22
Aug

San Francisco Soundtracks–Check Out Stephanie Finch and the Company Men

We haven’t been able to get back to our beloved San Francisco since deep, sunny winter. So we had to pull up the official videos for two phenomenal pop songs by Stephanie Finch and the Company Men (Chuck Prophet, Kelly Stoltz and Rusty Miller). Ms. Finch is the very talented spouse of the sorta-talented Chuck Prophet (jk, Chuck) who has also collaborated with Jonathan Richman and Mark Kozalek. If you haven’t had the pleasure, Finch has crafted pop songs of the highest order. There’s nothing new under the fog, but these songs still wrap you up in pop velvet.

The two featured songs (Transmission and Don’t Back Out Now) are off of her underrated, under-appreciated 2010 album Cry Tomorrow, her consummate compendium of “love letters to classic song.” The videos for these fine songs feature multiple facets of San Francisco and together function as a veritable travelogue of that fine City. On the recently released video for Transmission, Finch hints at Neko Case and busks at BART, while on Don’t Back Out Now Finch and the fellas goof off all over the fabled village. Check ’em out below, and go buy Cry Tomorrow at the link above.

For those attending October’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Chuck Prophet and Stephanie (as a member of Prophet’s backing band Mission Express) will appear as a part of this year’s vaunted lineup. San Francisco, we’re comin’ for you soon.

21
Aug

Feist-Heavy: Check Out Feistadon

This is starting out to be a very Feisty week for us.  First, the multi-talented femme simply slayed Sunday night on the From the Basement broadcast (check back for that video–not to be missed).  And we’ve been off the grid and have been playing catch-up with the world.  We just discovered that Feist is dabbling deliciously in the world of heavy metal.  We’ll admit that metal isn’t the first genre we reach for in the morning (or at night) for listening pleasure.  While we grew up on the thrash of ’70s punk music from NYC, London and LaLaLand (in that chronological order), we nonetheless have not given metal much mental bandwidth.  Historically, the rare lyrical intelligence (a primary driver for us) in metal, coupled with the seeming (we admit ignorance, ye metal experts) monotony of the sound has pushed us away. Ya gotta give credit to Leslie Feist and Mastadon.  In combo, they’ve made a great argument for the possibilities of the genre.

As a part of this year’s Record Store Day celebration, Feist and Mastadon collaborated on a split seven-inch record, with Feist covering Mastodon’s Black Tongue and Mastodon covering Feist’s A Commotion.  Now both tracks are available digitally.  In addition to the digital release, an interactive video has been put together for A Commotion that shows Feist in full metal mode and enables users to slide a bar back and forth to choose between the original Feistian version (full to the left) and the Mastodon cover (full to the right), and all parts in between.  We recommend splitting the difference and setting the bar in the middle.

Check out immediately below that interactive version, followed by the just-released official video for the Mastodon version.  And then check out at the very bottom Feist’s hair-raising version of A Commotion as performed this year at Bonnaroo.  Brava and bravo!

21
Aug

Watch Grizzly Bear from Colbchella Festival

in Music

Comments closed Comments

As proof that this music festival thang has reached critical mass, even Stephen Colbert has gotten into the game with his Colbchella Festival held last week in NYC on the US Intrepid.  The major upside was that Grizzly Bear was one of the featured performers.  In case you missed it, check out their performances below of Yet Again, Sleeping Ute and Two Weeks, followed by a classic Colbert interview with the band.

20
Aug

Watch Plants and Animals on HearYa

in Music

Comments closed Comments

We’re proud patrons of Montreal band Plants and Animals, having repeatedly touted their albums and live performances.  We particularly love their passionate live delivery.  For further proof of their live chops, check out their performances of Lightshow and Crisis (off of their great recently-released album, The End of That) from a just-released HearYa session in May of this year.  Lightshow is particularly powerful.

19
Aug

A Lazy Sunday Afternoon–Watch Dawes Sing “My Way Back Home”

in Music

Comments closed Comments

To soundtrack this laconic Sunday afternoon, check out the greatly-gifted Dawes meshing and killing softly on their heavenly My Way Back Home.   We love the spare, soft-sung delivery, but especially the harmonies beginning at 4:34 (on a Best Fit Session).  Caution:  chills may ensue when the three-part harmonies lift-off from 4:57 to 5:19.  Love this band.  Crosby, Stills and whatever.

 

18
Aug

From The Basement Returns: Watch Feist Tomorrow, and From Last Week The Shins, Aimee Mann and Father John Misty

in Music

Comments closed Comments

We’ve previously touted the tautly-captured live music series, From the BasementNigel Godrich (Radiohead-producer, Atoms of Peace member) and crew began their new season last week featuring The Shins, Aimee Mann, and Father John Misty.  Check out last week’s episode below with The Shins dominating and slaying on songs from their pop-tastic album, Port of Morrow  (Part 1 and at the beginning of Part 2).  Then (at 6:54 of Part 2) we get the rare treat of Aimee Mann and James Mercer collaborating on Mann’s new song Living a Lie followed by Mann charming on Charmer, the title track off her impending album.

And then tomorrow night (Sunday, August 19) at 10pm E/P tune in to either 3net.com (in 3D if you can do it) or that same TV channel (if you can find it) and check out the fantabulous Feist on an all-new episode, along with The Happiness Project.  A trailer for the show is at bottom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NhNn9l4oZA&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zt6SNV0n7Q&feature=channel&list=UL

 

17
Aug

Watch More Pickathon–Neko Case Covers Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget Me”

in Music

Comments closed Comments

At Oregon’s Pickathon Festival, Neko Case broke out a cover (as featured on her album, Middle Cyclone) of Harry Nilsson’s unforgettable love song, Don’t Forget Me.  Check her performance below, followed by Nilsson’s inimitable original (that “Get happy” bit may be the derivation for that Elvis Costello album title).  The song’s affecting lyrics follow.  Oh how we miss ye, Harry.

Don’t Forget Me:

“In the wintertime
keep your feet warm
and keep your clothes on
and don’t forget me
keep your memories
but keep your powder dry, too

In the summer
by the poolside
while the fireflies are all around you
I’ll miss you when I’m lonely
I’ll miss the alimony, too

Don’t forget me
don’t forget me
make it easier on me
just for a little while

You know, I think about you
let me know you think about me, too

And when we’re older
and full of cancer
it doesn’t matter now
come on, get happy

Cause nothing lasts forever
but I will always love you

Don’t forget me
please don’t forget me
make it easier on me
just for a little while

You know, I think about you
let me know you think about me, too.”

17
Aug

Watch Pickathon Performers–Typhoon, Mynabirds, Phosphorescent, War On Drugs, Barr Brothers and Southeast Engine

It’s summertime still (heat-check, anyone?) and the music festivals have overtaken this fine land.  They continue to blaze by–Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Hard Summer, Outside Lands, Doe Bay, etc., etc., etc.   Amongst those that we’ve yet again failed to attend is Oregon’s Pickathon Festival, held each year (this year’s was the 14th annual) at the Pendarvis Farm near Happy Valley, Oregon.  Fortunately for us, KEXP and others have been in attendance to film fine performances that we would have otherwise completely missed.  Check out a few of our favored vignettes below.

First up is Southeast Engine, the Ohio band that has been evolving and revving up for a decade and now seems to be hitting on all cylinders.  Their 2011 album, Canary, is an under-appreciated gem that showcases songwriter Adam Remnant’s lyrical acumen.  Check out below the band performing a song from that album, the sweet, harmony-laden Rosie.

Then check out the harp-laden (more harp!) Barr Brothers performing their moving song, Held My Head.

Next up is the ubiquitous War On Drugs covering the great Waterboys’ chestnut, A Pagan Place.

Following is the fantastic Phosphorescent (in solo mode) covering Randy Newman’s Days of Heaven.

Next, check out the Mynabirds rendering a captivating vocal treatment of their song Disarm.

Finally, we have Oregon’s gigantic Typhoon with their new song Morton’s Fork as performed in the Pendarvis House for KEXP.

 

16
Aug

Watch Yeasayer Killin’ in NYC

in Music

Comments closed Comments

We remember fondly watching Brooklyn band Yeasayer open and completely blow off the stage the headliners (Man Man….hmm, how you say–Suck Suck?) at Soho a few years back.   After Yeasayer’s phenomenal opening set, we accosted founder Chris Keating at the band’s merch table and loudly proclaimed that they should promptly smite the place-holder-headliners and take their rightful place as valiant and deserved headliners.   Keating smiled, looked around to see who had heard this man-iacal blasphemy, and deftly high-fived us.

Our love for the band has blossomed ever since.  Yeasayer has a fab new album (Fragrant World) out and (courtesy of The Bowery Presents) you can see their recent performances in NYC in support of Fragrant World.  Make no mistake, Yeasayer is the slaysayer live.  Check ’em out performing three songs off the new album below, followed by the older, riveting Ambling Alp.  Please go support the band and buy their new album HERE.  You won’t be disappointed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1Tzrrh_OLc&feature=em-uploademail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1htldyyUfA&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFULHG0sLzI&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T38G6sl3LIY&feature=channel&list=UL

14
Aug

Off the Grid

in Music

Comments closed Comments

We’ll be out in a vain attempt to escape the garrulous grid for a few days.  While we’re away, we recommend you check out some of our favorite albums of 2012 at the links below.

Our Favorite Rock Album So Far This Year: Like Pioneers’ “Oh, Magic”

Reviewed: Drink Up Allo Darlin’s “Europe”

The Weakerthans’ John K. Samson to Release Solo Album “Provincial”

Lambchop Releases Video for “2B2″ Off of Their Magnificent “Mr. M” Album

The Best Albums of 2012