On the recommendation of Ryan at The RSL Blog, I had the pleasure of catching VD this past Thursday….yeah I know. You should see the buttons.

Anyway, these guys have an old-school new-wave sensibility. You hear a bit of Cake and early 80’s Elvis Costello flavoring their own brand of solid indie rock music. This is a style that’s easy to do bad. Instead, these guys pull it off with a sophistication that you don’t see in bands that have been doing it for decades.

Their tunes have a lot of transitions, relatively speaking, but they’re unforced. You don’t hear them try to shoe-horn a bridge in just to keep things interesting. Their songs are simply well composed, with good energy and a great effort from all parts. No one piece overshadows the others.

I’d highly recommend you pick up the CD, “Let’s Become Machines” it’s a great addition to your collection. Also, catch them live. They’re solid performers and Rob Morris does this thing with his Wii-mi bar….or perhaps its a WiiWii Pedal. Cool to see, great to hear.

Vivian Darkbloom

MySpace - Tracks Tour Dates & More

MP3 - Jamie

Originally, my inspiration for this post is that I have been so psyched at the number and variety of “real” instruments people are touring with. I dig electronic music just fine, but I’ve been totally into seeing something more “organic”.

Now, I thought about whether this was simply a case of nostalgia, but I don’t think that’s possible. I’ve seen plenty of shows. For the most part, anyone who wasn’t a band with big money or playing jazz, would opt for a keyboard, samples or a loop, rather then bring real horns or strings on tour.

Now, I’m perfectly willing to accept that Rock n’ Roll may not be the most precise musical adjective for all the cellists I’ll be talking about. However, since I’ve seen the cello make a showing four times in the last three months, you’ll excuse the generalization.

The first cello appearance was Alexandra Lawn with Ra Ra Riot when they opened up for the Editors back in September. This was the most rockin’ of the cello performances and an overall great show. They are very exciting live and I highly recommend catching them on December 15 at the Middle East. It is a benefit concert for the John Ryan Pike Memorial Foundation, their drummer who died in a tragic drowning accident.

The second appearance of the cello featured Linnea Weiss putting on a great performance with Mates of State at the MFA on October 25. In addition to the usual drums and keys, grand piano for this show, they brought in Linnea on cello and filled things out with Christian Owens on bass and backing vocals. Kori Gardner said during the show that this was the first time they ever used this arrangement, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell. It was outstanding.

Mates of State at The MFA

(As a side note, the accordion made a brief showing with Via Audio, who opened up that night. A great band who I’ve seen in two sit down shows, The MFA and an abbreviated set at Berklee. I can’t wait to catch them in a club show.)

The third cello appearance was with the Swell Season at the Orpheum on November 28. The Swell Season is the project of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who you’ll remember from the movie “Once“. I had expected a standard arrangement of guitar, bass and drums to go along with the Hansard’s powerful strumming and Irglova on piano. Instead (apologies if I’ve gotten the name wrong) we were treated to Bertrand Galen on cello and Colm Mac Con Iomaire on violin. This was simply one of the best shows I’ve seen. Absolutely amazing and I can’t recommend seeing them highly enough.

So coincidentally, we start with an Alexandra on cello and end with an Alexandra on cello. As I wrote about in my last post, the most recent cello appearance was Alexandra Spalding with Annie Lynch & the Beekeepers. One of my favorite discoveries of the last couple months. There was another accordion appearance in this show as well. I’m very happy they had just cut their eponymous CD that night, because I picked it up and its been in regular rotation. “Next to Me” is gorgeous and probably my favorite on the album.

Annie Lynch & The Beekeepers at The Beehive, Boston

Clearly there’s lots that could be said about many other bands using instruments beyond the cello. Hell, as I mentioned, the accordion has been popping up quite a bit as well. But from Beirut to Polyphonic Spree folks are getting creative and I love it. Spoon even had a horn section in tow with them last week at The Orpheum. I just can’t wait to see it keep coming.

Ra Ra Riot

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

mp3 - Dying is Fine

Mates of State

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

Web Site

mp3 - Like U Crazy

Swell Season

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

mp3 - Leave

Annie Lynch & The Beekeepers

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

mp3 - Charlotte’s Web

The Editors were very close to putting on the best show that I’ve seen all year at The Paradise back on September 6. However, Of Montreal put on a totally sick performance back on October 12 at The Roxy nudging them out of my top spot. I’ll leave that show for discussion another time, because I’m way overdue posting a couple things about that Editors show.

Leaving The Paradise back in September, all I could come up with was a one sentence review. “They were fucking amazing.” That would have been a perfectly cromulent review. Seriously, those guys hit on all cylinders and the only negative thing I had to say is that I think their light show was meant to be used in a place the size of The Orpheum. I think I left half blind, but with a tan.

The next time they are back in town, do not miss the chance to see them.

Editors - Munich

Seeing the Editors, reminded me of another of my all-time favorite shows. It was a brilliant and oddly named band who played at the dingy and oddly named, Club Baby Head, in Providence. If you like the Editors and you’ve never heard of Kitchens of Distinction, you are in for a treat. Man, the swirling guitar and trebbly bass. There were moments at that Editors show when I swear I was back in Providence…probably in one of those times when I was stunned after being blasted in the face with one of their million watt lights.

Kitchens of Distinction formed in 86′ and broke up in 96′. Patrick Fitzgerald, the singer/bass player is still around and you can check him out here. I saw them on the tour for Strange Free World, that you can still get on Amazon for under five bucks. I’ll let you judge for yourself, but although the Editors have more edge and KOD have more Echo & the Bunnymen to them, I think you’ll find a distinct similarity and really dig it.

Editors

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

An End Has A Start

Kitchens of Distinction

MySpace - Tracks and Videos

MP3 Railwayed

MP3 Quick as Rainbows

After reminiscing a couple weeks back about all the great bands that came out of that other Massachusetts Music Mecca, Northampton, I wondered what was going on recently. Coincidentally, I bump into someone just a few days later that turns me on to the Winterpills who are just a great band. (Big thanks to Katie from the comments on my Jose Gonzalez post)

The first thing that stands out when you listen to the Winterpills are the gorgeous harmonies between Philip Price and Flora Reed. There are times when they sing all alone, usually Phillip, but most of the time they sing together. The second thing that strikes you are the great textures they create with the acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass and drums. They mix and flow with an artful sense of rhythm that weaves all the instruments together.

I’ve spent a few days listening to both their self-titled debut and their latest “The Light Divides”. On a first listen their eponymous first album gave me a feel of Badly Draw Boy or Elliot Smith. There is a strong flavor of those artists on that album, but on subsequent listens you hear a lot more there. It is a very strong album and a great addition to my collection.

I think the newest album shows a great progression to a sound that more uniquely their own. The feel ranges from truly atmospheric on “Eclipse” to alt-country on songs like “July”. I love the drum work on Eclipse. In fact, Dave Hower does a lot of subtlety ingenious drumming that is fantastic. (Its not always a straight ahead as it feels) Dennis Crommet’s use of distorted guitar and occasional feedback is superb. It adds an edge and tension to the songs that gives a feeling of repressed energy that contrasts the softness of the acoustic guitar and ubiquitous beautiful harmonies. These folks are all top notch musicians.

Winterpills have two shows coming up in town as well as other dates around New England. I’m looking forward to catching them next Monday October 1 at the Middle East Upstairs when they play with The Brunettes and Ferraby Lionheart. You can also catch them at Great Scott on November 2, but I’m sure you’ll agree that’s too long to wait.

Winterpills

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

MP3 Lay Your Heartbreak

It was a real struggle to pick which track I would post because there are so many good ones, but this is one of my favorites off “The Light Divides”.

One of the shows I’m looking forward to this month is Jose Gonzalez who is playing at The Paradise on September 30. His music is entirely acoustic and the style is a mix of classical guitar and bossa nova. He’s probably the only artist in my collection who uses nylon strings on his guitar. Combined with his powerful vocals, you get an overall flavor of Elliot Smith or Nick Drake, without it feeling as dark.

He does some great covers that he blends in with his original material. He has done “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division to end shows and “Heartbeats”, by a Swedish band The Knife, which is on Veneer. The most interesting is his cover of “Hand on Your Heart” by Kylie Minogue. Yes, I almost fell down when I found out. And !! Her version is atrocious. You have to have a gift to hear that song and create the one that he did. (And oddly enough, this makes yet another Aussie music reference on my blog)

I’ve really enjoyed having Veneer in my collection for the last few months. This is a great example of how someone who loves rhythms can be blown away by an artist who doesn’t even have percussion. His guitar picking and singing, both note choice and beat, are just amazing. Its one of those albums where you can close your eyes and just follow the dancing notes in your mind’s eye…or ear.

As of today, tickets are still available. This is pretty different from most of the music in my collection, but I know I would be kicking myself if I missed this show. Here is a taste of his live performance.

Crosses Live at Goteborg

By the way, they are working on a documentary and are soliciting film from shows and show-related activities. If that’s your bag here’s the info or go to his site below.

Jose Gonzalez

Web Site

MySpace - Tracks, Tour Dates & More

Lovestain

Hand On Your Heart

2b: A bonus post from The Booze Bus on current Aussie favourites. 

Just thinking, as a patriotic Australian I should probably throw a shout out to some current acts that the wider world should know about. To narrow things down (and owing to the fact that everyone loves lists) I’ve selected 5 acts to highlight:

Wolfmother

These guys got a lot of play here in the States over the last couple of years and deserve the success that they are finding. Six songs on Triple J’s hottest 100 in 2005 was a record.

Jet

Another fairly successful act that is getting play on mainstream radio stations in the States. They’ve been criticized for borrowing too heavily from AC/DC, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and other retro act, but I figure I like all those bands so why should I begrudge them success for figuring out how to incorporate all those influences. Jet haters need to get off their high horses and enjoy the music a little more.

The Cat Empire

My sister practically shoved this band down my throat primarily because some of the members went to our high school (Shout out to Balwyn High, go Bumblebees). Anyway I gave them a shot and was pleasantly surprised. Very energetic and funky.

John Butler Trio

Another Aussie group forced upon me by my little sister. Good thing she has good taste. Probably sees himself as Peter Garrett’s successor lyrically, but has a Jack Johnson - Ben Harper vibe musically.

Missy Higgins

Pretty much a straight-up folk singer. Has a nice sound.

There you have it, 5 Aussie acts to follow in the here and now.

The next Aussie alt-group that comes to mind, since the Hoodoo Gurus are playing downstairs at The Middle East on September 8, had a lot more commercial success than Hunter & Collectors or the Hoodoo Gurus.

Midnight Oil was one of those uber-political bands that managed to not ruin their music with their politics. But, that’s only because they were never separate things to begin with. (I know The Booze Bus will be itching to comment on that) I really liked these guys a lot early on in their career, but I think I tuned them out after you couldn’t seem to turn on any music producing device without hearing “Beds are Burning” for an entire summer.

After thinking about the Aussie bands from Hoodoo’s heyday, I went back and listened to a bunch of The Oils music again. I have to hand it to them, they created a very original sound and produced a lot of driving, just plain good rock tunes. There is strong guitar, vocals, drumming and the singing can’t be questioned.

****The Booze Bus******

Question: From the below photo who is the leader of the Australian Green Party and who is the suit representing the powerful political party that unleashed a wave of economic rationalist-free market reforms in Australia during the 80’s?

A) Bald dude leads the Green Party
B) Grey haired dude leads the Green Party

If you answered B you’d be correct.

On the right is Bob Brown, leader of the Australian Green Party, Tasmania eco-nut, who was ejected from Parliament for heckling George Bush during his address to the Australian Parliament after the start of the Iraq War (of which Australia was a member of the coalition of the willing).

On the left is Peter Garrett from whose pen the song US Forces flowed. He was last seen meeting with Timber company executives in Tasmania to discuss how to rollback his party’s policy on banning logging in the politically sensitive marginal seat, which cost his party the last election.

Midnight Oil - they didn’t follow trendy left wing causes, they started them…….then flogged them to death, sold out, and finally realized that politics is about compromise, deal-making, shaking hands with the devil and discovering that he is you.

Musically they were phenomenal, but to me the greatest gift that Midnight Oil gave to the world is the resolution to the age old question: Can music really change the world?

The answer is a resounding no.

*****End The Booze Bus****

2b: Thus ends today’s edition of “You Got Music in My Politics….. No! You Got Politics in My Music” Next week The Booze Bus will explain why Bono is nothing but a dirty f’ing hippie. Thanks for stopping by. Now back to the music.

The next one is on the obscure side, but I totally dig this album. The band is Frente! (That is their exclamation point, not mine) and the album is “Marvin the Album”. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are being ironic, this album is as cute as the name suggests. There are no hard edges here, even on the one song they try, but it is brilliant.

Angie Hart has a sweet voice, amazing range and most of the songs have an acoustic guitar strumming away somewhere in the background. You also get a few songs where they drop in a little funk beat a’ la the DNA remix of Suzanne Vega. This album really captures a sound that was big in the early 90’s. “Labour of Love” was the single in the US, which I’m sure you’ve heard someone cover at some point, along with “Ordinary Angels” and their very cool acoustic cover of “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order. All great songs.

This is not a perfect album, but there is much more good than bad here. If you can find this album, pick it up. I think I got mine for four bucks. There’s usually one kicking around most used CD places, often times in the black-hole closeout racks. You know, sometimes there’s gold in there.

***Crank up The Booze Bus****

OK, When 2b told me about his love of Frente I knew that this was a man whose taste in Australian music was so refined that he might be a fellow undercover ASIO officer, working with me and Rupert Murdoch to instigate the downfall of the American Empire from within.

I hope I haven’t just blown his cover.

To be honest, I don’t know too much about Frente, other than their psychedelic video made it to #3 in the Aussie charts back in 1992. If you have a few minutes and some LSD handy, check it out.

*****End The Booze Bus****

The Church made this list originally as an afterthought. They came to mind mostly because my first band learned “Under the Milky Way” as one of our first covers. It also seemed like every other aspiring alt-rock band at the time time played it too. The only other song I remember from that time was “Reptile”.

However, as I started doing a little background research I discovered a some very interesting things. 1) I’ve seen world leaders with less in-depth wikipedia listings than these guys have. 2) They have more than 20 albums!! 3) I’d heard none of the songs on their MySpace page before, but they are really good. 4) I’m going to have to pick up their 2007 Singles Collection.

*****Start The Booze Bus****

Nothing to add here.

****Stop The Booze Bus****

Disclaimer: I did not mention INXS even though they were once upon a time an alt-rock band, since they were really a top 40 band the whole time.

****Start the Booze Bus****

INXS rocks and I won’t have you denigrate them in this way. They are musically complex and lyrically interesting (Example: Never Tear Us Apart — beautiful song). Just because a band is successful doesn’t mean they are sell outs. For fucks sake, Michael Hutchence, died asphyxiating himself with a belt during a sex act. If that’s not true rock and roll, I don’t know what the hell is.

Cool fact to tell your friends over a beer: Terence Trent D’Arby replaced Michael Hutchence as lead singer of INXS. Drop that one on them, bet them it’s true and collect your winnings.

*****The Booze Bus is closed for business****

Midnight Oil

MySpace - Tracks & Stuff

Blue Sky Mine

King of the Mountain

Frente!

MySpace - Tracks, Shows & More

Labour of Love

Ordinary Angels

The Church

MySpace - Tracks, Shows & More

Under the Milky Way

My self-imposed hiatus from buying any more concert tickets (for a couple days anyway) lasted all of one day (way to go 2b). thewicked just has to tell me that the Hoodoo Gurus are playing downstairs at The Middle East. I had no idea these guys were still together and I can only hope they still put on a great show.

This brings to mind a number of things that would be great candidates for Forgotten Disc Friday. The Aussies had a great little run of solid contributions to the alt-rock scene in the 80’s and 90’s and I’ll have a two-part series outlining my favorites. To give some more perspective to the discussion, I’ve enlisted the help of an actual Australian. You’ll see his comments in bold.

The Hoodoo Gurus were one of the bands that fundamentally based my musical sensibilities in the alt/indie-rock world. There is a great review of their album Mars Needs Guitars on Forgotten Disc Fridays to check out, although my personal favorite is Stoneage Romeos.

Most folks who know the Hoodoo Gurus seem to know “Miss Freelove 69″” or “Come Anytime” which you can hear on their MySpace Page along with “I Want You Back” which is the classic that sucked me into these guys. Stoneage Romeos also has great tunes such as Leilani which is kinda a Joe vs the Volcano thing and the Ampology collection has the original before they decided to get a bass player. “(Let’s All) Turn On” is a fantastically frenetic tune and “Tojo” is another favorite.

***The Booze Bus****

Ilovedahoodoogurusinger - Billy Birmingham (AKA “The 12th Man”). The Hoodoo Gurus were indeed so much part of the pop lexicon during the 80’s and 90’s in Australia that they were immortalized by being referenced as an Indian cricketers name by Australia’s greatest sports-comedian, Billy Birmingham in his faux-cricket commentary The Twelfth Man Again. A higher honour, I do not know.

If you research any Australian alt-rock bands, you’ll notice that the common theme is that they were all discovered by the radio station Triple J (or for older bands Double J). Triple J is a quasi-communist organization that has found a way to extort the Australian government into subsidizing a Nationally Broadcast alt-rock station (Think a fully subsidized NPR that just plays alt-rock). The Australian government seems ok with this set-up because at least it means that the disaffected youth will concentrate on getting stoned and rocking out, rather than on setting about on any kind of really revolutionary actions. Given that the hosts and executives get to act like serious cultural barometers, this appears to be a win-win-win relationship for all involved.

Leaving aside political opinions for a second, it must be admitted that the folks running Triple-J has fantastic taste in music and have played a significant role in propelling many cultish inner city rock acts who really have no marketing (or indeed have anti-marketing) instincts into national and internationally recognized artists.

For anyone with the slightest interest in Australian music, Triple J’s hottest 100 list (released annually on Australia Day - that’s Jan 26 to the great unwashed of the world) is a great resource for discovering new music from Down-Under.

***End The Booze Bus***

If you take anything from this post, its that Hunters & Collectors is a phenomenal and largely unknown band outside of Australia and their album Human Frailty is a must have. Hell, I tried to swipe it from my brother’s record collection when I first heard it, with mixed results.

H&C or Hunna’s, if you find yourself in Australia, have a powerful alt-rock sound with brass. Not the saxophones (woodwind, I know) that were all the rage in bad 80’s pop, but deep baritones that shake along with a strong bass guitar (both deep and tinny) almost honky tonk guitar flourishes and the powerful vocals of Mark Seymour.

Now I’m not usually lyrics guy, but the writing on here is superb. “Throw You Arms Around Me” is considered the classic off this album, a song about a one night stand with great lines like “and we may never meet again, so lets shed our skin and get started“. Or Dog, with lines like “Its all coming out into the open, and I’m licking your hand all over“. I could keep on these, but you can check out the official MySpace to hear “Throw Your Arms Around Me” and some stuff from their other albums.

The version of Human Frailty I have now is a CD released by IRS with both Human Frailty and the Living Daylight EP. If it wasn’t for the magic of the interwebs and Amazon, this would be a “Holy Grail” album. You are unlikely to come across it in most US music stores and iTunes has just a live double album.

These guys still have very dedicated following and you can learn more at their fan site True Believers that seems pretty up-to-date.

***Start The Booze Bus****

Ahhhhh, Hunters and Collectors - The filet-mignon of Australian rock. If you want to break down the stereotypical tough Aussie guy just add a six pack of Victoria Bitter, crank up Throw Your Arms Around Me and watch the person you had assumed had the personality of Crocodile Dundee turn into a blubbering, snivelling mess.

Their lyrics touch on many Australian hot-buttons, like What’s a Few Men a song about the way Australian troops were treated by British Officers during the trench warfare of WWI. It always conjures up Winston Churchill in my mind as it’s a little known (outside of Australia) historical fact that he was responsible for planning and executing the disasterous Gallipoli campaign. Given how revered Churchill is these days, for fans of military history, it’s worth remembering just what a ruthless cold hearted killer he was.

But that returns back to how epically great H&C lyrics are - Holy Grail is sung as an anthem by yobbos and dickheads all over Australia, but you really have to wonder whether they know that they are singing about Napoleon’s campaign into Russia.

From the epic to the intensely personal, H&C are considered in the same way that the Irish consider U2 or maybe a Pearl Jam is considered here in the States.

****End The Booze Bus****

Hunters & Collectors

Say Goodbye

Dog

Hoodoo Gurus

MySpace - Tour Dates, Tracks & More

Leilani

(Lets all) Turn On

Dear and the Headlights beyond being my favorite new band name I’ve heard in a long time, also happens to have produced my favorite album of the year so far, Small Steps, Heavy Hooves. You can hear some highlights on their MySpace which gives you a good feel. Although, I’m not sold on the remix of “It’s Getting Easy” which is my favorite song on the album.

Dear and the Headlights are guitar driven indie rock with very passionate vocals, great lyrics and occasional piano (OK I’m a sucker for a little piano). There’s a slight southern flavor to it as well, which is nice and gives a different feel from a lot of stuff I’ve been listening to apart from The Snake The Cross and The Crown.

So, Under the Radar is because these guys will be at The Middle East on August 15, but their name is not even on the (actual paper) ticket. Now, I won’t disparage Mae or As Tall As Lions who are the top of the line-up that night, but I caught their MySpace Pages. They sound pretty good, but I don’t hear the same passion that I hear from Dear and the Headlights. But hey, that’s why you go see them play. I haven’t seen Dear and the Headlights live yet, but I am VERY excited for next weeks show. If you can make it, definitely do.

BTW - If you caught their show a few months back (Avalon in April?) I’d be curious what you thought.

The Shout Out Out Out’s are a great example of something normally outside my musical taste, that I totally dug because they are great at what they do.

So here’s the premise. Dance music played with (mostly) actual instruments. A singer, two drummers (and a drum machine) along with three other guys who played bass or keyboards and at least once the singer played bass. The front man was great. He was very funny and laid back (when he wasn’t jumping around like a crazy person). He made the crowd feel like he was hosting a few friends in his living room. Totally engaging and unpretentious.

Its a Tuesday night, so there are people there, but its in no way packed. These guys played with the energy you don’t see with many bands that have a packed room. I’ve seen a lot of bands mail it in when they don’t have the crowd they want. This was pure fun. If they weren’t having a blast, you wouldn’t know it. I’m a poor white boy with no clue how to dance, but if you do, do not miss them the next time they are in town. I’d be happy to see them again.

Good times.

BTW Thanks to MOKB for the recommendation.