The dynamic Dawes slayed at Lollapalooza this weekend.  Check them out below from that festival playing their uplifting anthem, When My Times Come.  If you haven’t been in a Dawes crowd and screamed that accapella chorus, you simply haven’t lived.  ‘Dem dudes can write, sing and play.  After, check out the band in a decidedly different mode, performing a sweet unplugged version of If I Wanted Someone in a just-released Do317 Lounge Session.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGOhRWIIkFU&feature=channel&list=UL

Elliott Smith, one of our greatest songwriters, was born on August 6th, 1969.  In early honor of Smith’s birthday, KillRockStars has just released the alternate take below of Smith’s stellar song, Alameda.  Amongst our fondest memories are his shows at the old Yucatan in Santa Barbara and at the Pantages.  Elliott, you are sorely missed.

KillRockStars adds this about the alternate take and Smith:

“This version contains alternate lyrics during the chorus. Kill Rock Stars will also reissue Either/Or and Smith’s self-titled 1995 album on 180-gram vinyl this month, in honor of Smith’s birthday.

On August 6, Kill Rock Stars will sell its 2010 Smith compilation An Introduction to… for $4.99 all day. You’ll also receive “a present” from the label if you sign up for their mailing list that day.

Throughout August, Smith’s entire Kill Rock Stars output will be available digitally for $49. And for the duration of 2012, any Kill Rock Stars mail-order purchase will be accompanied by a 10% off coupon for their Smith offerings.”

If you lack any portion of Smith’s definitive discography, this is a good opportunity to catch up.

We recently waxed elaborate about new band Alt-J, out of Cambridge, England.  Coincidentally, Alt-J performed on KCRW today.  Check out their performance of song Fitzpleasure below, and then go HERE to listen to the entire KCRW session.  KCRW has now added the band’s performance of their song Breezeblocks at bottom.

The gargantuan Grizzly Bear today released the second song from their impending new album Shields, the first proper follow-up to their phenomenal 2009 album Veckatemist.  Check out Yet Again immediately below, followed by the first song released by the band off the album, Sleeping Ute.  Both bode well for the new album and impending tour.

Along with a whole lot of Olympics Track & Field coverage (finally!), Lollapalooza is happening this weekend in Chicago.  The entire festival will be streaming HERE starting at 11:30 am Pacific this Friday.  Our anticipated highlights are The Afghan Whigs (at 2:15 Pacific on Friday), War on Drugs (at 1pm Pacific on Friday), Dawes (at 5:30pm Pacific on Friday), Bloc Party (at 5pm Pacific on Saturday), The Walkmen (at 1pm Pacific on Sunday), and Jack White (at 6:30pm Pacific on Sunday).  You’ve been warned.

There’s a new Harrison in a new house.  George Harrison’s son Dhani has assembled a new musical collective entitled thenewno2, which has released a new album entitled The Fear of Missing Out.  Dhani was also a founding member of Fistful of Mercy,  with Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur. Check them out (with former Field member Thorunn Antonia on added vocals) playing Staring Out to Sea for KCRW and Make It Home on Conan.  Not only does Dhani look and sound like his father at times, he also plays guitar like a cross between George and the late, great Bob Welch (check it at 2:10 on the first video below of Staring Out to Sea).  Newly added:  video of the band performing I Won’t Go at Amoeba Records in Hollywood yesterday.  If you like what you see and hear, you can tentatively stream the band’s new, multifaceted album over at NPR.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYHT8EYDWps&feature=em-uploademail

In case you haven’t seen it, at a recent show in Sweden, Bruce Springsteen and band honored the late, great Clarence Clemons by performing Springsteen’s stalwart song, Jungleland.  The Big Man’s nephew, Jake Clemons, filled in ably for his uncle in Sweden.  Springsteen had not previously performed the song on this tour.  If you’re not careful, this will leave a lump in your throat, particularly when Jake steps to the front to take his uncle’s famous solo.  It took us back and aback.

South London’s Jessie Ware is the latest in a long line of British torch-singers.  Sounding like a winning mix of Annie Lennox and Sade, Ware will soon release (on August 20th) what some are touting as the best sophisto-pop album of the year, Devotion.  The Line of Best Fit recently caught her in session performing a song off the album, Wildest Moments.  Check it out below, followed by the official video for the song Running that helped put her on the map.  After, check out the title track off the new album.  And finally, check out a Black Cab Session of Wildest Moments.

As a tribute to The Band’s late Levon Helm over the weekend at the Newport Folk Festival, My Morning Jacket covered the Band’s It Makes No Difference with the help (?) of Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes.  Though Rick Danko sang the original, Levon Helm sang the song at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2010.  Check out below (at 47:35) the winning version (despite some pitchy, off-key moments from Howard, particularly on the chorus–Brittany, they make these things called “in-ear monitors”–you might want to try a pair).  Highlights in the song are Jim James’ vaunted vocals, the usual gutty guitar work (at 52:28) of Carl Broemel and the sax work of Clint Maedgen (at 52:57).  Perhaps even more compelling is the intensity of Conor Oberst’s participation on Smokin From Shootin’ (also with Ben Sollee), which begins at 54:59.  MMJ never fail to captivate.

MMJ Setlist:

Welcome Home, Golden, The Way That He Sings, It Beats 4 U, Wonderful (The Way I Feel) w/ Ben Sollee and Laura Veirs, Bermuda Highway w/ Will Johnson (Centro-Matic / New Multitudes), Victory Dance, Dondante, It Makes No Difference w/ Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) and Clint Maedgen (Preservation Hall Jazz Band / New Orleans Bingo! Show), Smokin From Shootin’ w/ Ben Sollee and Conor Oberst, Movin’ Away, and I’m Amazed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ5QQZaMLaQ

We continue to find ourselves in a Polica state.  We previously touted Polica’s earlier performances on KEXP and WFUV’s Alternate Side.  The Alternate Side has just released additional performances by the band performing their songs Fist, Teeth, Money and Violent Games.  While we have not hid our disdain for the vocoder effect that’s been in favor these days, Polica are so compelling that they can even make the vocoder’s use tolerable for us.  We love the no-nonsense attack of the band and the concentrated intensity of lead singer Channy Leaneagh.  Check out in particular the dub elements in Fist, Teeth, Money and the driving drums in Violent Games.  All can be found on their great recent album, Give You The Ghost.  Now comes your opportunity to catch the band live.  Polica is currently on tour and will play the Echoplex in LA on August 21st.