I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season. My musical faves for 2008...
New discoveries: Bedouin Soundclash (Canadian Reggae), Bon Iver (Somber & Soulful Folk), Cheb I. Sabbah (Traditional Central Asian w/bass & drums), Colour Revolt (Straight on Rock n Roll), Fleet Foxes (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Giant Bear (Country Rock), Grand Archives (Sweet Harmonic Folk), Hoots and Hellmouth (Country Rock), Horse Feathers (Sweet Harmonic Folk, my favorite CD of the year), The Moondoggies (We don't need The Band to reunite as long as these guys are playing), Vampire Weekend (Hard to nail the genre, but it's fun and I like it), West Indian Girl (Psychedelic Pop).
Older bands with great 2008 releases: AC/DC (The best CD they have ever done), The Black Crowes (Solid effort from America's answer to The Rolling Stones), Blue Mountain (Country Rock), Merle Haggard (Merle unplugged), Sun Kil Moon (Mark Kozelek makes great wooden music) , The Waifs (The sisters from Down Under release their best disc yet).
I should mention the two shows I saw in the latter part of 2008 that were not featured in my blog:
Greg Brown-Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall, Seattle. 17 Oct 08. I met my wife at a Greg Brown show at the Back Stage many years ago and I've been partial to him ever since. He is he consummate entertainer, musician, songwriter and storyteller. He played a wonderful mix of older and newer material. His rich baritone and acoustic guitar delighted a nearly filled hall. If you like folk from a soulful, bluesy perspective go see Greg the next time he's in town. If you're looking for a Greg Brown CD I would recommend Covenant (Red House Records, 8 Aug 2000)
The English Beat-The Showbox, Seattle. 4 Dec 08.
30 years and counting with their last release in 1982 (I have it on vinyl) they've had a lot of time to perfect their craft. It's no secret that Dave Wakeling and his band enjoy playing music. You can see it in the performance. And they are very good at what they enjoy.
I was fortunate to witness the show from a great vantage point, seated by the small bar (thanks John) and I had several good friends with me. It was a fantastic show from the opening chords of Whine and Grine/Stand Down Margaret to my favorite Beat song, Save It For Later We had to catch a boat so we missed the encore, but was told that they played a new song. Could a new English Beat CD be in the works for 2009? One can only hope.
Happy New Year!
More to follow...
Showing posts with label Vampire Weekend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vampire Weekend. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Steve and Herbie Accelerate with Van, plus plus...
Folks,
I flipped through my latest copy of the magazine No Depression (#75 May - June 2008) with a heavy heart. This is the last print issue. From now on if you want to read their coverage of the alternative country music scene you’ll have to go to http://www.nodepression.net/
I must confess that I was late to sign up for a subscription. Sure I took the complimentary copies from the table at the Backyard Stage at Bumbershoot (where I heard some of the best music of the festival, year after year) but I didn’t commit until two years ago. Kyla, Peter & Grant, I’m sorry I delayed.
I’m told that advertising revenue wasn’t enough to keep the print copy afloat and yet I couldn’t help but notice that issue #75 is substantially thicker than previous releases due to, you guessed it, advertising. A day late and a dollar short…anyway.
If you like traditional Country music, alternative Country music, Bluegrass, Blues or Folk music or anything that falls under the banner of American Roots music then this is your resource.
As Dean Mayhew was fond of saying, “Onward through the fog,”
After many weeks of nary a thing to discuss musically I have been inundated with Esion-worthy CDs.
First, some new releases from some very heavy hitters:
REM – Accelerate (Warner Brothers, 1 Apr 08) Remember when only you and few of your friends were listening to REM? They finally got back to that place, musically speaking.
Steve Winwood – Nine Lives (Sony, 29 Apr08) OK, so it’s not About Time, but a solid effort nonetheless. Opens with a great bluesy number I’m Not Drowning.
Van Morrison – Keep It Simple (Lost Highway, 1 Apr08) Blues based 763rd album by Van. It’s good, but a long way from Tupelo Honey.
Herbie Hancock – River: The Joni Letters (Verve, 25 Sept 07) Joni Mitchell’s songs in the hands of a different master. Nora Jones is amazing! Witness a rare moment where the Grammys got it right. Buy this disc now!!!!
And now for some up-and-coming acts:
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (Xl Recordings, 29 Jan 08) The band that’s taking the nation by storm. World influenced, poppy, bright beats and infectious rhythms. It’s very dance-around-the-house-in-your-undies kind of stuff.
Grand Archives – Grand Archives (Sub Pop, 19 Feb 08) Melodic, Pop harmonies, nice.
Throw Me the Statue – Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian, 19 Feb 08) Up-beat, Pop Rock melodies
The Weepies –
Hideaway (Nettwerk Productions, 2008)
Say I Am You (Nettwerk Productions, 2006) Classic guy/girl Folk, clever lyrics and oh-so-nice harmonies
Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden – Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden (Red Valise Recordings, 2007) Folk Rock, a little on the somber side, but great stuff
Crooked Still –
Hop High (Signature Sounds, 2007)
Shaken By A Low Sound (Signature Sounds, 2006) Traditional Bluegrass tunes with a Newgrass treatment from a quartet of Yankees.
Check out these bands. You’ll be glad that you did!
Moondoggies – Country Rock, Punk-a-billy, nice harmonies
Physics – Hip-hop, tasty grooves
Sleepy Eyes of Death – Electronica from a group named for a martial arts movie, but don’t let that stop ya
Pocket Change – Jazzy, Funky, not to be confused with the hip-hop group of the same name.
Black Whales – Stripped-down-to-the-primer Rock with undertones of surf music Boss Martians – Rock’N’Roll baby
Sera Cahoone – “Alt Country, whatever that is…”
Femurs – Acoustic Punk, if you can believe that.
Fleet Foxes – Folk with multi-part, super-smooth harmonies
Trespassers William – Folk Rock, a bit on the somber side but excellent (check out lie in the sound)
Blue Mountain – Been around for a decade or so, but new to me, “Alt Country, whatever that is…”
Ashleigh Flynn – Oh Gawd, not another singer-songwriter sharing tunes about their garden and cat! Actually this one does some rhythmically pleasing, melodic Folk songs
Love As Laughter – Brooklyn-based rockers on a Seattle label, they sound a lot like The Kinks.
Colour Revolt – The next generation of Southern Rock. I love this band!
Hilary McRae – Remember when Pop music was good? You know, way back before Simon, Randy and Paula ruined it for everyone? This girl gives me hope.
Sinem Saniye – Poppy sounds with a World music influence. Who can resist singing along with, “Boom sheke nana?”
I flipped through my latest copy of the magazine No Depression (#75 May - June 2008) with a heavy heart. This is the last print issue. From now on if you want to read their coverage of the alternative country music scene you’ll have to go to http://www.nodepression.net/
I must confess that I was late to sign up for a subscription. Sure I took the complimentary copies from the table at the Backyard Stage at Bumbershoot (where I heard some of the best music of the festival, year after year) but I didn’t commit until two years ago. Kyla, Peter & Grant, I’m sorry I delayed.
I’m told that advertising revenue wasn’t enough to keep the print copy afloat and yet I couldn’t help but notice that issue #75 is substantially thicker than previous releases due to, you guessed it, advertising. A day late and a dollar short…anyway.
If you like traditional Country music, alternative Country music, Bluegrass, Blues or Folk music or anything that falls under the banner of American Roots music then this is your resource.
As Dean Mayhew was fond of saying, “Onward through the fog,”
After many weeks of nary a thing to discuss musically I have been inundated with Esion-worthy CDs.
First, some new releases from some very heavy hitters:
REM – Accelerate (Warner Brothers, 1 Apr 08) Remember when only you and few of your friends were listening to REM? They finally got back to that place, musically speaking.
Steve Winwood – Nine Lives (Sony, 29 Apr08) OK, so it’s not About Time, but a solid effort nonetheless. Opens with a great bluesy number I’m Not Drowning.
Van Morrison – Keep It Simple (Lost Highway, 1 Apr08) Blues based 763rd album by Van. It’s good, but a long way from Tupelo Honey.
Herbie Hancock – River: The Joni Letters (Verve, 25 Sept 07) Joni Mitchell’s songs in the hands of a different master. Nora Jones is amazing! Witness a rare moment where the Grammys got it right. Buy this disc now!!!!
And now for some up-and-coming acts:
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend (Xl Recordings, 29 Jan 08) The band that’s taking the nation by storm. World influenced, poppy, bright beats and infectious rhythms. It’s very dance-around-the-house-in-your-undies kind of stuff.
Grand Archives – Grand Archives (Sub Pop, 19 Feb 08) Melodic, Pop harmonies, nice.
Throw Me the Statue – Moonbeams (Secretly Canadian, 19 Feb 08) Up-beat, Pop Rock melodies
The Weepies –
Hideaway (Nettwerk Productions, 2008)
Say I Am You (Nettwerk Productions, 2006) Classic guy/girl Folk, clever lyrics and oh-so-nice harmonies
Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden – Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden (Red Valise Recordings, 2007) Folk Rock, a little on the somber side, but great stuff
Crooked Still –
Hop High (Signature Sounds, 2007)
Shaken By A Low Sound (Signature Sounds, 2006) Traditional Bluegrass tunes with a Newgrass treatment from a quartet of Yankees.
Check out these bands. You’ll be glad that you did!
Moondoggies – Country Rock, Punk-a-billy, nice harmonies
Physics – Hip-hop, tasty grooves
Sleepy Eyes of Death – Electronica from a group named for a martial arts movie, but don’t let that stop ya
Pocket Change – Jazzy, Funky, not to be confused with the hip-hop group of the same name.
Black Whales – Stripped-down-to-the-primer Rock with undertones of surf music Boss Martians – Rock’N’Roll baby
Sera Cahoone – “Alt Country, whatever that is…”
Femurs – Acoustic Punk, if you can believe that.
Fleet Foxes – Folk with multi-part, super-smooth harmonies
Trespassers William – Folk Rock, a bit on the somber side but excellent (check out lie in the sound)
Blue Mountain – Been around for a decade or so, but new to me, “Alt Country, whatever that is…”
Ashleigh Flynn – Oh Gawd, not another singer-songwriter sharing tunes about their garden and cat! Actually this one does some rhythmically pleasing, melodic Folk songs
Love As Laughter – Brooklyn-based rockers on a Seattle label, they sound a lot like The Kinks.
Colour Revolt – The next generation of Southern Rock. I love this band!
Hilary McRae – Remember when Pop music was good? You know, way back before Simon, Randy and Paula ruined it for everyone? This girl gives me hope.
Sinem Saniye – Poppy sounds with a World music influence. Who can resist singing along with, “Boom sheke nana?”
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