In support of his achingly gorgeous new solo LP, "Palindrome Hunches", Neil Halstead returns to the scene of his last Boston-area appearance tomorrow night, Saturday, October 6th, for another intimate show at at the Lizard Lounge. Not sure who's traveling with him this time around, but 4 years ago the Mojave 3 (and ex?-Slowdive) frontman was joined by bassist Ben Hall and guitar/mandolin player Adam Parfitt for most of that whiskey-fueled Cambridge set.

Below is the setlist from that November night in 2008, along with live MP3s of a few of the songs. Despite Neil's apologies, the performance was made no less entrancing by a mid-set coughing fit ("I guess I'm not too healthy at the moment") , though he promised he'd be in a healthier state when he returned. Guess we'll find out tomorrow night (and if he's not, don't offer him more whiskey... he wasn't sure that helped). Get advance tickets here, but hurry. If there's any justice, it'll be a sell out.

Acidgalore and Nine Dots Boston were both at the 2008 show, and shared their thoughts. More of my photos from that night are here.

Neil is at the very start of a lengthy tour across the US before he heads to the UK and Europe to finish out the year. Stream "Palindrome Hunches" below, where you'll also find the new video for "Hey Daydreamer", the beautiful piano-based track that closes the album, and a link to download a free 4-song tour EP.



Neil Halstead
with Ben Hall & Adam Parfitt

November 14th, 2008
at the Lizard Lounge
in Cambridge, MA

01. Martha's Mantra (For The Pain) [MP3]
02. Driving With Bert
03. Oh! Mighty Engine
04. Witless or Wise
05. Sometimes The Wheels
06. Yer Feet (Mojave 3)
07. Sleeping on Roads [MP3]
08. Two Stones In My Pocket
09. Between The Bars (Mojave 3)
10. No Mercy For The Muse
11. Prayer For The Paranoid (Mojave 3)
12. See You On Rooftops
13. Who Do You Love? (Mojave 3)
14. Paint A Face
15. Elevenses
16. Hi-Lo and Inbetween
17. A Gentle Heart [MP3]
18. unknown * (lyric - "Jimmy Could You Lay Another On Me")
19. Queen Bee
20. unknown * (lyric - "She Won't Let You Cause Her No Pain")

* Didn't recognize those two songs (cover songs, perhaps?), and a search let me down, so let me know if you think you do.

Download a free 4-song Neil Halstead tour EP courtesy of Noisetrade. Order "Palindrome Hunches" direct from Brushfire Records or digitally on iTunes. Catch Neil Halstead on tour near you.

Labels: livemp3s

Under normal circumstances, one goal of this Joy Formidable post would be: "If you haven't heard this band, well, here you go... you should totally see them when they play the Paradise tomorrow." But, well, that ship has sailed. The show sold out awhile ago, so if you don't have tickets by now - barring Craigslist or out-front-begging - you're outta luck. Over the past year, the band has kind of blown up, especially here in Boston, due in no small part to their incendiary area live sets, generous WFNX airplay, and an opening slot for the Foo Fighters at the Garden late last year.

They've been relentlessly touring "The Big Roar", their 2011 debut full-length, which feels like it's been out far longer than a year. Not sure what kind of a writing-while-touring band they are, but let's hope they've got some new songs in the pipeline. I'm ready.

Until then, we'll keep getting blistering live versions of the songs from that debut, and the EP preceding it. Here's their set from Allston's Brighton Music Hall, exactly one year ago tonight.

And hey, if you didn't get tickets to tomorrow night's show at the 'Dise, well, here's some sound advice: Catch the ridiculously stacked bill across the river at TT the Bears instead. I'm talkin' Young Adults, Soccer Mom, Autochrome (celebrating the release of their new album), and Night Fruit. Four of Boston's best, all in one place. As much as I dig the Joy Formidable, there's no way in hell I'd miss that lineup.


Post post-script...

That sample at the beginning of "Greyhounds In The Slip"? "Warlocks are enemies of God!". Jesus Camp vs Harry Potter.

The band appeared on Kimmel a couple weeks back, and blew through this web-only version of "Whirring"...

Boston's Radio 92.9 interviewed the band when they were in town last year (scroll down that page and click to listen), where they offered up an acoustic take on their album's epic closing track...

[MP3]
The Joy Formidable
"The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade"
(live on 92.9 FM Boston)

The Boston Phoenix's OTD was at last year's show as well, and shared up this live clip of "Whirring".

My Flickr-hosted live shots are here.

Only two more dates on the current JF tour: Saturday in Montreal, then Monday in (sold out) Toronto. After that, the band gets a well-deserved break until Bonnaroo in June.

Listen to any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Files are generally made available for a limited time.

Labels: livemp3s

And lastly, here's part three of three: The Church performing their U.S. breakthrough record, "Starfish", in its entirety earlier this year. Like so many of my fellow 'Mericans, this was my first Church album - hearing (and seeing the video for) the record's second track, "Under the Milky Way", led me on a journey through the Aussie quartet's back catalog, where they secured my forever-fandom. When "Starfish" arrived stateside in 1988, the band already had a 7-year (and 5-album) history, so tracking down LP imports and finding songs like "The Unguarded Moment", "Almost With You", "Tantalized", and "Columbus" was a true treasure hunt. But "Starfish" was the gateway record, and therefore remains closest to my heart.

Some personal highlights from this particular part of that night in Foxboro...

As pro as the band generally is, it's nice to see some looseness creep in - like when guitarist Marty Wilson-Piper accidentally tried to skip over the song "Lost" and head straight from "Blood Money" into his top notch opening riff for "North, South, East, and West". "That was the New Zealand release that was in that order..." quipped drummer Tim Powles. Frontman Steve Kilbey added that Marty "just wants to get off stage and back to those glamorous models he's chained to... actually, it's like a sneak preview of what's coming up on The Church Show!" They launched into "Lost" with "this appropriately titled next track is called...". Cue more laughter.

Also highly amusing - Ace Boston-area rock photographer and writer Tim Bugbee's attempted break for the bathroom just before "Reptile" was about to begin. Revealing the dangers of being up front at a seated show, Kilbey called him out with a good-natured "Where are you going? The restroom? What do you need a rest for, you're sitting down." I don't think Tim ended up escaping after all, so I hope he, um, held out. Good thing there were only 3 more songs left to go.

Speaking of Mr. Bugbee, check out his photos and review of the show over at Prefix. His 1st-person account of the failed bathroom break is noticeably missing from the write-up, though.

Before album-closer "Hotel Womb", when Steve noted they were at the end of the night, an almost-argument took place between him and the crowd: "No!" Steve: "Yes!" Crowd: "No!" Steve" "Yes!". And so on. Says something about Church fans, and the band's performance, that after a few hours and three full albums, many still wanted more. Other bands should be lucky to have such greedy followers.

The band's merch table (above) is truly a wonder to behold. I challenge any other band to measure up to this amount of music - albums, EPs, side projects, boxsets, live discs, you name it. It's a daunting task, but do yourself a favor and dive in - pick up some Church merch and help them keep doin' what they're doin'.

Here's the "Starfish" set. You can find the other two parts of this show right here (a run-through "Untitled #23") and over here (performing "Priest=Aura).


To continue your Church-specific surfing...

Check out the rest of my photos from the show on Flickr.

Lead singer/bassist Steve Kilbey's acceptance speech at the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame induction ceremony was a rambling doozy, and totally worth watching.

Here's a recent interview with guitarist Peter Koppes on the eve of the 3-album tour.

Apparently there's a Church documentary project in the works, and here's footage of the band and some fans from their 2009 West Coast tour.

During that 2009 tour, the band played The Triple Door in Seattle, and KEXP shared up some excellent videos from the show.

If you're a Church fan, take some time and step inside the mind of Steve Kilbey and his thought-provoking personal blog. He lets it all out there, and sometimes I'm not even sure what it is. But I like it.

Remember, you can easily stream any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine. Be sure to check out their new iPhone app, which allows you to stream blog-specific content on your fancy little handheld. From my minidisc recorder, to my computer, to my blog, to the Hype Machine servers, up to a satellite, and down to your freakin' iPhone. How's that for a delivery system? We're living in the future, man.


the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 256kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are usually not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s

I was able to catch Pavement a couple of times during last year's traveling nostalgia-fest, and they were wildly different experiences. The first, here in Boston at the cavernous Agganis Arena, was sonically weak but emotionally strong. The quintet was in great spirits - I could see every band members' grin from my fortunate spot in the front row - but the mix was muddy, bouncing off the walls of the college hockey arena like an errant puck. It's just a dreadful place for a rock show, especially a long-awaited reunion. I've seen three bands in that space, and I really hope I'm never compelled to make it four.


The second time was a couple thousand miles away in Las Vegas when they closed out the middle night of the Matador Records 21st anniversary weekend, and while the sound in the Palms ballroom was far better across the (sound)board, the on-stage mood was most certainly not. Strain between Stephen Malkmus and Scott "Spiral Stairs" Kannberg was plainly obvious - or at least it was from Spiral - from Malkmus there was apparent apathy and disinterest, playing with his back to the band or even on the floor for some of the set. The quintet still performed well, Bob Nostanovich was his usual wild, stage-roaming, lyric-shouting self, but the tension between the two frontmen subtracted from the vibe, for sure. Kannberg's pure joy back in Boston was infectious - especially when a Preston School of Industry bandmate joined him on vocals for a songs - but his Vegas frustration even moreso. In my head I've already tried to meld the two sets - sound from Vegas and mood from Boston - into one perfect show (and they didn't play "Debris Slide" at either one of 'em, dammit).

The final show of Pavement's 2010 reunion tour was in Buenos Aires on November 22nd, 2010, and while a January interview with Nostanovich says we may see them again "in the next few years", he pretty much rules out new songs. Still, I doubted we'd ever see Pavement reunite in the first place, so nothing would surprise me at this point. (actually, that's not true... new MBV material would surprise me.)

Here's their Boston set, with some further links to follow below. Keep in mind, as I said, the sound in the Agganis is, um, far from ideal, and my spot in the front row certainly didn't help. I spent a whole lot of time tweaking it, though, improving it as much as I could...

More of my photos from the show are here. Check out Tim Bugbee's excellent shots along with his write-up over at Prefix.

The Boston Globe reviewed the show, as did Rock over at Clicky Clicky.

Keep an eye on the Pavement website, which has promised to relaunch "with surprises galore" at some point.

[the fine print] If anyone has an issue with these MP3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony minidisc and stereo mic, converted to .wav and edited to 256kbps mp3s.

Labels: livemp3s

In the hypothetical world where I'm actually able to post things in a timely manner, I would've shared this live set early last month in honor of the third edition of ATP NY in the Catskills. That was the plan, anyway. While I didn't attend this year, nor last, I had a blast at the first installment in '08. The lineups haven't quite been strong enough across-the-board to get me back there, but I'm sure it'll happen again.

One of the reasons I made that 4-hour drive west to Monticello was to see a rare live appearance by Kurt Heasley and whoever was comprising the rest of his Lilys. Hand-picked by Kevin Shields of 2008 fest curators My Bloody Valentine to play on the last of ATP NY's 3 days, Kurt & co. played the smaller 2nd stage to an appreciative crowd. Mr. Shields loves Lilys enough to have invited them to play more of the reunited MBV's tourdates, but that's all we've seen or heard from Kurt in the years before or since. Apparently, no matter what you're doing, when Kevin calls, you come.

Here's the Lilys' set from ATP NY 2008, and check below the setlist for more Lilys-related love. As you sit there, send a little wish out into the void that we get some surprise Lilys' news sometime very soon...

File under "Boston music blogger confluence": As I was fine-tuning this post a couple days back, Jay, my compatriot over at Clicky Clicky, shared up his own Lilys-centric post - a you-tubed video of the band performing "Ginger" many moons ago. Go, look, listen, and read.

The esteemed WFMU has been broadcasting live (and sharing live sets) from ATP NY every year so far. Head here and look through the live archive for sets from all three ATP editions. Even better: Hit up the Free Music Archive, where some of the ATP artists have allowed their sets to be permanently stored.

This year, NPR got on the ATP train, and started sharing live set broadcasts as well. Here's where you can find recordings from the ATP 2010 lineup.

The Boston Phoenix's music blog, On The Download, has select live cuts from ATP 2010 up for your viewing pleasure, shot on their own Flip video camera (or "Phlipcam", as they call it). Check out a few live songs here.

Listen to any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine, or stream them while reading by using Shuffler.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these MP3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps Mp3s. Files are generally made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s

When the Pixies decided to jump on the "full album live" train last year to perform their seminal "Doolittle" LP for the masses, I was fully on board. The trend that seems to have started with ATP's original "Don't Look Back" shows is still going strong, and while it's easy to be cynical in the face of such obvious cash-raking nostalgia, it becomes impossible to resist when one of those albums is among your favorites of all time. I've long held that the best four-song start to any record ever is the "Debaser" / "Tame" / "Wave Of Mutilation" / "I Bleed" quatro-punch that starts "Doolittle" (go ahead, argue with me), and some of the most vivid memories of my entire life involve laying on the rocks of the off-limits Williston (Vermont) quarry, eyes closed after an illegal swim, drying off in the sun as the cassette played loudly from a nearby boom-box. From the intro bass line of "Debaser", I'm taken right back there.


So when the first run of these "Doolittle" gigs was announced last year, free will played no part in my decision to attend. In fact, the word 'decision' played no part. Tickets to the second of two late-November Boston stops were purchased on auto-pilot, and fate smiled upon Amie and I with some amazing seats. I'd seen the foursome in smaller venues, and larger (including the ill-fated, band-crushing opening slot tour with U2), but never, ever so ridiculously close. I didn't give a good goddamn which phase of their career they were in - I'd be in the f'in third row. So close that I wouldn't even complain if I wasn't on Kim's side of the stage (ok, maybe just a little).

Speaking of trends, here's one I look forward to seeing more of: Near-instant gratification from bands who record their own live shows and offer them up to fans as a keepsake. Yeah, it's been going on for years in certain circles, but with technology, the turnaround time has been shrinking dramatically, and spreading to non-hippy bands (i.e. ones I actually like). When I saw the Trashcan Sinatras last year, all you had to do was hang around after the show for about 15 minutes and you could buy a custom USB stick that contained a huge, unedited MP3 of the entire set, recorded via laptop from the board by one of the guitarists. How 'bout that? (sidenote: The Trashcans just finished up a tour in support of their excellent new album, which has now been released in the US. You can still buy recordings from the previous tour here.)


And so the Pixies, enabled by the folks at Abbey Road Live (composed of the same core crew behind Live Here Now and DiscLive), decided to document the entirety of their "Doolittle" retrospective tour. Not only could fans pre-order better-than-soundboard recordings of their shows and pick them up soon after the band left the stage, but even those who couldn't make it were able to snag the full sets over at DoolittleLive. It was a boon for fanatics and collectors, as they discussed the best performances and best quality recordings over at the band's (currently down) official message board. And it was, of course, a boon for the band as well, funneling even more nostalgia-fueled income their way. Simple economics.

Well, it was simple until the tour hit Boston, of course. As the band, and Abbey Road Live, tried to set up to record those two nights, they hit a snag: namely the local union crew working the Wang/Citi Center. I know some details, not enough to explain it clearly, but the end result was pretty straightforward: No live documentation of the band's long-awaited visit to what many consider their hometown, performing an album they wrote and recorded near that very venue. A damn shame for those looking forward to either reliving it or experiencing it from a distance.

Well, with this post, I try to ease that sting a little. You can thank a fellow taper who goes by the name emorency/BennyBlanco, and the fact that he was paying close attention when the Abbey Road crew announced, after the first show, that they weren't permitted to record either show. Unlike me, he brought his gear to night number two, knowing it would be lost to the ages if he didn't, and came up with the goods.

So with his permission, and with the "unofficial" permission of Abbey Road and the band (meaning this won't be up for long, and could disappear more quickly if 'the man' comes around), here is the Pixies' triumphant performance of "Doolittle" in Boston on Saturday night, November 28th, 2009. Yes, they closed with "UMass", and it was glorious. Don't settle for this recording, though... be sure you visit DoolittleLive and look around for other notable shows from the band's long retrospective tour. Support this whole official live-recording business model by throwing more tall dollars their way.

My commentary on the show, such as it is, follows below. Enjoy...


Some personal highlights, from my spot in the 3rd row...

Totally dug the rhythm section solidarity, as Kim Deal spent much of the show hanging back near David Lovering's drum riser.

Yes, we got both versions of "Wave of Mutilation", and I can't imagine anyone complained about redundancy.

Speaking of that song, I spent much of the show wondering when Lovering would finally use the triangle hanging off his kit, and should have realized that moment would come only once, during its "UK Surf" version.

As practiced as the band must be after so many reunion shows, I'll admit it was kind of endearing when they had to abort and restart "Weird At My School". That's what you get for tackling the b-sides, I guess. Glad they decided not to skip it after they bailed.

One of the best parts of being so close to the stage? Watching Joey Santiago's serious string bending during "I Bleed". Amazing.

Think the band is on auto-pilot? Think they're not feeling it? Well, you shoulda seen Frank Black during "Hey", as he stepped back from the microphone and mouthed along to every note of Santiago's glorious mid-song guitar lick.

After the band finished "Hey", and the crowd readied themselves for the seldom-heard (and Kim Deal-fronted) "Silver", she self-deprecatingly said "Yes, we're playing all of them". I've never been a big fan of the song, but after seeing it live, I am now.

After "Isla De Encanta", Santiago leaned over to the front few rows and asked us "Are you deaf yet? Oh, wait, you probably can't hear me...".

A sweaty David Lovering, whose momentum built through the show and resulted in absolutely brutal cymbal crashes during "Gouge Away", lost a stick during "Holiday Song" but flawlessly recovered. Not an easy song to do that on.

That final bow. How can you not love that? Looked like four old friends who just had a hell of a good time in their musical hometown.

The band recently announced another string of U.S. "Doolittle" tourdates, hitting some spots they missed the first time around. Here's the itinerary, all in September...

Sept. 7th @ Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA
10th @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
13th @ Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
17th @ Uptown Theatre, Kansas City, MO
18th @ Brady Theatre, Tulsa, OK
19th @ Verizon Theatre, Dallas, TX
20th @ Verizon Wireless Theatre, Houston, TX
22nd @ Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX
24th @ Mesa Amphitheatre, Mesa, AZ
25th @ The Joint, Las Vegas, NV
26th @ RIMAC Arena, San Diego, CA

Keep an eye on DoolittleLive.com as the tour progresses for new recordings. Abbey Road Live recently documented the band's entire New Zealand/Australia tour as well.

The band's official website is in the process of being relaunched, so you should get over there right now, just in case that relaunch doesn't include the free live "Doolittle" EP they have available for download.

Last year, 4AD released the massive (and massively priced) Pixies MINOTAUR boxset. If I didn't already own all of its contents (and had just won the lottery), I would have been all over it. Beautifully designed (of course) by 4AD art director Vaughan Oliver, it uses both original and new work from photographer Simon Larbalestier, whose images have helped aesthetically define the band since their first release. Here's a video 'trailer' for the boxset, which is really more of a mini-documentary (clocking in at 30 minutes). It was filmed at the one-night London release event showcasing that new-and-old artwork, and features chats with Oliver and Larbalestier, along with Kim, Frank, and David, and most importantly, a surprise live set from the band. Check out full performances of "Hey", "No. 13", "Monkey Gone To Heaven", "Debaser", "Planet Of Sound", "Dig Fire", "Bone Machine", and "Wave Of Mutilation (UK Surf)"...

In between their seemingly never-ending reunion jaunts, each Pixie keeps their individual musical juices moving on their own ongoing projects...

Frontman Frank Black / Black Francis is very busy with the solo thang, and Slicing Up Eyeballs has the latest on an upcoming b-sides compilation, a rock opera being put together based on his 2007 record "Bluefinger", and a list of upcoming solo dates, including some overseas festivals dates in August, and a whole lot of U.S. gigs well into September.

Bassist/vocalist Kim Deal continues on with her sister Kelley in The Breeders, who also have a few U.S. shows set up for September (including the Jim Jarmusch-curated All Tomorrow's Parties 2010 in Monticello, NY).

Guitarist Joey Santiago and drummer David Lovering teamed up to form instrumental band The Everybody last year, and quickly released their downloadable debut "Avatar". Head to their site for a variety of download options (including song stems that you can remix, or play along with, to your hearts content). They've also got a track up for use on Rock Band, if you're into that. Check their Facebook page for the latest news.

As ever, listen to any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.


the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these MP3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Files are made available for a limited time, and are generally not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s

Last Tuesday, May 11th, esteemed Boston-based rock trio The Figgs offered up their 10th (yes, tenth) studio album. Titled "The Man Who Fights Himself", it's out on CD initially, with vinyl arriving later this year courtesy of the top-notch Gern Blandsten recording label. The 10-song collection is the band's first since 2006's "Follow Jean Through The Sea" (also on GB), and comes on the heels of the teaser 7-inch single, "Casino Hayes", which was released a few months back on Peterwalkee Records.

I never got around to writing about my favorite live shows of 2009, but the second night of The Figgs' two-night stand at JP's Midway Cafe woulda placed pretty damn high on that list. It was everything a rock show should be: Intimate, sweaty, loud, and passionate. The band gave it all, playing the best of their older stuff alongside a slew of exciting new ones. Plus, hey, bonus drunken cameo appearances from Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson and Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner, who were both in town for an S.A. gig earlier that day (Tommy's playing bass for them at the moment). As a massive 'Mats fan, I got a major thrill seeing Stinson jump on stage for sloppy covers of "My Generation" and "Teenage Kicks". So much freakin' fun.


Also a thrill? Finding out that if you order up the Figgs' "Casino Hayes" 7", you not only get a free download code for the a-side and the b-side ("Another Point Of View"), but a bonus live version of "Casino Hayes" recorded that very night I saw them in Jamaica Plain. Recorded by me, as a matter of fact. An honor, to say the very least.

Thanks to Peterwalkee, I've got an extra copy of that piece o' wax to pass along to an Almanac reader. If you're in the continental U.S., just drop a quick email to giveaways [at] bradleysalmanac [dot] com, include your full name, and title it "FIGGS WAX!". Get it to me before Noon this Friday, May 21st, and I'll pick one random entrant that afternoon.

The band just played a few shows to mark the album's release, and have a couple of upstate NY gigs booked for August (the 6th in Albany and the 7th in Saratoga Springs). Keep an eye on their shows page for more dates, of which there are bound to be many more... they need a proper Boston-area show, since their recent stop at Johnny D's (backing the brilliant Graham Parker) unfortunately didn't include a Figgs opening set. Still, a great show, regardless.

Order up the Figgs' brand new full-lengther, "The Man Who Fights Himself" direct from the band right here, and grab that 7" straight from the label here.

Labels: livemp3s

In preamble, let's examine David Bazan's 2009: Play dozens of intimate, solo acoustic, and very sold-out house shows in living rooms across the country. After wrestling with it for a few years, finish up and release "Curse Your Branches", a genuinely revealing diary of his struggles with faith and alcohol - and the first full-length bearing his own name. While promoting said album through even-more-revealing interviews and acoustic performances, pull together and prepare a top-notch crew of talented friends for his first full-band tour since his days fronting Pedro the Lion. With funds provided from his loyal fanbase, buy a van so they can head out on the road. Embark on that tour and knock 'em dead. Head home to Seattle and his family for some much-deserved rest. Whew.

We here in the Boston area were fortunate to have David visit last year in both forms: An August solo acoustic house show in Beverly, MA (shared here), and just two months later, a club gig with his bandmates: Casey Foubert, Eric Elbogen, Andy Fitts, and Blake Wescott.

With the kind support of both his label and management, here is the sound of those five gentlemen knocking us dead on an October Tuesday night at Cambridge's TT the Bears. See below for even more DB tourdates, including more solo shows and another long U.S. tour that starts in March...


Some David Bazan links...

His official site, MySpace page, Wikipedia entry, Barsuk label page, and Undertow Music page. And if you're more than a casual DB fan, spend some time on the PTL.org forum and marvel at the minutia and occasional attempts at 'humor'.

Buy: Pick up "Curse Your Branches" direct from either Undertow or Barsuk. I highly recommend getting the vinyl version, which was mastered specifically for wax, and sounds phenomenal. Visit the Undertow store for a whole bunch more Bazan-related merch.

Additional Audio: Barsuk offers up an MP3 for "Bless This Mess" here on their CYB page. Download "Cold Beer and Cigarettes" from his first solo EP right here. David provided us with a ton of excellent audio while promoting the latest album, including live solo sessions for Daytrotter, The Current, and WNYC's Soundcheck.

Video: Hoo-boy. If you're ready to dive into live DB video, you need to set aside some time. Despite the relative lack of official videos (the best of which is the "Alone At The Microphone" DVD), there are live clips galore. And by "galore", I mean, "all over YouTube". When you play in dozens of strangers' living rooms over the course of a year, and play a couple months of excellent gigs, that shit is going to end up on the u-tubes, so start watching. Especially great is this very new video of David and Blake doing PTL classic "Bad Diary Days" at a house show just a few days back.

And have a look at the ABC News Amplified feature on Dave, which also had them sharing a couple clips from one of the first full-band shows at Pianos in NYC. Here are direct links to their performances of "Hard To Be" and "Bless This Mess".

Photos: All of my Flickr-hosted DB snaps are here. And here's a full DB Flickr tag search.

Upcoming tourdates: Lots! 2010 sees David emerging from his holiday break with more acoustic living room sets and full band shows. Sadly, none are in the Boston area, but we're a patient bunch, and we were spoiled last year. His solo appearances are on the West Coast, then all over Europe, and the full-band U.S. tour ends up hitting many of the spots he missed last year. Because he cares. See the entire itinerary here.

As always, you can easily stream every 'Nac-hosted MP3 through the Hype Machine.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

And while I'm at it, Happy Birthday to my mom. Who, at the very least, was responsible for me. And so much more. Thanks, Mom.

Labels: livemp3s

Unfairly or not, there's that uncontrollable part of me that shies away from listening to or writing about quote/unquote 'buzzbands'. If I hear too much hype before I actually hear any of the music, well, I may not ever hear it. Silly, I know, but hey... there's just so much other stuff to listen to. Does it mean I miss out on things I might love? Sure. Do I feel sheepish if I eventually connect with one of them? Yeah, it happens. But not a whole lot.

It almost happened with Londoners The XX, but I got lucky. Until a couple months ago I'd heard and read their name all over before I heard single song. Hell, I think I knew more about their lineup change than what they sounded like at some point. But one late-Autumn workday I was streaming some internet radio and heard a song that truly moved me. Not right away - it worked its way into my brain as it played, so I barely had time to check the band name before it faded out - and yes, it was The XX. Over-exposure aversion overcome, and all it took was a single track, their "Basic Space". One album purchase and three full listens later, I knew that song was no fluke. I loved it all, I love this band.

Enough to wait nearly two hours in the early-December Boston cold last Friday to get into their very first area performance, an in-store at the Newbury Street location of Newbury Comics. 200 wrist-banded souls braved the line, and I'd guess maybe 50 of us could actually see the band down the long rows inside the store. But we could all hear it, and that's what mattered. Six songs and 25 minutes later, back out into the cold we went. Worth it? So completely worth it.

The in-store set was a precursor to that night's sold-out show at the Paradise, opening for Friendly Fires. The band's second trip to Boston is already booked at the same venue on April 2nd - another (hopefully warmer) Friday night, and likely another sell-out - when they graduate from openers to headliners. Opening duties will be handled by Sweden's jj (making their first U.S. appearances), and tickets can be had right here or at the Paradise box office to save on fees.

Here's the audio from last Friday's intimate in-store, and some thoughts to follow...


Yes, despite losing a member, the band seems to have picked up two off-duty teen heartthrobs, although it was unclear what their tasks entailed beyond brooding (Pattinson was clearly not hired to help offset the band's collective paleness quotient). And about that transformation from quartet to trio? To my ears, it really doesn't seem to have impacted the band sonically. Yes, there were moments where guitarist Romy or bassist Oliver had to lean over to Jamie's electronics table and push a trigger or two, but if anything it added to the human element of the performance (which also deserves a comment - the fact that Jamie reproduces the beats by hand, rather than relying on loops or backing tracks, really adds a lot to their live experience). What I love about them - the spare, almost fragile webs they hang their songs on - it's still there, and maybe moreso. If they were your typical layered, shoegazey band, losing a member would be worrisome, but the XX? No worries whatsoever.

For the most part, the 6 songs closely resembled their album counterparts, though the joining of "Night Time" to "Infinity" was a real treat (and hey, is it just me, or is there a not-so-subtle homage to Bronski Beat's "Smalltown Boy" in that transitional guitar-line? And while we're at it, yes, the "VCR" verse = Bowie's "Heroes"), and the live version of "Islands" is made even more sparse by withholding the almost-danceable beat that kicks off the album version until the later half of the song.

For those who like to look as well as listen, YouTube user (& 'Nac reader, heya Jane) JaneInMa recorded the whole set from the front on video.

Links: Their official site, Wikipedia entry, Rough Trade UK label page, and Beggars U.S. label page.

Additional Audio: Stream songs at MySpace and at their own site, where you can enter your email addy to get access to a download of the "Basic Space (Sampha Remix)" Mp3. For more audio action, here's a XX Hype Machine search.

Video: There are official clips for both "Basic Space" and "Crystalised". Check out an excellent live video of "Basic Space" recorded at Monkeytown in Brooklyn back in August, before the four became three. And in addition to Jane's in-store video linked above, try a YouTube search.

Photos: My Flickr-hosted shots from the in-store are here. Check out the full XX tag search.

Upcoming tourdates: After spending the winter in Europe, the band returns to the U.S. in April for some headlining shows with jj, then jumps on as support for Hot Chip. Check P4K for their entire current itinerary.

Stream any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these live Mp3s being made available, just let me know (my contact info is in the 'nac faq). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav, edited, and shared as 256kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s

When I eventually sit down to figure out my favorite live shows of '09, there's one spot filled for sure: Loney Dear's springtime set at Allston's Great Scott. It wasn't my first time seeing Sweden's Emil Svanangen and his wonderful backing band, but it was easily the most intimate, and most moving, so far.

There's something very special about Emil, a welcoming, warm demeanor that brings you into his world, that allows easy access to his hopes and heartbreak, that lets you ride the rise and fall of his gorgeous songs and their breezy melodies. There are pop songs with heart, speedy tunes that propel perfectly forward, and delicate numbers that build like spiderwebs and disappear in the wind of their final chords. There was one particular moment that May evening, just after the first few notes of "I Love You", that Emil stepped to the front of the small stage, almost into the crowd, leaving the microphone behind him. His voice unamplified, accompanied only by his guitar, singing directly to those of us up close... it felt like we were being let in on a secret. The band joined in subtly - a light cymbal wash, some soft keyboard, light floor tom - and the secret spread as he stepped back to the microphone and the music swelled behind him. Just magical.

And lucky us, we get a chance to experience these moments of magic again this very night, when Loney Dear returns to that same venue on the tail-end of a two-week cross-country tour with Asobi Seksu and fellow Swede Anna Ternheim. If you don't already have a ticket, take a listen to the shared songs below, and head over here to remedy that. I'll see you at Great Scott tonight, and if Emil asks you to hang around for a 'minor party' after the show, take him up on it.


Some Loney links...

His official site, regularly-updated Blog, MySpace page, Wikipedia entry, and Polyvinyl label page.

Additional Audio: There are a couple of mp3s ("Airport Surroundings" and "Ignorant Boy, Beautiful Girl") available on the Polyvinyl page. The later song can be found on Polyvinyl's upcoming re-release of Loney Dear's excellent 2004 "Citadel Band" album. The disc was a relative rarity until now, and will be available on vinyl for the first time ever. Pre-order it here for arrival next month. And while you're there, purchase Loney Dear's latest, "Dear John", which arrived last January and still sits squarely in my '09 faves list.

Video: There are, of course, a number of videos on YouTube, including official clips for "I Am John", "Airport Surroundings", and "I Was Only Going Out". Baeble Music welcomed a four-piece version of the band to their Manhattan "Guest Apartment", where they performed the seldom-heard "Here Comes The Lonely Ones" and live set highlight "Violent" on a comfy couch. OPBMusic had them in their studios for a five song performance and interview session.

Photos: My Flickr-hosted shots are here. Check out the full Loney, Dear Flickr search.

Upcoming tourdates: Just a few dates left on the current tour...

Tonight, 10/14/09 @ in Allston, MA at Great Scott
Thursday, 10/15/09 in Hoboken, NJ at Maxwell's
Friday, 10/16/09 in New York, NY at Bowery Ballroom
Saturday, 10/17/09 in Philadelphia, PA at Johnny Brenda's

Easily stream any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these tracks being made available, just let me know (my contact info is in the 'nac faq linked above). Live sets are captured with a Sony minidisc recorder, converted to .wav, then edited to 192kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed.

Labels: livemp3s

Many of us are feeling (or, rather, listening to, or playing) the after-effects of the recently-ended 'Beatles Week', but for me it was immediately preceded by what was most definitely 'Bazan Week'. It started on Friday, August 28th in the afternoon when Seattle-based David Bazan arrived in Massachusetts and gifted his Twitter followers with an impromptu dry-run online-webcast (sadly, since deleted) that had him and his longtime pal/collaborator TW Walsh (behind the drum kit) running through a couple of old Pedro the Lion tunes ("When They Really Get To Know You They Will Run" and "Penetration") in TW's basement. It was a nice teaser for the reason he'd hit our state: An intimate, acoustic house show in Beverly, MA to showcase songs from his almost-out solo record, "Curse Your Branches". I'm going to resist getting all hyperbolic here, and let the recorded songs that follow sing for themselves. These digital files won't fully capture the vibe, but in short: It was the kind of night that'll spoil regular club shows for while. Very little else compares. Picture the set below being performed about 4 feet in front of your seated spot on a candle-lit livingroom floor. Yeah.

That special evening was made slightly more special in an additional way: It was the first time fans could hold the new DB disc in their hands, to have a look at the spiffy packaging, to take one home and dive on in. For me, well, I'd pre-ordered it, so I'd have to wait... but not for long. Just 8 hours after driving back to Boston my mailman handed me a package from Undertow: A copy of "CYB" and the limited edition bonus 7" that has David sharing his versions of two covers he'd been performing for awhile: Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and Dylan's "The Man In Me". Now that's what I call a good start to a Saturday.

An aside on that little seven-inch - Yes, "Hallelujah" has been covered way, way too much. Hell, that's been the case for quite awhile, and with Cohen having taken his own version on the road this year, any new interpretation is long-since redundant. But having seen Dave play it live, well before LC's road reemergence, I'd been hoping we'd hear DB's own run-through somehow. So it arrives, and yes, it's beautiful. According to the man himself, he'd put down this recording before L.C. asked people to stop covering it, so rather than burying it forever, he figured a very limited pre-order vinyl gift was in order. To get it out there, but kind of not. A good call. By the way, if you happened to miss out on that limited wax, you can get "The Man In Me" digitally via iTunes. No "Hallelujah", though.

As solid as the "Curse Your Branches" online pre-order/preview stream sounded, headphoning the real-deal disc made for a wonderfully soundtracked weekend (next up: the vinyl). The aforementioned Mr. Walsh outdid himself in the mixing/mastering of this sucker... you can hear the attention to detail on all 10 tracks.

To put a fine point on that weekend, and to mark the official release of "CYB" on Tuesday, Sept. 1st, David hit Brooklyn for another house show on Monday night, and for the first time, the entire intimate event was live-video-streamed online (and archived!). Next best thing to being there. And the very next day, he debuted his new full band with an invite-only show at Piano's in NYC, a couple of clips from which can be found at ABCNews, who also interviewed DB for their online Amplified program. That's a genuine media-blitz, ladies and gents. "Curse Your Branches" is charting on Billboard, fer chrissakes. How 'bout that?

David will be bringing that full band out on the road for a 5-week tour starting on October 1st (speaking of which, help him buy a van to make that happen, get a cool t-shirt), and any Boston-based readers would do well to get advance tix for the October 20th show at TTs (openers are Say Hi and TW Walsh's The Soft Drugs, even more reason to get tix early). If you missed out one of the many house shows David's done this year, have no fear, he's going to keep doing 'em. And if you're lucky, one will be close to you (and you'd better be paying attention... they sell out fast). Until he comes your way, enjoy this...


Some Bazan-flavored links...

His official site, MySpace page, Wikipedia entry, Undertow Music page, and Barsuk label page. You may also wanna keep tabs on the PedroTheLion.org forum for the latest DB happenings.

Additional Audio: Hit up the Barsuk Mp3 page for a couple of free tracks, including "Bless This Mess" from the new album, and "Cold Beer and Cigarettes" from his 2007 "Fewer Moving Parts" EP. And thanks to the ptl.org forum, I learned that DB's got a track (the traditional "Hard Times") on a new compilation titled "Come O Spirit! Anthology Of Hymns And Spiritual Songs Volume 1". He gets vocal backup on the song from Rosie Thomas, J. Tillman, and John & Chris Totten.

For future audio action, keep an eye on Daytrotter, as David recently stopped by there for a session. He'll also being doing a session for Sirius XMU on Wednesday, Sept. 23rd, which will be replayed a few times in the days following. Glad my VW came equipped.

update: oddly, as I was publishing this post, someone on ptl.org mentioned that Dave was on Sirius XMU right now. Sure enough, when I hit the online stream, there he was. Got to hear him perform an acoustic version of "Bearing Witness", before which the host said "thanks for spending time with us this week." So I have no idea what that means for the 9/23 date, or the replays. We shall see. speculative update: Perhaps the 23rd will compile his appearances that happened throughout this week? That's my guess.

Video: Well, in addition to the scads of clips in a YouTube search, there's that Brooklyn house show and the two Amplified clips mentioned above.

Photos: My Flickr-hosted DB shots are here. Check out the full Bazan tag search. I am greatly amused by the first pic that appears in that search.

Upcoming tourdates:The dates for the upcoming David Bazan full-band tour are...

10/01 - San Francisco CA - Independent
10/02 - Costa Mesa CA - Detroit Bar
10/03 - San Diego CA - Casbah
10/04 - Los Angeles CA - Troubadour
10/05 - Tucson AZ - Solar Culture
10/07 - Austin TX - Mohawk
10/08 - Denton TX - Dan's Silverleaf
10/09 - Memphis TN - Hi-Tone Cafe
10/10 - Murray KY - Lovett Auditorium / Murray State
10/11 - Birmingham AL - Bottletree
10/13 - Orlando FL - The Social
10/14 - Atlanta GA - Drunken Unicorn
10/15 - Chapel Hill NC - Cat's Cradle
10/16 - Washington DC - Black Cat
10/17 - Philadelphia PA - Kung Fu Necktie
10/18 - New York NY - Bowery Ballroom
10/20 - Cambridge MA - TT the Bear's
10/21 - Montreal QC - Il Motore
10/22 - Toronto ON - Lee's Palace
10/23 - Pontiac MI - Pike Room
10/24 - Chicago IL - Schuba's
10/25 - Champaign IL - Highdive
10/27 - Madison WI High – Noon Saloon
10/28 - Minneapolis MN - Turf Club
10/29 - Iowa City IA - The Picador
10/30 - Lawrence KS - Jackpot Saloon
10/31 - Omaha NE - Slowdown
11/01 - Denver CO - Hi Dive
11/02 - Salt Lake City UT - Kilby Court
11/05 - Vancouver BC - Media Club
11/06 - Portland OR - Mississippi Studios
11/07 - Seattle WA - Neumos

Every one of those dates get you the added bonus of Say Hi. As I mentioned, our Cambridge show also hooks you up with some Soft Drugs, and Seattle delivers The Sea Navy. That's as it should be.

Easily stream any and all 'Nac-hosted Mp3s at the Hype Machine, because you can.

the fine print... If anyone has an issue with these Mp3s being made available (since I got permission, that'd be weird), just let me know (my contact info in the 'nac faq link on the left). Live sets recorded with a Sony ECM-719 mic and a Sony MZ-RH10 minidisc, converted to .wav and then edited to 192kbps Mp3s. Files are made available for a limited time, and are not reposted once removed, even if you beg. Sorry 'bout that.

Labels: livemp3s