. Unfortunately the tickets were $25 plus Ticketmaster service charges and the venue held 1,200 (?) so expectations were higher than your average bar band. Plus it felt very corporate – as VW sponsored the show (a car out front, huge lit up ads next to the stage and people handing out free keychains). Some in the audience seemed disappointed that Jeff Tweedy wasn’t there – when the female opener came out and did one of Tweedy’s parts, somebody in the crowd yelled “She’s no Tweedy.” Rude. The Avalon was maybe 1/3 full, which added to my lethargy. At one point, Kraig Johnson even lectured the crowd for not cheering enough. Given that 75% of the audience was males over 35 years old and the venue was 66% empty, I didn’t feel like he was in any position to complain about the people who were there. There were six or seven songs that sounded great but they were stretched over two hours. I really enjoyed most of Johnson’s songs, some of Louris’ songs and not that many of Dan Murphy’s. By the time Tommy Stinson came back out (on guitar) for the final encore I was really tired. Overall disappointing, but I’d go see them again if they played Spaceland or the Troub for $10.

On Friday I did a little time at Spaceland. I missed Low vs. Diamond who seemed to be the big draw for the night. Apparently they’ve got some major label interest at the moment. You can see them tonight at Little Pedro’s…..

Monday Night Music Picks 9/18/06

The Watson Twins @ Spaceland Tonight

Sea Wolf / Tigers Can Bite You / The Watson Twins / Favourite Sons @ Spaceland (Free) – Sea Wolf is Alex Church from Irving’s other band. He gets guys from tons of other local bands you know to back him up. The songs are less overly pop oriented than Irving. Tigers Can Bite You is the new band from Dave Woody of Fiver. Fiver was a very talented late 90’s early 00’s indie band from Modesto. The Watson Twins add those great harmonies to Jenny Lewis and have their own country-ish EP out now. Favourite Sons are Vice Records’ latest band out of Brooklyn. Four talented bands and it’s totally free.
Download Favourite Sons’ “Hang on Girl”

Also appearing:
The Sharp Ease @ the Echo (Free) – Download “Remain Instant”
Lavender Diamond / USA Is a Monster @ the Mountain (Free) – Download “You Broke My Heart”

Banksy

This has nothing to do with music (or at least very little - he was involved with that Paris Hilton/Danger Mouse stunt), but it seems to be the only thing people are talking about this weekend. Here's some blog coverage of the opening last night. Also check out the artist's SITE.

US Magazine even has pics of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the show.

Not the strongest weekend for live music. .

Friday’s Pick 9/15/06:
Tortoise @ Troubadour ($20) – In college I was a huge Tortoise fan. I picked up Millions Now Living on vinyl a few months ago and still think that’s a great record. As I’ve mentioned before, they taught me to love the vibraphone. I’ve only seen them once in concert and it was surprisingly compelling.

Also appearing:
Anavan / Teenage Talking Cars @ the Echo ($5) – Art Crawl 9 party.

Starflyer 59 / Low vs. Diamond @ Spaceland ($8) – From Starflyer’s press release: ” Indie rockers and new wavers alike should find some appreciation here. New Order fans as well as Depeche Mode cronies, not to mention followers of the Pixies and The Jesus and Mary Chain.” Watch a video HERE.

Ben Ashley / Elwood Grace @ El Cid ($8)

Saturday 9/16/06
The Rolling Blackouts / Tsk Tsk @ the Scene
Download The Rolling Blackouts’ “Hung Up on the Hang Ups”

Sunday 9/17/06
Sunday Strummer Festival @ Bergmaot Station ($25) – Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs, Kinky, The Donnas, Rooney, John Doe, The Vacation

Eric Burdon & the Animals / Spencer Davis Group / The Grass Roots / Tommy James @ the Shondells @ Greek Theatre ($30-70)

Ariel Pink @ Little Pedro’s

Thursday Night's Music Options 9/14/06

Tonight's Picks:
Silversun Pickups @ Amoeba 7:00PM (Free) – Amoeba? Silversun? I was as surprised as you…

Then:
The Brokedown / The Mother Hips @ Spaceland ($12) – The Brokedown just signed to Merge. The Mother Hips have been playing forever and ever.

Or:
LoveLikeFire / The Meeting Places @ Silverlake Lounge ($8) – LoveLikeFire is from San Francisco. The Meeting Places are from Long Beach and play dreamy pop. They’ll be doing a residency at the Silverlake Lounge in October on Monday nights.
The Advantage @ the Echo ($10) – Half of Hella. They do covers of 8-bit videogame songs. Whatever floats your boat fella.

Tonight's Music Pick 9/13/06

Tonight’s Pick -
Golden Smog @ Avalon ($25) - I've got the SMOG STORY poster on my wall. It shows all the bands the guys in Golden Smog have played in (Big Star is in the upper left corner because of Jody Stephens). Of course it's got the Jayhawks and Wilco as well as the Replacements, Soul Asylum, Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo. The new album's solid and they don't tour very often.

Other Options -
The Tyde @ Spaceland ($8) - I've always been a fan of LA's the Tyde. If you're not going to the Black Keys or Golden Smog you should go. I'd be there if I wasn't going to Golden Smog. This is the second week of the new weekly NME club at Spaceland. If celebrity spotting is your thing, last week had its share. Their new album recently came out on Rough Trade.

The Black Keys @ Troubadour (Sold Out)

Southern Culture on the Skids @ Safari Sam’s ($15)

Top Five New CD Releases 9/12/06

Lots of great new stuff. Get your ass down to the record store and buy something. I haven't gotten a chance to listen to anything in the other releases area. Anybody have any recommendations? I think I'd probably like the Lucksmiths if I ever got around to it....

Top Five New Music Releases:

Junior Boys: So This Is Goodbye (Domino) - For the electro-pop fans. This one has treated me well as driving music. Pitchfork loved it but my girlfriend thinks it sounds like thrown away Jimmy Tamborello beats. I'd go somewhere between the two reviews. Many fans of Postal Service should be pleased. Live at the Troubadour on 9/25.

Justin Timberlake: Future Sex/Love Sounds (Jive) - For the radio pop fans. I've gotta admit that I think that "Sexy Back" song is damn catchy. I haven't made it through the rest of the record though.

Mastodon: Blood Mountain (Reprise) - For the heavy rockers. If you like really heavy music, they're pretty damn good. I saw them at the Troubadour on their last tour and there were a lot of guys from heavy MTV bands like Korn there. See them at the Henry Fonda on 9/29. I haven't heard this new record yet.

TV On the Radio: Return to Cookie Mountain (4AD) - For the art rockers. I wasn't a big fan of their last record, but I really like this one (especially the first half). See them at the Hollywood Bowl on on 9/24.

Yo La Tengo: I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador) - For the indie rockers. Not their best record, but it's so much better than their last record. If you swore to never buy another Yo La Tengo record after that one, give them another shot. See them live at the Fonda on 10/23.

Also released - The Album Leaf: Into The Blue Again (Sub Pop), Angela Desveaux: Wandering Eyes (Thrill Jockey), Basement Jaxx: Crazy Itch Radio (XL Recordings), Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian: Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian (Nonesuch), The Black Keys: Magic Potion (Nonesuch), Catfish Haven: Tell Me (Secretly Canadian), Dead Moon: Echoes of the Past (Sub Pop) – Best of collection, Great Lakes: Diamond Times (Empyrean), Kunek: Flight of the Flynns (Playtyme), Lucksmiths: Why That Doesn't Surprise Me (reissue) (Candle) – Reissue from 2001, Magnolia Electric Co.: Fading Trails (Secretly Canadian), The Mars Volta: Amputechture (Universal), Mouse On Mars: Varcharz (Ipecac), Now It's Overhead: Dark Light Daybreak (Saddle Creek), OOIOO: Taiga (Thrill Jockey), Page France: Hello Dear Wind (Suicide Squeeze), Poems: Young America (Minty Fresh), R.E.M.: And I Feel Fine... The Best of The I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (Capitol), Richard Buckner: Meadow (Merge), Slumber Party: Musik (Kill Rock Stars), Two Ton Boa: Parasiticide (Kill Rock Stars), Viva Voce: Get Yr Blood Sucked Out (Barsuk), Xiu Xiu: The Air Force (5RC)Young Widows: Settle Down City (Jade Tree)

Tuesday Night's Music Picks - 9/12/06

Tonight's Pick:
Silver Jews @ the Fonda ($19.99) - David Berman doesn't tour very often. The new record is pretty good.

Other Options:
White Whale / Laura Veirs / Karl Blau @ Spaceland ($10) - White Whale is the new band from Matt Suggs from Butterglory. It's a good record. This is a solid lineup.

The Black Keys @ Amoeba 7:00 PM (Free)

The Like Young / The Good Listeners @ Silverlake Lounge ($8)

Adam Green @ the Troubadour ($15) - I'm not a fan, but maybe you are?

Tonight's Live Music Options 9/11/06

Sea Wolf Plays Spaceland Tonight

Sea Wolf / Great Northern @ Spaceland (Free) - You might know Alex Church as the bass player and one of the lead singers in Irving. Sea Wolf is his other project (and seems to showcase his more serious songs). He usually has a strong backing band (last time I saw him he had Patrick Park, Dave Woody, Aaron Burrows and Byron Reynolds). He's at Spaceland every Monday in September.

Also appearing:

The Sharp Ease @ the Echo (Free) - The Echo's resident band for September.

The Oolahs / Los Abandoned @ Troubadour ($10) – Download The Oohlahs’ “Small Parts”

Where to Par-Tay on Sunday 9/10/06

Sunday 9/10/06
The Polyphonic Spree / Nobody & Mystic Chords of Memory @ the Fonda ($20) – The Polyphonic Spree have been on tour with Matisyahu, but rejoice, because he won’t be performing at this show. They just released an EP with a Nirvana cover. Brave? Or stupid? I’ve only seen them once (opening for Brian Wilson at the Hollywood Bow), this more intimate setting should make for a more powerful performance.

Also appearing:
Willie Nelson, Ryan Adams, Neko Case @ Hollywood Bowl ($13-17) – The only Willie show with openers.
A Tribe Called Quest / Rhymefest @ Wiltern ($48.50) – If you don’t own Low End Theory…..

Where to Par-Tay on Saturday 9/9/06

Willie, Willie, Willie

Saturday 9/9/06
Willie Nelson @ Hollywood Bowl ($15-21) – This is where I plan to par-tay. The good tickets are sold out, but you should still go. Where do you start with Willie? He’s a legend that hippies and rednecks love. He’s written a lot of great hit songs, but if you’re not sure where you stand with him, pick up Red Headed Stranger. It’s a great concept album. You can’t really go wrong with Yesterday’s Wine, Shotgun Willie or Phases and Stages either. He (or the IRS) probably makes the most publishing money off of Patsy Cline’s version of “Crazy.” Check out this item at his store.

Also appearing:
Vashti Bunyan / Nobody & the Mystic Chords of Memory @ the Echo ($17 adv / $20 dos) – For the folk music fans.
Apollo Sunshine @ Troubadour ($12 adv / $14 dos) – Download “I Was on the Moon”
Japanese New Music Festival IV @ the Smell ($8) – Weird psychedelic Japanese bands including Acid Mothers Temple.
Husky Rescue / Judah Johnson @ Spaceland ($10)
Feist / The Long Winters @ Avalon ($22)

Where to Par-Tay Tonight 9/8/06

There's something for everybody tonight....

Kennedy @ Largo (?) – For the comedy rock fans. It always seems kinda weird to see Kennedy at Largo, but I guess if you see him as a comedy act it works. New readers of the site might wanna check out the “Your Mama” video - it’s pretty special. Remember when Kennedy was in Silversun Pickups? That was a long time ago.

Also appearing:
Cold War Kids / Dr. Dog @ Troubadour (Sold Out) – For the indie rock fans. Remember when I told you that local guys, Cold War Kids signed a record deal and then the next day Pitchfork posted an “exclusive” news item telling you that the Cold War Kids signed a record deal? That record comes out on Downtown Records on 10/10/06. Download “Hospital Beds” Download Dr. Dog’s “Easy Beat”
Willie Nelson @ Hollywood Bowl ($8-34) – For everybody (hippies, rednecks, Texans, etc.) See my Saturday post for more info…..also Saturday and Sunday at the Bowl.
Vashti Bunyan @ Getty (Free) – For the hippie folk music fans on the west side. Her 1971 album was recently reissued due to interest from the freak folk community. She’s also got a new record. Also tomorrow at the Echo.
Dragonforce @ Wiltern ($18) – Do you like extreme power metal from Spinal Tap lookin’ dudes? Then this is for you.
Blowfly / Bob Log III @ Knitting Factory ($15) – Blowfly’s the self-proclaimed original dirty rapper (goin’ back to the 70’s).
Rakim @ House of Blues ($27.50) – Haven’t heard from him in a while. I never got any of his solo joints, but I do still break out the Eric B. and Rakim from time to time.
CocoRosie @ Avalon ($15) –Can they really fill the Avalon?
Nouvelle Vague / The Submarines @ the Fonda ($20) – A French band doing a lot of British cover songs with Jamaican inspired arrangements.
Tool / Isis @ Staples Center ($66) – I heard Tool sounded good and played about two hours, while Isis went on early and didn’t play very long.

Where to Party Tonight 9/7/06

Recent Merge signees, The Brokedown, play the Silverlake Lounge tonight

The Brokedown @ Silverlake Lounge ($8) – I’ve been talking about these guys for awhile (they’re really nice guys and I like their downloads) but I still haven’t seen them. They’re a local band that just signed to Merge Records. Their debut LP, I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On comes out on January 23rd. If you’re busy tonight (like me), plan on catching them (like me) playing with the Mother Hips next Thursday at Spaceland. Download “Down in the Valley”

Also Appearing:
Dengue Fever @ Japanese American Center 6:30 PM (Free) – I really like this local Cambodian psych band. They just played Bumbershoot in Seattle.
Toys That Kill / Sabertooth Tiger / Los Punkinhedz @ Spaceland – Los Punkinhedz features Mike Watt and Money Mark. Sabertooth Tigers are on the high quality local label GSL.
Tool / Isis @ Staples Center ($66) – Hard to believe that I saw Tool over a decade ago. I’m sure it wasn’t $66
Scissors for Lefty @ Safari Sam’s ($5) – They’re signed to Rough Trade outside of the U.S. and apparently still shopping the market in the U.S.
The Living Jarboe @ Knitting Factory ($10)

Where to Party - 9/6/06

Wednesday 9/6/06
The Zombies / Mooney Suzuki / Phantom Planet / The Holograms @ Avalon ($20) – The first time I saw the Zombies I loved it. The second time, I didn’t love it as much. Colin Blunstone’s still capable of hitting those high notes. Odessey & the Oracle is an amazing album, it ranked #8 on my all time favorite albums back on Halloween 2005. I suggest you pick it up immediately. It will improve your mood.

Tribute to Gene Clark @ Safari Sam’s ($7) – Gene Clark wrote many of the best original early Byrds’ songs (“I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better,” “Set You Free This Time” and “She Don’t Care About Time”) and went on to be one of the great early country-rock guys. I highly recommend the two disc compilation Flying High if you’re looking for an entry point (and then get No Other at some point too). Some of my favorite Clark songs are: “Tried So Hard,” “Full Circle Song,” and “Why Not Your Baby.” You’ll get a free copy of a new tribute CD if you show up tonight to see Carla Olsen and The Quarter After perform Clark’s songs.

Also appearing:
Deerhoof @ Troubadour ($15) – One of those bands everybody but me seems to love. Download “Sealed With a Kiss”

Snowden @ Silverlake Lounge ($8) – Download “Anti-Anti”

The Grates @ Spaceland ($8) – Should be a good party. This is the first night of the new NME (the British hype machine magazine) club on Wednesdays at Spaceland. Tim Burgess of the Charlatans and Fab Morretti of the Strokes will be guest DJs. Pitchfork reviewed their album today, and I pretty much feel the same way about it….

James Brown @ the Hollywood Bowl ($1 - $120) – One of the great things about LA is that you can see legends like JB for $1 at the Hollywood Bowl. Those tix are sold out, but $30 tix remain.