Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Neko Case or Not enough squirrels in rock these days

I see some really good performers so i don't know why i was so surprised when Neko walked up to the microphone opened her mouth and sounded like Neko Case. That voice is so amazing on record that it's surprising that it sounds just like that and maybe even a little fuller in person, i think my jaw hit the floor. Neko looked good, sounded great and, who knew, was really funny. The show wasn't very long, maybe an hour and a half but she managed to fit in a bunch of songs from her last couple of albums along with a Tom Petty cover and probably six new songs(my favorite being Edge of the World). All of the new tunes seemed really strong. They are all in the vein of Fox Confessor. The entire show was a little less country then the album versions had lead me to expect.
There was a dog on stage(her backup singer's) who was completely unmoved by the performance, she explained that he was deaf and wasn't excited because there "weren't enough squirrels in rock these days". She also talked about being in Vermont for the past three weeks rehearsing for the tour and she spent a lot of time talking about Vermont's delicious french toast.


You may have noticed from the picture that i got one of the posters! That's never happened to me before. For some shows Higher Ground has an artist do a hand signed and numbered limited edition poster that they hand out at the end of the show. Now not every show has posters and I'm not sure what the criteria for a poster worthy show is but I finally got one.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

What a shirt.


I saw this shirt and had to post it.

I also picked up a promo of Hip Hop is Dead by Nas and really like it. Why didn't my brother(my source for what's good in rap) let me know about this one?

Monday, January 21, 2008

Vampire Weekend

I finally got a chance to listen to the Vampire Weekend album and love it. Everyone is blogging about them so i don't have to think of a creative way to describe their indie rock melded to world music rhythms style(post world punk? indie world?). Put on your dancing shoes and give it a listen.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Random Stuff

Is this really Neko Case? I have my tickets so i'll just hope she wears this number in a couple of weeks. According to her web site this little new England tour is a chance for her to test drive some of the material for her new album.
My current obsession the Mars Volta will be on Letterman this Thursday(17th). They are also on the cover of the new issue of Harp.

I'm still laughing about the latest post on What would Jesus Blog?.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Notes on the Mars Volta show


This show left me speechless so instead of a proper review here are some random notes.
Almost three straight hours of face-melting rock.
For such a serious sounding band the members seemed to be having a lot of fun.
They never stop playing. They slow down and one person will retune but the music never stops... unless it's part of the song and then they stop and start on a dime.
Higher Ground has the coldest beer on tap, it's a degree away from being a slushie.
After a few beers and some incredibly hard complex rock my wife feels like she should talk shit about Iron & Wine.
The hair is even more impressive in person.
I know the names to none of the Mars Volta songs... except The Widow... which they played. I'm pretty sure I also heard Wax Simulacra.
It was hot in HG but they never took off their jackets.
Cedric and Omar both did their funky dances.
Nice t-shirts but how bout one with tour dates?
My ears were still ringing at noon the next day.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Last bit of 2007

Here is a list of my favorite albums of 2007.
1. The New Pornographers - Challengers
2. Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog
3. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger/Follow the Lights
4. The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
5. Beirut - The Flying Cup Club
6. Bright Eyes - Cassadega
7. Jens Lekman - Night Falls over Kortedala
8. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
9. Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
10. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna are you the destroyer?
11. The National - Boxer
12. Bishop Allen - The Broken String
13. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
14. Radiohead - In Rainbows

Best T.V. of 2007
1. 30 Rock
2. The Office
3. Kitchen Nightmares

Best Covers of 2007
1. KT Tunstall - Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead
2. St. Vincent - These Days - Jackson Browne
3. Peaches and Tone Loc - Wildthing

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

The books I've read



In addition to music i also like books. Here are the books I read in 2007 in the order i read them. The * denote a graphic novel.

1. Children of Men P.D. James

2. A Grave Tattoo Val McDermid

3. The Devil’s Feather Minette Walters

4. The Blade Itself

5. Love is a Mixtape Rob Sheffield

6. Judgement Ridge

7. The Walking Dead Vol I *

8. The Walking Dead Vol II *

9. Alternadad Neil Pollack

10. The Walking Dead Vol III *

11. The Walking Dead Vol IV *

12. Black Monday

13. Leave Me Alone I’m Reading Corrigen

14. Mistress of the Art of Death Ariana Franklin

15. Escape of the living Dead *

16. Pattern Recognition William Gibson

17. Uglies

18. A Gentlemen Abroad Bridges and Curtis

19. Strange Son Portia Iverson

20. Daniel half Human David Chotjewitz

21. Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim David Sedaris

22. Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow Susan Benbletti

23. Blood and Chocolate

24. The Shakespeare Riots

25. Pretties

26. Specials

27. This land was made for you and me Elizabeth Partridge

28. 13 Bullets David Wellington

29. Childhoods End Arthur C. Clarke

30. Five People Who Died Having Sex

31. Andy Warhol: Prince of Pop

32. French by Heart Rebecca Ramsey

33. The Harlequin Laurell K. Hamilton

34. Children of Hurin J.R.R.Tolkien

35. Everybody Hurts

36. A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson

37. Tales from Jabba’s Palace Kevin J. Andersen

38. Monster Island David Wellington

39. How to Survive a Horror Movie

40. March Up Country Weber Ringo

41. Mole People

42. Too Far From Home

43. Bridge to Terebithia

44. Escape: the Story of the Great Houdini Sid Fleischman

45. When the Emperor was Devine

46. Ananssi Boys Neil Gaiman

47. Green Mountain Boys

48. Deathly Hallows Rowling

49. Hole in My Life Jack Gantos

50. Inca Gold Clive Cussler

51. The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold

52. All I Did was Ask Terry Gross

53. No Reservations Anthony Bourdain

54. Island of Dr. Moreau H.G. Wells

55. 2001 Nights Yukinobu Hoshimo *

56. My Boring Ass Life Kevin Smith

57. Sold Patricia McCormick

58. Stiff Mar Roach

59. The Glorious Cause Jeff Shaara

60. State of Fear Micheal Crighton

61. A Man Called Kev Garth Ennis *