Record Review: Henry Clay People - For Cheap or For Free

Don't forget about the record release party tonight at Spaceland. I wrote this back in late August and planned to re-write before posting, but I'm too lazy.

The Henry Clay People: For Cheap or For Free (Autumn Tone)

The Henry Clay People are full of surprises. After a year of constant gigging around Southern California, For Cheap or For Free is a remarkable progression over their debut album. Known for their raucous live shows, it's great to hear that infectious energy captured on record.

At times, For Cheap or For Free feels like a post-adolescent concept record. But instead of some self-pitying Reality Bites / Garden State bullshit, it's a helluva lot of fun. And we can all relate (can't we?) to dead end jobs, debt, being hungover and calling in sick, showing up for work with bloodshot eyes and an overall sense of displacement. Most of the songs are sung from the perspective of "we," which enhances the inclusive vibe of the record.

Musically, the band plays with familiar sounds, but moves on before you have a chance to nail it down. It might be a piano part that evokes the Stones, or a short guitar riff that makes you think of Neil Young. When they sing about being timeless, is it an allusion to Badfinger?

The quartet fills out their sound on several songs with contributions from Jillinda Palmer and Jonathan Price from I Make This Sound. Dave Newton (the Mighty Lemon Drops) and Joe Napolitano (from label mates, Le Switch) produced the record.

Ever wonder what the Hold Steady would be like if they grew up listening to Neil Young and Pavement instead of the Boss? Even if you haven't, For Cheap or For Free is highly recommended.

Record Review: Mt. Wilson Repeater

For the past couple of weeks, the new Mt. Wilson Repeater album has been the soundtrack to my morning drive. Named after the antenna farms at the top of Mt. Wilson in the Angeles National Forest, Mt. Wilson Repeater is a solo/side project from Jim Putnam of the Radar Bros. The sound isn’t a complete departure from the Radar Bros., but does allow Putnam more room for experimentation. Recorded in his backyard studio, the songs are extremely layered. While lyrics are present, they take a backseat to electronic and acoustic textures. There’s a ton of whistling too. As on this year’s Radar Bros. album (and Le Switch’s upcoming record for that matter), Putnam’s studio skills are on display and quite impressive. Recommended for other fans of lush, mellow, melodic sounds.

Download “All Night Every Day”

Record Review: Radar Bros. Auditorium

Band: Radar Bros.
Album: Auditorium
Label: Merge

Release Date: 1/29/08
Rating: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

For me, the Radar Bros. are the most important LA indie band of the last decade. Lead singer/guitarist Jim Putnam came on the scene in the early 1990s as a guitarist in Medicine. Medicine was a well-liked noise-pop/shoegaze band signed to Rick Rubin’s Def American.

Putnam and Eddie Ruscha (Dada Munchamonkey, Future Pigeon, Dub Club DJ, son of world famous artist Ed Ruscha) left early in Medicine’s life to form a new band called Maids of Gravity. Maids of Gravity had some moderate success with Ruscha as the frontman.

In 1994, Putnam grabbed his good friend Steve Goodfriend for drums and recorded some demos. Senon Williams joined and they became the Radar Bros. With their first LP in 1996, the Radar Bros. were usually compared to slowcore bands like Low and Codeine. I like those bands too, but it never made complete sense because those bands really can rock you to sleep.

While I liked the Radar Bros. eponymous debut album, it wasn’t until the follow up in 1999 (The Singing Hatchet) that I started calling them my favorite band in LA. Putnam was getting really good in the studio (it runs in the family) and the production was lush. The pop elements in the songs were more evident and Putnam’s lyrics were becoming weirder in a great way.

Cut to 2002 and the release of their third album, And the Surrounding Mountains on Merge Records. Pink Floyd/Meddle comparisons abound and the best reviews to date pour in. Putnam’s still got the breathy, soft voice but as you listen, you realize he’s singing about some really sinister shit. It’s a fucked up concept record, and even better than the The Singing Hatchet.

Following up And the Surrounding Mountains couldn’t have been an easy task. In 2005, they released their fourth full length and second for Merge, The Fallen Leaf Pages. The record’s really special to me because the record release party finally got me out to Sea Level Records in Echo Park and I met my girlfriend that night.

Following their pattern (a record every three years), the Radar Bros. are about to release their fifth album, Auditorium (out January 28th on Merge). Fans will not be disappointed. Beginning to end, this might be their best record yet. Williams and Goodfriend are still there, as is a new participant, touring guitarist Jeff Palmer. At its heart, the record’s got all the trademarks of the band. It’s lush and layered with pop elements and Putnam’s soothing voice. The production’s the best yet and they incorporate new sound textures. Lyrically, it’s still weird with some of Putnam’s best stuff yet (“the fat cops make bigger targets” and “I keep drinking your tailgate piss”). He’s got nature and politics on his mind. The record’s perfect for sitting around a campfire drinking beer, or sitting on your porch with a friend getting high, or driving home from the beach after a long day in the sun.

You’ve got two more chances to see the Radar Bros. during their Monday night residency at the Echo. If you really want to see and hear the band, your best bet is this week’s (the 21st) show. The following week’s show features Brian Aubert (Silversun Pickups) and Everest as the support acts, so it promises to be a zoo. Rumors are starting to circulate that Senon’s leaving the Radar Bros. after this residency to focus on his other band, Dengue Fever. Jim Putnam will be a guest on the Sinking with Sylvia (and Sometimes Todd) show on Little Radio this Thursday to talk about it. See these guys now, before it’s too late.

Download “Warm Rising Sun”

Johny Cash's The Great Lost Performance

Being the cantankerous old bastard that I am, I’ve been a little down on new music lately. There’s definitely some great new stuff, but I’ve been disappointed just as often. The fascination with bands that sound like second rate Flock of Seagulls impersonators is particularly disheartening (with yelpy, shout in your face indie bands coming in a close second). What could remedy this ennui? Maybe some good ol’ Johnny Cash?

I’m a huge Johnny Cash fan. The guy had an amazing voice and was a relevant artist for close to 50 years. As great as he is, his studio albums have always been hit or miss. He’s the only artist I love where when asked to name his greatest album, I would respond with a live album. At San Quentin and At Folsom Prison are both fantastic records. The song selection, the between song banter and his vocal performance make them essential listening. So even though I know they’re not going to equal those classic albums, I always pick up new Cash live albums when they’re released.

The newest Cash live document is called The Great Lost Performance. With that title, the label’s setting expectations pretty high. When you hear that it was recorded in 1990, you start to feel a bit skeptical. When you put it in and “Ring of Fire” comes on, you’re not feeling any better about the purchase. By now you’ve heard the song so many times, you’re hoping for either a really impassioned performance, or a new take on it. Instead it sounds like a song Cash is pretty tired of singing. But stay with me, because as the record moves along it gets way better. The sound quality is great. Cash is in a really good mood and does the storyteller thing where he introduces a lot of the songs with great anecdotes. There are some new songs (new at the time anyway) like “What is Man.” There are some great performances of songs you know and love like: “Five Feet High and Rising,” “Sunday Morning Coming Down” and “Hey Porter.” His introduction to “Ragged Old Flag” is pretty great too. After seeing Walk the Line, it’s great to hear June Carter Cash’s voice next to Johnny’s on tracks like “Jackson.”

If you’re new to Cash, this obviously isn’t the best starting point. But if you’re a Cash fan who already has his other great live releases, then this release is highly recommended. I think I’d even put it a little ahead of the Madison Square Garden release. I hope they keep unearthing concerts with such great sound quality.

Coming soon: A Review of the Best of the Johnny Cash Show on DVD