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the great white hope

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Whitey (aka N.J. Whitey), one of my favorite artists, was supposed to release his newest album, Canned Laughter, Vol. 2, on September 2nd. I hopped onto his myspace page that day to find the following message:

“‘CANNED LAUGHTER Vol.2’ delayed indefinitely due to lack of funds, press, food and rent. Canned Laughter 1 is now available free from over 100 torrent sites. Help yourself. It’s possibly the last you’ll hear from me.”

I haz a sad.

I stumbled across Whitey’s work over the summer and almost immediately fell in love. His twisted pop sensibility struck a chord with me. He loves fuzzy basslines, I love fuzzy basslines. He likes swingin’ beats, I like swingin’ beats. He’s a bit misanthropic, I can dig that. I just like the guy’s style.

Whitey has had a bit of a rough ride. His 2004 album, The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is A Train, was a striking release that got him a decent amount of acclaim as the Next Big Thing. In 2007 he was working on his followup release, Great Shakes, until it was leaked to the internet. Consequently, the album was not released and Whitey’s label dropped him. That’s what wikipedia says, and it has to be true if you read it there, right?
Here’s my confession: I’ll admit I have downloaded the tracks from Great Shakes. Regardless of the fact that it’s three years after the whole label debacle, I feel a bit guilty for that. However, if the album were ever officially released I’d buy copies for all my friends. I like it that much. If it had hit the radio when it was supposed to it could have been a game changer. At least I think so.
Whitey seems to have had more trials along the way, including another unreleased album, and ultimately released Canned Laughter, Vol. 1 on his own this year. It was exciting to hear him back in form and I was optimistic about Canned Laughter, Vol. 2, thinking maybe it would all work out this time around. Apparently not.
I hope it’s not true. I hope to see more releases from Whitey in the future. I wish I could do something, so I’m doing the best thing I can: letting you know he’s out there. Give him a listen. If you like him, get his albums and play them for your friends. At least enjoy the guy’s music, what we have of it.


Download Whitey – Dinosaur


Download Whitey – The Up Sound For The Down People


(Again, I feel a bit wrong linking to a track from Great Shakes but it’s just so good.)

Umm. Should I be embarrassed?

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So this is a song that I heard probably only about five years ago, but is quite a bit older than that. It’s followed by another song that, well, I have wanted to post for a while, but I have honestly been too lazy to dig through the couple thousand records I have to find it. Records. They’re those round things. Made of vinyl. Vary in size. Sort of like dinosaurs. Except dinosaurs aren’t made of vinyl. And they’re not really round. So scratch the dinosaur comparison.

Anyhow, the first track is by the B52s. Yes. I said the B52s. Go ahead. Judge me. I like this song. It’s the track “Whammy Kiss” off of their third studio album Whammy. Believe it or not, the EP they recorded prior to releasing this album (Mesopotamia)was produced by Talking Heads legend David Byrne. So yeah. If you’ve got issues with them now? You’re a big fat stupidhead. And I’m twelve. So there. This is a fun track. One you just kick back and enjoy the absurdity of it, and appreciate the old school sounds of drum machines and synths, you’ll be happy. So enjoy.


Download The B52s – Whammy Kiss

Next is that aforementioned piece I have on wax. Now, back in 1987, Vanessa Paradis – who’s now in a relationship with Johnny Depp – released this song originally, and made her big. Well, in France, at least. The hard work paid off in the long run, as she would end up working with music luminaries such as Lenny Kravitz. Well, in around 2000, Japanese artist Hanayo covered the song in question – “Joe Le Taxi” – and was the first track off of her album Gift. I have to say, I prefer this version much more. And now it’s here for you guys to take some listening pleasure in!


Download Hanayo – Joe Le Taxi

Colour Revolt: And Then There Were Two.

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Despite the fact that we called Plunder, Beg, and Curse one of the top ten albums of 2008 because it proved that “beards and southern rock are just barely getting started with their comebacks,” the album had dismal sales (we were among multiple entities who wrote high praises of the album), and they lost their label, bassist, and drummer.

Woah. Some blow.

Founding members Jesse Coppenbarger and Sean Kirkpatrick eventually found themselves down to two, and tasked themselves with recording some new songs (they created 40 demos) and finding some new mates.

They did just that, and the wonderful product of such trials is documented in 2010’s album The Cradle. Though the lyrics throughout the album address the broken communication in a relationship between a man and a woman, we also get to experience the heartache that a band breaking up causes and the ambiguity that follows.

Check out one of the stronger tracks from this album, “Mona Lisa”. Musically, lyrically, it’s got to rumble you and make you take notice.


Download Colour Revolt – Mona Lisa

Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge claims that this album is a lock for his top ten of 2010. The Breeders literally chose them to tour with because of an album listen. St Louis’ Riverfront Times claims that Colour Revolt is THE exception to the idea that most bands today would never survive in the 80’s pre-internet band era.

So what is going on that all the cool people with great taste love these albums, love these shows, and don’t buy the records?

You’ve got to buy the records, guys! We even give you linkety links when we tell you about the music! How do we keep music coming? How do we support the acts we love without buying their music?

Here it is. C’mon now, sweetness.

One of my personal favorites

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This is simply a personal favorite song of mine. Believe it or not, it has been over 11 years since Mark Sandman – the lead singer of Morphine – passed away. The music that these guys wrote was sometimes haunting, as the song posted today will be a testament to. Rarely was there a true guitar used in their music, as many of their songs simply featured a 2-string bass guitar played with a slide, various percussion instruments, and a drummer. You would occasionally hear a piano or traditional guitar used, but that was rare.

When I think of Morphine, I think of this song, “Hanging On A Curtain”. Many may remember their track “Honey White”,off of Yes, but it’s many of the other songs that made an impact on how I feel about this band. This song sums them up perfectly, for me. The sad part is that back in July of 1999, these guys were supposed to play at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, opening for now defunct band Soul Coughing. I heard about Sandman passing away while on stage at a festival in Italy. Believe it or not, I somehow found M Doughty’s e-mail address, and sent a quick message. The two bands worked together at shows fairly often, and from what I understand, Doughty and Sandman were pretty good friends. I actually received a response back, and man do I wish I had kept that!

Anyhow, I hope you guys enjoy this one, this week.


Download Morphine – Hanging On A Curtain

are you sure something is rotten in the state of Denmark?

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Download Veto – You Are A Knife

This is Veto. I am a huge fan.


Download Veto – Digits

Veto

That was Veto again. I would post entire albums if I could, but I’ll leave it to you to track them down.
Veto was my first Danish band. It was very emotional: At first I felt ashamed and unsure of myself, there was some crying and guilt, but eventually I realized it was brilliant and I needed to do it again as often as possible. Anyway…
I play a little game sometimes to try to find new music. You may know it. I watch a YouTube video of a band or artist I like, then I start clicking on the “related” links to see where I end up. Sometimes it’s way down the rabbit hole (think Swedish Black Metal) and sometimes I find music I love. Using Veto as a starting point, I found some Danish music that is pretty impressive, in my humble opinion.
Veto’s lead singer, Troels Abrahamsen, has been creating and releasing his own music for a while now. He DJs and works in electronic beats, some of which find their way into Veto’s sound. His first solo pseudonym was Supertroels.

All the tracks from the Supertroels album I Know That You Know are available on YouTube, though I’m having serious trouble finding the record for purchase in the US. If anyone can figure that out I’d be ultra happy to hear about it. I really like this stuff.
More recently Troels Abrahamsen is releasing music under his own name. His albums WHT and BLCK are both melancholic and lovely, and the guy’s voice and lyrics really impress me. I particularly like how his beats often start chaotically, taking a little time to settle in and let you know where they’re headed. I’m hesitant to say it, but I hear some Thom Yorke in there, which is a good thing.


Download Troels Abrahamsen – I Run Over

These were a bit tricky to find for purchase as well, but you can get them here.
Abrahamsen also releases tracks for download on his blog. Check that out here if it tickles your fancy. The blog itself is definitely worth reading, too. He seems like the kind of guy I’d like to have a drink with and chat about music.
Moving outside Veto’s direct sphere of influence, I stumbled across Trolle//Siebenhaar. This is a bit of a Danish supergroup, combining the very sexy, sultry voice of Ane Trolle with the writing and production of Pato Siebenhaar. If you’re a trip-hop fan you’ll probably dig this.


Download Trolle//Siebenhaar – Sweet Dogs

Both members are worth looking into, as they have done some pretty interesting work along the way. For example, Pato’s hip-hop-ish cover of an Operation Ivy classic:

I’ll stop here before I write your ear off. What did we learn today? You can find good music if you get past all the crap on YouTube, the Danes make good music, and you should really be watching for the next Veto album. They’re in the studio now…

I Got A Plan To Take That Woman Down

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Do you know what has been the hardest question for me to answer lately?

“What’s new with you?” Or… “What have you been up to lately?”

Because… I have no fucking idea.I truly draw a blank on this question.

Lately I feel like I’m fooling myself
Either that or I’m foolin’ everyone else
Lately I feel like a piece of my soul
Is hangin’ around for everyone to hold

I have far too many people’s lives in the palm of my hand, and I don’t know who decided to trust me with this. And maybe I was fooling myself by not noticing how frenetic this made everything. Or maybe I was OK with the busy-ness of it all. Or fooling myself by refusing to acknowledge that I was avoiding taking care of my own shit. Fooling everyone else into believing I know what I am talking about?

Meanwhile I think I might be spent. Pardon me, but could you pass me my soul back?

I just got the new (from June) Grace Potter and the Nocturnals album. I am telling you. I may have found my soul.

I am not shitting you.

Her voice crawls into my bloodstream and wakes up the gravelly, sultry woman inside. And you know me, I need the lyrics. Hers are strong, and intelligent, and cutthroat. The way I’ve had to be with people who’ve been getting in my way lately. It’s like this music is my new ass-kicking posse. The bass line is the quiet enforcer standing in the back in case there’s trouble. The rhythm guitar is the loudmouth trash talker. The drums are there to keep everything smooth and quick.

Listen as my posse gathers on Track 3, “Medicine.”


Download Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – Medicine

This band is made up of Ms. Grace Potter, along with a second woman who plays bass, a three dudes, and a shitload of instruments. They released their first album as a band in 2005 and have toured with The Black Crowes and the Dave Matthews Band.  The band even covered Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” for the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland. So there you go Mookie, now you will never be able to get her last name right!

Technically, this eponymous album is the band’s fourth studio recording. If you have managed to miss hearing one of their songs then you have got to get on board, my friend. This is an album you cannot miss. This is a live performance you should absolutely aim to experience.

I read a show review that detailed how hard this band tried to make the crowd leave on their knees.  For nearly two hours this powerhouse awed the crowd and Miss Potter displayed her prowess on vocals, a B3 organ, a vintage Flying V3 guitar, and a tambourine.

A few tracks on Grace Potter and the Nocturnals slow it down a bit, including “Fooling Myself”, the song I quoted earlier on for you.  Listen here for a small taste of the range this band, and this album, demonstrates. It’s like these two tracks are my new anthems.

 And then buy the album.  Buy it here from Amazon.


Download Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – Fooling Myself

You can download the mp3 version on Amazon, or you can buy the CD, the vinyl, the CD from another band, some books, a sledgehammer, gardening shears, a bedroom furniture set… Seriously.  Use our link and browse the Ammy for whatever tickles you lately.  In fact… 


raise the Rufus!

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I am a bad Rufus Wainwright fan. I have only one album, Poses, from his entire catalog. I’ve heard interviews with him and seen random performance videos, but never followed up on any of his work. Regardless, I think he’s one of the most insanely talented and interesing musicans around. So when I saw he would be doing a one-time engagement with the Oregon Symphony right here in Portland, I immediately grabbed tickets.


Yeah, I know this was 7 years ago. It’s still awesome.

The show was at the Arlene Schnitzer Music Hall (the Schnitz, to locals), a venerable Portland classic. It’s a true concert hall built for opera performances, which made it the perfect venue for this event. It was particularly appropriate since part of the performance came from Wainwright’s opera, Prima Donna.
Now I’m no huge opera fan; not because I hate it, but because I never really took the time to expose myself to the art form. While I appreciate the talent it takes to sing (unamplified!) the parts, I’ve never really liked the operatic singing style. I just want to get that out of the way early so a) you don’t expect any true level of knowledge in what you’re reading here, and b) nobody confuses this with a blog from the New York Times’ opera critic and thinks he/she has suffered a traumatic head injury.
The first part of the show focused on pieces from Prima Donna. This happened to be the first time any of the opera was performed for a US audience, so it felt pretty special to be there. After a brief introduction by Rufus, the music began. I can’t say with any authority what it sounded like (a bed of Rachmaninoff wrapped in a swirling haze of Berlioz, leaving just the slightest aftertaste of Chopin…whatever) so I’ll just say that it was compelling and lovely. Two amazing sopranos performed four short acts that, though a little slow to an opera novice, were beautiful. I would sit through the whole opera and enjoy it, I think. I just wish I knew French so I could have stopped focusing on the translation screen.

Intermission.

The rest of the show was Rufus performing his own works, classical works, and various songs including some Judy Garland numbers. His voice was dead-on the entire evening and he was fun to watch. The Garland numbers in particular were boisterous and it was obvious he loved singing them. You can see him perform these tunes on the recently released DVD from a live show called Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! does Judy! Judy! Judy! I’ll be picking that up very soon.

The last few numbers included his excellent cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” (accompanied by the vocals of Janis Kelly, who had performed pieces of the opera earlier, and local celebrity Storm Large) and a heartrending version of a McGarrigle Sisters song, “Kitty Come Home.” Wainwright’s mother, Kate McGarrigle, passed away this January so it was particularly touching to hear him sing a song written for and about her.
I wish this were a touring show so I could tell you to go see it at all costs. The best I can do is tell you it was incredible and recommend seeing Rufus Wainwright live when you can. He truly is one of the best performers around.

All these people understand is a gun in their face or…

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Do you remember Ludo?  He was the gentle beast in Labyrinth that helped Sarah through the maze.

He’s the inspiration for the name of a band that hails from the Midwest.  From their quirky songwriting I totally get that they are a bit into magic, mischief, mystery and fantasy, but it seems like they would identify more with someone more outgoing one way or another: Didymus or Jareth perhaps.  Nevertheless, that’s what they decided to call themselves once they recorded their first album and played their first gig as a full band in 2003.  Let’s just call it a tribute to fantasy, as in “We love Ludo, and we want you to love us too.”

In 2005 they released a rock opera EP called Broken Bride.  Originally, they had recorded a song called “Broken Bride, Part 1” and it eventually became the impetus to put together the EP and call it a rock opera. Honestly, the majority of the songs on all of their albums sound like they are about to instigate a rock opera of their own so I’m not sure what the idea was there…

But check this out… the UNLV Marching Band performed one of the tracks from that EP as part of an exhibition!

This week, Ludo released their third full-length album, called Prepare For The Preparations.  It’s all over the place.  Look, some of their lyrics are witty.  Their music is clean.  But why do they get to get away with putting out a non-cohesive album and still people love them?  When I can’t get away with being a all-over-the-place good girl and get what I want?  Life is not fair.

The guys in Ludo love to put on cool parties too.  HalLUDOween  and LUDO Shop of Horrors at the Blue Note in Columbia (Missouri).  A Very LUDO Christmas at the Pageant in St. Louis.  They’ve done mustache shows too.  I like to be random and I want to throw theme parties, and no one thinks it’s cute.  Frankly I am wondering if it’s time to hang it all up because I just don’t get it.  Every song on each of their albums are born of a random, imaginative thought and they hit you out of nowhere.  Like me! Sheesh.  So what do you see in them that you don’t see in me??  I don’t like to follow an agenda.  They don’t follow one either!  I found proof… Here’s the real explanation for Broken Bride:

Basically it is a concept album but ours is only five songs long. We didn’t originally set out to do it but Andrew Volpe, our main songwriter, wrote the first song “Broken Bride” which is about a man who goes back in time to save his wife who died in a car accident but ends up in the Jurassic period and all this stuff happens. From there it kind of spiraled out of control. Andrew wanted to keep the story going so we finished it up. We call it a rock opera, but we use that term loosely. A musical theater group in Chicago actually acted out the music which is kind of odd.

Let me try to spell out what’s going on in Preparations.  We go from zombies (again) to robots to overbearing drunk dudes; we get two nearly sappy love songs in a row which make you wonder what the punch line was supposed to be, a graveyard, and then the slow dance at a 1950’s soc hop.  Yes.  We slow it down and conjure Buddy Holly after conjuring Tim Burton. By then, you may be ready to just accept the final tracks on the album for what they are: fun.  And clean.

Like me!

The release from this album is track 3 – “Whipped Cream.”  It’s cute.  Where exactly do these self-aware drunks they’re singing about hang out?  They sound like fun.


Download Ludo – Whipped Cream

As for those love songs I referred to, I’m afraid to like them because they might be making fun of my need to hear lines like “But the best story that I could ever tell is the one where I am growing old with you” or “I’ve been hypnotized by all you are”. So I have to get through the album to the other side of 1950 and my next-favorite song is “All The Stars In Texas.” Fun and clean, as I said.


Download Ludo – All The Stars In Texas

The theme is not far off from one of my favorite Saves The Day songs, “Do You Know What I Love The Most?” Maybe I picked up on that real quick, and that’s why.

I know I know – they sound nothing like Saves The Day.  But I am a sucker for the unobvious love songs.  You already know that.

Why don’t you join in the party and check out Ludo live?  They tour like it’s going out of style.  They’re on tour NOW and there’s no way you can’t find them… Or hit the open road, see some sights, and catch their show at the Pageant on October 17.

I’m wandering! (Well, now I’m home.)

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So I’m writing this week’s post as I’m finishing up my vacation. I’ve been through Iceland and England, and now am spending my last of two days in Ireland. So the song I have in mind today is that of the man in black – Johnny Cash. And hell, since I’m in Ireland? It makes sense that the group Cash worked with on this song is U2. It was released on U2’s Zooropa, and is one hell of a track! Check it out!


Download Johnny Cash and U2 – The Wanderer

EDIT: Well, since I was on the road, I was unable to actually upload the music files, so I was at a loss for getting you all a post. Now, however, I’m home. And what better way to describe being home than the with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros track “Home”? Included is also a remix I received via email from Brooklyn based Party Supplies of “Home”.


Download Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Home


Download Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Home (Party Supplies remix)

sweet street sweepers seldom sweep swept streets

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Tom Morello and Boots Riley (Street Sweeper Social Club)

Ok, kilter, you can do it. You can write this review without referring to Tom Morello’s previous, well-known project combining rap and rock. Just pretend that “anger toward the device” band never existed. Take a deep breath, and let’s go.

You know Tom Morello. He moonlights as The Nightwatchman and was the guitar player in Audioslave, as well as, um, other projects. He writes catchy, riffy guitar lines and uses the guitar as a musical weapon as much as an instrument. You may also know Boots Riley, sociopolitical activist and co-founder of The Coup, one of the best underground acts of the 2000s. What do you get when the two join forces? They’re called Street Sweeper Social Club (hereafter referred to as SSSC), and they recently released The Ghetto Blaster EP.
The album is explosive and energetic, layering politically-charged rap over chunky rock riffs. It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard…uh…before…
Screw it.

SSSC is similar to Rage Against The Machine in theory and concept. It has moments that almost sound too familiar to the Rage fan in me (I mean that in the best possible way, of course). That’s where the comparisons stop, though. Riley has a decidedly different flow than Zack de la Rocha, and he knows how to mix politics with a party. SSSC also has more moments that truly resemble, what do the kids call it, hippity-hop? That’s not to say the driving guitar and bass lines aren’t there, but there seems to be a little more texture here than what we’ve heard before. Add in some well-chosen covers (LL Cool J’s Mama Said Knock You Out and M.I.A.’s Paper Planes) and you’ve got a pretty interesting EP. You can listen to the covers on your own; check out the opening track, “Ghetto Blaster,” for an idea what SSSC’s sound is like.


Download Street Sweeper Social Club – Ghetto Blaster

Oh, ok, here’s a cover for you. Don’t say I never did anything nice.


Download Street Sweeper Social Club – Mama Said Knock You Out

The (International) Noise Conspiracy (c) Elin Berge 2008

A little research shows that this band intends to be more about the experience of a live show, bringing people together to dance their Communist socks off. I’ll be watching for a chance to see them. Expect a review when that goes down.
Speaking of hip Communist bands, I’m going to sneak in some (International) Noise Conspiracy here. Just because I love them.


Download The (International) Noise Conspiracy – Smash It Up