We were early adopters of Joseph Arthur’s rending reading of Lou Reed’s Walk On The Wild Side, which will appear on Arthur’s imminent album homage to his friend, Lou (featuring only Reed’s songs).  The album is via Vanguard Records and will be released on May 13, 2014.  Arthur has now released the official video for the song, which you can check out below.  We can’t wait for Lou.

We have become hopelessly mired in the groove worn into our lives by Sylvan Esso. Their eponymous new album (review to soon-come) is filled with songs that crackle and hum, and are immediately memorable and affecting.  And how many artists can you say that about these days?  T0day the band released their sweet, official video for their outstanding, breakout song Coffee.  Check it out below.  Do you wanna dance?  Makes us want to holler.

US Tour Dates 

5/26 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory Concert House *
5/27 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge *
5/28 Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre *
5/30 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater *
6/3 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom *
6/5 Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre *
6/7 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore *
6/13 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
6/15 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer *
6/16 Boston, MA – Royale Boston *
6/18 Montreal, QC – La Tulipe *
6/22 New York, NY – Webster Hall *
6/23 New York, NY – Webster Hall *

Vampire Weekend prepared for their impending world tour by stopping by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night to perform Unbelievers off of last year’s much-lauded album Modern Vampires of the City.  Check ’em out below and let us know if you would spend your hard-earned money to see ’em.

We had some fun over the weekend with friends/acquaintances discussing which band was/is the best American “rock band” (or, perhaps we should say “rawk band”) of all time.  After the criteria were clarified, narrowed and manipulated (Pavement, The Pixies and Nirvana were dismissed as too “alt-indie;” the Heartbreakers and the E Street Band were dismissed because they are headlined by individuals–Petty, Springsteen; etc.), we at Chez Lefort determined that for us Credence Clearwater Revival was the best (our first pick was The Band, whose members were all either born in the US or have lived/lived in the US for over 50 years, but they were ruled out by the mob on a “Canadian band” technicality).  Others differed with our selection (to give you an idea, the majority were initially of the Aerosmith mindset–we kid you not–but wouldn’t rule out Guns ‘N Roses either).

With the foregoing as a backdrop, we stumbled across the new “rock” songs below from Athens, Georgia’s great Manchester Orchestra.  We first encountered this superb band last year at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass when they roundly surprised and impressed with their instrumental chops, valiant vocals and scintillating songs.  The band is about to release its new album, Cope, on April 1st (no foolin’) on Loma Vista Recordings/Favorite Gentlemen.  These songs got our attention today because they met well the weekend mob’s criteria in our banter about the best American “rawk band,” but also because they’re just simply great (and feature, get this, post-neanderthal lyrics).  As band leader Andy Hull has said about the album:  “We wanted to make the kind of album that’s missing at this time in rock: something that’s just brutal and pounding you over the head every track.”  So for that weekend mob and all others that want to “rock,” these songs are for you.  We like what we hear.  Check out Cope, Every Stone and Top Notch below.  Prepare to be rawked.  To give you an idea how good they are live, all of their California tour dates in May are unfortunately already sold out.  Catch ’em when you can.

“I tell all my friends that I’m bound for heaven.”

Jason Molina passed from this earth one year and a week ago, and we pray for his prescience in the lyric above and the song below.  He repeatedly bared his soul in song and was treasured as one of our most open and evocative singer-songwriters.  Much has been written about Molina and his music’s affecting of so many lives.  We confess we only glimpsed his songs while he was alive, but were always moved by what we heard.  At times his pain cut too close to our cord and chords.  But that’s just our problem.

To get a feel for Molina’s place in the pantheon and his fans’ lives, one need only listen to the song below, Soul, released by Molina’s first “band” (Songs: Ohia, a “band” that only existed for six years before Molina moved on to Magnolia Electric Co.).  Listening to it now is devastatingly good.  Nice of him to write a song from us to himself.  RIP Jason.

The song is a part of Secretly Canadian’s Journey On: Collected Singles, a box set of rare recordings from Molina‘s Songs: Ohia, that is being offered exclusively for Record Store Day 2014.

The song’s lyrics are at bottom.  Harbingers of hope.  Don’t give up.  And keep it alive.

“I tell all your friends that
you’re bound for glory
and how long did you know
that you’d make it there before me
and what is it like
is it worth this misfortune
what is it like on the other side
these 20 years I’ve loved one thing only
I love what I know about passion
I love what I know about mercy
I love what I know about patience
I love what I know about soul
and I know you(x3)
I tell all my friends
that I’m bound for heaven
and if it ain’t so
you can’t blame me for living
I know what it’s like
and it’s worth this misfortune
I know what it’s like on the other side
these 20 years I’ve loved one thing only
I love what I know about passion
I love what I know about mercy
I love what I know about patience
I love what I know about soul
and I know you(x3)”

Jimmy Fallon, The Roots and whomever they choose to bring into their musical funhouse have brought us some of the more enjoyable, fun-filled musical moments on late night television (if you don’t believe us, check out this with Carly Rae Jepsen).  Since it’s Friday, we’ll look past our Billy Joel “meh” and invite you to view the performance last night on The Tonight Show by J-Fal and Joel, with assistance from the iPad app Loopy HD and The Roots.  All in good fun.  Check it out.  And then get back to being serious and overwrought, will ya?!

We’ve been earnestly impressed for quite some time by the phenomenal Detroit duo Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr.  With their Beatles- and Beach Boys-isms and inventiveness, their songs are an entire cut above the standard pop rabble currently on display.  And these bright boys always bring the sugared-noise live in particular.  We had, however, grown weary of the amount of added vocal/effects tracks used by the band live, all of which contributed to a canned-set sense.  Don’t get us wrong: we understand the economics inherent in touring these days (what up-and-coming band can afford to tour with more than its core members?) and the need for the synthesized assist.  Still, you don’t want your audience having to always guess what is real and what is just plain Vanilli.  Do ya?

Yet beyond all these added tracks and effects, we knew that these were seriously-talented lads so we recently went looking for unplugged performances sans effects, and were justly rewarded as you’ll see below.  Our hope is that DEJJ will become so (deservedly) successful that they can hire background singers and add instrumentalists and organically take over the pop world’s concert stage.  Wouldn’t that be nice?

Check out some their superb unplugged performances below, starting with their sublime cover of Brian Wilson’s God Only Knows and move on from there.  The simplified (though not completely without additions) version of hit single If You Didn’t See Me, Then You Weren’t On the Dance Floor is dramatically improved by subtraction.  And the reality riches don’t stop.  While you’re at it, go over and buy their outstanding recent album The Speed Of Things HERE.  For more samples and additional immersion into the DJEE world, go HERE and listen to a great mix of studio tracks and mixes.

As mentioned awhile back, after a hiatus Joan As Police Woman has an impending new album entitled The Classic.  In support of the new album, the talented Joan (Wassner) and band recently released the enjoyable video for throw-back song Holy City.  Check it out below.
 

Apparently it’s been decided:  The War On Drugs’ new album Lost in the Dream is the album of the year.  Their new album is gaining near-universal high-praise, and we are firmly seat-belted into that bandwagon.  As with their last album, Slave Ambient, Adam Granduciel and band have delivered a superb and moving collection of songs that slow-build and brood and release all down the line, led by Granduciel’s updated Knopfler-Dylan-Springsteen mien.  The band is now out on tour in support of their superb new album, and you can get a feel for their captivating live act below as they perform songs from the new album at WFUV and the World Cafe.  Their impending tour dates are at bottom, and we will be at the Troubadour in LA on 4/4.  Look us up; we can’t wait for the show.  To hear the full WFUV session, you can go HERE.

Red Eyes:

Eyes To The Wind:

Under Pressure:

An Ocean Between The Waves:

03-18 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
03-20 New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
03-21 Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
03-22 Pittsburgh, PA – Altar
03-23 Chicago, IL – Metro
03-26 Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
03-28 Seattle, WA – Neptune
03-29 Vancouver, British Columbia – Biltmore Cabaret
03-30 Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
04-01 San Francisco, CA – Independent
04-04 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
04-05 Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
04-06 San Diego, CA – Casbah
04-07 Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
04-08 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
04-10 Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
04-11 Cincinnati, OH – 20th Century
04-12 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
04-13 Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom
04-14 Toronto, Ontario – Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
04-17 Boston, MA – Paradise
04-18 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

The music blogosphere has (again) jumped on the Future Islands bandwagon following their recent performance on the Letterman Show (see below).  We can’t make up our minds about Future Islands and the musical merit thereof, and so we’re reaching out to you for a straw vote.

On the plus side, Future Islands write some devouring ditties, and lead singer Samuel T. Herring certainly gives everything he’s got on stage between his vocal gravel and grift, and prowling prance.  And he’s been doing it for years.  We’ve seen the band a couple times, including before 100 or so fans at Muddy Waters here in Santa Barbara a few years back (when they were first atop that bandwagon).  Even in front of that small crowd, Herring strutted and raged maniacally throughout the band’s set.  So A+ for effort.  And afterwards out on the sidewalk, Herring was the consummate gentleman, gracious and giving to fans.  We were taken aback though by Herring’s recurring schizophrenic shifts (mid-songs) from croon to mania, and left scratching our heads about the genuineness and drive behind the band.

Fast forward a few years, and Future Islands is back with a new album Singles that is again garnering critical huzzahs.  And then they made their late night debut on Letterman, and that performance gained them repeated “best-ever-on-TV” raves.  So watch below, and let us know your thoughts ’cause we ain’t thinkin’ straight on the matter.  Is Herring’s a performance that is forged from the heart and bared well via his unique delivery?  Or is it just that:  performance theater without genuineness to support the antics?  Does Herring strike you simply as one of those theater kids you couldn’t stand in high school?  With his Jack-Black-does-Morrissey-impersonating-Marlon-Brando-in-On-The-Waterfront facade on Letterman drive you to drink or cause you to run to your digital emporium?

Three years later, we still can’t make up our minds.  Watch below and make the call for yourself.