• Country Rock,  Indie

    Gone for Good

    / March 10, 2006

    James Mercer

    Here’s a great live version of a great indie-country song (indiecow? countrindie?), sung by a great singer, James Mercer of the Shins. Do enjoy.

    James Mercer: Gone for Good (mp3) – live 07 Jan 2004 – studio version comes from Chutes too Narrow

  • Indie

    Riding on a Tortoise down Thunder Road

    / February 27, 2006

    bonnie prince billy

    This one’s been all over the mp3 blogs over the last few weeks, but as I always say, it’s my blog and i’ll post if I want to…

    I’m always curious to hear new interpretations of Springsteen tunes. I posted one of my favorites, Patty Griffin’s version of “Stolen Car”, a while back. And The Mavericks do a good job on “All that Heaven Will Allow”. So I was alerted through a Glide Magazine review that “Thunder Road” was covered on a new release by Tortoise and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. When I see “Bonnie Prince Billy”, I picture a 50 or 60-something rastafarian reggae dude. Not sure where I conjure up that image from. It turns out BPB is Will Oldham, who looks more like a Civil War Union soldier than a member of the Wailers. BPB is a Louisville, Kentucky native who has also recorded under the names Palace Songs, Palace Brothers and Palace Music (as well as his own name).

    Tortoise looks interesting: they “revolutionized American indie rock in the mid-’90s by playing down tried-and-true punk and rock & roll influences, emphasizing instead the incorporation of a variety of left-field music genres from the past 20 years, including Krautrock, dub, avant-garde jazz, classical minimalism, ambient and space music, film music, and British electronica.” (from All Music).

    As you can tell by my thorough analysis, I’m not that plugged into the indie scene. You can get that thorough analysis at about a billion other mp3 blogs. Anyhoo, I’ll have to give these guys a more thorough listen. But I do claims dibs on all things Bruce, and as for this version of “Thunder Road”, they definitely give it a complete reworking. I like the instrumentation and the overall feel; a very unique take on the song.

    Tortoise and Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Thunder Road (mp3) – from The Brave and the Bold, an album of covers.

  • Indie

    Get ready for it

    / August 17, 2005

    Something is definitely up in Montreal. I recently posted The Arcade Fire, and tonight it’s Montreal-based The Stills. This is an example of a tune where the whole atmosphere changes mid-song, and you find yourself entranced and drawn into it. You know, like the piano /guitar-instrumental last half of “Layla”. There’s beauty here…

    The Stills: Ready for It

  • Indie

    Once Again Hitting you in The Shins

    / August 5, 2005

    I’m going to blog about the Shins. You see, I’m relatively new to the Shins. I discovered them in April, when I heard “Gone for Good”, and promptly posted it, proclaiming my love for it. I could still listen to that song on repeat for an entire week and never tire of it. Well I picked up their first album, ‘Oh, Inverted World’ recently, AND I saw the movie Garden State, both which feature the great and also infectious tune “New Slang”. James Mercer’s smooth voice and intelligently entertaining lyrics are right up my alley.

    So yeah, the Shins are nothing new to a lot of folks and “New Slang” is the most well known off the album, but for those of you who haven’t heard them, check ’em out.

    The Shins: New Slang (mp3) from Oh, Inverted World

  • Indie,  Old School

    Sunday Grab Bag

    / July 17, 2005

    A trio of tunes that sum up my mood this Sunday in the 115 degree Arizona desert.

    Morning: A Tribe Called Quest – Mr. Muhammad – A cup of coffee, the Sunday paper, and “Mr. Muhammad” piping through the household. Heads a bobbin’ courtesy of the Tribe, from their awesome debut album – deep breath – People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.

    Afternoon:Kaiser Chiefs – I Predict a Riot – This is hands down one of the best take-no-prisoners rock n roll song I’ve heard all year. If you’re not jumping up and down when the choruses kick in on this one, you have no soul. You should check out the video of the K. Chiefs performing this tune to open up Philly’s Live 8 concerts a couple weeks ago. I never thought I’d say this, but thank you AOL for showing VH-1 and MTV how it’s done. From Employment.

    Evening: Tom Waits – Kentucky Avenue – Well it’s evening time in Arizona… only 101 degrees, and it’s time to wind down with Tom Waits, smoothly croaking out this great ballad from 1978’s Blue Valentine.

  • Acoustic,  Indie

    Et tu, Mr. Earle?

    / July 13, 2005

    I don’t know quite what to think. In the midst of the MLB All Star Game last night, I hear the bad-ass sounds of Steve Earle permeating the airwaves… IN A CHEVY COMMERCIAL. Yes, “The Revolution Starts Now” has gone from the battlecry of those not entirely please with the current administration to the trumpeting of the new Chevy truck revolution or whatever. I – as I said, not quite sure how to feel here. Sure tons of artists have contributed music to commercials, and who’s to say I wouldn’t for that sweet almighty U.S. dollar? So who am I to really judge? But it just feels weird to think Steve Earle took a song so near and dear to his heart like that, and gave it to Chevy. BUT, by the same token, it is possible to discover cool music through commericals. Like Richard Buckner‘s “Ariel Ramirez”.

    Richard Buckner: Ariel Ramirez from Since

  • Indie

    Buzz like a Chicken

    / June 14, 2005

     Well I hadn’t heard the Bees until today, when Radio Paradise played “Chicken Payback”. Straight out of UK’s Isle of Wight, the Bees lay down some old school rock, some r&b… definitely a late 60’s vibe coming through here. It’s a feel good, entertaining trip.

    So then I checked out the video for “Chicken Payback” on their web site, and was even more entertained. The scene is a Japanese video arcade, and one of those interactive dance machine console thingamajigs. Check it out.

    The Bees Official Web Site

  • Indie

    Obscurity of the Week – Call Florence Pow

    / May 12, 2005

    Well, obscure to me anyway. Are you in the mood for two minutes and forty-one seconds of weirdness? I came across the dynamically odd duo Call Florence Pow a few weeks back, once again courtesy of Radio Paradise. Based out of NYC, they’re made up of two fellows: Brian Jacobs and David Tobias. You can read their bio on All Music.

    Odd. And a great name to boot.

    Call Florence Pow: Preparation for Battle

    Check out their only release on Amazon.