The Dark Stuff

St. Vincent on Conan

2012-01-17T12:00:00.001-06:00

Love love love! the little tribute to Elvis Costello she does before starting her song, "Cheerleader."

The Mighty Van Halen Return

2012-01-11T12:51:00.000-06:00

I, for one, have never liked the band Van Halen since David Lee Roth left in 1985. I never liked Van Hagar, and I never even heard the record VH did with Gary Cherone. Totally didn't care (especially since a few months before VH had released two new songs with Roth before they told him they didn't want him back in the band).

As the years wore on and VH went back to Hagar after Cherone, I assumed a full-blown reunion of the original line-up of the band was never going to happen. Until it did in 2007. Sort of. Roth came back for a tour, but bassist Michael Anthony was replaced by Edward Van Halen's son, Wolfgang. Despite the change, and the inclusion of a 17 year old in the band, I still loved the reunion tour. Van Halen was, and always will be, Edward Van Halen and David Lee Roth. They wrote all the classic songs together, and they created the sound and style that spawned a million imitators. Literally.

The band is now on the verge of releasing its first album with Roth since 1984's 1984 album. It has been a really long time. The first single and video has been released ("Tattoo") and the reaction has been mixed. When I posted it on my Facebook page, most of the comments were negative. My feeling is that it sounds like what a Van Halen in its 50s would sound like. It has been nearly 30 years since these guys were at their zenith. I, for one, did not expect the band to just zap back in time and become guys in their 20s again. No one can do that. Supposedly, much of the rest of the album is comprised of older songs the band wrote but never used back in the 70s and early 80s. I am curious to see if those sound "vintage" or more modern like "Tattoo."

The song itself is okay. The video is better. I can't help it. I just love Diamond Dave. That guy is infinitely entertaining. What do you think of the song and video?

fIREHOSE To Reunite For Coachella

2012-01-11T11:26:00.000-06:00

Rumors had been swirling around the interweb that seminal punk/funk/folk band fIREHOSE would reunite for some concerts in 2012. The band, featuring ex-Minutemen Mike Watt and George Hurley along with Ed "fROMOHIO" Crawford, played from 1986 until 1994, and made five full length albums and two EPs.

Since the break-up of fIREHOSE, Mike Watt has rarely discussed the band, though he often still talks about Minutemen, and his solo career. George Hurley and Ed Crawford have largely disappeared from public life. According to Verbicide Magazine, a reunion show has already been booked for Sacramento, California in April. fIREHOSE is also on the schedule for this year's Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California.

So far, there is no information on any shows beyond these. Fingers crossed.

Guided By Voices On Letterman

2012-01-04T10:05:00.000-06:00

Indie legends Guided By Voices appeared on Letterman last night. This performance is notable for many things, but probably most notable for bass player Greg Demos falling on his ass during the song.

Top 50 Albums of 2011 (10 - 1)

2011-12-28T15:25:00.000-06:00

Male Bonding - Endless Now

10) Male Bonding - Endless Now (Sub Pop) : Endless Now is the second album from this UK trio. The band's music is a slight throwback to the noise pop of the 90s (i.e. Dinosaur Jr.); but Male Bonding give it a twist of punk and a hint of shoegaze to make it their own.

09) Maritime - Human Hearts (Dangerbird): On the fourth album from Milwaukee's Maritime, the band finally hits it on all cylinders. The band features two former members of The Promise Ring, so you know the songs will be catchy as all hell. With Human Hearts, Maritime exceeds their previous band for the first time. If it were not for the upcoming Promise Ring reunion, Maritime would finally be judged solely on its own merits. Funny how things work out like that.

08) The Joy Formidable - The Big Roar (Canvasback/Atlantic): If you are fan of the classic shoegaze bands of the early 90s (i.e. Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine), then you will no doubt find a lot to love about the debut album from Welsh trio, The Joy Formidable. As the title states, the album is a big roar...of guitars right in your face. If these guys (and gal) are this good on their debut album, imagine what will come next!

07) Tommy Stinson - One Man Mutiny (Done To Death): Stinson's second solo album is another high water mark on his post-Replacements career. Sadly, with Stinson's busy schedule (he plays in both Guns 'N Roses and Soul Asylum), there will be little promotion for this record and few will ever hear it. For this collection, Tommy still shows his appreciation for the music of The Faces; but like his previous solo record, Village Gorilla Head, Stinson shows his progress as a songwriter and musician by going beyond the range of his influences.

06) Arctic Monkeys - Suck It and See (Domino): I have to say that I have no idea why Arctic Monkeys are not rock stars in America. In fact, this band could barely get arrested in most of this country, while it enjoys massive success in its native UK and much of Europe. Suck It and See, the Monkeys fourth, is chock full of singles. American radio could really use a dose of these guys in regular rotation. The band's merging of 90s indie rock with classic Britpop and the sounds of The Smiths, make for some mighty fine listening.

05) Dum Dum Girls - Only In Dreams (Sub Pop): Dum Dum Girls debut album, I Will Be, was #47 in my Top 50 of 2010. In retrospect, it should have been higher. Regardless, for the second album, Only In Dreams, the group continues in the same vein as the debut (classic 60's girl group mixed with garage rock) but exceeds it to a great degree. The elements are all the same, but the writing is what propels this record and what makes it stronger than the already stellar debut.

04) Middle Brother - Middle Brother (Partisan): Very is an artist's "side project" on par with its main project, so consider Middle Brother an exception to the rule. A major exception. The group consists of John J. McCauley III of Deer Tick, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit - all fantastic bands in their own right. The combination of the three is fantastic and the music does not come across as that of three solo artists working together (as, say, Monsters of Folk did), but of a group of guys who have played together for years. Fans of Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, and The Replacements will thoroughly enjoy this record. Speaking of The Replacements, Middle Brother an amazing cover of that band's 1989 outtake, "Portland." It is unbelievably awesome.

03) Wilco - The Whole Love (Anti): Wilco's The Whole Love continues the band's decade and a half creative hot streak with yet another powerful and beautiful collection of Jeff Tweedy songs. Excluding the album's epic opener, "Art of Almost," and its twelve + minute closer, "One Sunday Morning (song for Jane Smiley's boyfriend)," any of these songs would fit in perfectly on rock or classic rock radio. They sound instantly timeless. Wilco is, perhaps, the greatest band of the current era, yet few people outside of the indie/alternative world know them due to a nearly total radio boycott. Sad.

2) Deer Tick - Divine Providence (Partisan): I had been hearing a lot about Providence, Rhode Island's Deer Tick over the last few years, but I guess I'd never really listened to them. That was before I heard Middle Brother (see #4) which features DT's main man, Jon McCauley. It took a side project to make me listen to the main project...and I am very thankful that it happened. Simply put, Deer Tick sounds like a combination of two of my favorite bands: The Replacements and Uncle Tupelo. Considering it has been decades since both of those bands broke-up, I don't know if those are good comparisons for someone aged 18 or so. But really, music like this just isn't made any more. Passionate, reckless, intense, emotional, rockin', drunk, clever, stupid, inspiring...all those words could be used to describe the music of Deer Tick. Bottom line, however, if the idea of Paul Westerberg singing lead for Uncle Tupelo sounds like something you might like...I suggest you grab this record immediately.

1) St. Vincent - Strange Mercy (4AD): Here we are at the top spot. I pretty much figured as soon as I heard the album once that St. Vincent's third release, Strange Mercy, was going to end up being my favorite record of the year. Hell, the first time I heard the advance track, "Surgeon," I predicted it. And now, after listening to the record about 50 times, I confirmed my earlier suspicion...We are living in the St. Vincent era. Annie Clark's thoroughly original compositions, brilliant lyrics (though usually not about what you think they are about), and fantastic guitar playing, make St. Vincent's music so enjoyable. Many hear similarities to Kate Bush, and I understand that, to a point. But Kate Bush can't wail on guitar, and she doesn't do cover songs by Big Black and Tom Waits in her live show. There really is no comparison.

D. Boon Passed Away 26 Years Ago Today

2011-12-22T11:18:00.000-06:00

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the untimely passing of Minutemen frontman D. Boon. It is still a huge loss all these years later.

Top 50 Albums of 2011 (25-11)

2011-12-22T11:08:00.002-06:00

Ryan Adams - "Ashes & Fire"

25) Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire (Capitol)
24) Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys (Atlantic)
23) Bright Eyes - The People's Key (Saddle Creek)
22) Boston Spaceships - Let It Beard (GBV)
21) Okkervil River - I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)
20) Portugal. The Man - In The Mountain. In the Cloud (Atlantic)

Rave On Buddy Holly tribute

19) Various Artists - Rave On Buddy Holly (Fantasy)
18) The Decemberists - The King Is Dead (Capitol)
17) Telekinesis - 12 Desperate Straight Lines (Merge)
16) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Mirror Traffic (Matador)
15) Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose (Oh Wow Dang)
14) Girl In A Coma - Exits and All The Rest (Blackheart)
13) The Kills - Blood Pressures (Domino)
12) YACHT - Shangri-La (DFA)
11) Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Scandalous (Lost Highway)

Top 50 Albums of 2011 (50 - 26)

2011-12-20T10:13:00.000-06:00

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

50) R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now (Warner Bros)
49) Kaki King - Junior (Rounder)
48) Buffalo Tom - Skins (Scrawny)
47) Battles - Gloss Drop (Warp)
46) Obits - Moody, Standard and Poor (Sub Pop)
45) Rubblebucket - Omega La La (Megaforce)
44) Lex Land - Were My Sweetheart To Go... (Intelligent Noise)
43) Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts (Matador)

UME - Phantoms

42) UME - Phantoms (Modern Outsider)
41) Jeff The Brotherhood - We Are The Champions (Infinity Cat)
40) The Feelies - Here Before (Bar None)
39) Old 97's - The Grand Theater Vol. 2 (New West)
38) My Morning Jacket - Circuital (ATO)
37) Blitzen Trapper - American Goldwing (Sub Pop)
36) Various Artists - SPIN Presents Newermind: A Tribute (SPIN)
35) Noah's Ark Was A Spaceship - Hanga-Fang (Slumber Party)
34) The Ettes - Wicked Will (Krian)

Jolie Holland - Pint of Blood

33) Jolie Holland - Pint of Blood (Anti)
32) Ringo Deathstarr - Colour Trip (Sonic Unyon)
31) Wild Flag - Wild Flag (Merge)
30) Low - C'mon (Sub Pop)
29) Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours (Geffen)
28) Radiohead - The King of Limbs (ATO)
27) TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light (Interscope)
26) J Mascis - Several Shades of Why (Sub Pop)

Guided By Voices Cancels European Dates - Break Up Rumors Abound

2011-12-07T09:50:00.000-06:00

Guided By Voices just made a big announcement on its Facebook page that could signal the end of the band (the band which reunited in 2010-11 and has just completed a new album). I know they say they are not breaking up, but what "personal reasons" would keep them from appearing other than a break-up?

"Unfortunately Guided By Voices are canceling their appearances at Primavera and ATP/I'll Be Your Mirror, due to personal reasons. The band apologizes for any inconvenience and disappointment, and thanks Primavera, ATP and the fans for their longterm support.

Guided by Voices have not split up and continue to work on new material together. In addition to the album release of Let's Go Eat the Factory for January, the band are at work on another album, Class Clown Spots A UFO, which will be released in May. Robert Pollard will also be releasing a solo album, Mouseman Cloud in March."

Ace Has No Regrets

2011-11-15T13:39:00.000-06:00

Ace Frehley is out and about promoting his new book. He appeared on Fox News.

Looking For A Safe Investment? Then Buy the New Deer Tick CD

2011-11-05T10:49:00.000-05:00

I have been playing the new Deer Tick CD, Divine Providence, virtually non-stop for the last few weeks. When I eventually make my list of the best albums of 2011, I think the choice will be between this and St. Vincent's Strange Mercy for the top spot.

What does Deer Tick sound like? Imagine Paul Westerberg singing for Uncle Tupelo.

I know, right?

Drive-By Truckers and Those Darlins Deliver the Goods...And Then Some

2011-10-27T16:42:00.001-05:00

Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley 10/26/11

Saw a fantastic show last night at Slowdown featuring Alt-country heavyweights Drive-By Truckers and Nashville's new indie/garage phenoms Those Darlins. It was fantastic night for rock 'n roll, and if you have a chance to see either band, make it a point to do so. Let's begin with my new rockin' girlfriends (+ 1 gentlemen), Those Darlins.

Those Darlins 10/26/11 at Slowdown

At nine on the dot, Nashville's Those Darlins took the stage, and I have to admit, I was not prepared for how good this band was. I have heard their newest record, Screws Get Loose, and have played the song, "BUMD" on my radio show a couple of times. But the live experience made the music connect with me much more than the record had.

The band mixes garage rock with 60s girl group sounds and adds a hint of country for good measure. All three of the frontwomen sing, and Kelley and Nikki Darlin alternate between bass and guitar. Both are great players. Guitarist/singer Jessi Darlin handles most of the vocals, and is truly mesmerizing on stage. For the past two years now, St. Vincent's Annie Clark has been my rock n' roll crush object, but after last night's show, Jessi Darlin might take the top spot. Congratulations, Jessi. You deserve everything that comes with this high honor. Nudge nudge, wink wink.

Jessi Darlin (left) and Kelley Darlin

Those Darlins seemed like they were having a ton of fun on stage, and really got into their performance. That always makes a difference with me. They played my fave song off the new record ("BUMD"), and enticed me into buying their first album. After the show, I was able to chat for a while with Nikki and Kelley. They were both very nice and generous with their time. I can't wait for them to return.

I made a short video from my iphone of the band's last song. The sound is shit because I was so close, but you get the idea of how energetic the band is on stage. After that video is the band's official video for the title track to the new record.

Last night was my third Drive-By Truckers show, and it was easily the best. Before the show, I had the chance to hang out some with band leader Patterson Hood, as we have a mutual friend. The guy was so nice, and very well informed on a number of things besides rock music. Talking to him gave me more insight into the man, his background, and his music. I consider myself much more of a fan after last night.

Patterson Hood rocks out in Omaha

It would be hard for me to say what the band did or did not play, as I am very bad with song titles. However, my favorite DBT song, "Aftermath USA," was not played. Still, the set was so good, it is hardly worth complaining. In this day and age, band seem to play no longer than 70 minutes or so. Drive-By Truckers played over two hours, and not a minute was wasted. Powerful show.

After the show, I grabbed a copy of the band's CD/DVD, Live in Austin,. TX, recorded for Austin City Limits. Though the crowd was a little lighter than the last DBT show, I think they made up for it by being extra enthusiastic. I have to imagine that the band noticed and appreciated it. I sure hope so, anyway.

While I am suffering today from all that rocking out last night, I would not have traded the experience for anything. A big thank-you to Those Darlins and Drive-By Truckers. Cheers.

The Lemonheads Return For 20th Anniversary of "It's A Shame..."

2011-10-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

Without question, one of the best albums of the 1990s was It's a Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads. The record is a pop masterpiece, with every single song standing out. The album is brief - a mere 33 minutes if I remember correctly - which makes listening to the entire thing quite easy. Later editions tacked on The Lemonheads' cover of "Mrs. Robinson" at the end (which became a hit for the band), but it was an unnecessary edition.

The Lemonheads only recorded two more albums before retiring (and then returning with a great one in '06) in 1998. As good as those records were, they didn't match the consistency and brilliance of Shame. Someone else must believe this, too, as it has just been announced that The Lemonheads will be doing a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release. Evan Dando and whoever he is playing with at the time will be playing It's a Shame About Ray in its entirety on the tour. Seeing as the album is barely over a half hour in length, I imagine they will be playing some other songs, as well.

The tour dates can be found here. Obviously, I am most excited about the Jan 26, 2012 show at The Waiting Room in Omaha. What makes it even more exciting is that Evan Dando has had something of a meltdown the last two times he played in Omaha. Here is my review of the last "incident." Will Dando make it three out of three? I guess we'll find out January 26!

If Only...

2011-10-21T09:31:00.000-05:00

Is This Really The End of Sonic Youth?

2011-10-19T15:20:00.001-05:00

Sonic Youth's founders Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon

Word came last week that punk rock's power couple Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth were breaking up. After a 30 year relationship, a 27 year marriage, and a daughter together, the rock 'n' roll relationship that defined the US underground was coming to an end.

In a brief statement from the band's record label, it was announced that, in addition to the break up of the relationship, the future of the band is in limbo. There are some South American tour dates in November which will feature both Thurston and Kim, but, "Plans beyond that (November) tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment."

I can't tell you how sad this makes me. I don't know either Kim or Thurston and have no idea who they really are as people. I know nothing about their relationship or about any troubles they were having. Yet, I am still very disappointed that their marriage didn't make it.

Despite not knowing them personally, I still feel very connected to them through their music. It was so inspiring to see this band, after 30 years, making music as good as they ever had. The band's 2009 album, The Eternal, is among its best ever. Onstage, the band was awe inspiring. I caught them last year in Las Vegas at Matador Records 21st birthday festival. They rocked harder - in their fifties - than any of the bands 20-30 years younger.

Sonic Youth is one of my all-time favorite bands. I like them so much, and feel that they exemplify so much of what I like about rock music, that I have ended every single one of my radio shows with a Sonic Youth song. Six and a half years in, and I still do it.

Bands like Superchunk, No Doubt, and Fleetwood Mac (to name but three) all survived breakups of band members. But none of those relationships were a 27 year marriage. This is a whole new level of break-up. I honestly do not see how Sonic Youth could continue without either Kim or Thurston. It would so alter the chemistry of the band as to make it almost unrecognizable. And I can only guess how difficult it would be to write, tour, and record with an ex-spouse and have to see them every single day. I hope that this does not mean the band is over, but I fear it will.

If a break up is imminent, at least the band will have left behind some stellar work, and some of the most influential rock music of all time. And its 30 year career has not been one of some great work early on, and the rest is crap. This band started good, got great, and became mind blowing.

There is not much more I can say. I am sorry to hear this news, but glad they left so much behind. Here is a 1994 video for "Bull in the Heather," featuring a pregnant Kim Gordon on bass. Enjoy.

Goodbye, R.E.M.

2011-09-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

R.E.M. 1980-2011

Legendary alternative rock band R.E.M. has announced it is breaking up. In an announcement posted on its website, R.E.M. said, "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished."

Bummer.

My (Better Late Than Never) Wrap-Up of MAHA 2011

2011-08-18T12:37:00.001-05:00

The mid day crowd at MAHA 2011 during Rev. Horton Heat

This year's annual MAHA Music Festival is history, so I figured I should get my two cents in on the event before it becomes ancient history, and talk turns to MAHA 2012. This year's festival was great, despite the mixed bag of a line-up, and the strange use of the "local" stage. I will explain what I mean later on.

The weather was beautiful for the festival, and I really could not have asked for more. Well, actually, I could have, but it is doubtful I would have gotten anything different. Stinson Park at Aksarben Village was a great spot for the show. It was my first time to the area, and I liked it. The only drawback is that the park is so new that all of the trees are infants. There was literally no shade in the entire park. In 20 years, this won't be an issue, but in the meantime, bring sunscreen! Because the entire area is covered in grass, it is a better spot for sitting and watching the show than Lewis & Clark Landing where previous festivals were held (before the flooding).

As I said before, the line-up was a mixed bag. I really don't like Matisyahu, and his inclusion on the bill changed the nature of the festival slightly. He definitely put some butts in the seats, as it were, but I doubt his fans were all that into folks like J. Mascis and Guided By Voices.

There was a decent representation of local/regional talent at MAHA this year; but once again, the main stage spot given to a newer local/regional band is the worst time slot of the entire day. For example, Des Moines indie rockers, The Envy Corps, was given a main stage spot (like It's True had been the year before). They went on first with almost no one in attendance. Because the local stage was located just to the left of the main stage, and nothing runs concurrently, locals who played later in the day on the smaller stage, had a much better crowd. If given the choice between the main stage at 1 pm or the local stage at 5pm, the local stage is clearly the better deal. I wish there was some way to fix that and to make an early main stage spot better, but I'm not sure how they could avoid this issue next year, too.

J. Mascis gave an impressive performance despite sitting the whole time

So, I missed The Envy Corps, and any locals who played before the second main stage act, Reverend Horton Heat, took the stage. I've never been a big fan of the Rev, so I hung back and scouted out the park while he played. Local band So-So Sailors played next on the side stage. SSS is the new band featuring Ladyfinger (ne) lead singer, Chris Machmuller. He really gets a chance to show his musical diversity and his vocal range in this band. They were good, and I will definitely be seeing them again.

Indie rock legend J Mascis was up next on the main stage. No one seemed to know, for sure, whether the Dinosaur Jr. frontman was doing a "solo acoustic" or "solo electric" set. Turns out, it was a bit of both. J played sitting down with a music stand in front of him, and strumming an acoustic guitar. However, the acoustic guitar was plugged in with an electric rig which gave him the ability to switch between a more traditional acoustic sound, and one with distortion and effects. Mascis switched back and forth effortlessly. On many songs, he would start off acoustically, and with the help of some sort of digital delay, would loop his rhythm part, turn on the distortion, and rip an electric solo. It was just like having two guitar players up there.

Mascis's set consisted of cuts from his newest solo record, Several Shades of Why, and many Dinosaur Jr. classics. "Get Me" was a highlight, as was his cover of "Friends" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. Despite my contention that artists should never sit down during a concert, I still really enjoyed J's set.

GBV's "classic" line-up: Tobin, Bob, Mitch, and Greg

After Mascis and another local on the side stage came Cursive. Living in Omaha, I am able to see Cursive more frequently than most. This show was special in that original drummer, Clint Schnase, returned just for this event. Still, I must admit that I hung back in the concession area and talked to friends during their set. It sounded great (and loud), but visually, I saw nothing.

After a truly awful local jam band called Somasphere (I literally could not tell when one song ended and the next began), Guided By Voices was next up on the main stage. Though GBV was technically the headliner of the festival, they played before Matisyahu due to his unwillingness to play before sundown (in keeping with his religious beliefs). A decent sized core of obsessive GBV fans (myself included) lined up in front of the stage, anxiously awaiting the start of what was said to be the band's third-to-last ever performance.

Robert Pollard and Mitch Mitchell rock out!

GBV hit the stage around 8:15 or so, and the crowd went nuts when they walked out. For an older guy who used to be a 4th grade teacher, Robert Pollard has a serious swagger! The band ripped through hit after hit from their "classic" period (92-97), and rarely slowed down to take a breath. Pollard was a little light on the banter, but he did take time to mention how much he liked Omaha, and to welcome Nebraska into the Big Ten.

The sun went down as Pollard and Co. finished their set

Guided By Voices played until the sun went down and had the crowd eating up every note. As the set went on, Pollard kept up his drinking and joked about the "scientist juice" (aka Tequila) he was drinking before the classic, "I Am a Scientist." Ultimately, the band played for a little over an hour. I would have liked more, of course, but there was a city imposed curfew of 11:00, and Matisyahu had yet to perform.

After GBV's set, I quickly ran to the merch table to see if I could get some GBV gear. Sadly, there were nothing bigger than a "large" left, and it has been a little while since I could fit into something that size. Oh, well. I bailed before Matisyahu even began.

I have heard crowd estimates in the 4,000 range which is respectable, but lower than last year. This is likely due to the fact that there wasn't a bigger headliner. As much as I love GBV, they are not popular enough to headline an entire festival. Last year had Spoon. This year, indie oriented headliners like The Decemberists, Bright Eyes, The Strokes, Vampire Weekend, etc. were either already booked or had been in the area recently. Hopefully, next year the organizers will snag a headliner early. And hopefully, there will be a next year. Until then...

St. Vincent Is About To Hit the Big Time!

2011-08-17T15:08:00.001-05:00

Pretty much my favorite artist of the last 3-4 years is St. Vincent. I first saw her as the opening act for The National at the Slowdown in Omaha. I had heard cuts from her debut album, Marry Me, and thought they were good. I did not become a ~~borderline obsessed~~ fan until after that concert.

That show changed a few things for me, actually. After St. Vincent's amazing performance - alone on stage with just her guitar and digital gadgetry - I really "got" her record, and realized that there was no one out there in the vast indie rock universe that doing anything remotely similar to what she was doing. Beyond that, my opinion of The National was forever changed. They seemed so boring and predictable after St. Vincent's opening set, and I don't think I've liked them as much since that night. Sorry, guys.

St. Vincent performing "Paris Is Burning" July 2007.

I saw St. Vincent twice on tour in support of her second album, Actor. This time, she had a band in tow. The band was excellent, and the shows were even more exciting. The crowds, I had noticed, were getting larger each time I saw her. Without having to focus on so many things at once, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent) was able to focus more on her guitar playing. It was obvious that she was talented that first night I saw her, but in this context, her playing seemed to go another level.

St. Vincent on Austin City Limits performing "Marrow."

St. Vincent is on the verge of releasing her third album, Strange Mercy. The first single, "Surgeon," is available for free at strangemercy.com. I think this may be the one that puts her over the top. Though her audience has primarily come from the indie world, St. Vincent's music has as much mainstream appeal as bands like Talking Heads did in their day. The eclectic mix of sounds and styles can put off less adventurous mainstream music listeners, when you add in her looks (sorry, I stated the obvious - she is a beautiful woman) and her tenacity, I think she will be one of those rare indie artists that crosses over.

September 13 is the official release date for Strange Mercy. I command you to buy this record as soon as humanly possible.

Blitzen Trapper TONIGHT at Slowdown

2011-07-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

Portland, Oregon indie rockers Blitzen Trapper, who record for the legendary Sub Pop label, are in Omaha tonight for a return engagement at The Slowdown. Tickets are still available for $13.

Here is a video for one of the band's best tunes, "Black River Killer":

St. Vincent Finishes Third Album

2011-07-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

The thoroughly unique pop stylings of St. Vincent will be making a return to record stores, concert halls, and radio airwaves this Fall when she releases her third album, Strange Mercy, on September 13.

Tour dates in support of the new album have just been announced, as well. The dates begin in earnest October 2 in Minneapolis. See the rest of the dates here.

Here is St. Vincent's video for "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood" from the previous album, Actor.

R.I.P. Michael "Wurzel" Burston

2011-07-11T15:26:00.001-05:00

Wurzel, guitarist for Motorhead from 1985-1995, has died at age 61 from a ventricular fibrillation. When he joined Motorhead in 1985, he ushered in the two guitarist period for the band. His first appearance with Motorhead was on its infamous performance on the classic UK comedy, The Young Ones.

You Really Need To Grab Bob Mould's New Book

2011-07-08T15:23:00.000-05:00

I've been a fan of Bob Mould's music for more than 20 years as of the time of this writing. Hüsker Dü, Mould's seminal 1980s punk band, broke up during my sophomore year of high school (1987) just as I was losing interest in the heavy metal of my youth, and learning to love punk and "college" rock. The Hüskers, as they were affectionately known back then, were one of the first bands that really connected with me after I gave up on metal. The band had much of the same power and energy that I liked in traditional hard rock, but the lyrics dealt with more than getting fucked, getting fucked up, or driving around looking for girls. I have nothing against any of those things, but one can only take so many songs about the same topic.

Hüsker Dü's songs were sometimes political, yet they were not a political band. Most of the songs dealt with personal politics, or the way people treat one another, and the way we, as people, expect to be treated by others. Both Mould, and his song writing rival, drummer Grant Hart, were strong lyricists that wrote about similar things in different ways. Mould was always more direct and overtly (it seemed) autobiographical, whereas Hart's songs seemed more abstract lyrically. The difference served the band well, and is a big part of the reason Hüsker Dü's music is still as relevant today as it was in the 80s.

Beyond the lyrics, Bob Mould has always been an innovative and unique guitar player, as well. Hell, he shreds! The guy is a powerhouse on his instrument of choice. The band's sound - a mix of ferocious, guitar driven punk rock with Beatle-y melodic tinges - served as the basic blueprint for what we think of as "alternative rock" nowadays. There would be no Pixies, no Nirvana, no Green Day, or no Blink 182 (just to name a few) without Hüsker Dü. Just as The Velvet Underground and The Stooges paved the way for all the punk rock of the 70s and 80s, the Hüskers did the same for the late 80s and the 90s.

Once I discovered bands like Hüsker Dü, how could I ever go back to Dokken or Cinderella? I mean, seriously.

After the break up of Hüsker Dü, I continued to follow Mould's work. His debut solo album, Workbook, is among the finest albums of all time. As an album, it is easily his best ever. A truly unique piece of pop music, and one whose lyrics still resonate strongly with me decades later. After another solo album, Mould formed a new band called Sugar. Sugar mined much of the same musical terrain that Hüsker Dü had, except with stronger production values, and only one songwriter. Sugar became more commercially successful than Mould's solo work and that of Hüsker Dü. It was Bob's closest flirtation with mainstream success.

After only two albums, Sugar ended, and Mould again went solo. It was about that time - the mid 90s - that I stopped following Mould's work quite as intensely. I still picked up his new album whenever he released one, and still tried to see him perform whenever he could, but the intensity level of my fandom (is that a word?) had died down a bit. Good thing Bob just wrote a biography that can fill in the rest of his story since then, right?

Mould has written a new autobiography called See A Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody. I picked it up last week (oddly just after picking up Grant Hart from the airport and shuffling him to his hotel for a show later that night), and have been devouring its contents during every free minute.

As far as Mould's career goes, I have known the story (as evidenced by the above post) for a while, but I have never felt like I really knew much about Bob Mould, the person. Truth be told, I have met Bob a few times over the years, as a fan. We chit-chatted for a few minutes each time, nothing special. He was always very nice. I interviewed him in the late 90s for a website I blogged for, and he was a great interview, as well. This book, obviously, delves much deeper into Mould than any casual conversation or interview ever could.

The book is written in much the same way that Mould's songs are: direct, vivid, and easy to understand. There is no need to try and "touch up" the writing with any unnecessary fluff, the story is compelling on its own. For me, the best parts were his re-telling of the early days of Hüsker Dü. In telling the story, he was surprisingly complimentary toward his formal band rival, Grant Hart; and he was quite critical of bassist Greg Norton. This kinda makes sense in light of the fact that he and Hart were the songwriters in the band, and were the only ones to continue making music after the demise of the band. Still, the level of criticism toward Norton was unexpected. I'm not saying it wasn't warranted, just that I was surprised to see it.

The version of events in See A Little... regarding the end of Hüsker Dü was pretty much how I had heard it before. But Bob managed to add some details that I had not known regarding a final band meeting at Hart's parent's home in early 1988, and his calling Grant to notify him that he would be receiving formal notification of his departure in the mail.

Well, I won't go point by point throughout the book and tell you how it squares with what I had heard, since I wasn't there and Bob was. Grab the book and read it for yourself. After finishing the book, I threw on some Hüsker Dü records (and Bob's Workbook CD) and listened with slightly newer ears. Many of my opinions about the better or worse Hüsker Dü records were basically matched by Mould's, which I thought was interesting (i.e. Warehouse should not have been a double album).

I had known about Mould's homosexuality by the early 90s. It never mattered much to me to begin with, but I know understand what was feeding his reluctance to discuss it until he was "outed" in the media. Fortunately, by that time, there was pretty much no backlash to the news. I don't know of a single person who chucked their Bob Mould albums because they found out he was gay. Chances are, I wouldn't associate with people like that anyways, but that is beside the point. Bob does address the issue in the book at great length, and much of the "relationship Bob" stuff was completely new information to me.

Even if you aren't a fan of Mould's music, the book is an interesting read since he is such a pioneer in modern music. The indie network of clubs and promoters that many take for granted nowadays, was practically invented by Hüsker Dü in the early 80s. Bob has lived enough musical history for 10 men. For that reason alone, it should be a must read.

Below is a video of Hüsker Dü in 1987 performing "Could You Be The One?" on the short-lived Joan Rivers Show. Mould mentions this appearance in the book, too.

Bright Eyes Plays Westfair This Saturday

2011-06-03T12:11:00.000-05:00

Bright Eyes will finally hit the hometown for a show in support of the new record, The People's Key, with a show tomorrow (Saturday, June 4) at Westfair Amphitheater in Council Bluffs, IA. The show has great support, as well, with Jenny and Johnny (featuring Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley), David Bazan (formerly of Pedro the Lion), and new-ish local, Con Dios. Tickets are still available for the very reasonable price of $25.

To wet your appetite for the show, here is a video of the band performing "Jejune Stars" on Letterman earlier this year.

Grant Hart (Finally) Plays Omaha June 30!

2011-05-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

Rock legend Grant Hart (ex-Hüsker Dü and Nova Mob) will play what I believe to be his first ever show in Omaha on Thursday, June 30 at The Waiting Room. Hart, one of the two songwriters in legendary 80s band Hüsker Dü, has been recording sporadically since that band's demise in 1988.

Hart began as a solo artist releasing albums for SST Records. His solo debut, Intolerance, remains a high water mark in his lengthy career. By the early 90s, he had formed a new band called Nova Mob. Hart gave up the drums and picked up the guitar for that band. It released two full-length albums and a number of singles before breaking up in the mid 90s. Hart then returned as a solo artist with the album, Ecce Homo, released in 1996. This album was followed by Good News For the Modern Man and his most recent, Hot Wax, from 2009. Both Hart and Nova Mob have appeared on compilations and soundtracks, as well.

Though Grant Hart has not been in the spotlight as much as his former band mate, Bob Mould, his post Hüsker Dü material has always been met with critical acclaim. His music consistently challenges the listener, and continues to surprise and delight his many long-time fans.

Personally, I have not seen Grant Hart since Nova Mob broke up. On that final Nova tour, Grant went back to playing drums, and it was one the best shows I saw that year. On the tour that brings Hart to Omaha, he will performing "solo electric," and performing songs from his entire career - including Hüsker Dü.

Here is a video of a song called, "You're the Reflection of the Moon on the Water," from Hart's Hot Wax album.

Then, here is a video of Grant performing live at SXSW 2010:

Tickets for the show are on sale now for $10. Click here to buy: http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1485491&cobrand=1percent

Mick Jagger's Oldest Daughter in Playboy

2011-05-11T15:14:00.000-05:00

Lizzy Jagger, daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall, is in the June issue of Playboy. She graces the cover and there is a spread inside as well. In an interview with the UK's Daily Mail, she said that at one point, her father had barred her from being in the magazine (even though her mother had been); yet now, he has consented. "They understood that when you don’t know when you’re going to have kids, it’s nice to have wonderful pictures of your 20-something self," she said.

Lizzy Jagger from Playboy

Tommy Stinson Performing Rare Solo Shows in the Midwest

2011-05-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

Former Replacements and current Guns 'n Roses bassist, Tommy Stinson, is currently on a mini-US tour in the midwest as a solo artist. He released a solo album back in 2004 called Village Gorilla Head (which is excellent, by the way), but since then, he has been working with GnR almost all the time. Earlier this year, Stinson released a single new song as a giveaway on his website. The song, "One Man Mutiny," was recorded in a hotel in Europe while on tour with GnR. Here, in a performance from earlier in the year, he performs the song.

Here is a poster for the mini tour (emphasis on mini) with the dates and cities. If you live close by, make it a point to see him.

Click to enlarge

The New Pornographers TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-04-21T11:39:00.000-05:00

Vancouver's indie rock all-stars, The New Pornographers, will be performing tonight in Omaha at The Waiting Room. The group, which features (among others) Neko Case and Carl (A.C.) Newman, is on tour in support of their newest album, Together.

The show is sold out. Opening for the New P's is Omaha band So-so Sailors, which features Chris Machmuller of Ladyfinger (ne). This should be an incredible show.

It's True Disappoints with Waiting Room Show

2011-04-04T11:46:00.000-05:00

It's True performing at Waiting Room 4/1/11

As you know, I have been a big supporter/fan of It's True since 2009, and was among the angry/confused when the band announced it break-up last Summer.

Fast forward to the present, and the band is back (sort of) with a new CD and a handful of live dates. Frontman Adam Hawkins has explained in numerous interviews (like this one with Lazy-I) that "the band" is not really back, and that last weekend's two shows (one in Omaha and one in Lincoln) could be the last ones for quite a while.

So, going to the show, I was expecting something pretty incredible. When one of your favorite new bands announces that they may be playing their last shows for a while (or ever), you want it to be pretty special. Obviously, I was not alone in this. Friday's show at Waiting Room ending up selling out (a first for the local heroes), and it was packed. In addition to the fans, friends, and family of the band, there was a camera crew filming the show, and loads of local photographers taking pictures. Sadly, what we all saw was a less than stellar performance from the band.

It's True decided to open the show by playing the entire new CD, Another Afterlife, in order. This would be the CD that was being released that day, therefore nobody had heard it yet. For the performance of the new material, the band's line-up was expanded to about a dozen people. There were back-up singers, extra guitarists and keyboard players, and the original members played different instruments than they normally play in the band. The result was a haphazard and uninspired performance that bored the shit out of me for the 30 minutes or so it took to perform the album.

I kept wanting it to be better, yet it just dragged on. The addition of seven additional players did not make the sound fuller or more powerful; in fact, it had the opposite effect. After the performance of the new album, the band reverted to its original, five-piece form to perform songs from the first album. While this was better, to be sure, it was obvious that the band was not in as fine a form as it had been prior to the break-up. The musical tightness that comes from a band performing and rehearsing together all the time was absent, and instead, the guys seemed to be individually playing their parts without much regard to what everyone else was doing. It was glaringly obvious that the members of It's True were not much of a band anymore. Of the dozen or so times I've seen It's True perform over the years, last Friday's show was easily the worst. I hate to say that, but it's true. Pardon the pun.

Fortunately, the new CD is really good. At least there's that.

Podcast of New Day Rising 4/3/11

2011-04-04T11:02:00.000-05:00

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

It's True TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-04-01T11:50:00.001-05:00

It's True @ SXSW 2010 (photo from groovic blog)

Omaha's indie darlings, It's True, return to performing tonight with a special show at Waiting Room. The band broke up last year after its performance at the MAHA Music Festival (where they performed along with Spoon, Superchunk, Old 97s and more), but it has now re-emerged with an altered line-up and a new album.

The album, Another Afterlife, will be released at the show. Performing along with It's True are The Haunted Windchimes, Noah's Ark Was A Spaceship, and Cowboy Indian Bear. Tickets are $8 at the door.

I have written a lot on It's True in the past, and everything I said then still applies. They are pretty much the best Omaha band to emerge in many years. However, It's True's status as a working band is still in question. In an interview with the Worlds of Wayne podcast, band leader Adam Hawkins made it clear that his main focus is not the band. Still, we have tonight. Enjoy it while you can.

Happy Birthday to D. Boon

2011-04-01T10:24:00.001-05:00

D. Boon (April 1, 1958 - December 23, 1985) was the singer and guitarist for legendary punk band, Minutemen. He was also a political activist and an artist. It is impossible to overstate the importance of Boon to the music of today. His anthemic, politically charged songs created the blueprint for political bands that came afterward (i.e. Rage Against the Machine); while his sound (a mix of punk, funk, and hard rock) has inspired everyone from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Sonic Youth to Public Enemy and nearly everyone claiming to be playing "alternative rock."

Rolling Stone published an article last year called Remembering D. Boon and the Minutemen. Read it here.

Here is one of the best known and iconic Minutemen videos for "This Ain't No Picnic."

New It's True Video - "Nothing at All"

2011-03-28T13:42:00.003-05:00

It's True: Nothing At All from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

A More Intimate John Lennon Experience

2011-03-28T10:35:00.000-05:00

In the past, I've never been a huge supporter of artists (or artists' families) posthumously releasing music that the artist him or herself did not agree to release. Take Jimi Hendrix, for example. Since his death, a number of unreleased tracks have been released. Nothing wrong there, per se; but the folks who handle Jimi's estate have also had partially finished studio tracks "fixed" through use of technology not available in the 60s and by having current musicians record missing parts. It's a travesty, if you ask me.

But, lately, we have seen a number of "stripped down" versions of classic albums being released. These releases showcase the raw tracks and take out some of the (often) excessive production utilized at the time. The Beatles excellent Let It Be...Naked is a great example of this. Whether or not John Lennon would have approved of this release if he were alive is debatable; but the newer version really shows what The Beatles sounded like "raw." It's quite good.

Late last year, Capitol Records began re-releasing much of John Lennon's post-Beatles material. Besides re-mastering the albums, they were essentially left intact...with one exception. Lennon's final proper album before his murder, Double Fantasy, has been released in a new version. Double Fantasy Stripped Down does for that album what Let It Be...Naked did for Let It Be.

Listening to the album in headphones feels like you are sitting in the room with Lennon has he serenades you. It is really eerie at times. Not being much of a fan of Yoko Ono, I generally skip over her songs. Hearing these more intimate mixes of Lennon singing songs like "Watching the Wheels," "Woman," or "(Just Like) Starting Over" makes me re-love these songs as if they were new. It is such a strong testament to the man's enormous talent.

If you already have the original, I strongly recommend picking up the new version. If, for some reason, you haven't heard the original, start there. But once you love the record, pick up the "stripped down" version and see if it doesn't enhance the experience.

Tune in to "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-03-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from The Cars, Low, Hungry Kids of Hungary, The Raveonettes, Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Mike Watt, R.E.M., plus an artist spotlight on Superdrag.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

R.I.P. Nate Dogg

2011-03-16T11:01:00.000-05:00

Podcast of 3/13/2011 New Day Rising

2011-03-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

Here is the podcast for March 13th's New Day Rising. The accompanying playlist for the show can be found by clicking here.

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

New Day Rising 3/06/2011 Podcast

2011-03-06T20:04:00.001-06:00

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Tune In TODAY at 2:30 For 'New Day Rising'

2011-03-06T13:17:00.000-06:00

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from The Raveonettes, The Cave Singers, Black Joe Lewis, The Posies, The Apples in Stereo, plus an artist spotlight on Dinosaur Jr and J Mascis.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

R.I.P. Suze Rotolo

2011-03-02T12:41:00.001-06:00

To most, Suze Rotolo is the girl on the cover of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan album (Dylan's second, released in 1963). But Rotolo, who died yesterday from lung cancer, was Dylan's girlfriend from 1961-64. She had a profound impact on him, and is thought to be the inspiration behind many of Dylan's early, best songs. Her activism in the Civil Rights movement certainly affected Dylan. She was witness to almost the entire "folk period" of Dylan's long career, and wrote a book, A Freewheelin' Time: A Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties, detailing her time with Dylan and the early 60s folk music scene.

Rotolo went on to become a visual artist and teacher. She was 67 years old.

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-02-27T11:57:00.001-06:00

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from TV On the Radio, Ringo Deathstarr, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Bright Eyes, Radiohead, The Megaphonic Thrift, plus an artist spotlight on The Velvet Underground.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-02-25T15:01:00.000-06:00

Omaha's noisy punk rockers Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship will be releasing its new record, Hanga Fang, tonight with a special release show tonight at Waiting Room. Opening the show are Ideal Cleaners, The Answer Team, and Yuppies. Tickets are $7 at the door.

NAWAS has a great early-mid 90s sound that recalls bands like Sonic Youth, Polvo, or even Sebadoh. I've only given the new record a casual listen, but what I have heard was excellent.

Tapes 'N Tapes TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-02-24T15:36:00.002-06:00

Minneapolis indie rockers Tapes 'N Tapes return to Omaha tonight for a show at Waiting Room. The band is touring in support of its excellent new album, Outside. Opening the show is Oberhofer. Tickets are $12 at the door.

New Bright Eyes Video and a TiVo Alert!!

2011-02-23T16:28:00.000-06:00

Here is the video for the brand new Bright Eyes single, "Shell Games." The new album, The People's Key, debuted at #13 on Billboard.

Here's the TiVo alert: Bright Eyes will be playing on Letterman tomorrow night (Thursday, Feb 24).

Alice Cooper Has Another Nightmare

2011-02-23T10:47:00.000-06:00

Legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper is about to unveil a sequel to him seminal 1975 concept album, Welcome To My Nightmare. The album will be called Welcome 2 My Nightmare, and will be produced by original Nightmare producer Bob Ezrin. Three of the new songs were recorded with the members of the original Alice Cooper Band (which disbanded in 1975). The record will be released later this year.

Say Hi TONIGHT at Slowdown

2011-02-21T13:23:00.000-06:00

Say Hi performs tonight at Slowdown

Damn, I wish Slowdown did better show promotion. I totally forgot that Seattle indie pop band, Say Hi, is performing at Slowdown tonight. Tickets are $10 at the door.

New Day Rising 2/20/2011 Podcast

2011-02-20T18:50:00.002-06:00

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

CRAZY

2011-02-18T14:36:00.001-06:00

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan tweeted that he just found out that new SP bassist Nicole Fiorentino is actually one of the child models on the cover of the band's 1993 album, Siamese Dream. How weird.

A Pair of Weekend Shows

2011-02-18T12:20:00.000-06:00

Two better than decent indie rawk shows are happening this weekend in my fair city of Omaha. Tonight (Friday the 18th) finds Tennis playing at Slowdown. Tickets are $10 day of show (which it is today). It probably won't sell out in advance, but just to be safe, tickets can be purchased here until a little while before show time. Opening the show is Kosha Dillz.

Saturday night marks the return of Deerhoof to the Waiting Room. Opening for the 'hoof are Ben Butler And Mousepad and The Show Is The Rainbow. Tickets are $12.

Slayer Temporarily Replaces Jeff Hanneman

2011-02-17T10:31:00.000-06:00

Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman was recently bit by a spider on tour and has contracted an illness. Being the workhorses that they are, Slayer will not stop their current tour while he recovers. The band announced that Exodus guitarist Gary Holt will temporarily fill-in for Hanneman for the rest of their Australian tour.

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett was once a member of Exodus, FYI.

Bright Eyes Discusses New Album

2011-02-16T16:10:00.001-06:00

The video below is a 20 minute interview with Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst where he discusses the brand new album, The People's Key, plus his work with Monsters of Folk and the Mystic Valley Band. The interview is conducted by John Norris who was an MTV VJ in the 90s. (h/t Hear Nebraska)

It's True Returns!

2011-02-16T12:08:00.001-06:00

Omaha's one-time most promising new band (who then broke up right after their biggest ever show), It's True, is back. While no shows have been played, and no new music has (yet) been released, the band has scheduled a date to release a second album. Friday, April 1 is the date, and Waiting Room is the place.

The band will be releasing its second album, Another Afterlife, at the show. I know of no one who has heard the new music, but I did learn a few things about It's True 2.0. For one thing, the band has drastically expanded its line-up. All of the former members are still there, but they are being augmented by a number of other musicians. Band leader Adam Hawkins was apparently quite unhappy with the debut album (which I thought was stellar and was, in fact, my #9 album of 2010) and is now taking full creative control of the band and its recording process. Beyond that, I know nothing.

I am very much looking forward to hearing the new tunes, seeing the new line-up, and playing the shit out of the album on my radio show!

Today's Must See Music Video: Belly

2011-02-16T09:35:00.000-06:00

Tanya Donelly was one of my musical crushes in the 1990s. From her time in Throwing Muses to The Breeders, and finally to her own band, Belly, Tanya wrote amazing, passionate songs and looked adorable doing so. This video is a Belly performance from the Letterman show in the mid 90s. The band is playing "Super Connected."

Today's Must See Music Video: St. Vincent

2011-02-07T13:36:00.000-06:00

Just saw these videos for the first time today. Three acoustic performances from St. Vincent, including one with the previously promo-only track, "Oh My God."

You Might Think a Cars Reunion Is a Good Idea...I Don't

2011-02-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

It seems as though legendary 70s and 80s band The Cars have ignored my request that they stay retired. The band is (mostly) back, and are on the verge of releasing their first new album in 24 years, Move Like This. The new record will be released in May.

All of the original members of The Cars are returning, except for bassist/vocalist Benjamin Orr who died in 2000 from cancer. No word on his replacement, nor on who would sing his songs live.

The band released an abbreviated clip of the first single, "Sad Song":

Personally, I think this will damage the Cars legacy. But the band is likely to rake it in this Summer doing the nostalgia circuit.

New Day Rising 2/06/2011 Podcast

2011-02-06T22:37:00.005-06:00

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-02-06T09:56:00.004-06:00

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from The Kills, Funeral Party, Mogwai, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Mike Watt, Fiona Apple, Poster Children, plus an artist spotlight on New York Dolls.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Lazy-I Profiles New Day Rising

2011-02-03T15:08:00.001-06:00

Tim McMahan of Lazy-I.com and The Reader has devoted his weekly column to discovering what makes the New Day Rising show (my weekly radio show) tick. Read the article here.

So Long White Stripes

2011-02-02T15:32:00.000-06:00

Sad news in the world of rock. Detroit duo, The White Stripes, are calling it quits. In a statement on the band's website, they announced the news. "The reason is not due to artistic differences or lack of wanting to continue, nor any health issues as both Meg and Jack are feeling fine and in good health. It is for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way."

Even though I will miss the band, you kind of have to respect the sentiment behind the break-up.

New Day Rising Gets a Shout-Out from Omahype!

2011-02-01T09:07:00.000-06:00

The buzz on New Day Rising continues to grow. Check out this shout-out from Omahype!

New Day Rising 1/30/2011 Podcast

2011-01-30T21:21:00.000-06:00

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-01-30T10:18:00.002-06:00

Tune in to my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from The New Pornographers, Middle Brother, Gang Of Four, Men Without Pants, Radiohead, King Khan & The Shrines, plus an artist spotlight on Interpol.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Grant Hart (ex-Hüsker Dü) Suffers House Fire

2011-01-28T12:31:00.000-06:00

Former Hüsker Dü and Nova Mob member Grant Hart was the recent victim of a house fire. Two rooms in his home burned, and Hart was sent to the hospital. He is fine now, according to friend. His two cats survived, which he is very happy about, but he did lose his favorite guitar and some other equipment. According to the Star Tribune, "Reps from First Avenue and the Turf Club said they were interested in holding benefits for Hart if needed."

(Thanks to Dane O for alerting me to this news)

More New Bright Eyes!

2011-01-26T14:36:00.003-06:00

Kings of Leon vs. Glee? I'll Take Kings of Leon

2011-01-26T14:31:00.000-06:00

Let me start this post by saying that I am not a fan of either Kings of Leon or Glee. KOL are a decent band, but not one that finds its way onto my personal playlist very often.

Recently, a "war" broke out between Glee creator Ryan Murphy and the band over KOL's refusal to allow Glee to use its songs. Rather than acknowledging that there are some people out there who do not like Glee, Murphy lashed out at the band in a childish way. "Fuck you, Kings of Leon. They're self-centered assholes, and they missed the big picture. They missed that a 7-year-old kid can see someone close to their age singing a Kings of Leon song, which will maybe make them want to join a glee club or pick up a musical instrument. It's like, OK, hate on arts education. You can make fun of Glee all you want, but at its heart, what we really do is turn kids on to music."

Seems like a bit of an overreaction, no? Maybe Kings of Leon don't care about appealing to seven year olds, or people who like musicals, or maybe they don't license their music for TV, or maybe - gasp! - they don't like Glee. Kings' drummer, Nathan Followill, tweeted the following in response to Murphy's tantrum, "Dear Ryan Murphy, let it go. See a therapist, get a manicure, buy a new bra. Zip your lip and focus on educating 7yr olds how to say fuck."

Personally, I think the tweet is pretty funny. Some, however, construed it to be homophobic. I'm guessing they mean the part about getting a manicure and a bra. I didn't read it that way. I think Followill was calling the guy a pussy, but not because he is gay. He is a pussy because he created such a lame show as Glee. Followhill apologized for any misunderstanding, but the original tweet is still there. Good for him.

On the Turntable: Cold War Kids, Tapes 'n Tapes, Anniversaire

2011-01-26T07:48:00.003-06:00

Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours (Downtown/Interscope)

Cold War Kids' music has always confused me. It has been able to do so by brilliantly (and probably by accident) straddling the line between indie and mainstream rock. Millions of bands have tried, but few have succeeded at doing this. And really, if you remove R.E.M. and early U2 from the equation, I can only think of Weezer, Arcade Fire and The Shins who have. Lead singer Nathan Willett has a voice genetically created to sound good on the radio, and he could sing in nearly any type of group. He has a broad range that can hit the highest of high notes, and he utilizes his instrument very well. The fact that he performs with a quirky, stripped down, and sometimes spastic indie rock band is both the essence of CWK's unique sound, and of my general confusion about the band.

For its third album, Mine Is Yours, the band continues with the basic sound that has been working for them over the last few years. There are brief flirtations with different instrumentation - like the electronic elements on "Sensitive Kid" - but the song still sounds like Cold War Kids. There's no click tracks or studio trickery on a Cold War Kids' record, it's still just four guys in a room playing. Willett's lyrics sound deep, and they may very well be, but I can't make heads or tails of most of it. I like the way the words sound together, and I'm leaving it at that.

This is likely to be the year Cold War Kids break out in a big way (think R.E.M.'s Document from '87). The band has delivered an album that remains true to its origins and past work without repeating itself; and is presenting it with enough "production value" to make it work on the radio. (3 1/2 out of 5)

Tapes 'n Tapes - Outside (ibid)

The Minneapolis band Tapes 'n Tapes may be on the cusp of doing something that many, including myself, thought was impossible...making Minneapolis music relevant again. The city's glory days were the 1980s, when The Replacements, Prince, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, et al. made Minneapolis the most exciting music scene since New York in the early 70s or London in the late 70s/early 80s. However, the scene has not been producing greatness at those levels for nearly two decades (exempting the Twin cities excellent hip-hop scene). Let's hope Tapes 'N Tapes are beginning of a new era for twin cities music, because the band's new album, Outside, is freakin' excellent and deserving of a wider audience.

I've been listening to the odd indie rock of Tapes 'n Tapes since its debut album back in 2006, which contained an ode to the music of my hometown, "Omaha." The band's sound incorporates healthy doses of bands like Pavement and Sebadoh, but mixes it with quirky rhythms and sometimes spastic vocals, a la David Byrne on early Talking Heads' records. The mix between the band's lo-fi sensibilities and their desire to have a thicker, fuller sound on record is realized to a much greater extent on Outside than on the band's disappointing second album, Walk It Off. It seems the extra time between albums for Tapes 'N Tapes did the band a world of good. Hell, the vacation would have been worth it for the essentially perfect song, "Freak Out," alone, if you ask me. The more I listen to these guys the more I want to listen to them again. (4 out of 5)

Anniversaire - Nightingale (self released)

Anniversaire is a new Omaha band whose complicated brand of indie rock eschews guitar for cello, trades synths for an actual piano, and adds yet another layer to the already diverse Omaha indie music scene. Each tune on Nightingale sounds epic. They generally start slow, with singer Aaron Jordan's soft, high pitched voice (which often reminds me of Jeremy Enigk) barely getting the words out; by mid song, it will erupt and turn into a whole other animal, with drums and cello wailing and crashing like mad. The album's second track, "Every Line of Your Hand" is as good an example of the "Anniversaire sound" as one can find.

I like where these guys are going, but I'm not sure they are quite there yet. I did find that some of the songs seemed to blend into one another; and after listening to the record a number of times, I am still having trouble remembering which were my favorite songs and which ones just sounded like my favorite ones. (Side note: "Tele-visions" is my actual favorite track) For a debut album by a relatively unknown band, one can't help but be impressed with Nightingale. (3 out of 5)

New Day Rising 1/23/2011 Podcast

2011-01-23T20:23:00.002-06:00

A playlist for the show can be found here.
Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-01-23T08:46:00.000-06:00

Check out my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Today, I will be bringing you music from Death From Above 1979, PJ Harvey, The Dears, Maximum Balloon, Cold War Kids, plus an artist spotlight on Buffalo Tom.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Lemmy: The Movie To Air on VH1

2011-01-21T14:46:00.000-06:00

Lemmy is 49 percent Motherfucker, 51 Percent Son of a Bitch

Lemmy, the documentary about Motorhead leader Lemmy Kilmister, is scheduled to begin airing on VH1 next month. Actually, it will air on the VH1 "family" of channels: VH1, VH1 Classic, and Palladia. It will begin airing Friday, Feb 11.

Free New Music from Buffalo Tom

2011-01-21T08:55:00.002-06:00

Buffalo Tom, in conjunction with SPIN Magazine, is giving away a track from the band's forthcoming album, Skins. Click here to download the song.

For those who need a refresher course in Buffalo Tom, here is a 1992 video for the excellent, "Taillights Fade."

Death From Above 1979 Is Back?

2011-01-19T15:35:00.000-06:00

Well, this is interesting. The line-up for the three day Coachella Music Festival has just been announced (see poster here), and while I was checking it out, a particular name stood out. Scheduled for Sunday, April 17 was one Death From Above 1979. I did a double take. DFA 1979 broke up after only one album, You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, and its two members have gone on to other things. Nice. No word yet on whether this is a one-off show or a full-fledged reunion. Let's hope for the latter.

For Vince Neil, It's Three Strikes and...Nothing

2011-01-19T10:14:00.000-06:00

Not sure why I am even surprised. Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil was just convicted of his third DUI offense. His first, in 1984, resulted in the death of one person and the permanent paralyzing of two others. Neil paid a stiff fine and served about a month in jail. His second one went largely unnoticed. His third, which took place last June, came just after Neil said he quit drinking. Uh huh.

Neil's sentence for his third offense consists of approximately two weeks in jail followed by two weeks of house arrest. Must be rough.

Yeah...I Suck

2011-01-19T10:01:00.000-06:00

I pussed out last night and missed the Cursive show at Waiting Room. Yeah, I suck. But the World Herald was there. You can read a review of the show here.

R.I.P. Don Kirshner

2011-01-18T14:24:00.002-06:00

Influential song publisher, record producer and television host Don Kirshner has died. Kirshner is, perhaps, best known as the guy who provided the early Monkees' songs. He was hired by the producers of the Monkees television show to find songs that the band could pretend to perform on the show.

In the 1970s, Kirshner became known for the late night music show, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. The show was unlike anything else on TV in the early 70s and featured the top rock bands of the era performing live, and doing multiple songs.

Kirshner was 76. Here is a video of Black Sabbath performing on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert in 1975.

Cursive Performs 'Domestica' TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-01-18T07:43:00.002-06:00

Folks in Omaha rarely get to see anything that the rest of the country does not. At least from a music or entertainment perspective. But tonight, a few hundred people in Omaha will get to see Cursive perform its seminal album, Domestica, in its entirety. This is only the second time the band has done this, and supposedly the last.

It's a little bit past the ten year mark since its release, and Domestica holds up very well. The concept album detailing the demise of a relationship served as Cursive's comeback after a brief time broken up. It is also the first full album to feature Ted Stevens on lead guitar (a position he still holds today).

Domestica was the album that truly put Cursive on the national stage. The album gave the band many opportunities and opened a lot of doors. The hard work done in support of Domestica yielded huge dividends when the following record, The Ugly Organ, pushed Cursive to the top of the indie heap.

From what I am hearing, the band will perform select "hits" from its other albums in addition to the entire Domestica record. The show is already sold out, so if you don't have a ticket...you're SOL.

Today's Must See Music Video: Mötley Crüe

2011-01-17T14:56:00.001-06:00

In honor of the 30th anniversary of its forming, here is a video of Mötley Crüe performing at the 1983 US Festival.

Happy Anniversary to Mötley Crüe

2011-01-17T11:43:00.001-06:00

Thirty years ago today Mötley Crüe was formed. Congratulations, guys.

New Day Rising 1/16/2011 Podcast

2011-01-16T21:31:00.000-06:00

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY

2011-01-16T09:22:00.000-06:00

Check out my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Tonight, I will be bringing you music from The Veils, Klaxons, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Bob Dylan, Brimstone Howl, The Decemberists, Buffalo Tom, plus an artist spotlight on Cursive.

Check out the show's Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

R.I.P. Trish Keenan

2011-01-14T10:01:00.000-06:00

Trish Keenan, front woman of UK duo Broadcast has died. The following statement was posted on the website of Broadcast's record label, Warp Records:

"It is with great sadness we announce that Trish Keenan from Broadcast passed away at 9am this morning in hospital. She died from complications with pneumonia after battling the illness for two weeks in intensive care.

Our thoughts go out to James, Martin, her friends and her family and we request that the public respect their wishes for privacy at this time.

This is an untimely tragic loss and we will miss Trish dearly - a unique voice, an extraordinary talent and a beautiful human being. Rest in Peace."

Today's Must See Music Video: Harry Nilsson

2011-01-14T09:30:00.003-06:00

Last night, I watched a great documentary called Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) about Harry Nilsson (obviously). Prior to watching it, I knew very little about the man other than that he sang the theme song to the movie Midnight Cowboy (which I found out was not meant to be for that movie, and was actually released prior to it) and that when John Lennon and Yoko Ono split for a time in the early 70s, Lennon and Nilsson spent a lot of time together drinking and womanizing. Obviously, there is a lot more to his story than that.

Nilsson had a very impressive body of work, and came to international attention in the 60s when The Beatles declared him their favorite. Nilsson formed long term friendships with all of the Beatles, especially Lennon and Ringo Starr.

I decided to post a video today of Nilsson's "You're Breakin' My Heart." It's not much of a video, really. It's just the words to the song running across the screen. But I can't post this song without thinking about Cee Lo Green's "Fuck You." They kind of share the same sentiment.

Today's Must See Music Video: Jay Reatard

2011-01-13T12:09:00.000-06:00

Today is the one year anniversary of the death of Memphis punk rocker Jay Reatard. Hard to believe it has been that long. I never got to see him perform live, unfortunately. His music is always on my ipod.

Pitchfork has a lengthy memorial article up today. It should be read by everyone who liked Jay's music.

New York Dolls Release New Album March 14

2011-01-13T10:45:00.000-06:00

Legendary glam/punk band New York Dolls are set to release their newest record, Dancing Backward in High Heels, on March 14. Dancing... will be the band's third since reuniting in 2005 (after a 30 year absence).

There have been some line-up changes since the last record, Cause I Sez So. Guitarist Steve Conte and bassist Sami Yaffa have been replaced by Frank Infante and Jason Hill. Infante was once a member of Blondie. David Johnasen and Sylvain Sylvain are the only living original members.

The new CD will also a DVD with footage from recent concerts.

Today's Must See Music Video: Buffalo Tom

2011-01-12T08:35:00.001-06:00

From 1989, when I first heard them, until about 1995 or so, Buffalo Tom was among my favorite bands. BT's sound began as a cross between Hüsker Dü and Dinosaur Jr, and over the course of its career, an acoustic or folk element could be found as well. Records like Birdbrain and Let Me Come Over still rank among my favorites. By the late 90s, with its popularity shrinking, Buffalo Tom called it a day. The break-up lasted nearly a decade before the band returned with new music in 2007. The video I have posted today is for one of my favorite songs from Birdbrain called "Fortune Teller."

Buffalo Tom is on the verge of releasing another new record. It will be called Skins. I just found out that band leader Bill Janovitz has his own blog where he posts rare BT stuff that you likely won't find anywhere else. Recently, he posted some live recordings of Buffalo Tom with Grant Hart (Hüsker Dü). His twitter address is @billjanovitz.

TiVo Alert

2011-01-10T15:06:00.000-06:00

Decent week for rock on TV. Set those DVRs

David Letterman (CBS): Monday (Jan 10) - The Black Keys

Jimmy Fallon (NBC): Monday (Jan 10) - Okkervil River; Tues (Jan 11) - Tom Tom Club

Tonight Show with Leno (NBC): Tuesday (Jan 11) - The Duke Spirit

Carson Daly (NBC): Tuesday (Jan 11) - The Morning Benders; Thursday (Jan 13) - The Delta Spirit

Conan O'Brien (TBS): Thursday (January 13) - Cheap Trick

New Day Rising 1/9/2011 Podcast

2011-01-10T13:22:00.002-06:00

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TODAY at its NEW TIME

2011-01-09T10:42:00.000-06:00

Check out my radio show, New Day Rising, today from 2:30-5 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Tonight, I will be bringing you music from The Twilight Singers, School of Seven Bells, Gospel Claws, The Jesus and Mary Chain, British Sea Power, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, plus a ton more!

Check out the show's new Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

R.I.P. Phil Kennemore

2011-01-07T12:07:00.000-06:00

Phil Kennemore, bassist and founding member of 70s/80s hard rock band Y & T, lost his battle with cancer today.

A little background on Y & T: "Originally known as Yesterday and Today, Phil Kennemore rose to fame with Y&T in the 1970s, enjoying numerous hits and selling more than 4 million records worldwide before the group parted ways in 1991. Kennemore and Meniketti reformed the band in 1995 and played sporadically before an official reunion in 2001. The band released its 12th studio album, 'Facemelter,' in May 2010. The record marked their first studio album in 13 years."

Here is the video for the band's best known song, "Summertime Girls":

Anniversaire CD Release Show TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2011-01-07T11:53:00.000-06:00

Anniversaire's CD release show is tonight at Waiting Room. The Reader's Chris Aponik has an interview with the band.

Tickets for tonight's show are $5 at the door.

Katy Perry Is 2010's Biggest Artist

2011-01-07T11:21:00.003-06:00

According to Soundscan, the #1 selling digital song of 2010 was Katy Perry's "California Gurls." The tune sold a rather remarkable - by 2010 standards - 4,398,212 copies in the US, and over 8 million worldwide. In an era where almost no one sells any records anymore, this is pretty impressive.

As you may or may not know, I have something of an unhealthy obsession with Katy Perry. It has little to do with her music (of which I own none).

Today's Must See Music Video: Wire

2011-01-07T10:57:00.001-06:00

One of the most important British bands of the post-punk era, Wire, has returned with a new album. The record, Red Barked Tree, is the band's 12th in 34 years (which includes a lot of time being broken up). Chicago Tribune critic Greg Kot gives the album 3 out of 4 stars. I haven't heard the record yet, so I can't put my two cents in. However, I do really like Wire, so I figured I'd post this video of them performing "Heartbeat" in 1979 on European television.

Anniversaire CD Release Show Friday at Waiting Room

2011-01-06T14:21:00.000-06:00

Omaha indie band Anniversaire will be releasing its new CD, The Nightingale, with a special show at Waiting Room Friday, January 7 at 9 pm. Opening the show is Bear Story. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Anniversaire plays a complex brand of indie rock that incorporates slower tempos and instruments like cello. I have just started listening to the new CD, and am trying to fully absorb it before writing a full review. So far, so good. The band reminded me a bit of Ra Ra Riot, to be honest. That's not a bad thing. I plan on attending this show, and will try and report on it more later.

TV On the Radio's Dave Sitek Joins Jane's Addiction

2011-01-04T16:35:00.001-06:00

Dave Sitek will be the fifth Jane's Addiction bass player

TV On the Radio's guitarist and producer is taking on a new role. He is joining Jane's Addiction as its newest bass player. Dave Sitek is the band's third bassist in the last two years and fifth overall. His new stint in the band follows Duff McKagan's (Guns 'N Roses, Velvet Revolver) brief time in the band. Jane's Addiction is scheduled to release a new album in the summer of 2011.

Personally, I think this is a great move. Jane's has been thoroughly uninteresting since its initial break-up; and the one album of new material since then, Strays, sucked. While guys like Duff and Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) are more high profile, Sitek is a very forward thinking musician and artist. If Jane's is going to break any new ground and be musical innovators again, they need someone like Sitek. I am very curious how this will turn out.

R.I.P. Gerry Rafferty

2011-01-04T15:17:00.002-06:00

This is the only song I know by him, but it's a damn good one.

New Write-Up on New Day Rising

2011-01-04T14:41:00.002-06:00

Tim McMahan, writer for Lazy-I and The Reader is the first out of the gate with some press on the new time slot change for New Day Rising. Read the article here.

Money quote: "New Day Rising is an oasis of modern sounds, modern music, curated by a music veteran with impeccable taste. Tune in."

TiVo Alert

2011-01-04T11:46:00.001-06:00

Not too much in terms of rock on TV this week, but the artists that are appearing are pretty freakin' good.

David Letterman: Thursday (Jan 6) - The Walkmen; Friday (Jan 7) - No Age

Jimmy Fallon: Tuesday (Jan 4) - Local Natives; Friday (Jan 7) - Iron and Wine

Mike Watt To Release Third Rock Opera

2011-01-03T14:54:00.000-06:00

Punk rock legend Mike Watt (Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Stooges) is set to release his third rock opera this Spring entitled, Hyphenated-Man. Watt and his band, The Missing Men, will be hitting the road in another one of his marathon touring sessions beginning March 10 in Santa Barbara, California.

Watt hits Omaha on Tuesday, April 19 at Slowdown. Check here for the rest of the dates.

New Time Slot For New Day Rising

2011-01-03T12:40:00.000-06:00

Beginning next week, January 9, 2011, my radio show New Day Rising is moving time slots! NDR will be coming on at 2:30 pm central time and running until 5. NPR's acclaimed show, All Songs Considered, is on at 2 pm, and I immediately follow. Update those calendars!

Beginning 1/9/11: NEW DAY RISING airs Sunday afternoons from 2:30 pm until 5 pm on 89.7 FM (Omaha metro area) and streaming live on 897theriver.com.

Tune In To "New Day Rising" TONIGHT

2011-01-02T14:34:00.001-06:00

Check out my radio show, New Day Rising, tonight from 9-11 pm Central. In the Omaha area, the show is on 89.7 FM. For everyone else, it is streaming live at 897TheRiver.com.

Tonight, I will be bringing you music from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Autolux, Cursive, Jonquil, Tapes 'n Tapes, School of Seven Bells, Tristeza, plus a ton more!

Check out the show's new Facebook page: Facebook.com/NewDayRisingShow

Top 50 Albums of 2010 (10-1)

2010-12-30T06:00:00.002-06:00

10) The Black Keys - Brothers. For the second album in a row, the blues rock duo has opted to work with producer Danger Mouse. Last time, on Attack & Release, the change in approach was hardly noticeable. The record seemed a little slower and more mellow than the band's earlier, more raucous material; but besides that, it was just another Keys album. With Brothers, the change is much more pronounced. As we found out with his excellent solo album, Keep It Hid, Dan Auerbach's voice and writing style works very well outside of the guitar/drums minimalist arrangements that have been the Keys' stock and trade for years. Fleshing out the instrumentation did not, necessarily, dilute the impact of the songs. Back in band mode, Auerbach, drummer Pat Carney, and Danger Mouse utilize the more fleshed out arrangement style of Keep It Hid, though doing it in a way that sounds less traditional and more modern. Don't worry, though, The Black Keys still sing the blues. The tempos may be a bit slower, and the guitar riffs may be a little less abrasive, but on Brothers, the boys show that change can be good. It is possible to grow as a band without growing old and tired.

9) It's True - It's True. On paper, the music of Omaha's It's True makes no sense. Saying a band mixes elements of Britpop, shoegaze, doo-wop, and good old fashioned "sad bastard" music sounds absurd. But after listening to It's True a few times, the mixture of those elements seems completely natural, and makes me wonder why experiments like this have not been tried before. The first thing that is likely to hit you when you first listen to It's True is the seemingly angelic voice of singer/guitarist/mastermind Adam Hawkins. The voice can be soft and unassuming in the band's quiet parts, and then become bold and strong during the louder parts. Hawkins' lyrics tend to me on the depressing side, frequently visiting themes of despair and hopelessness. Yet, at times, Hawkins shows that he is not such a sour puss, and does show signs of optimism. The musicianship of It's True, the band, is a large step above the average band on its first recording. So much so, that It's True, the album, sounds like a recording from a band with at least a decade under its belt. When It's True began generating buzz in late 2009 in Omaha, many who chronicle the local scene (including myself) felt that they were the best local band to emerge since the "mighty three" from the early 2000s: Bright Eyes, Cursive, and The Faint. The release of the CD only solidified that belief. When It's True announced its "break up" following its set at the MAHA Music Festival, a lot of musical hearts were broken. How could a band with so much potential just end after one album? It's a question for the ages. I have heard rumors that It's True is reforming with a slightly altered lineup. Cross your fingers.

8) Arcade Fire - The Suburbs. Arcade Fire are pretty much at the top of the heap in the current indie music world. What other rock band on an independent label can sell out Madison Square Garden? I'd venture none. With that status, however, comes a ton of extra pressure. After Arcade Fire's debut caused a worldwide freak-out, its excellent follow-up, Neon Bible, was criticized for being a little less awesome. For the band's third album, The Suburbs, the men and women of Arcade Fire have risen to the impossible challenge of topping their previous work. The record is a concept album of sorts that details leader Win Butler's youth growing up in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. He described the sound he was going for as a combination of Depeche Mode and Neil Young. I'm not sure he achieved that, per se, but it's a great combination of sounds and styles, nonetheless. If anything, I think The Suburbs makes Arcade Fire this generation's R.E.M. Would that make The Suburbs Arcade Fire's Document?

7) The Hot Rats - Turn Ons. The Hot Rats are Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey of the defunct band Supergrass. The two wanted to make a covers record along the lines of David Bowie's Pin Ups. They enlisted Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich for the project, and the result is, perhaps, the best album of unoriginal material I have ever heard. The Hot Rats take songs from a number of different eras and genres and make them their own. The best example of the guys' ability to genre-bend is their cover of Beastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)," which comes out sounding like the early Who. It will take you a bit before you realize what song it is. It's so excellent. Other artists covered on the collection include Velvet Underground, Squeeze, Sex Pistols, The Cure, The Kinks, Elvis Costello, and more. This is a thoroughly enjoyable album, and one that makes me lament the end of Supergrass even more than I already did.

6) Spoon - Transference. On its seventh album, Spoon makes maturity cool. It's been one helluva long time since Spoon's music was confused with that of early inspiration the Pixies. By now, Spoon has developed its own unique sound, and the challenge for them now is how to keep long-time fans happy while continuing to move forward into new musical areas. Occasionally, that has meant augmenting the sound with horns or other instruments. On Transference, it means experimenting with tempos, textures, and styles. "The Mystery Zone," for example, is downright funky. "Written In Reverse," the first single, dabbles in piano blues. The songs, overall, are less overtly poppy, and force the listener to spend more time with them to appreciate the complexity. Perhaps this new approach is a reaction to the more mainstream success the band received from its last album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, or maybe its because produced the record themselves. Regardless, Spoon's Transference shows that after more than 15 years, this band is not out of new ideas, and refuses to rest on its laurels. I hope to be listening to Britt and the guys when they reach 30 years. I'm sure I will still marvel at what they come up with.

5) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Beat The Devil's Tattoo. BRMC has always been of two minds musically. On the one hand, the band loves the noise, fuzz, and droning feedback of early 90s shoegaze music; while on the other, they are hopelessly devoted to the blues. Finding a way to meld the band's two strongest musical influences has proved a challenge in the past. On its second record, Take Them On On Your Own, BRMC went 100% shoegaze; then on its next, Howl, they went all the way in the other direction. For the band's fifth, Baby 81, BRMC seemed to find the perfect merging of the two. It was something of a stalemate in the war of two muses. It would appear, however, that the blues has ultimately won out in Black Rebel land, as Beat The Devil's Tattoo, the band's newest, is steeped in it. The record opens with the very bluesy title track (complete with foot stomping and hand clapping) and stays knee deep in the delta for much of the record. There are hints of the other side of the BRMC coin later in the album ("Shadow's Keeper"), but just a few hints.

4) LCD Soundsystem - This Is Happening. On the third proper album from James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem, much of the danceable punk sound that made the band an underground sensation is pushed aside in favor of longer, more melodic pop. Perhaps because this is rumored to be the final LCD record, Murphy and company decided to try some things that they had been wanting to try. Nowhere is this new pop sensibility more evident than on the amazing songs, "All I Want" and " I Can Change." There are certainly elements of 80s synth pop present, but it is hard not to notice a strong hint of late 70s David Bowie as well. Murphy clearly has a wide variety of vinyl in his collection, and you will have to as well to be able to figure out where he is coming from at any given time. But that is what record nerds (like myself) do. For everyone else, This Is Happening is just a great listening experience -- one that takes you all over the musical map without having to get up off the couch.

3) Jenny and Johnny - I'm Having Fun Now. In this reporter's opinion, Jenny Lewis is probably the best songwriter of the modern era. She is freakin' amazing. Whether it is her songs on the various Rilo Kiley albums, her record with The Watson Twins, or her solo album, Jenny Lewis just does it for me. Her direct and conversational lyrics can paint the most vivid pictures, and her melodic sense is both unique and timeless. I feel like I can relate to Jenny Lewis more than any other contemporary rocker, even though we share almost nothing in common. For I'm Having Fun Now, Lewis teamed up with frequent collaborator Jonathan Rice to form Jenny and Johnny. And as the title implies, they sound like they are having a load of fun on this brief album. The songs implore Lewis's storytelling lyrical style with breezy, simple pop arrangements, and sing-a-long choruses. The two meld their voices together so much that sometimes it's hard to tell who created what. Generally, either Jenny or Johnny is taking the lead, but this is a very collaborative effort. My only complaint would be that I'd like a little more Jenny and a little less Johnny, which is why I would have preferred a proper solo album from Lewis. Still, it is a minor complaint because I'm Having Fun Now is really great.

2) Autolux - Transit Transit. Next to My Bloody Valentine and Guns 'N Roses, few artists seem to take as long between albums as Autolux. In the ten years since its formation, this is only the band's second album. But over the years that I have been an Autolux fan, I have learned the virtue of patience. That patience is rewarded with Transit Transit. Richly rewarded. Autolux, in many ways, is a band out of time. They should have existed in the early 90s when their feedback soaked, psychedelic, shoegaze music was more in vogue. In 2010, Autolux has few peers. For those who remember early 90s bands like Swervedriver, Ride, and My Bloody Valentine, listening to Autolux is like manna from heaven. Like MBV, Autolux eschews traditional rock arrangements for a looser, more spacey sounding feel. Drummer Carla Azar (formerly of Ednaswap) has a minimalist approach to her instrument, which is heavily complimented by the spaced out guitar wails of Greg Edwards (formerly of the legendary band Failure). The music is often at a slow simmer when bassist/vocalist Eugene Goreshter slides in with his soft ethereal vocals, and then rages into a full boil during the instrumental breaks. Despite the extra wait, I am so glad that Autolux does what they do. They don't seem to be on anyone else's timetable but their own, which is probably why they are supported by folks like Thom Yorke of Radiohead (known for his stubborn independence as well). Whatever the future holds for Autolux, the band can die happy knowing that it made a practically perfect album...twice.

1) Superchunk - Majesty Shredding.

It's been nearly nine years since North Carolina's finest delivered a new album. At the beginning of the 2000s, with over a decade of touring and recording under its belt, the members of Superchunk decided to part ways for a bit and focus on other things. Most notably, this included Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance's Merge Records label; but it also included taking time to raise families and work with other people. They never broke up, but there was not a real game plan for getting back together and making music. Seeing as how Superchunk are one of my favorites of all time, this was a great disappointment. But listening to the band's last two albums before the hiatus - Come Pick Me Up and Here's To Shutting Up - it seems obvious now that Superchunk were burning out. The tight, punchy, pop-punk that filled more than a half dozen albums in the bands career was being replaced with slower, more depressing music that featured keyboards, strings, horns, and other elements that just a few years earlier would have seemed incredibly out of place on a Superchunk record. But no band wants to keep repeating itself, no matter how great their past accomplishments might have been. Change is natural, and the desire for this band to change is understandable. But that didn't mean I had to like it.

Perhaps over the (almost) decade the band was apart (except for sporadic performances), the members realized what they liked about their past and what they liked about playing together. They must have, because when they finally returned with Majesty Shredding, they are playing with a renewed fervor and musical purpose not seen since 1995's Here's Where the Strings Come In. Majesty is a tremendous effort and a total return to form for this excellent band. Tunes like "Crossed Wires" and "Digging For Something" easily rank among the band's best singles, and when Superchunk chooses to slow it down ("Fractures in Plaster"), it no longer seems depressing and/or monotonous. After seeing Superchunk twice this year, I can attest to the fact that the band members seem to really be enjoying themselves again. It's hard for any band to re-capture the magic of an earlier time, but with Majesty Shredding, one can make a case for Superchunk doing just that. Love this band. Love this record.

Mousetrap TONIGHT at Waiting Room

2010-12-29T17:44:00.001-06:00

Seminal 90s Omaha band Mousetrap reunites once again for a show at Waiting Room. Also on the bill are fellow 90s band Mercy Rule, Noah's Ark Was A Spaceship, and The Stay Awake. Tickets are a mere $8 at the door.