• Best of Lists,  Ick's Pick

    Pete’s Music Highlights: My Top 12 of 2012

    I’ve been as quiet here on Ickmusic as I ever have during its eight year run.  Worry not, nothing (outside of my family) has taken a back seat to music in my life. It still fuels everything I do. But there has been a definite lull in my desire to sit down and type out regular blog posts. I know it tears you up inside (whoever “you” may be).

    But it’s okay, Ickmusic.com is still here when I need it. Like today, for instance, when I feel like sharing my music highlights from the year Twenty-Twelve.

    Here are some of the albums, songs and live shows that enriched my world in 2012…

    1. Album: Band of Horses – ‘Mirage Rock

    Fans and critics who were praying for another Everything All The Time or Cease to Begin cried foul when Mirage Rock was released this year. Me? I ate it right up. The album, produced by legendary classic rock engineer/producer Glyn Johns (The Who, The Stones, to name a couple) definitely steers heavily into 70’s classic rock and even soft rock category. I am just fine with that. In fact, the wistfully sweet “Long Vows” and “Slow Cruel Hands of Time” are two of my favorites. But the boys sure crank it up with tunes like “Dumpster World”, “Knock Knock”, and the early 70’s Stones-ish “Electric Music.” Yep, I’m all in on this record. Oh, and if you’re looking for beauty, track down “Relly’s Dream” from the Sonic Ranch Sessions bonus disc on their deluxe edition. I spun this album start to finish more than any other release this year.

    2. Show: World Party – Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix – 12-02-2012

    worldparty1

    Thanks to Zia Records, the top independent record store here in Phoenix, I won a pair of tickets to see Karl Wallinger and his band World Party. As a big fan especially of the Goodbye Jumbo album, it was a rare honor to see Karl play an intimate venue like the Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix (my #1 room in town). After a serious health scare in the early 2000’s (a brain aneurysm), Karl’s voice is as pure and dynamic as you’d hope for. Along with his sharp young Nashville bandmates, he tore through WP classics like “Is It Like Today”, “Ship of Fools”, “Way Down Now” and (my favorite) “Put The Message In The Box”; and also sat down at the keys for “She’s The One” and “God On My Side.” This gig far exceeded my expectations (I didn’t know what to expect, really), and I sincerely hope Karl continues on with making music and touring. I can’t wait to see him again.

    Here’s a video I shot of Karl and violin/mandolin/harmony vocalist extraordinaire David Duffy singing “Mystery Girl” (bump up the quality to 720p or 1080p):

    3. Show: Band of Horses, Marquee Theater, Tempe 10-26-2012

    ben-peteLG

    I’d seen Band of Horses a couple of times before, but only in a festival setting (Austin City Limits). This first true headlining show came out of the cancelled Railroad Revival Tour with Willie Nelson. Ben Bridwell and the boys set up at Tempe’s Marquee Theater in late October and tore the roof off the dump. Drawing from all four of their studio albums with a couple covers thrown in (Them Two and Hour Glass, nice & obscure!), the songs were rambunctious, mellow, inspiring, wistful, beautiful, rocking… all the adjectives that reminded me (and the full house) why we love them so much. Not to mention getting to chat for a while with Ben after the show. The dude abides.

    4. Album: Ryan Bingham – ‘Tomorrowland

    Ryan-Bingham-Tomorrowland-album-cover

    Give me the cool, gravelly roots/folk/country rockin’ twang of Ryan Bingham any day of week. Tomorrowland is a return to the more straight-ahead rockers that seemed to be missing on his last album, the T-Bone Burnett produced ‘Junky Star.’ He wastes no time on Tomorrowland’s opener, launching into “Beg for Broken Legs” with urgency and force. “Guess Who’s Knockin” is another strong one, featuring a satisfying F-bomb chorus. “Never Ending Show”, “Flower Bomb”, “The Road I’m On” – all standout tracks. If you haven’t checked out Tomorrowland (or Ryan Bingham) yet, you’re missing out. Just do it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftBWG1U09OA

    5. Show: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – Jobing.com Arena, Glendale 12-06-2012

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    I took a couple of Bruce first timers a few hours early to go through the wristband lottery to try and get up near the front of the stage (“in the pit”, as they say). Sadly, our numbers were not of the lucky variety, and we were shut out. So we ended up behind the pit right next to the sound booth. The disappointment was very quickly washed away with Bruce’s first strum of the acoustic for the opener “Surprise, Surprise.” The first 30 minutes was a showcase of career nuggets: “No Surrender”, “I’m a Rocker”, “Hungry Heart”, “Prove It All Night”, “Trapped”, and “Lost in the Flood” – and all those before launching into the new Wrecking Ball material! Three plus hours from a tireless 63 year old and his very large troupe of supporting members – the E Street Band and then some. My eighteenth live Bruce experience, and yet another reminder why The Boss sits on the top of the pile in my world.

    6. Show: Girls – Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix – 03-03-2012

    IMG_3860

    Who would’ve thought I was seeing Girls the band in one of their final performances? For not long after, frontman, songwriter, and singer Christopher Owens announced on Twitter that the band was done. He’s moving on in another musical direction (his debut solo album, Lysandre, comes out in just a couple weeks). So I am fortunate to have seen Christopher and the band play songs I’ve come to absolutely love since discovering them a couple of years ago: “Laura”, “Alex”, “Honey Bunny”, “Love Like a River”, “Die”…

    Something about Christopher’s music draws me in – the beauty and innocence, the light in the darkness – and I’ll basically be following him around for however long he decides to make music. A great show – short, but sweet.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J6aXK39qVQ

    7. AlbumNeil Young & Crazy Horse – ‘Psychedelic Pill

    untitled

    A 27 minute album opener with the lyrics “I wanna get a hip-hop haircut”? Check. Something about this record, particularly the longer running tunes (“Driftin’ Back”, “Ramada Inn”, “Walk Like a Giant”), really grabbed hold of me. It’s the loud, distorted (and long) guitar solos, it’s the way Neil sneers his way through the lyrics… It’s the unconventional and F-you attitude of it all. Everything Mr. Neil Young represents.

    And of course Neil has a 27 minute long official video for “Driftin’ Back”…

    8. Show: Lenny Kravitz – Comerica Theater, Phoenix – 02-12-2012

    lennylive

    Rock Star. Completely and indisputably. It’s fun to sit back and watch a performer just turn on all the glamor, glitz, and poses of a Rock Star. Lenny has perfected this persona over his 20+ years of performing. He’s got a quite the catalog to choose from, and watching him perform the hits (“Are You Gonna Go My Way” being my favorite) as well as tunes from his surprisingly strong latest album, ‘Black and White America‘, had us out of our seats the entire gig. Lenny has always been and remains a total badass. Such an entertaining show.

    9. Song: Bruce Springsteen – “Jack of All Trades”

    This is my favorite Bruce tune in years. I thought about including the whole ‘Wrecking Ball‘ on the “list”, but that wouldn’t be an honest assessment. While I enjoy Bruce’s Great Recession album from earlier this year, I just haven’t connected too much with the songs (of course, hearing them live is a whole ‘nother ball of wax – see above for my December 6th Bruce show). “Jack of All Trades” though, wow. A slow, dirge-like bass drum and piano start off the song. It builds and builds with each verse and ends with a forceful guitar solo from Tom Morello. The theme of strength, perseverance and optimism in the face of adversity is a common one in Bruce’s music, but he really connects with this tune in a goosebumps and tears kind of way.

    “I’m the jack of all trades / honey we’ll be alright”

    10. Album: Delta Spirit – ‘Delta Spirit

    deltaspirit1

    Matt Vasquez and company continue to evolve, refusing to stay pigeonholed the way some fans prefer (see Mirage Rock comments). “California” was the lead single and the most obvious stray from their former indie/folk sound – a more electronic modern pop sound. But they still rock out – “Money Saves” is one of my favorites, as are “Tear It Up” and “Tellin’ the Mind.” Nothing matches my three standout tracks from their last album, ‘History From Below‘ – “911”, “Bushwick Blues” and “Salt in the Wound” – but that’s not a knock on this record. I love a band that explores new territory and challenges themselves to try something new – Delta Spirit is a band I’ll be following for years to come.

    11. Album: Fred Eaglesmith – ‘6 Volts

    fredeaglesmith_6volts

    It wasn’t until about midway though the year that I reconnected with Canadian singer/songwriter Fred Eaglesmith. I listened to him in the late 90’s and early 00’s, but for some reason, I seemed to veer away. ‘6 Volts’ was released in January, and quickly reminded me what drew me to Fred: clever songwriting and storytelling, and great folk/root-rock sounds and rhythms. ‘”Betty” is a standout track from 6 Volts, with Fred conjuring up dark imagery on as cheerful a melody and cadence as possible: “Betty what’d you do with the gun? There’s strangers at my door / and there’s more where they come from / …was it the money, was it the drugs / was it somebody that you used to know / …Betty Betty why won’t you tell me”.

    12. AlbumTrampled by Turtles – ‘Stars and Satellites

    cover-stars-300px

    Straight out of Duluth, Minnesota, I became aware of Trampled by Turtles when I saw them at the 2011 Newport Folk Festival. I’ve seen categorizations bandied about in the past for this band, like “newgrass” and “speedgrass”… but with this year’s release, people will have to search for new adjectives. They jump into more rootsy, Americana-inspired territory here, bringing the tempo down with some great tunes like “Midnight on the Interstate”, “Alone”, “Widower’s Heart” and “Beautiful.” Of course, they haven’t abandoned their bluegrass roots, their banjo and fiddle players remain. So if you want your speed fix, listen to “Don’t Look Down” or “Walt Whitman.”

  • Rock n' Folk

    Recap: Band of Horses at the Marquee Theater in Tempe

    It was starting to feel like Band of Horses may never actually make it back to Phoenix. Last year, they were scheduled to open for Kings of Leon at Ashley Home Store Pavilion, but that got axed. Then this year, they were scheduled to play downtown Tempe as part of the second installment of the Railroad Revival Tour with Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, and actor/musician John C. Reilly, but that fell apart a few weeks prior to the October 26th date.

    Luckily, Band of Horses wasted no time and promptly booked gigs in the cancelled tour towns, including an October 26th stop at the Marquee Theater in Tempe. For fans like me, it was a big win, now getting a full headlining gig versus an abbreviated festival-like set.

    And so deliver they did, playing a roughly two hour set for (what had to be) a sold out crowd – the set list drawing from all four studio albums. In fact, at the end of the night, only four songs showed up from their latest release, Mirage Rock.

    Some friends and I got to spend about fifteen minutes chatting with lead singer Ben Bridwell after the show, and he talked about the fun they’re having with these last minute headlining dates. They’re giving themselves the freedom to relax, have some fun, and play outside of the box a little.

    It showed with the 23-song set list that included a couple of rarely seen covers: keyboardist/guitarist Ryan Monroe took to the organ for “Ain’t No Good To Cry,” a late 60’s tune by Hour Glass – the L.A. band that Gregg and Duane Allman were a part of before forming the Allman Brothers Band. How’s that for obscure? (Thanks to Ryan Monroe for the Twitter reply confirming the song name). The other cover was the encore finale, an old deep soul track called “Am I A Good Man?”, originally by a group called Them Two. They’ve pulled that one out quite a bit in the past.

    We got a song premiere too, “A Little Biblical” from Mirage Rock, a tune they had never performed live.

    But by and large, the band delivered lots of familiar Band of Horses favorites:

    • The night opener, “The First Song,” with Ben sitting down with this pedal steel.
    • “Marry Song,” with Ryan and Ben synched up perfectly with that gorgeous harmony.
    • “No One’s Gonna Love You,” a night highlight, with only Tyler Ramsey on guitar and Ben on vocals – a very intimate few minutes and clearly a crowd favorite.
    • Another slow burning highlight: “Detlef Schrempf,” where Ben came down to the crowd to share the mic during the chorus, letting crowd members sing “My eyes can’t look at you any other way…”- and by the way, I asked Ben after the show if former NBA star Detlef Schrempf knows there’s a song named after him. The answer is yes – Detlef and Ben keep still keep in touch, and try to hang out when Ben stops through Seattle.
    • “The Funeral” was the regular set closer, and since Ben’s amp blew out during the prior tune, it didn’t feature the familiar guitar riff from his Les Paul Standard. Instead, Ryan worked the riff on the organ. They may have stumbled on something there… very cool to see an oft-played tune done in a different style.

    Just an amazing night overall – for the super fans like me on down. And to be able to chat it up with Ben after the show was the icing on the cake – such a genuinely nice guy.

    Back in October 2008, on the morning after their Austin City Limits Festival set, I saw Ben in the Austin airport, so I went up and said hi. When I mentioned that encounter last night, unbelievably to me, he remembered meeting me on that bleary-eyed morning. So naturally, I asked him to reenact the photo we took in the airport. Kudos to Ben for removing his ball cap to style his hair a la 2008…

    2012

    2008

    Ben promised the crowd that it wouldn’t take so long for the band to make it back to the Phoenix area. From what I can find, the last time they were in Phoenix was a June 2006 stop at the Rhythm Room. That is a long time.

    Here’s hopin’ and beggin’ and prayin’ they stop through again soon. Special band. Special night.

    Band of Horses Web Site

    Band of Horses on Amazon

    Set List

    Marquee Theater
    Tempe, AZ
    Oct 26, 2012

    The First Song
    Laredo
    Great Salt Lake
    Islands on the Coast
    NW Apartment
    Electric Music
    Ain’t No Good To Cry (Hour Glass cover)
    Blue Beard
    Cigarettes Wedding Bands
    On My Way Back Home
    Marry Song
    Everything’s Gonna Be Undone
    Older
    Knock Knock
    A Little Biblical
    No One’s Gonna Love You
    Is There a Ghost
    Weed Party
    Ode to LRC
    The Funeral

    ~ Encore ~
    The General Specific
    Detlef Schrempf
    Am I A Good Man? (Them Two cover)

    ** Thanks to Nicole LaRochelle for some of the photos above.

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: June 10, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Wednesday Week” by Elvis Costello & The Attractions (from Armed Forces, 197)

    Holy mid-tune break down, Batman!

    “Midnight in a Perfect World (FUSO mix)” by DJ Shadow (from The DJ Shadow Remix Project, 2010)

    I remember the arrival of Shadow’s Endtroducing….. in 1996. I was working at a record store—and when I say record store, I mean a record store—and recall spinning the disc twice daily, trying to figure out how in the hell this guy was able to patch together elements from disparate sources into cohesive, and damn funky, tunes. Remember, these were the days before technology made it easy. I’m still in awe.

    “Lullabye” by Ben Folds Five (from The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999)

    I’ve never been much of a fan of Folds’ music. This tune, however, is lovely.

    “Lay Me Down” by The Frames (from For the Birds, 2001)

    Somewhere between The Commitments and The Swell Season, Glen Hansard was plenty busy putting out quality records with his band, The Frames.

    “Factory” by Band of Horses (from Infinite Arms, 2010)

    This week’s five came in like a lion, and is going out a lamb with the mellow lead-off track from Band of Horses’ latest, Infinite Arms.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Friday Five

    The Friday Five: January 21, 2011

    Friday Five

    Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.

    The Five:

    “Breakdown” by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (from The Live Anthology, 2009)

    Recorded in June of ‘81 at The Forum, in Los Angeles; this take simply smolders its way through six solid minutes of groove. It’s definitely a testament to the power of a solid shuffle. The “Hit the Road Jack” tag towards the end of the jam is a bonus. Despite having this in my collection for over year, I still haven’t listened to the entire collection.

    “I’ve Seen All Good People” by Yes (from Highlights: The Very Best of Yes, 1993)

    This is shaping up to be one of the longest shuffles in recent memory, clocking in at just shy of seven minutes, the prog-rock pledge of allegiance demands attention. Rise up! Grab your 12-string laúd and recorder and salute Roger Dean.

    Let’s hope for a shorter song to follow …

    “Infinite Arms” by Band of Horses (from Infinite Arms, 2010)

    Make that the Grammy Nominated album, Infinite Arms. Dreamy and serene, this is probably the closest tie on the record to their impeccable debut, Everything All the Time. Naturally, it is a favorite of mine. The crickets at the close remind me of being a kid sitting out on the back lawn

    “Delicate” by Damien Rice (from B-Sides, 2004)

    Another live performance, this time from perennial Irish sad bastard, Damien Rice. That’s not to say that Ireland isn’t teeming with sad bastards, that is; rather, to say Mr. Rice is famously especially sorrowful in his bastard ways. Add to the fact that this version of “Delicate” is played just a hair slower than the original, amping up the dirge quality.

    “Candy” by The Silver Seas (from Château Revenge!, 2010)

    Ahh … a perfect power pop song close to what was becoming a very heavy Friday Five. I’m sure I’ve shared the story of how I came to know and love The Silver Seas, so I’ll spare you all the gory details, but I will share that the band has just released a brand-spanking new “3 AM” version of Château Revenge! for your listening pleasure. You can hop on over to http://chateaurevenge.com/ and pick up the “Blue” as well as the original “Red” versions of the record. It came in at number two on my Top 12 of 2010, and is a must-listen.

    What’s on your shuffle today?

  • Rock n' Folk

    Infinite Arms

    Exactly two years have passed since I became enamored with Band of Horses (the cool thing about having a music blog is the ability to track your evolution as a music geek). It really clicked when I picked up Cease to Begin, then watched this in-store performance at Amoeba Records in Hollywood. Beautiful melodies & harmonies soaked in a classic, southern, indie rock vibe – the focal point being front man Ben Bridwell and his Voice from the Heavens.

    In the 24 months since, I have devoured their two albums, seen them play in Austin, and signed on as a lifelong fan. So obviously, I was good n’ ready for the release of their third album, Infinite Arms, on May 18th.

    Over the last month, BoH debuted the first three tracks of the record – “Factory”, “Compliments” and “Laredo” – on their web site. Great tunes, and it’s fun to get a sneak peek, but as hard as it is to do, I wish the band would’ve held their cards until release day so I could be hearing the entire album for the first time. Of course, no one forced me to listen to the early released tracks – but come on, what’s a guy gonna do – ignore them for 3-4 weeks?

    But I’ve listened enough times now that these first three tunes now seem more woven into the fabric of the album than separate entities, like they first felt. Don’t worry, I’m in a good place now.

    “Factory” leads off the record, features strings, and a great opening line: “The elevator in the hotel lobby has a lazy door.” This is one of the “growers” for me – one of those songs you’re not crazy about initially, but grow on you the more you listen. There’s a definite sadness to the song. Ben Bridwell’s lyrics center around a man who has left his lady, and is shacking up in a hotel…

    It’s temporary, this place I’m in
    I permanently won’t do this again
    My belongings scattered across the hotel floor

    And any thoughts of a happy ending and a return home are squashed with this last part:

    Well I feel awful, and I believe
    Time gets wasted in this misery
    And darling I never wanna come back home

    “Compliments” is another song that reaches into deeper and darker territory. “If there’s a God up in the air / someone looking over everyone / at least you’ve got something to fall back on… I bet you get a lot of compliments down there”. Can’t figure out if Ben’s writing about a dame who turned to the dark side. But this also ain’t no love song – that’s for damn sure.

    “Laredo” seems the most familiar of the bunch, which makes sense, being so similar to “Weed Party” – same rhythm, very similar riffs and chord structure. And I have no problem with that.. a spirited, get out on the road vibe. And still, another about escapism – and from what I’m gathering, about putting an end to it all.  There’s talk of kitchen knives, bullets, and getting thrown in the deep part of the lake. Shit, maybe he shouldn’t take a trip to Laredo…

    “Blue Beard”. Beautiful. I’m a sucker for Ben’s voice when things slow down and his multi-tracked voice shines – and this is the first moment of the record when this happens. The first few seconds will remind you Indie-minded folks of Fleet Foxes (though every choral-type harmony these days seems to draw comparisons to FF by default). Oh yeah, there’s an underlying sadness to this one too.

    The midwestern sky is gray and cold
    The sun never shines but that’s alright
    And I couldn’t find the letters you wrote me too
    What did you write? Where’d you go?
    Well I don’t know.

    “On My Way Back Home” is another beauty, starting slow and picking up tempo. Ben’s voice starts in an even higher register than normal. If I was put in charge of sequencing this album (and I’m sure I’ll have my day), this would’ve served admirably as the album closer.

    “Infinite Arms” starts softly with acoustic guitars and chirping birds. Pondering life’s questions, man’s mortality, and returning to the refrain: “When my thoughts drift to you”. This line stuck out to me. Simple, poignant, intense. Really cool imagery here, and so open to interpretation:

    I love the morning
    I like to listen
    to 4am birdies begging to feed
    Now there’s something here before me
    a figure i think
    Isn’t there a warning?
    Something to drink?
    My God
    My God

    When my thoughts drift to you

    Hmm, the “figure” there before him. The grim reaper maybe? This is how it ends?

    “Dilly” has a fun little groove to it. Ben co-wrote it with guitarist Tyler Ramsey. Again, open to interpretation. Take the chorus: “”It really took a tall one to see it / two to believe it / three to just get in the way”. At a loss really to what it means, but I’m going to enjoy repeat listens and try to figure it out. “Dilly” may be the most pop-oriented of the bunch.

    “Evening Kitchen” is a quiet one – acoustic guitar & vocals – written and sung by Tyler Ramsey. Ben and keyboard man Ryan Monroe add harmonies. Interesting tune. Outside of the harmonies from Ben, it’s a departure from the BoH sound.

    “Older”, ahh “Older”. The band played this song when I stood feet away from the stage at their 2008 ACL Festival set. I even captured some amateur vid. LOVE this song. Ryan Monroe sings the lead (he wrote the song) and plays the B3 –  and Ben kills on the harmony.  An amazing song, and I’m happy to see it on this record.

    “For Annabelle”, another co-writing credit with Ben and Tyler, features Tyler’s great acoustic guitar work, the churn of Ryan’s B3, and some great harmonies with the boys.

    “NW Apt.” – I was reading a review of the record on Songs by Toad, and a commenter called this song a “blatant Grandaddy ripoff.” I love me some Grandaddy, and he’s right about the similarity – it could easily be Jason Lytle singing this song.

    “Neighbor” channels the spirits of Bartles and Jaymes (those fellas still around?), referencing them in the chorus. It’s hard for me not to think back to the album closers of their previous two records: the songs “St. Augustine” and “Windows Blues” – the latter song arguably my favorite BoH song of them all – gentle, sublime and damn near perfect. So while “Neighbor” is a good enough tune, it doesn’t wrap up the album like the other two songs close their respective albums.

    All in all, the album is seeping into my pores with each listen. I’ll admit I bought this disk on Tuesday with some pretty high expectations. Everything All The Time and Cease to Begin were an amazing one-two punch, and I was instantly drawn to songs like “Monsters”, “Marry Song”, “I Go To The Barn Because I Like The”, “Part One”, and of course “Windows Blues” (huh, those are the slower ones, go figure). So maybe I was seeking out that same experience with this record – expecting to be promptly bowled over by some of the songs.

    The dynamics, however, have changed. The supporting cast surrounding Ben is different, and it’s more of a collaborative effort, with Tyler Ramsey and Ryan Monroe contributing songs, and the band self-producing a lot of the record (along with original producer Phil Ek). If you mix up the formula, your results will be different.

    The mainstay through it all, though, and frankly the heart and soul of this band, is Ben Bridwell. His voice is one I’ll be enjoying for the rest of my life, thank you very much. And it’s his presence that makes Band of Horses something very special, and Infinite Arms a solid record overall – one that will continue to evolve along with the rest of us.

    Buy Infinite Arms (Amazon)

    Check out the Official Web Site of Band of Horses.

  • Indie

    Band of Horses: Laredo on Letterman

    They made the record, now it’s time to sell!

    Band of Horses showed up last night on Letterman to perform “Laredo”. Of note: Tyler Ramsey’s finger pickin’ electric guitar work, Ben Bridwell’s determined delivery, and Bill Reynolds’ get-up. Looks like Bill could have walked out of the Ed Sullivan Theater and straight onto the set of Boogie Knights. Slick, man!

  • Rock

    Super Tuesday: Band of Horses, Stones, ACL lineup

    May 18th – a date I’ve have had marked on my calendar most of this year, since learning that…

    a) Infinite Arms, the third album by Band of Horses, is released (check out the CD or the Deluxe Box Set on Amazon).

    b) The remastered edition of the Stones classic Exile on Main Street is released (check out the deluxe version or thr Super Deluxe Edition on Amazon).

    c) The Austin City Limits Music Festival – which I will be attending for the third time – releases its lineup (check out the ACL Festival site). Pre-announcement rumors are pointing to Phish, the Eagles, Muse, and the Flaming Lips, among others. In fact, USA Today posted this on Monday night.

  • Rock n' Folk

    New Band of Horses – “Laredo”

    It’s mid-April, and though the whole album doesn’t release until May 18th, Ben and the boys at Band of Horses have bestowed upon us another track from Infinite Arms. “Laredo” doesn’t stray far from the Band of Horses “sound” (if you can call it that) – that mellow folk-rock vibe spearheaded by Ben Bridwell’s crystalline higher register voice.

    The song is for sale on iTunes. Go git.