This Land Is Your Land – Vintage Dead and Lobos
Jumpin’ back to 1989, here’s Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir singing “This Land is Your Land” with the boys from a band I get more and more obsessed with by the day: David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, and Steve Berlin from Los Lobos…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM18HENqNbk 336 278]
New Tunes: Junior Pantherz
My completely random dip into the Inbox tonight yielded a pretty catchy tune. The group is Junior Pantherz, and though the name elicits images of a junior varsity high school basketball team, or a football team of little kids – you know, the kind that Snoop Dogg coaches – you can’t deny a good pop song when you hear one.
The Pantherz hail from the great white north, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Their 6th album, Rejoice, Remain, will be released on May 27th (though it’s currently available on iTunes). The band is made up of Terry Mattson (guitars/vocals), S.J. Kardash (bass/vocals), Maygen Kardash (keys, trumpet, vocals) and last but definitely not least, Arnold Van Lambalgen II on drums. The best drummer name since Bun E. Carlos, if you ask me.
Junior Pantherz – On and Off (mp3)
Buy Rejoice, Remain on
Website: Junior Pantherz.com
First Listen: New Jason Mraz
While Pete is going the old fashioned route, I’ve chosen to go the digital method to pick up the new Jason Mraz record We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. Frequent fliers of this blog will note that I’ve got a huge soft spot for the singer-songwriter and as such I had pre-ordered his latest directly from his official site opting for the total package of the three EP’s (not-so-ironically named We Sing, We Dance and We Steal) and the full length in both digital and traditional formats. The EP’s provided the sketches of what was to come and he’s delivered.Standout tracks in the first couple of listens are (obviously) “I’m Yours”, the metaphor ridden ode to the lovely ladies “Butterfly”, the lovely “Lucky (feat. Colbie Caillat)” and the painstakingly haunting beauty of “A Beautiful Mess”. This is a great example of a record with no filler and no throwaway tracks and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Buy We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things: Amazon | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Incoming: Tom Waits hits Phoenix
If the ticket gods allow, I’ll be seeing Tom Waits live for the very first time next month, right here in Phoenix. For some reason – and I’m not complaining – Tom has chosen our sleepy little town to kick off his Glitter and Doom Tour for not one, but two nights at the Orpheum Theater. The theater holds a grand total of 1,364 people, so I’m expecting a bit of a challenge when tickets go on sale at noon this Friday on LiveNation (evil overlord of conglomeration).
I have to select one of the two nights. So what do you think people? Do I opt for the opening show of the tour on Tuesday, June 17th? Or show #2 the next night? I’m leaning toward opening night, just for the complete spontaneity and un-predictability of it all.
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Tom Waits – Picture in a Frame (mp3) – from VH-1’s Storytellers. Original comes from Mule Variations.
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Here’s Tom’s entertaining “press conference” last week to announce the tour.
Tour Dates:
06-17 Phoenix, AZ – Orpheum
06-18 Phoenix, AZ – Orpheum
06-20 El Paso, TX – Plaza Theatre
06-22 Houston, TX – Jones Hall
06-23 Dallas, TX – Palladium
06-25 Tulsa, OK – Brady Theatre
06-26 St. Louis, MO – Fox Theatre
06-28 Columbus, OH – Ohio Theatre
06-29 Knoxville, TN – Civic Theatre
07-01 Jacksonville, FL – Moran Theatre
07-02 Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
07-03 Birmingham, AL – Alabama Theatre
07-05 Atlanta, GA – Fox TheatreLinks: Tom Waits.com
New Tunes: Old 97’s Blame It On Gravity Out Tuesday
I’m goin’ old school tomorrow and will head out to my local record store (Zia Records) during my lunch hour, and buy myself the new Old 97’s album. Blame It On Gravity (New West) is their first studio release in four years, and reviews show it to be a return to their more charged up, electrified indie-cowpunk that they perfected with 1997’s Too Far To Care. Want to hear the Old 97’s at their optimal level? Listen to Too Far To Care‘s opener, “Timebomb”.
I’ve found something to love about every Old 97’s record, but if Blame It On Gravity is a return to this form, I may call off the rest of the workday and drive through the desert at ridiculous speeds.
New (Texas) Tunes: Band of Heathens
I like Texas music. And I like songs about whiskey and beer and waiting at train stations. Austin-based The Band of Heathens has ’em all covered in this tune. It’s easy to hear how they’ve garnered comparisons to Little Feat, The Band, and Drive By Truckers. Their self-titled debut album will be released on May 20th. Check out one of the new tunes here…
The Band of Heathens – Jackson Station
Pre-Order The Band of Heathens, out 5/20.
Official Web Site: Band of Heathens.com (I recommend hanging around until you hear “Cornbread”).Catch a video and see some tour dates after the jump (I’ll be seeing ’em at the Austin City Limits Festival in September).
Ickmusic’s Friday Five: May 9, 2008
Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down…
Spring has finally sprung this week in New England and in a twist of fate it’s pouring outside (it’s been beautiful all week). I guess Meatloaf was right when he sang “two out of three ain’t bad” because it’s Friday and I’ve got The Five to keep me company while waiting out the rain. Last week’s Five was positively on fire! The familiar Fivers Club all showed up en masse and we had quite a few new and welcome additions to the group. For the first timers here’s how we get down… I hit shuffle in iTunes and share the first five random tracks that pop up with some insight and thoughts on the track, then it’s your turn!
Here are this week’s tracks:
1. G. Love & Special Sauce – Baby’s Got Sauce (from G. Love & Special Sauce)
This is definitely in my “All Time Top 5” list for most ridiculously sweet and perfect love songs.
2. Biffy Clyro – Umbrella (from Radio 1’s Live Lounge, Volume 2)
While by in large an unremarkable version, this is a testament to the power of a well written pop song.
3. The Brian Setzer Orchestra – Sleepwalk (from The Dirty Boogie)
Again, the power of a beautiful melody can transcend time, fashion and fads. The arrangement here deserves a special nod for the fact that it takes liberty with the simplicity by adding the full horn section to Brian Setzer’s blazing fret work.
4. Prince – How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (from Girl 6)
This tune never did much for me in any recorded version. It was not until I heard it live that it really stuck.
5. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble – Lenny (from Texas Flood)
The story goes like this, Stevie’s wife Lenora scraped together the $350 needed to purchase a 1965 Stratocaster that had caught his eye in a pawn shop months earlier. She presented it to him for his birthday and that night as she slept Stevie wrote “Lenny”. Lenora remembers “He was sitting on the edge of the bed and said, ‘Listen to this.’” He proceeded to play his tribute to his loving wife “Lenny”.
How are you ringing in the weekend?
Roots Rising
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-nyyQrmiQ0 336 278]
The Roots – Rising Up (feat. Wale & Chrisette Michele) (Video)It’s been a long time since I’ve exclaimed “that’s my JAM” but after hearing this record I did not walk, I ran to get my hands on The Roots latest masterpiece Rising Down. Seriously I’ve had this joint on repeat and I never do that.
Buy Rising Down: Amazon | iTunes
Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace
Darkness and Born to Run at the Count Basie Theater
When I first checked out the set list and Backstreets review of last night’s Boss show to benefit the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, New Jersey, I had to do a double take to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Then I had to check the calendar to make sure Backstreets wasn’t pulling another of their infamous April Fool’s jokes.
But it’s true. Last night, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played Darkness on the Edge of Town – in sequence, in its entirety. After a break, they played Born to Run – in sequence, in its entirety.
Holy bleeping bleep!! The search begins…
Setlist:
Badlands
Adam Raised a Cain
Something in the Night
Candy’s Room
Racing in the Street
The Promised Land
Factory
Streets of Fire
Prove It All Night
Darkness on the Edge of Town
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Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out (w/ horns)
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She’s the One
Meeting Across the River (w/ Mark Pender)
Jungleland
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So Young and in Love (w/ horns)
Kitty’s Back (w/ horns)
Rosalita (w/ horns)
Raise Your Hand (w/ horns)
- Rolling Stone’s Rock & Roll Daily
- You can get the encore over at Boss Tracks
- As for the rest of the show? A peek at the comments section may help….
Idle Idol Thoughts
Okay, let’s pretend I watched American Idol, and I need to chime in…
Did anyone else besides me experience such a high level of unadulterated, pure joy while watching Jason Castro forget the lines to “Mr. Tamborine Man“? Oh, such good entertainment (will someone dump the Youtube link in the comments when it’s available? I wish to entertain myself further with repeated viewings).
And is there anyone else out there with an urge to smack David Archuletta upside the head, pleading for just a little testosterone?? I know the kid’s only 16, but my god, what a giant wuss-ball. I knew by age 16 not to exhibit such ample amounts of wuss-dom, and I was a Prince freak!
Syesha – you go on with yo bad self. Yum.
David Cook – I’m not always down with your remakes of the tunes you perform, but at least you put an original spin on everything you do. You shall be the victor – you shall be – dum-du-du-dum – the next American Idol.
