New Gaslight Anthem: “45”
Photo by Tony Cano I’ll be honest, The Gaslight Anthem‘s last record, American Slang, didn’t do a whole lot for me. After being knocked out by their preceding album, 2008’s The ’59 Sound (the title track and “Here’s Looking At You, Kid” being two of my favorites), Slang just seemed to lack that spark, that connection and excitement I felt with ’59.
With their brand new single, “45”, Brian Fallon and the boys are clearly back in that hard-driving ’59 frame of mind.
The single comes from Handwritten, TGA‘s new album due out on June 24th. The album is produced by Brendan O’Brien, who we Springsteen fans are well aware of (he produced The Rising, Magic, and Working On A Dream), but who has also produced the likes of Pearl Jam, Incubus, Mastodon, and Trey Anastasio (and a whole lot more).
It should be an entertaining listen, and I look forward to checking it out – and of course I hope TGA are returning to my neck of the woods on tour. The albums are one thing, but their live shows take their songs up in the stratosphere.
Team Coco’s Zombie Music, Girls, etc.
I can confirm after this morning’s run that Team Coco’s Rdio playlist entitled “Good Zombie Killin’ Music” happens to double as a mighty fine runnin’ mix. Rage’s “Bulls on Parade”, Maiden’s “Run to the Hills”, the Black Keys’ “Gold on the Ceiling”, and some new tunes for me – including the strange but fascinatingly entertaining “I Fink U Freeky” by Die Antwoord.
I think my favorite of the bunch was Outkast’s “B.O.B.” off their Stankonia album. It reminded me that there’s a treasure trove to be found in Outkast’s stuff. This week, I’ll be diving into Stankonia with fresh ears. I’m not sure if I’ve ever listened to the whole thing.
If you’re on Rdio, you can follow Team Coco, and subscribe to the handful of playlists they have up thus far.
The Zombie mix? Solid.Back on April 18th, my favorite band of the last few years – Girls – took to Conan’s stage for a performance of “Love Like A River.” See it? No? Well here…
The Friday Five Has Moved…
Hey gang – for those of you needing your Friday Five fix, head over to its new home at Popdose. I want to thank Michael for his steadfast commitment in keeping a weekly series going on Ickmusic for more than four years, which is about 3 years and 11 months longer than I’ve ever managed to pull off!
Upcoming: 2012’s McDowell Mountain Music Festival
WHAT: The 2012 McDowell Mountain Music Festival
WHEN: Friday, April 13th – Sunday, April 15th
WHERE: The Compound Grill, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd, Phoenix (N. Scottsdale Rd & the 101)
TICKETS: Single Day | 3 Day Passes
LINEUP: See bottom of this post.
Somehow it’s April already, which for me means it’s time to gear up for another installment of my favorite Arizona music festival. The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is back for its ninth consecutive year, kicking off this Friday (the 13th) at the Compound Grill in north Phoenix/Scottsdale.
This will be the third year in a row that the Compound has been the locale. In 2010, the organizers decided to move from the more spacious Westworld complex to the Compound (owned and operated by some of the same folks that run the MMMF). Although I miss all the space (and camping) that Westworld offered, the new location makes up for it by offering a more intimate experience – closer vantage points to the stage & musicians, real sod laid out in the parking lot that surrounds the Compound, and just a cozier feel overall. But at the same time, there’s also ample space to break away if you want (not to mention the cool, A/C-cranked confines of the Compound Grill, where the Creamy Radio Stage features local bands all weekend).
The lineup this year does not disappoint. Friday’s theme is clearly Funk/Jam/Rhythm Dance Party, featuring local electronic/dance jam collective Endoplasmic, L.A. latin/world group Ozomatli, New Orleans funk party band (and Mardi Gras staple) Galactic, and Colorado afrobeat and rhythm masters The Motet. This is going to be some opening night. Pace yourself, big weekend ahead!
Saturday’s lineup rocks and jams out with another New Orleans artist, Anders Osborne (who I’ve been waiting years to see), SoCal’s Trevor Hall (pop/acoustic/reggae), headliners Dark Star Orchestra (who recreate complete Grateful Dead shows), and probably the most commercially successful artists of the weekend, long time rock outfit Big Head Todd & the Monsters. Like a lot of you, I spent a good deal of time with the Stratagem and Sister Sweetly albums back in the day. Can’t wait to see these guys.
Late night inside the Compound, electronic jam duo EOTO (made up of Michael Travis and Jason Hamm) will melt minds from 11pm to 1am. All this madness kicks off at high noon with local band The Nameless Prophets, followed by Tramps & Thieves (also locals). The Arizona bands are solid year after year, and I look forward to checking ’em out.
And then there’s Sunday, and Sunday is no slouch lineup-wise. It all starts at noon with Carolina Chocolate Drops, who reeled in a Grammy earlier this year for Best Traditional Folk album. This old-timey trio will make you smile, make you move, and blow your mind with their mastery of traditional instruments and vocal sounds. I saw them last year at the Newport Folk Festival, and I can confirm that you do not want to miss their early 90 minute set.
Austin’s Bob Schneider is up next at 2:00 with another 90 minute set of his eclectic music – from pop to funk to bluegrass and beyond.
At 4:00, it’s time for the organ-driven soul/jazz of Soulive, a super-talented trio from the Northeast. Then, finishing off the weekend of music are Sunday headliners The Travelin’ McCourys featuring Keller Williams – bluegrass meets one-man-jam band Keller Williams. It should be something to see (and hear).
Long story short – this is an AMAZING weekend of music in a laid back & hassle-free setting (and totally kid friendly – everyone under 12 gets in free). Always a great vibe to the McDowell Mountain Music Festival – there’s a reason this will be my sixth straight year of taking it all in. Come on down…
TICKETS: Single Day | 3 Day Passes
WEB SITE: Official Site of the McDowell Mountain Music Festival
LINEUP:
Friday:
5:00 – Endoplasmic
6:30 – Ozomatli
8:30 – Galactic
11:00 – The Motet (inside the Compound, extra ticket required)Saturday:
Noon – The Nameless Prophets
1:00 – Tramps & Thieves
2:00 – Trevor Hall
4:00 – Anders Osborne
6:00 – Big Head Todd & The Monsters
8:30 – Dark Star Orchestra
11:00 – EOTO (inside the Compound, extra ticket required)Sunday:
Noon – Carolina Chocolate Drops
2:00 – Bob Schneider
4:00 – Soulive
6:00 – The Travelin’ McCourys feat. Keller WilliamsRDIO PLAYLIST
Delta Spirit’s new one
The new (self-titled) Delta Spirit album came out earlier this month, and it’s a good ‘un. It’s the southern California band’s third full length release, and is a departure of sorts from the more folk-based rock influences of their first two (excellent) albums.
Plenty of hard driving rock n roll (“Money Saves”, “Empty House”, “Tear It Up”, “Tellin’ the Mind”); slow burners (“Home”, “Yamaha”) but also more electronic touches like “California,” a tune the band previewed before the release date that seemed to polarize a certain fan-base who wanted more of the same.
Delta Spirit continues to evolve, and I’m excited to be along for the ride. Each of the eleven songs offers something unique and special, and with each listen, I find something new to like about each one.
Here’s the just-released video for “California”, which captures alternative teen angst and confusion. In a way, I think of it as sort of a 21st century update to Tom Petty’s “Into the Great Wide Open” video.
Since reading I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, I’m a lot more aware of the director role in video making. This one was directed by Abteen Bagheri, a 22-yr old recent Stanford grad. Nice gig!
Buy: Delta Spirit
Brett Dennen, I like you
Goodness gracious me, have you heard the latest Brett Dennen album? Loverboy has been out for a year, but it took me until just a couple weeks ago to hear a tune from it (“Little Cosmic Girl” on SiriusXM), which sent me scurrying to check it out.
I’m all about the joyous and positive vibe of Brett’s latest record – and no song better captures it than “Dancing At A Funeral.”
I recommend running – not walking – to buy this album. Or at least dial it up on your Spotify or Mog or whatever you may be using in this spoiled rotten digital age we find ourselves in.
Buy: Brett Dennen’s Loverboy (Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version)
Photo Credit: Ben Moon, 2010
IckMix 6: Move
I put this together for my brother a few months ago as a running/exercise companion. Since then, I’ve listened to it quite a few times on my runs, and quite simply, it pretty much kicks ass.
So download, throw it on your iPod/iPhone/SmartPhone of choice, and move! (Or, sit back in a La-Z-Boy with a strong cocktail. You do what you want, I’m not your daddy).
IckMix 6: Move (mp3)
1. “Month of May” – Arcade Fire (3:51) | The Suburbs
2. “Bushwick Blues” – Delta Spirit (3:44) | History from Below
3. “Seaside Bar Song” – Bruce Springsteen (3:35) | Tracks
4. “Run Runaway” – Slade (5:01) | The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
5. “Now It’s On+ – Grandaddy (4:08) | Sumday
6. “When My Time Comes” – Dawes (5:08) | North Hills
7. “A More Perfect Union” – Titus Andronicus (7:10) | The Monitor
8. “The Leader” – The Clash (1:42) | Sandinista!
9. “Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)” – Pat Travers Band (5:06) | Pat Travers Band…Live! Go For What You Know
10. “Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix)” – Prince (7:37) | Ultimate
11. “Freedom Park” – Marah (4:35) | 20,000 Streets Under The Sky
12. “I Do (LP Version)” – J. Geils Band (3:08) | Monkey Island(Not So) Guilty Pleasure of the Moment: B.o.B. – Play the Guitar
Don’t know much about B.o.B., except I see his name on the charts or around the media in the form of “B.o.B feat. ___” or “___ feat. B.o.B.” credits we’re accustomed to seeing in modern day R&B/hip-hop.
His 2010 debut album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray [Explicit], hit #1 on the Billboard 200, and spawned three hit singles.
Fast forwarding to this year, in which B.o.B. will release his 2nd album, Strange Clouds.
The second single is “Play the Guitar,” and features another Georgia resident, Outkast’s André 3000.I heard while I was out running, listening to Sirius XM’s Hip-Hop Nation. And this is exactly why I’ll drop into different stations and genres from time to time – to discover something that clicks with me. “Play the Guitar” has a great rhythm, sort of a Caribbean undercurrent running through it. And the presence of Andrè 3000 adds that instant cred. Just a fun tune, and really good loud.
Lenny Kravitz Live in Phoenix
Lenny in Phoenix (from Lenny’s Facebook) This is short and simple. Last Sunday night, I saw Lenny Kravitz in concert at Comerica Theater in Phoenix. Is there a cooler motherf*cker than Lenny Kravitz? Not many, bud. Swagger, sex appeal, and pure and unadulterated rock star cool.
A set list full of hits, past and present…
An intimate rapport with the crowd of 2,200, which included a trip through the seats for some high fives and hugs during “Let Love Rule.”“Are You Gonna Go My Way” was my personal highlight, as populist or cliche as it might sound. The whole crowd was whipped into an absolute euphoria. It was one of those otherworldly moments I experience in very few live shows – Springsteen, Prince, Tom Petty being among the few. A musical moment in time that lifts an entire audience out of reality into some dreamlike state. Pure rock & roll.
It’s been 4 full days and I’m still coming down.
During “Let Love Rule”, Lenny invited the crowd to come close to the stage. My friend Jen and I accepted the invite. I shot some quick video to capture the moment.
Lenny Kravitz: just an absolute rock & roll badass.
Sunday was also the day after the world lost Whitney Houston. Lenny dedicated “Push” to her and posted it to his YouTube channel after the show…
Recap: Beats, Rhymes & Life – The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
I just finished watching the Michael Rapaport-directed Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. Like a lot of folks around my age (early 40’s – same age as Rapaport & the Tribe), I spent a lot of quality time back in the day with A Tribe Called Quest. In my case, it was the first two albums that really resonated with me – particularly 1991’s The Low End Theory. Songs like “Excursions”, “Can I Kick It”, and “Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts)” helped provide a soundtrack for my late college years in Colorado. I have great memories of driving through the mountains from Colorado Springs to Telluride bumpin’ those Tribe beats (in my beat up ’85 Jeep Cherokee).By the time Midnight Marauders was released in late 1993, I was distracted with other genres and busy being young and irresponsible. Other than “Award Tour”, I’m ashamed to say I didn’t hear the full album until the new millennium. Forget about the last two Tribe records – Beats Rhymes & Life and Love Movement – I’m just getting around to ’em now.
So the documentary was fantastic, a real learning experience for me, someone who loved those early records but checked out of the scene in the early 90’s.
Other than the music, it’s the love/hate dynamic between childhood buds Q-Tip and Phife Dawg that is the central theme of the doc. Phife has struggled with Type 1 Diabetes throughout his adult life, even undergoing a kidney transplant a few years ago (a donation from his wife). What the film suggests is that Q-Tip hasn’t really been there for his pal during these struggles. Tip’s focus has always been on the music. When the time came in 1998 that he didn’t see a future for the group, Tip disbanded the group and embarked on a successful solo career.
Since then, A Tribe Called Quest haven’t released any albums, but have reformed for live performances on occasion (for the money, they’re not ashamed to admit). The film covers a couple of these live gigs over the past several years, and there’s plenty of drama still alive and well among the group to make it all the more compelling.
I recommend this film for music lovers anywhere – whether you’re a hip-hop head or not. But if you dug those early Native Tongues albums – Tribe, De La Soul, Jungle Brothers and such – you will especially enjoy this.
Buy: Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest
