It was exactly one year ago to the day that Girls came to Santa Barbara and put on one of the best shows of 2009 at the intimate Muddy Waters.  Touring behind one of the best albums of 2009 (oddly, entitled “Album”), and despite following a fine opening set by The Morning Benders, Girls tore the roof off the joint and the crowd went rightly wild.

We can’t wait for their next visit, and particularly after becoming intimately immersed in their EP, “Broken Dreams Club,” which they released at Thanksgiving.  On this EP the band delivers seven new songs that confirm and raise the ante on the pop perfection found on “Album.”  We hear a more polished production that only heightens the band’s sonic sensation. Check out Heartbreaker off of “Broken Dreams Club” below.

Girls–Heartbreaker

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Girls-Girls-Heartbreaker1.mp3|titles=Girls — Girls – Heartbreaker]

We’ve been to the mountain top, but while we were there we failed to check out some of the music. Lo and behold there were musicians and harmonists way up there. Please check out what we (and you may have) missed.  If you haven’t heard, give ear to Mountain Man, three gals out of Vermont.  They released their first record, Made the Harbor, in July and it’s fleetly gathering buzz.

If the song below piques your interest, check out their amazing accappela acumen during their demonstrative Daytrotter session.

Mountain Man–Soft Skin

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One of our favorite songwriters, performers, and interviewees is Tom Waits.  With respect to the latter, his television interviews/performances are legendary, dating from the mid-70s on The Mike Douglas Show and the underrated Fernwood Tonight.  This is one very talented, bright and hilarious lad.  And it’s the stellar string of Letterman Show performances over the last 20 years that best capture the humor and live performances. He’s a national treasure, plain and simple.

Check out the 1976 piano performance and interview with Mike Douglas to start and then his Fernwood Tonight (Piano Has Been Drinking) spot, and then a series of Letterman segments, and at the very bottom a Conan spot and then a stunning delivery of Tom Traubert’s Blues.  And our hope is that you will keep hitting the search hard, because there is a plethora of perfection delivered by this perfect performer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAzhm1YBBY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwUtEEjZJ8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU-vNpmjfsI&feature=related

Here’s part 2 to that 1983 Letterman segment.  Check out his performance of On The Nickel. If you aren’t moved by this song, starting at 1:59, you simply have no soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdL-fOFNVFs&feature=related

And then it gets really heart-felt, and you have to waltz with Matilda and Tom right here:

We knew we’d heard that voice somewhere before.  Turns out Sharon Van Etten sang backup vocals on The Antler’s auspicious “Hospice” album from last year.  Van Etten released her second record “epic” two months ago, and it is currently occupying copious amounts of our musical jukebox.

Though only a sub-“epic” seven songs in length, Brooklyn-based (of course) singer/songwriter Sharon Van Etten nonetheless delivers epic proportions of musical art on this record. Her voice is pure but edgy (think Kristen Hersh or Cat Power), and conveys well the honesty of Van Etten’s rampant lyrical pathos.   As opposed to her first record, Van Etten is backed on “epic” by a full band and enhanced with enticing interstitial instrumentation (harmonium; plucked guitar) and harmony vocals. Her delivery manages to make the confessional lyrics levitate.  Our favorite song off “epic” is the transcendent final song, Love More, which is built around a simple chord pattern that ebbs and flows perfectly throughout and adds mournful ghosting-harmonies that embellish the burnished beauty of the song.

As opposed to Love More, another of our faves, Don’t Do It, has a heavier, muddier electric guitar/harmonium mix that borders on anthem in the oft-repeated chorus. We hear the influence of her interaction with The Antlers. Don’t Do It smacks of a desperate plea to a downtrodden soul (“Look me in the eyes, say you can’t do it”) not dissimilar in theme to The Antlers’ song Wake. Van Etten sings well of the pain and frustration, ultimately ending in resigned resolve (“I wish I could make you right”).

Check out Love More and Don’t Do It below, along with the video of her performing Love More solo.  And then check out the great segment from Shaking Through.  Stunning stuff.

Love More

“Chained to the wall of our room
yeah you chained me like a dog in our room
I thought that’s how it was
I thought that we were fine
then the day was night
you were high you were high when I was doomed
and dying for with no light with no light

Tied to my bed
I was younger then
I had nothing to spend but time on you
but it made me love it made me love it made me love more
it made me love it made me love it made me love more

Do what you said the words she said left out
over unto the sky where I’ll soon fly
and she took the time
to believe in to believe in what she said
and she made me love she made me love she made me love more
she made me love she made me love she made me love more.”

Sharon Van Etten–Love More

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/LoveMore.mp3|titles=LoveMore]

Sharon Van Etten–Don’t Do It

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/dontdoit.mp3|titles=dontdoit]

Watch Van Etten perform Love More below.

You can also check out her recent Tiny Desk Concert on NPR here.

Seminal rocker, poet and artist, Patti Smith, recently received the National Book Award in Non-Fiction for “Just Kids,” her memoir of her close relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe and her rise in the New York City arts scene in the 70s.

A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Smith was one of the early progenitors of the New York City punk movement in the 70s, and “Just Kids” tracks her life from a bookish teenager in Pennsylvania to New York City in the early 70s where she befriended poet/gadabout Allen Ginsberg, dated playwright/actor Sam Shepard, and became an integral part of Andy Warhol’s scene.  With respect to her music, “Just Kids” rightly focuses on her foundational album, “Horses,” which came out in 1975 and kick-started the NYC punk scene that begat The Ramones, Richard Hell, Television, and eventually the Talking Heads.   “Just Kids” primary focus, however, is on Smith’s relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe (his photo became the cover of “Horses” shown below).  They were friends for years and lived and worked together as struggling/starving artists, and developed a mutual love for each other.  It’s a fascinating and highly recommended read.

We fell in love with Patti and “Horses” from the start.  Her cover of Gloria demanded your attention, but then rewarded with Birdland, Redondo Beach and a host of great songs.  The first time we ever saw her perform was on Saturday Night Live on April 17, 1976.  She was riveting and revelatory.  A national audience that had been used to Elton John, KC and the Sunshine Band, and Steve Miller was asked to check out an androgynous, atonal beat poet doll-up a rousing version of Gloria (see way below) with lines about boys loving parking meters (that’s gotta hurt) and her lack of faith in Jesus.

Our favorite Patti Smith song is Redondo Beach. We have no idea the connection to the LA beach town, but the light-sounding, reggae-fied music contrasts with the dark lyrics regarding a lovers’ quarrel that leads to death.  Smith asks over and over, “Are you gone-gone?” seemingly unable to accept the passing.  It’s a melodic, but harrowing ride.  High art.  Check it out.

Patti Smith–Redondo Beach

Patti.Smith.-.Redondo.Beach.(Live.Conan.O'Brien) by von7up

We escaped Chez Lefort Sunday night to saunter down to Soho, primarily to check out the great Santa Monica band, Chief.   Club Mercy put out the word that Chief had graciously agreed at the last minute to help out their friends, Dawes, and fill in the vacant opening slot at Soho.

We didn’t have to wait long for Chief to come on at 9pm and, despite uncooperative gear and unfortunate audience “participation,” proceeded to remind us why we hailed this Chief back in June. Lead singer, Evan Koga, was proud to let us know before their set that the band would be headlining at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC in two weeks as they swing through the East Coast on a mini-tour. That totemic achievement is well-deserved. Just back from a summertime spent playing the Euro-Festival circuit, the band has further honed its songs and talents, and delivered a great set comprised of songs off their sublime recent album, “Modern Rituals”, and a few earlier, Lefort-favored songs. Once again it was Chief’s group vocals and song-craft that drew us in.  Particular credit has to be given to Mike Moonves, the bass player, whose high harmonies mesh and lift Koga’s and Danny Fujikawa’s lead vocals (along with Michael’s valiant vocal effects and driving drum-work).   The band deserves particular credit for playing on despite an audience member unfortunately falling onto the stage mid-set (we hope she is OK) and into Danny, taking him down too.  The band briefly stopped to check on the fan and then Cal Ripkened-on to close their set strongly.  We look forward to seeing them headline in Santa Barbara in the near future, and with less distractions.

Next up was the forgettable Moondoggies, who struck us as a converted jam-band that ran up on the nose and pearled in the process.  We’d say that that conversion is still a work in process. While the band members were not untalented players and singers, they are a manager-shy of a compelling showing. Constructive criticism alert:  Someone (manager, parent, older sibling, anyone??) needs to let these guys know that until they’re headlining, they need to scale back the length of their decent, but somewhat simplistic, songs to about three minutes.  Maximum.  Enough with the unwarranted repetition fellas.  When you’re not headlining, and until you evolve more as songwriters and players, get in and get out on each song.  If not, you risk alienating an audience that is otherwise happy to give you the benefit of the doubt.  Such was the case this night.

Next up were headliners, Dawes, who came out and simply blew us away.  Lead singer, Taylor Goldsmith, has one of the best voices extant in an indie-band (0r otherwise) and plays flawless and inspired guitar.  The Band is an obvious influence on Goldsmith, whose guitar-playing oft sounds like Robbie Robertson (and Neil Young–just listen to his playing on If I Wanted Someone), and whose vocals vary between Rick Danko (which is plain in his straight ahead Danko delivery on That Western Skyline), Stephen Stills (as on If I Wanted Someone), John Fogerty (on God Rest My Soul, where he also smacks of Springsteen), and other vintage singers.  Taylor is surrounded and buoyed by three phenomenal band members.  The uber-Harpo-mopped drummer, Griffin Goldsmith (Taylor’s bro), pounds and pastes his drum-kit while laying on valiant vocal backing (singing lead on How Far We’ve Come, which has Avett Brothers vestiges).  And Griffin easily wins this or any year’s most-emotional-facial-expressions-by-a-drummer award. Alex Casnov supplies great keyboards, including Elton John flourishes (that’s a good thing in this instance), and hallmark harmonies.  And bassist Wylie Gelber is one of the better bass players we’ve seen on a small stage, with his precise and deft bottom line.

During their 90-minute set, Dawes worked their way through much of their debut record, “North Hills,” and a host of nascent songs off their impending Chris Walla-produced new record.  Make no mistake, if you want cutting-edge indie-rock, Dawes is not your band.  Instead they are steeped in 70s rock, and wear this vintage cloak incredibly well. Taylor often employs Springsteen and Southside Johnny-like theatrics (especially noted on their song Fire Away, which could be a track on Springsteen’s “The Wild, the Innocent & The E Street Shuffle” with its lyrics such as “Or if you’ve got dreams that no one’s ever let you say, then fire away“). We oft-times blanch at such dramatics, but this is “shoe-biz” and in this instance we were happy to make an exception because of the otherwise perfect delivery.  Dawes is a well-greased machine that will mow you down if you’re in the mood for well-wrought mainstream rock ‘n roll.

We would be remiss if we didn’t comment on the phenomenon that has become Dawes’ set-ending anthem, When My Time Comes. We had seen the Fall 2010 Tour trailer and related videos, but still were wondrously won over when the song came up and Taylor turned the mic to the crowd.  The crowd perfectly sang-screamed the yearning chorus repeatedly before the band kicked back in to carry it to the end.  These are the moments that recall the greatest shows we’ve seen: where the crowd rises to the occasion and levies the night to new heights.  The evolutionary musical acts  Springsteen, The Clash, U2, Radiohead,  Arcade Fire and The National have been the masters of this effect.  It is frankly moments like these that get us out on a regular basis to shows.  And at least on this one song, Dawes adds itself to this luminous lineage.

Check out their live version in the video below.  If you aren’t moved in particular at the 3:59 mark on this video, you simply have no soul.

If you require better production, then this more-staid, but well-done, version is for you:

Check ’em out next time they come to your town.   Below are some other great samples of this band live.

Sufjan Stevens and his band of sprites sallied down to Jimmy Fallon’s musically-prodigious show last Friday, and filled the entire Fallon stage with their elaborate tribal/mardi-gras/end-times delivery.  In case you missed it, and to check out the magnitude and pageantry of his current tour as seen by us at the Paramount Theatre last month, check below.   Stevens and his merry marauders gave a national audience a fully-realized, densely choreographed version of Too Much off of his “Age of Adz” record.

Amongst our favorite shows are those where we go in virtually blind to the evening’s bands and come out with raving, 15/15 vision after a perfect music night. With medium-to-low expectations, the actual trajectory can only be up. Such was the case on Thursday at Muddy Waters when we ventured down to catch the Club Mercy lineup, sight-unseen. Come to think of it, this happens all the time at Muddy Waters (Hosannas, Chief, Girls, Blitzen Trapper, Morning Benders, etc, etc.).  And the place was not close to full. Look people, if you want to have a high-value music evening, with music revelations aplenty, keep your eyes on the Muddy/Club Mercy juggernaut. The payoffs are frequent and phenomenal.

We unfortunately arrived too late for the evening’s openers, Dirty Mittens, but we heard great things about their set and look forward to catching them the next time they dirty-up the town.

And then we were just minding our own business with a beer and some banter when we were broadsided by the next band, The Lonely Forest. What the heck!!?? Where did THAT come from??!! Up comes this unknown band with serious talent on all fronts. Arriving by way of Anacortes and Seattle, Washington, singer/guitarist/keyboardist John Van Deusen, guitarist John Ruland, drummer Braydn Krueger, and bassist Eric Sturgeon completely lit up the Muddy. It was revelatory.

The Lonely Forest has got it all going on–great songs, great lyrics, great vocals, and great delivery (the grand slam of musical worthiness). Beyond Van Deusen’s obvious dominance, Krueger’s driving drumming and harmony vocals were a particular highlight.  Pay serious attention to this band, folks.  They are bound for parts known.  It turns out the band has been gestating in Washington since 2006, releasing great recordings all the while, but recently joining Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla on his new label, Trans (an imprint of Atlantic records). We look forward to their impending new release and the future of this band. That forest just got a lot less lonely. We’re sure that in a few years will be gloating about how we saw The Lonely Forest at the Muddy as openers.

Check out the three great vantages below of their harrowing song We Will Sing in Time and some others below those three. The first two versions of that song are from the killin’ KEXP vaults–first a phenomenal full-band-rendering and the second an acoustic rendering of the song. If it wasn’t for those 300 days of rain and snow a year, we would be there for KEXP alone.  Fortunately the interweb makes that frigidity unnecessary.  The last of the three same-song videos is a vignette of the band and their hardcore fans hittin’ hard. Check out the disparate vantages of that song and others below them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAOCTjOC9mg

Oh yeah, and then to cap it all off there was the great Boris Yeltsin. Hailing all the way from Springfield, Missouri. Boris had a hard act to follow, but by set’s end they had the crowd bellowing their name all over the Muddy. Check out some good samples below.

Having been huge fans of Joy Division, we naturally carried our ardor forward with New Order.  Torn apart by the seemingly inevitable suicide of lead singer/songwriter, Ian Curtis, the three remaining members of Joy Division added a keyboardist and renamed the band New Order. After a a great debut single (Ceremony) and a great album (“Power, Corruption & Lies”) which mixed punk, dance and synth music, the band released “Low Life” in 1985, which paid homage more to American roots music motifs, including the great opening track,  Love Vigilantes.

We loved Love Vigilantes from the second we heard it, with its melodica intro, driving acoustic guitar flourishes and melodious chorus.  Honestly, the music and vocals levitated us so much that all we could focus on was the chorus.  We frankly missed the song’s whole story.

That was the case until Iron and Wine covered Love Vigilantes recently and slowed it down, thereby emphasizing the narrative of the song.  Frankly, though, hearing the new take on the song has only increased our confusion.

On the one hand, as delivered by New Order, the song can be seen as an uplifting anthem about a soldier who comes home (one assumes from the faulty Falklands fiasco) to his deserved family and home, surprising his wife who has been given the erroneous report of his death.   On the other hand, as told by Iron and Wine, the song might depict the soldier looking down on the scene of his devastated wife and realizing he has died in the war, and that he has gone to another home not of this world.

Check out the lyrics and versions below, and let us know which version and interpretation you prefer.  We love ’em both.

“Oh, I’ve just come from the land of the sun
From a war that must be won in the name of truth
With our soldiers so brave, your freedom we will save
With our rifles and grenades and some help from God

I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I’ve got to go home
I’ve been so alone, you see

You just can’t believe the joy I did receive
When I finally got my leave and I was going home
Oh, I flew through the sky, my convictions could not lie
For my country I would die, and I will see it soon

I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I’ve got to go home
I’ve been so alone, you see

When I walked through the door, my wife she lay upon the floor
And with tears her eyes were sore—I did not know why
Then I looked into her hand and I saw the telegram
That said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead

I want to see my family
My wife and child waiting for me
I’ve got to go home
I’ve been so alone, you see”

New Order–Love Vigilantes

Iron and Wine–Love Vigilantes

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2-05-Love-Vigilantes-1.mp3|titles=2-05 Love Vigilantes 1]

Real country music is not the sole domain of Americans (or even North Americans).  Ferheavensake, various facets and forerunners of American country music originated in Scotland, England and Ireland, amongst others.  It’s no wonder that many folks from the United Kingdom, Australia, various other Anglophone countries, and even non-Anglophonic countries  have taken to country music and adopted it as their own.

One such adopter is the great music omnivore, Elvis Costello.  Though we know many differ, we love Costello’s voice and  phrasing, and his way with songs of any and all music genres.  Costello has been a huge proponent and lover of real country music for decades, going so far as to record an entire album of country music covers in 1981 on his record, “Almost Blue” and subsequently recording and performing various other real-country songs.  As an aside, The New Yorker has a worthwhile profile of Costello in its November 8, 2010 issue, in which the author touts Costello’s deep and superior knowledge of American music.

And here on the song Brown and Blue from that record, Costello covers a song made famous by George Jones (more on Jones another time), a song that has all the elements of great country music:  heartbreak expressed in common-man terms (but with the occasional clever  turn-of-the-phrase, as here), with fundamental instrumentation and heartfelt delivery.  Elvis was recently divorced when he recorded this song, so it’s no wonder his vocals ring particularly true.

Listen in to Elvis Costello singing real country music below.

Elvis Costello–Brown to Blue

We like the chorus:

“I couldn’t help my tears from falling on the courtroom floor
My love, they took away my right to love you anymore
My world just seemed to stop as I stood there so close to you
You changed your name from Brown to Jones and mine from Brown to Blue”