I'll keep this short and perhaps add more later, but was saddened to learn today of the death of Billy Powell, the piano player for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Powell was my favorite bandmember and his talent behind the ivories compared with anyone in rock 'n roll. His touch is a hallmark of Skynyrd's sound, never more noticeably than in the intro to Free Bird. For more details, check out the AP article.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
New Video - The Ting Tings - "That's Not My Name"
My obsession with this song continues, now buoyed by a new video. Not a whole lot to say about it, just enjoy! (Thanks for the tip, Jess!)
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
The album begins with sound of a jet engine fading into the distance. Liftoff, I suppose, which on the opening track of an album, you might expect to lead to something with umph. Rather as the engine fades away, in comes a subtle, eerie guitar line reminiscent of Wall-era Pink Floyd. In fact, you can half imagine Roger Waters singing the opening lines.
This is the enigma that is Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, an album that took me a full week of steady listening just to begin to crack. The problem is, this album is so dense and precise that you feel the songwriters go to great pains to imply destinations at which you'll never arrive. The crescendos never quite reach the pinnacles you imagine. When you expect a heavy bass line, it never comes. When you expect a peak, you get a drop and a breakdown. It never quite lets you get comfortable enough to anticipate.
And yet, despite all that, you keep listening. You don't dare stop, because there's so much going on, that there's always something new you haven't yet heard. You haven't noticed it. That is the type of fascinating work we're discussing.
Now, I'm a listener that likes to interact with music. I like to sing along. I like to drum along. I've been known to play air guitar, keyboards, sax and even violin. On Merriweather Post Pavilion, it wasn't until after I accepted that my karaoke and air skills weren't needed that I began to enjoy the music. Frankly, it wasn't until I stop trying to think through the music and relate it to everything I've ever heard before, that I could begin to understand that I was hearing that rarest of creations: something new.
The fact is, the only way you can break this code is to just let it wash over you. There are so many competing sounds, wooshing, churning, screaming and whizzing by you at all times. On top of that, Panda Bear and Avey Tare's singing serves more as a lead instrument than a means to deliver a message. Their lyrics are fine, don't get me wrong, but the the way they play off each other, singing in tandem and in trade is a key factor in what keeps this album interesting. Neither has a killer voice, but like everything else on this album, their notes always seem perfectly in place. They'll bridge notes and fade in and out, but never haphazardly. Always with purpose.
So after all of that, I'm still a bit unsure what I think of this album. It is an excellent creation of music. I can say that without hesitation. But I can't say I love it. It's just not my style. I'm impressed by it and I've enjoyed listening to it, but I don't feel the type of connection to it that I look for in my favorite music. But that's merely my impression. I can't tell you what you'll think of it, but I do encourage you to find out. And when you do, come back and tell us in the comments section.
A dancer who was high in a field from a momentYet like most of this album, you're never quite where you think you are and you're almost certainly not headed where you thought you might be going. Soon, the song takes on a marching bounce and the Floyd nod is long forgotten.
Caught my breath on my way home
Couldn’t stop that spinning force
This is the enigma that is Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, an album that took me a full week of steady listening just to begin to crack. The problem is, this album is so dense and precise that you feel the songwriters go to great pains to imply destinations at which you'll never arrive. The crescendos never quite reach the pinnacles you imagine. When you expect a heavy bass line, it never comes. When you expect a peak, you get a drop and a breakdown. It never quite lets you get comfortable enough to anticipate.And yet, despite all that, you keep listening. You don't dare stop, because there's so much going on, that there's always something new you haven't yet heard. You haven't noticed it. That is the type of fascinating work we're discussing.
Now, I'm a listener that likes to interact with music. I like to sing along. I like to drum along. I've been known to play air guitar, keyboards, sax and even violin. On Merriweather Post Pavilion, it wasn't until after I accepted that my karaoke and air skills weren't needed that I began to enjoy the music. Frankly, it wasn't until I stop trying to think through the music and relate it to everything I've ever heard before, that I could begin to understand that I was hearing that rarest of creations: something new.
The fact is, the only way you can break this code is to just let it wash over you. There are so many competing sounds, wooshing, churning, screaming and whizzing by you at all times. On top of that, Panda Bear and Avey Tare's singing serves more as a lead instrument than a means to deliver a message. Their lyrics are fine, don't get me wrong, but the the way they play off each other, singing in tandem and in trade is a key factor in what keeps this album interesting. Neither has a killer voice, but like everything else on this album, their notes always seem perfectly in place. They'll bridge notes and fade in and out, but never haphazardly. Always with purpose.So after all of that, I'm still a bit unsure what I think of this album. It is an excellent creation of music. I can say that without hesitation. But I can't say I love it. It's just not my style. I'm impressed by it and I've enjoyed listening to it, but I don't feel the type of connection to it that I look for in my favorite music. But that's merely my impression. I can't tell you what you'll think of it, but I do encourage you to find out. And when you do, come back and tell us in the comments section.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Last Night... Or What I Remember of It
I saw a good number of bands this weekend, two on purpose and about five others collaterally. Not all of them were good, but some of them impressed.
First off, as I wrote earlier in the week, The Divorced came down from Boston Saturday to play the Annex. Definitely a good show and it was great to see the continued evolution of the band. The last time I saw them, their lineup was a bit different and original member Juliet Nelson was not with them. Her presence, as it turns out, was sorely missed. Her cello adds a nice texture to the songs, but it's her singing that really makes the difference. Her clean delivery offers a nice counterpoint to JR Gallagher's impassioned, grizzled vocals. I liked some of their songs more than others, but some really hit their mark, most notably "I Miss My Home." Good stuff. Hopefully a longer set, next time.
The other bands I saw Saturday night were all solid. Red Datson, despite a great name and some real talent on stage, wasn't quite my style. Their frat-punk sound was polished, if uninteresting to me. Still, many thanks to their Timothy Hutton lookalike lead singer for the drink ticket. The final band, Bella Noir, was much more my speed. Very spacey, atmospheric music and the lead singer has a great voice. She really owned the stage. I wasn't totally focused on their set, but I will be next time.
On Friday, I had a very different musical experience. I went out to Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick to see Nattahnam. Nattahnam is an "experiment in avant-garde," according to their website. Basically, it was four guys playing deliberately unpracticed free jazz that hit more often than missed, but had plenty of moments of each.
I saw three other bands that night, of which I only remember the name of the last: Hollow Jones. Hollow Jones is a jam band that plays a fantasy-based rock opera. They clearly have backgrounds in theatre and weren't tremendously courteous to the other bands. Now, I'll fully admit that they can play their instruments and do a decent job of incorporating the familiar sounds of Phish, the Dead and other like-minded bands of that scene. The problem is, they have no soul. They stripped out the bluesy roots of the genre and replaced it with D&D inspired cheese. I suppose I can respect their efforts at invention, but the invention itself we could do without.
All told, good musical weekend, despite getting shut out of Phish tickets. If anyone has an extra, send it my way! And don't forget, Bruce's new disc comes out on Tuesday.
(Full disclosure: JR Gallagher of The Divorced and Bjorn Roche of Nattahnam are friends.)
Update: 1/29/08 12:47pm
In fact, JR and Bjorn are both friends of mine. However, although they have never met, I suspect they would be fast friends should that occasion arise.
First off, as I wrote earlier in the week, The Divorced came down from Boston Saturday to play the Annex. Definitely a good show and it was great to see the continued evolution of the band. The last time I saw them, their lineup was a bit different and original member Juliet Nelson was not with them. Her presence, as it turns out, was sorely missed. Her cello adds a nice texture to the songs, but it's her singing that really makes the difference. Her clean delivery offers a nice counterpoint to JR Gallagher's impassioned, grizzled vocals. I liked some of their songs more than others, but some really hit their mark, most notably "I Miss My Home." Good stuff. Hopefully a longer set, next time.The other bands I saw Saturday night were all solid. Red Datson, despite a great name and some real talent on stage, wasn't quite my style. Their frat-punk sound was polished, if uninteresting to me. Still, many thanks to their Timothy Hutton lookalike lead singer for the drink ticket. The final band, Bella Noir, was much more my speed. Very spacey, atmospheric music and the lead singer has a great voice. She really owned the stage. I wasn't totally focused on their set, but I will be next time.
On Friday, I had a very different musical experience. I went out to Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick to see Nattahnam. Nattahnam is an "experiment in avant-garde," according to their website. Basically, it was four guys playing deliberately unpracticed free jazz that hit more often than missed, but had plenty of moments of each.
I saw three other bands that night, of which I only remember the name of the last: Hollow Jones. Hollow Jones is a jam band that plays a fantasy-based rock opera. They clearly have backgrounds in theatre and weren't tremendously courteous to the other bands. Now, I'll fully admit that they can play their instruments and do a decent job of incorporating the familiar sounds of Phish, the Dead and other like-minded bands of that scene. The problem is, they have no soul. They stripped out the bluesy roots of the genre and replaced it with D&D inspired cheese. I suppose I can respect their efforts at invention, but the invention itself we could do without.All told, good musical weekend, despite getting shut out of Phish tickets. If anyone has an extra, send it my way! And don't forget, Bruce's new disc comes out on Tuesday.
(Full disclosure: JR Gallagher of The Divorced and Bjorn Roche of Nattahnam are friends.)
Update: 1/29/08 12:47pm
In fact, JR and Bjorn are both friends of mine. However, although they have never met, I suspect they would be fast friends should that occasion arise.
Friday, January 23, 2009
So Long Silver Jews...
In 1984 I was hospitalized for approaching perfection...
With those words, David Berman opened one of my all-time favorite albums: American Water by the Silver Jews. Sadly, Berman announced on his website earlier this week that the band's upcoming Tennessee show will be their last. Next up for him: screenwriting or muckraking, he says.
Speaking of muckraking, Berman did choose to go out on a bit of a shocking note. In a harshly worded diatribe, Berman exposes (and somewhat apologizes for his relation to) his father. Richard Berman is a union-busting, right-wing activist who's apparently very good at his job. Go here for the diatribe and here for details on his dad.
I can see why you'd be embarrassed, David, but we all still love you the same and we certainly know what you do and do not stand for. Thanks for the many years, the too-few shows and the poetry-in-music. You may not make more, but your songs will certainly outlast you.
- BTW- hat tip to Pitchfork for the heads up on the this.
With those words, David Berman opened one of my all-time favorite albums: American Water by the Silver Jews. Sadly, Berman announced on his website earlier this week that the band's upcoming Tennessee show will be their last. Next up for him: screenwriting or muckraking, he says.
Speaking of muckraking, Berman did choose to go out on a bit of a shocking note. In a harshly worded diatribe, Berman exposes (and somewhat apologizes for his relation to) his father. Richard Berman is a union-busting, right-wing activist who's apparently very good at his job. Go here for the diatribe and here for details on his dad.
I can see why you'd be embarrassed, David, but we all still love you the same and we certainly know what you do and do not stand for. Thanks for the many years, the too-few shows and the poetry-in-music. You may not make more, but your songs will certainly outlast you.
- BTW- hat tip to Pitchfork for the heads up on the this.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Happy Returns: The Ting Tings, Animal Collective & the Divorced
Hoooooooooome... Home Agaaaaaaiiiiin...
Well, sadly God Street Wine is not making a New York City return anytime soon. Still, three more bands found their way onto my concert calendar today and I couldn't be more excited. (Even if none of the three actually call New York their home, yet.)
First off, Saturday night The Divorced drive down from Boston to warm up for Tiswas at The Annex. I've only seen them once before, but I liked what I saw. JR Gallagher's voice is an acquired taste, but it's easier to find a pretty, practiced vocalist than an honest one. When he sings, you feel it, and it doesn't take long to hear his songs' introspective beauty. Think M. Ward.
(Full disclosure: I know JR. Hell of a guy.)
Next up, March 16, the Ting Tings are coming back to town! Last time, you'll remember, I saw their abbreviated set as part of WRXP's Matt Pinfield Holiday Extravaganza. They weren't the only good band that night, but they completely stole the show. They're a British band, so if they read this they'll probably be offended that I think they performed with spunk. But honestly, that's more for jargon reasons than anything else. The Ting Tings are fun, talented and write outstanding pop songs. I have no doubt they're going to own Webster Hall.
Finally, Animal Collective returns to the city May 13 at Terminal 5. These tickets don't go on sale until Friday, so hopefully Pitchfork's 9.6 rating of their new disc Merriweather Post Pavilion won't spark a sellout. If it does, of course, I hope Roger gets me my tickets in time! I can't say a whole lot about AC because I haven't heard them yet. I'm about to grab their disc and it will be my next review, though. So keep reading...
Well, sadly God Street Wine is not making a New York City return anytime soon. Still, three more bands found their way onto my concert calendar today and I couldn't be more excited. (Even if none of the three actually call New York their home, yet.)
First off, Saturday night The Divorced drive down from Boston to warm up for Tiswas at The Annex. I've only seen them once before, but I liked what I saw. JR Gallagher's voice is an acquired taste, but it's easier to find a pretty, practiced vocalist than an honest one. When he sings, you feel it, and it doesn't take long to hear his songs' introspective beauty. Think M. Ward.(Full disclosure: I know JR. Hell of a guy.)
Next up, March 16, the Ting Tings are coming back to town! Last time, you'll remember, I saw their abbreviated set as part of WRXP's Matt Pinfield Holiday Extravaganza. They weren't the only good band that night, but they completely stole the show. They're a British band, so if they read this they'll probably be offended that I think they performed with spunk. But honestly, that's more for jargon reasons than anything else. The Ting Tings are fun, talented and write outstanding pop songs. I have no doubt they're going to own Webster Hall.
Finally, Animal Collective returns to the city May 13 at Terminal 5. These tickets don't go on sale until Friday, so hopefully Pitchfork's 9.6 rating of their new disc Merriweather Post Pavilion won't spark a sellout. If it does, of course, I hope Roger gets me my tickets in time! I can't say a whole lot about AC because I haven't heard them yet. I'm about to grab their disc and it will be my next review, though. So keep reading...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Tibet House Benefit Lineup Announced
Hat tip to BrooklynVegan for pointing out that the initial lineup for the 19th Annual Tibet House Benefit Concert is out. I went to this a few years ago and saw a great show featuring Damien Rice, Antony (sans Johnsons), Phillip Glass and Laurie Anderson, among others. It's a great show at Carnegie Hall, they put it on every year and this year's lineup looks as strong as ever.
I don't know if I'll make it to this show, but I certainly recommend it. You won't hear much from each artist, but you'll certainly get a nice smattering while your money supports a worthy cause.
Oh, and if you're not sold on the show yet, keep your eyes posted on the Carnegie Hall website. Additional artists have yet to be announced.
That's a solid lineup, top to bottom, if you ask me. I've caught The National a bunch of times now and they've yet to disappoint. Steve Earle will be right at home with the political nature of the evening. Seeing Patti Smith would be one more major checkmark on that master list of greats I'm trying to fill. And while I'm still a little undecided on Vampire Weekend, I'd be very interested to see and hear how they would hold their own in that type of setting.Philip Glass, Artistic Director
Antibalas
Steve Earle
Keb' Mo'
The National (pictured)
Patti Smith and Jesse Smith
Vampire Weekend
I don't know if I'll make it to this show, but I certainly recommend it. You won't hear much from each artist, but you'll certainly get a nice smattering while your money supports a worthy cause.
Oh, and if you're not sold on the show yet, keep your eyes posted on the Carnegie Hall website. Additional artists have yet to be announced.
The Strugglers at the Living Room
Good times Saturday night when the Strugglers made a rare NYC appearance at the Living Room. My understanding is that they are recently returned from a swing through Europe (not bad!), but they were in New York to help former bandmember Lauren Moskowitz ring in her birthday. The result: a treat of a show (with Lauren sitting in on keys) and a gift for us all.
If you haven't heard the Strugglers, they're worth checking out. With a voice in the vain of Will Oldham, Randy Bickford sings some very well-composed songs that may not open any new doors for you, but they will fill up the room. My personal favorite, "Jonathan," was their encore. A nice touch, they must have known I was coming.
Now, this was the first time I'd seen the Strugglers, though I do have their most recent album, The Latest Rights. Therefore, take this criticism as you will. Still, my understanding is that there is no keyboard in the band, now that Lauren is no longer with them. Personally, I just can't see how that works. Bickford's voice is tender, his delivery vulnerable. However, his guitarist (sorry, don't know his name) plays his axe with some heft. His solos are muscular, providing a sometimes harsh counterpoint to Bickford's more sedate delivery. Again, just one man's opinion, but I think the keyboards really helped balance out the sound. They complemented the vocals and allowed the guitar to roam a bit freer and do it's thing.
That said, these guys are good. There are a million indie bands, doing the alt-country thing or the garage thing or even attempting the avant-garde thing. A lot of them feature strong musicians, but honestly, the world is littered with talented out-of-work musicians. It's the songwriting the will make or break them. The Strugglers may sound like any number of respectable bands, but they write and play really good songs. Hopefully, they'll keep playing them for a long time.
If you haven't heard the Strugglers, they're worth checking out. With a voice in the vain of Will Oldham, Randy Bickford sings some very well-composed songs that may not open any new doors for you, but they will fill up the room. My personal favorite, "Jonathan," was their encore. A nice touch, they must have known I was coming.Now, this was the first time I'd seen the Strugglers, though I do have their most recent album, The Latest Rights. Therefore, take this criticism as you will. Still, my understanding is that there is no keyboard in the band, now that Lauren is no longer with them. Personally, I just can't see how that works. Bickford's voice is tender, his delivery vulnerable. However, his guitarist (sorry, don't know his name) plays his axe with some heft. His solos are muscular, providing a sometimes harsh counterpoint to Bickford's more sedate delivery. Again, just one man's opinion, but I think the keyboards really helped balance out the sound. They complemented the vocals and allowed the guitar to roam a bit freer and do it's thing.
That said, these guys are good. There are a million indie bands, doing the alt-country thing or the garage thing or even attempting the avant-garde thing. A lot of them feature strong musicians, but honestly, the world is littered with talented out-of-work musicians. It's the songwriting the will make or break them. The Strugglers may sound like any number of respectable bands, but they write and play really good songs. Hopefully, they'll keep playing them for a long time.
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