Breaking Bad is the Best Show on Television
My month-long Breaking Bad frenzy has sadly come to an end. On September 24th, I decided to check out Episode 1 / Season 1, the pilot episode, on Netflix. Three and a half weeks later, I’ve watched every episode of all four seasons – and I’m desperate for more.
I can say without any doubt that this is the best television series I have ever watched. I had similar feelings about the genius of The Sopranos in its heyday, but my admiration for and obsession over Breaking Bad surpasses even that.
Breaking Bad follows the life of Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an Albuquerque high school chemistry teacher who – after being diagnosed with lung cancer – decides to join forces with a drug dealing former student of his (Jesse Pinkman – played by Aaron Paul) and become a methamphetamine cook. The goal is to tackle his growing financial problems, and to provide for his family when he’s dead and gone.
Walt and Jesse quickly go from small potatoes to working for the largest meth distribution ring in the Southwest. Insanity ensues – brutal violence, betrayal, fear… brilliant subplot after brilliant subplot. The relationships between Walt and the amazing ensemble cast of characters: Hank, his brother-in-law who also happens to be a DEA agent; Walt’s wife Skyler; his boss, Gus Fring; his lawyer Saul Goodman (played by the great Bob Odenkirk)… it’s all so well acted, so well written, and so utterly unpredictable.
I won’t go on and on, but I do want to recommend this series to anyone that may read this. Go to Netlfix. The first three seasons are streaming. Season 4 is available on iTunes. Get started and thank me later. Warning: it will become an addiction. Get ready for some late nights and weird dreams.
Music: One highlight of Breaking Bad is the great selection of music throughout (a quality also shared by The Sopranos). You’ll hear all sorts of great tunes for the first time. One example for me was in “Thirty-Eight Snub” (Episode 2 of Season 4). Jesse is trying to drown out his demons by surrounding himself in his home with acquaintances and large amounts of drugs. He also buys an expensive, supercharged sound system and gets lost in the loud music. At the end of the episode, the party has cleared out, and Jesse is left alone in his trashed house. He cranks up “Digital Animal” by Austin’s Honey Claws, and collapses next to the speaker. The cool electro/hip-hop vibe coupled with Jesse’s darkness and desperation really makes for an intense ending. As for Honey Claws, it doesn’t appear they’re active anymore. It’s hard to tell. But this track rocks…
“d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-digital animal freaky folks”
The AMC site has all the music listed for Season 1, Season 2, Season 3, and Season 4.
Amazon Link: Digital Animal [Explicit]
Recap: Dawes and Blitzen Trapper at the Crescent Ballroom
Hallelujah, there’s a killer new live music venue in my home town!! The Crescent Ballroom, open for just a week now, is a mid-sized room (able to accommodate 400-500 people) in a cool 1917 brick building located at 2nd Ave. and Van Buren in downtown Phoenix. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, really good food in their patio lounge/restaurant, Cocina 10 (I recommend the bean & cheese burrito paired with a Moscow Mule – tasty).
Dawes Last night, the Blitzen Trapper / Dawes traveling roadshow hit the Ballroom for a few solid hours of rock n’ folk. The tour is just getting started, having kicked off just a few days ago in Petaluma, CA.
After a very mellow but pleasing opening set by British guitar/vocal duo Smoke Fairies (Katherine Blamire and Jessica Davies), Dawes hit the stage, and, as expected, immediately won over the Phoenix crowd. Hard to tell, but it seemed like most of the crowd were new to the L.A. band, and it wasn’t long before the passion and earnestness of the four – especially frontman Taylor Goldsmith, won them over. Taylor is as genuine as they come, and a brilliant, evocative songwriter. In every song he sings, he makes sure the listener hears every word, pouring every ounce of his heart and soul into it. His brother Griffin (on drums) shares that passion and enthusiasm – his facial expressions alone are something to behold: his mouth in varied contortions of agony and ecstasy with every beat and fill. Bassist Wylie Gelber and keyboard/organ man Tay Strathairn round out the quartet, and it’s clear why they’ve been selected over the last year to back up the likes of Robbie Robertson, Jackson Browne and M. Ward. Such a cohesive, organic, and talented band.
The 10-song set drew from both of their studio albums – North Hills and Nothing Is Wrong. There were some great moments – the build up and crescendos of “Fire Away”, Taylor’s fiery guitar solo on “Peace in the Valley” – but the emotional peak came with the 1-2 punch of “A Little Bit of Everything” and “When My Time Comes.” I appreciate and enjoy “A Little Bit of Everything” more and more with each listen, and Taylor’s detailed, story-telling delivery gave me goosebumps throughout the tune. Then, of course, the anthemic “When My Time Comes” whipped the crowd up, and they were primed to belt out the chorus when Taylor turned the microphone around toward the end.
Taylor and Wylie of Dawes Since discovering Dawes in mid 2010, I’ve had the chance to see them four times now, and they just keep getting better and better. Last night’s set was another thrill as a fan.
Since finding out about the co-headlining tour with Blitzen Trapper, I’ve dug into the Portland indie-folk band’s catalog, and the music has definitely been growing on me. Now, after watching them live, I can call myself a fan. I love the dynamic of these guys. It’s a hard-to-peg grab bag of influences… I hear Grateful Dead, Zeppelin, 70’s folk, 70’s rock, Dylan… but all unique and original in their own right. Lead singer/guitarist/keyboardist Eric Early has an unassuming, shy demeanor between songs, but man, can that guy sing and shred.
Eric Early of Blitzen Trapper 
Blitzen Trapper Speaking of shredding, I got off on watching lead guitarist Erik Menteer tear it up on his Les Paul. The rest of the band chipped in on some great harmonies, but Erik was off to the side just killing on guitar (and occasionally keys).
Erik Menteer of Blitzen Trapper 
Blitzen Trapper Marty Marquis, off to stage left on guitar & keys, is the laid back jokester of the band, offering up most of the between song banter (thankful for the nice weather, unlike their last visit to Phoenix, when they “melted”).
I’ve been listening a lot to their new record American Goldwing, and they drew heavily from it, with tunes like “Fletcher,” “Astronaut,” “Your Crying Eyes,” and one of my faves, “Love the Way You Walk Away.” And then there was the sheer Zeppelinesque force of “Street Fighting Sun,” also from the new album. Loud, thrashing, arena rock size rock n roll absolutely filling the small Crescent Ballroom.
The encore was a triple treat too: Eric Early solo acoustic on “The Man Who Would Speak True” followed by an unrecorded song called “Jericho” (full band), and then, to add an exclamation mark to the evening, the finale – Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times.”
Blitzen Trapper. Count me in.
As I mentioned, the tour is just getting started. Some of my buddies back east are checking out the show soon. Even if you’re not familiar with either band, one live experience will convert you – guaranteed.
A Dead Giveaway – Europe ’72 & More
It’s been a long time since I’ve hosted a contest and it’s been way too long since I’ve featured the good old Grateful Dead. And wow, do I have a cool bundle of swag to give away this time around.
Earlier this month, Rhino released Europe ’72: Vol. 2, a follow up to the almost 40 year old Europe ’72, which captures one of the Dead’s most legendary tours (not to mention Ron “Pigpen” McKernan’s very last tour). There was a lot of great music from the tour still hanging around in the vaults all these years, and lucky for the us, Dead archivist David Lemieux got his hands on them, and gathered 20 songs for Vol. 2.
The result is a collection of twenty tunes from the 22-show tour, ranging from “Bertha”, “Next Time You See Me”, and “Greatest Story Ever Told” to the always epic “Dark Star” > Drums > “The Other One” from the May ’72 Bickershaw Festival in Wigan, UK (outside Manchester). Plus a whole bunch of other Dead classics from different stops along that European road (the track list is down below).
So, let’s get to the goods. Yes, I’ve got this great new release for one lucky winner. But – how do they say it? – that’s not all!!
To the victor goes the spoils, which are:
- Europe 72 Vol. 2 (2-CD set)
- Europe ’72 (Remastered 2-CD set)
- Workingman’s Dead (180 gram vinyl)
I’m telling you, I’m envious of whoever gets this. It’s sitting here staring me in the face, begging to be ripped open and explored. Buuut I’ll be good and pass it on to one of you fine people.
It couldn’t be easier to enter – just leave a comment below, and after a week, I’ll select a winner. If you’ve seen the Dead, I’d be interested to know, what was your one favorite show or your one cherished memory? If you didn’t catch them before Jerry’s untimely passing in 1995, just go with stream of consciousness… favorite song/show? Era? Does Donna Godchaux’s backing vocal stylings from their 70’s shows make your skin crawl, or does it do something for you? (Sorry Donna, for me, it’s the former.)
I’ll pick a winner and notify him or her by email on Friday, October 7th. Make sure to leave your email address in the field below. It’s not shared with the masses, I just need a way to get in touch (once). This giveaway is open to anyone in the US or Canada.
Good luck Deadheads and non-Deadheads alike!!
——–Here are a couple from the new Vol. 2 collection…
Greatest Story Ever Told – Olympia Theatre, Paris 5/3/72 by gratefuldead
EUROPE ’72: VOL. 2 || Track Listing
Disc One
1. “Bertha” – Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen (4/14/72)
2. “Me And My Uncle” – Wembley Empire Pool, Wembley (4/7/72)
3. “Chinatown Shuffle” – Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen (4/14/72)
4. “Sugaree” – Olympia Theatre, Paris (5/3/72)
5. “Beat It On Down The Line” – Theatre Hall, Luxembourg (5/16/72)
6. “Loser” – Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen (4/14/72)
7. “Next Time You See Me” – Olympia Theatre, Paris (5/4/72)
8. “Black-Throated Wind” – Tivolis Koncertsal, Copenhagen (4/14/72)
9. “Dire Wolf” – Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt (4/26/72)
10. “Greatest Story Ever Told” – Olympia Theatre, Paris (5/3/72)
11. “Deal” – Olympia Theatre, Paris (5/4/72)
12. “Good Lovin’” – Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt (4/26/72)
13. “Playing In The Band” – Strand Lyceum, London (5/24/72)Disc Two
1. “Dark Star”> – Bickershaw Festival, Wigan (5/7/72)
2. Drums > – Bickershaw Festival, Wigan (5/7/72)
3. “The Other One”> – Bickershaw Festival, Wigan (5/7/72)
4. “Sing Me Back Home” – Strand Lyceum, London (5/26/72)
5. “Not Fade Away”> – Wembley Empire Pool, Wembley (4/7/72)
6. “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad”> – Wembley Empire Pool, Wembley (4/7/72)
7. “Not Fade Away” – Wembley Empire Pool, Wembley (4/7/72)- Europe 72 Vol. 2 (2-CD set)
Girls! Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Sometimes an album comes along that covers you like a warm blanket. There’s no rhyme or reason to it really, it just feels right. You carry it around with you, playing it every chance you get. It’s not just a connection to one or two good songs, it’s a connection to the whole body of work. Every song seems to hit you in a good place, and every listen is a fresh adventure.
Sometimes that feeling doesn’t kick in until you’ve listened to an album a bunch of times (an example this year: My Morning Jacket’s Circuital). But other times, it’s immediate. And when it’s completely unexpected – my God, it’s such a rush.
It happened to me today with a new album called Father, Son, Holy Ghost by San Francisco’s Girls. A couple of years ago, I became enamored by one of their songs, “Laura”, and had the good fortune to catch part of their set at the ’09 ACL Festival. It’s a song that still pops into my head from time to time, including this morning. Then, I saw they had a new album out, and I clicked Play (on Rdio). And I really haven’t stopped since.
Beautiful melodies. Shades of the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Pink Floyd… Summery pop interspersed occasionally with an edge, but never losing its luster and beauty – all from the mind of singer/guitarist Christopher Owens.
Believe it or not, you’ll fall in love with songs called “Vomit” and “Die”. And the lead single and album opener “Honey Bunny” sucks you right in.
I’ve been listening to this record for less than 12 hours, and already it’s one of my highlights of 2011.
Here’s the official video for “Honey Bunny”, featuring Christopher and his real life girlfriend, Hannah Hunt. He channels Prince with his black belly shirt (the “Kiss” video), and MJ with his “The Way You Make Me Feel” gestures. I’ve also been reading that the video (and the band itself) takes inspiration from Ariel Pink – who I’ve heard of but know pretty much nothing about. Perhaps I shall explore.
My Morning Jacket – Smokin’ From Shootin’ at ACL
Here’s My Morning Jacket performing “Smokin From Shootin” at last weekend’s ACL Festival. MMJ have just announced a set of tour dates with both Band of Horses and Delta Spirit – basically my wet dream of a show. But alas, Phoenix, Arizona is once again not on the radar. So I’ll need to live through amazing live HD clips like this. Gotta love the age we’re living in when anyone anywhere can share the live experience… it ain’t the real thing, but it’s as close as you can get.
Update: ACL video is gone, but here’s a KCRW performance:
Cults at ACL
I couldn’t make it to ACL this past weekend, but thanks to the Youtube webcast, I caught a number of acts from the comfort of my office chair. One of the bands new to me was Cults, who performed on Friday. Led by singer Madeline Follin and guitarist Brian Oblivion, they have sort of a 60’s girl group meets indie pop/electronic vibe.
“Oh My God” really got my attention. A definite earworm, but the good kind…
Visit: CultsCultsCults.com
Buy: Cults
Update: the ACL video is long gone, but check this out:
Morris Day and the Time, or, How I Made Peace With a Fake Jerome
Shame on me. I should’ve known better. But now I know: “Morris Day & the Time” is not the same thing as “The Time“.
A few weeks back, a local Old School radio station, Mega 104.3, threw itself a 10th birthday party at one of the cool, retro venues in town, Phoenix’s Celebrity Theater. The bill: 70’s R&B outfit GQ, disco/funk/jazz group Brick, and the evening’s headliner, Morris Day and the Time.
Morris Day and the Time? Hell yeah I’m going! So in the days leading up to the big night, I’m checking out the “Original” Time’s Facebook page and wondering why they’re not plugging their gig in Phoenix. I’m reading their tweets, and notice no chatter at all about any upcoming gigs (if you’re following them, you see approximately 2-3 tweets a day about their new album to be released this fall – ad nauseam, day after day with no details).
But still I don’t connect the dots. I meet up with my friend Jen and head to the Celebrity Theater excited as all hell to see Jimmy, Terry, Jesse, Morris, Jellybean, Monte, and maybe even ol’ Jerome.
So we were close to the stage (which is in the round, by the way, rotating slowly clockwise & counter-clockwise), about 6 rows back. First, GQ was introduced. Out walked a single solitary man – “Mr. Q”, I soon found out – aka Emmanuel Rahiem LeBlanc. He played guitar and sang a short set of his hits along to a full backing track. Interesting, and I came away thinking, “Man, you gotta hand it to Mr. Q for having the balls to keep the GQ thing going on his own.”
Next up: Brick. Most of you have heard “Dazz” I’m sure. Here…
And Brick killed it! They were great. The star of the show was without a doubt Mr. Jimmy Brown – singing, dancing, and alternating flawlessly between sax, trumpet, and flute. He’s gotta be in his mid to late 60’s, and he just won over the crowd from the first song. It was a Disco Jazz Funk workout – great stuff, and completely unexpected. Jimmy Brown: a consummate showman.
So after Brick tore it up, the mood was just right when Morris Day and the Time were introduced, and out walked the boys in the band.
“Huh”, I thought, “that doesn’t look like Jesse..”
“Okay, that looks like Jellybean.”
“Well, that’s not Jimmy Jam.”
“And that’s definitely not Terry Lewis on bass.”
“That looks like Monte on keys.”My “A-ha” or “What the fu–” moment came when a short chubby guy in a hat came out with a mirror, playing the part of valet. A fake Jerome!! Nooooo!!
The immediate feeling was disappointment. I felt like I was watching a Vegas tribute act, where each member tried to resemble the originals. Yeah, Morris came out and they launched into “Cool” and “Wild & Loose”, but it just didn’t feel right. It seriously took me 20-30 minutes before I loosened up and accepted “Morris Day and the Time”, and got back into the spirit of the night. The rest of the crowd didn’t seem to mind a bit. There was crazy Morris Day, after all, working his 30 year old schtick in the flesh.
Granted, it was good to see drummer Jellybean Johnson. It was good to see keyboardist Monte Moir. Obviously it was fun to see Morris sing those great songs: “Jerk Out”, “Jungle Love”, “The Bird”, “777-9311”, “The Walk”. And no disrespect to the musicians either, including bass player Ricky “Freeze” Smith and guitarist Tori Ruffin.
But I was led to believe I was gonna see the real thing.
It turns out I didn’t do my homework. A couple of my Prince peeps on Twitter acknowledged that Morris regularly tours with this band as “Morris Day and the Time”. And one of my buds, Mr. Popblerd, was right when he remarked that it’s bad for the brand.
So buyer beware. Morris Day and the Time is not The Time, or, rather, The Original Time Band – I mean The Original 7ven. Confusing, I know – but when you’ve worked for Prince, everything’s complicated.
You’ll have a good time with Morris Day and the Time. You just need to make your peace with a fake Jerome.
Remembering 9/11
Remembering 9/11… all those who lost their lives, and the loved ones affected.
God bless them, and God bless America.“I woke up this morning
I could barely breathe
Just an empty impression
In the bed where you used to be
I want a kiss from your lips
I want an eye for an eye
I woke up this morning to the empty sky”Lenny’s New One
The big surprise of the last week or so is how much I’ve been enjoying the hell out of Lenny Kravitz’s new album, Black And White America. Lenny holed himself up on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, stayed alone on the beach in an Airstream trailer for a couple of years, and emerged with a funk / soul / rock n roll tour de force of an album.
The tune that caught on immediately was “Liquid Jesus” – a 70’s Mayfield / Gaye soul feel, and despite the initial oddity of the title, it had me singing along by the second chorus.
This album got me to thinking… Lenny Kravitz has been churning ’em out since Let Love Rule in 1989. And instead of reinventing himself over the years, he’s stayed solid and consistent. Rock, funk, soul in that laid back but powerful Lenny way…
Great album.
New Deer Tick – “Miss K”
It’s brand new. It’s catchy. I can dance to it. And it’s DEER TICK!
come on miss k
wrap your lovin arms around me
talk dirty
turn me on
let’s get goin“Miss K” is the newly released first single from Deer Tick’s forthcoming album Divine Providence, due October 25th on Partisan Records.
Loooving this.
You can get a free download of the song here on deertick.viinyl.com. The boys have been having a great time in the studio – this week they’ve been visited by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and Hardy Morris of Dead Confederate. Their album will feature plenty of other special guests I’m sure. New Deer Tick!! Wahoo!!
♠ Deer Tick’s very active Facebook page and Twitter.
♠ Last but not least, a cool post from Teenage Kicks with a plethora of Deer Tick covers (Stones, John Prine, the Boss, and even Sean Kingston).
