Thursday, May 31, 2007

Blitzen Trapper


I've been meaning to get something up about Portland's Blitzen Trapper since I heard their new disc, Wild Mountain Nation, a few weeks ago. Pitchfork posted the bourbon-soaked title track on their Forkcast last week, and it's a good reflection of how badass this record is. Set to drop on June 12th, the band's third album is a barrel full of psychedelic roots-rock that'll probably soundtrack most of your summer drinking excursions. Album opener "Devils A-Go-Go" begins with a roaring guitar riff, swirls into a Tijuana haze and then rocks out in the back room of a smoky arcade. "Miss Spiritual Tramp" is a meth-distorted, six-string punisher that struts around on high heels and features a front stoop harmonica breakdown. It's not hard to see why they're opening for the Hold Steady for the next few weeks. Damn, if only they were playing in the area.





Wild Mountain Nation will hit record stores near you on 6/12/07!

Blitzen Trapper's Myspace.

Caribou

Dan Snaith's Merge Records debut, Andorra, hits the shelves on August 21st. The Dundas, Ontario whiz, who has performed as Caribou since a legal dispute over the Manitoba moniker with Handsome "Dick" Manitoba in 2004, says he has never been this excited about his music and it's easy to see why. Snaith blends airy vocals, sunny psych-pop and complex layers of Krautrock-infused electronica for one of the best releases we've heard this year. Snaith also holds a Ph.D in Mathematics, probably one of the reasons songs are so beautifully calculated and composed. We literally haven't taken it our of our record player since it came in on Monday. "She's the One" features Junior Boys front man and longtime friend Jeremy Greenspan and album closer "Niobe" is a nearly nine minute long, super-addicting, electronica treasure.

You can go here to listen to tunes from some of Snaith's previous releases, such as "Jacknuggeted" from 2001's Up in Flames and "Bees" from 2005'sThe Milk of Human Kindness.

Also, check out this video for "Bees" by the Delicious 9. It's pretty rad.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Schlansky Does Dylan


Any of y'all that read American Songwriter know Evan Schlansky for his regular column, "The Schlansky Files," as well for a load of other great stuff he's contributed over the past few years. Schlansky also works for that other music magazine, Rolling Stone, and if you check out their Rock Daily blog today, you'll find a video that features him singin' "Hurricane" and "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)." Evan, another AS contributor, "Under the Radar" scribe David Mead, some RS staffers, and, you know, Tracy Bonham, The Pierces, and members of Albert Hammond, Jr., Mooney Suzuki and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, are all performing as the Rolling Thunder Reborn Band. The act was created to honor the 66th birthday of THE American Songwriter, Bob Dylan. It looks like it was a hell of a good time. We've been wondering why he didn't get Jann to send the RS jet down here to Nashville to bring the AS staff up for the party. Maybe next year. Seriously, though, rock on, dude.

By the way, Happy Birthday, Bob.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Man Alive!!!!


While laying witness to the bizarre, kitchen sink-loving, gypsy-punk that was the Man Man set at Nashville's The Mercy Lounge last night, I leaned over to my buddy and said, "This band is like the clown you were always afraid of when you were a little kid." As weird and frightening as they are at times, you can't take your eyes off of Honus Honus and crew. The Philly quintet unleashed spoon throwing, oxygen tank beating, kazoo(?) blowing, furious drum banging, falsetto squealing, stool-pogoing, and a bundle of other Krusty's Funhouse madness to deliver an electrically entertaining set. Selections from their upcoming release abounded, and let's just say that it's gonna be off the chain. Man Man also delivered a number of favorites from last year's Six Demon Bag and their debut The Man in A Blue Turban with A Face such as "Engrish Bwudd" (with the crowd screaming "Get the F*** out of my house), "Banana Ghost," "101b Moustache," a speedy "Black Mission Goggles," and the rousing show closer, "Van Helsing Boombox." There was certainly never a dull moment, and if anyone left the show dissapointed, then that person needs to think about some things.

Man Man's myspace page

Manly Times
Tue 06/26/07 Orlando, FL Back Booth*
Wed 06/27/07 Miami, FL Studio A*
Thu 06/28/07 Tampa, FL Orpheum*

Fri 06/29/07 Athens, GA 40 Watt Club
Sun 07/01/07 Brooklyn, NY TBA
Fri 07/27/07 Akron, OH The Lime Spider

w/Elf Power

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Dead Confederate


Dead Confederate hails "from Atlanta by way of Augusta, Georgia." I heard about them from a friend back in December, but the tip got lost amongst the chaos of planning my overseas expedition. Today I found out that they just signed with Gary Gersh, who brought Sonic Youth and Nirvana to Geffen. I also hear that there are some BIG names in the producing mix for their debut LP. They released the Dead Confederate EP in 2006, and it definitely isn't a another gravy-laden southern rock record. There's shades of Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, My Morning Jacket, and Explosions in the Sky in Dead Confederate's ominous psych-rock sound. Imagine an acid trip in a 4x4 hearse down a backwoods Georgia dirt road. Sometimes scary and menacing, sometimes beatiful, always badass. Check out their myspace page for selections from the EP as well as a few other songs. I recommend "News Underneath," "Shadow the Walls" and "The Rat." Actually, listen to all of 'em.

Dead Confederate will be playing throughout the Southeast for the next month.

May 25 2007 10:00P
11:11 Tearoom...w/Morning State...Free Show, Free Beer Atlanta, Georgia

Jun 8 2007 10:00P
JJ's Bohemia...w/The Nim Nims and All the Saints Chattanooga, Tennessee

Jun 9 2007 9:00P
The Bottletree...w/All the Saints and Taylor Hollingsworth Birmingham, Alabama

Jun 14 2007 10:00P
Mercy Lounge...w/All the Saints & TBA... Nashville, Tennessee

Jun 16 2007 5:30P
City Stages Festival Birmingham, Alabama

Jun 17 2007 11:00A
Reg's Coffehouse Radio Program Birmingham, Alabama

Jun 22 2007 10:00P
40 Watt Club, Athfest...w/Dexateens, Mother Jackson, and Madeline Athens, Georgia

Jun 29 2007 10:00P
Jinx...w/All the Saints and Sovus Radio Savannah, Georgia

Jun 30 2007 10:00P
The Pourhouse...w/Two Cow Garage Charleston, South Carolina

Monday, May 21, 2007

Back in the Saddle, Cracked Out

After some other obligations last week, I'm back in the bloggin' saddle. Expect multiple daily posts from here until August.

First things first. My friend B.K. told me about mock-hop duo Cracked Out after he saw them on Human Giant. I checked out their myspace page to listen to "Bennigan'z," and it's dagum high-larious. There's also this video of them performing it on HG, and they say it's a song about "wannabe Gotti boys from Jersey and Long Island, with the moussed up hair and whatnot."

Peep both for yourself and also check out this vid of them giving a "lesson in counting." Never before has math been so fun. Anybody know where I can score one of those pimpy silk jackets?

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Another Matt and Kim

The sound isn't great on these two, "It's A Fact (Printed Stained) and "Yea Yeah." It was LOUD! But they're too loony f**kin' awesome to not post. These kids rock.



Monday, May 7, 2007

Josh T. Pearson, Matt and Kim

We're back in the States. Needless to say it's been a pretty strange transition. Here are a couple of vids that Tillery finally uploaded onto youtube.com. The American Songwriter youtube page should be up and running pretty soon.

More of the gothic country of Josh T. Pearson:


Matt and Kim, live at Madame Jojo's, part of "White Heat" night.


You get an idea of how much fun this set was. For their first performance in England, they played a lot of tunes from their self-titled debut. And with a combination of those crack-catchy, punk-pop songs, their jubilant energy, and Matt's comedic stage antics, the night was big smiles, headbanging, and high fives all around. See for yourself.