531 replies to this topic

[Josh Hurst]

[giddy fanboy buzz]Anne and I got to chill with them for an hour after the show and talk about life on their new farm, with their new puppy Jake, and about poetry. Apparently Linford's been showing up and presenting poetry at various literary events here and there. Cool. If you go to some of their smaller gigs, you might actually hear some of it.[/giddy fanboy buzz]

Glad to hear that, Jeffrey! I've got tickets to see them in Nashville on June 2. And, again in Atlanta on June 3. Road trip!

[Overstreet]

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Hem, Josh. (I'm assuming you'll be staying for both performances at those shows.) It was my first exposure to them.

[Josh Hurst]

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Hem, Josh. (I'm assuming you'll be staying for both performances at those shows.) It was my first exposure to them.

I've heard some of Hem's records, and I've always found them to be generally solid songwriters and performers, but they really need to find a good producer. As it is, their work mostly just seems sleepy.

[Jeff Kolb]

Good to hear that OTR is sounding good this tour, Jeffrey. We'll be seeing them in SF on Thursday. Whee!

As for Hem, I've had mixed feelings about them. My wife listened to Eveningland quite a lot, and I got to appreciate it to a certain degree. Still, I find the production to be a little much. They need a producer who will show them how to make music without buffing and polishing every last fade. Well, along comes their album of lives tracks, B-sides, etc., which I'm praying is what they sound like on Thursday because I love the album. It's quite a bit more country, and they really let the tempos and volumes (tempi and volua?) flex. There's one track that veers dangerously close (for Hem) to a dark, almost goth-country sound, with lots of parallel fifths and lyrics about shooting at crows. Where's David Eugene Edwards?

I saw Hem in Eugene last year where they gave a fairly "sleepy" show, but it sounds like they're picking things up a bit.

[ruthie]

I didn't know where to post my thoughts, since there is the Drunkard's Prayer and this thread both going on the same topic, so I did it in the other thread.

[splitpeasoup]

yes, but there's a catch - you can listen to the same track free for 5 times but then you have to pay for it.

I don't think there's any such thing as a free lunch. ;-)

No, it's just 5 times per valid e-mail address. So you could make 10 e-mails at yahoo and listen to the track 50 times. I use NapsterLinks all the time at work because we are not allowed to d/l anything to listen to. So cool that I can listen to free, web-based music.

[Josh Hurst]

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Hem, Josh. (I'm assuming you'll be staying for both performances at those shows.) It was my first exposure to them.

Holy smokes! Last night's show in Nashville was one of the tightest, most electrifying shows I've ever seen-- ten times better than their show in Knoxville last year, which was itself an excellent, grade-A performance. These guys are to small clubs and theaters what U2 is to arenas and stadiums.

A few highlights:

-- THEY'RE RECORDING AGAIN! Karin said they'll be hitting the studio again very, very soon. Her description of the new record was priceless: "We're not sortin' through a bunch of heavy crap this time, so it should be a pretty light-hearted record."

-- The new songs... well, gosh, where to begin? They played four brand new ditties-- all of which, I assume, will be on the new album-- and at least three of them ("Trouble," "I'm on a Roll," "Entertaining Thoughts") sound like instant OtR classics. "I'm on a Roll," especially, ranks right up there with "My Love is a Fever" as one of the most whimsical, downright FUN songs they've ever done. And as for the fourth new song, "I Don't Want to Waste Your Time"... well, it still sounds a little rough at this point, and the music sounds far too similar to "Little Did I Know." The lyric is killer, though-- I'm sure it'll end up being a concert-closing highlight if they play with the arrangement a bit.

-- Linford is a helluva storyteller. He didn't say a word in Knoxville last October, but he was talking up a storm last night, sharing stories about his upbringing and how some of the new songs got written. I'd pay money just to hear him talk.

-- They opened with "Latter Days," and the song has never sounded better.

-- Same with "Jesus in New Orleans."

-- Same with "Show Me." And "Lookin' Forward"-- I've heard four or five versions of that song by now, and last night's was far and away the best.

-- I'm leaving to see them play again in about one hour!

Oh, and Hem played some songs too, I think.

[Josh Hurst]

Here's Atlanta's set list; the Nashville show was mostly the same, minus "I Want You to Be My Love" in the main set, and, because the club was triple-booked, they only had time for a one-song encoure, "When I Go."

Latter Days
Jesus in New Orleans
Born
Lookin' Forward
I'm On a Roll
Entertaining Thoughts
I Don't Want To Waste Your Time
Linford's monologue/Piano instrumental
Little Did I Know
Firefly
Show Me
Trouble
Drunkard's Prayer

First Encore:
The Seahorse
Summertime
When I Go

Second encore:
Hush Now

[Andy Whitman]

Good to see you back, Thom.

New stuff I'm really digging:

-- Birdmonster -- No Midnight
-- Ollabelle -- Riverside Battle Songs
-- William Lee Ellis -- God's Tattoos
-- Lambchop -- Damaged
-- Johnny Dowd -- Cruel Words
-- Camera Obscura -- Let's Get Out of This Country
-- Ane Brun -- A Temporary Dive
-- Tom Ze -- Estudando O Pagode

[Josh Hurst]

Indeed, Thom, glad you stuck around!

Andy, I'd love to hear more about Camera Obscua and Tom Ze-- I've been reading rave reviews for both of those records and contemplating whether I want to risk putting down money on them (my library doesn't have either).

And it's great to hear that Ollabelle is back. Their debut was quite pleasant

[Andy Whitman]

Andy, I'd love to hear more about Camera Obscua and Tom Ze-- I've been reading rave reviews for both of those records and contemplating whether I want to risk putting down money on them (my library doesn't have either).

The Camera Obscura album is really delightful. It's pure pop, in the best sense of the term. It reminds me of some of Phil Spector's work with the girl groups of the early '60s, Dusty Springfield, Leslie Gore -- sweeping strings (actually faux-synthesizer strings), everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production, and incredibly catchy melodies and choruses. And Tracyanne Campbell's songwriting is a revelation. It's quirky as can be (the first single, "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" is actually an "answer" song to Lloyd Cole's "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken," twenty-two years after the fact), but always supremely melodic and accessible. The Belle and Sebastian influence is undeniable (the first two albums were produced by Stuart Murdoch of B&S), but really, Camera Obscura may be at the point where they are surpassing their heroes. It's definitely a contender for Best of 2006.

Tom Ze is one twisted dude. It's Brazilian samba as filtered through a Martian sensibility or something. I like it, and it's a lot of fun, but it's also bizarrre, and I can only handle it in small doses.

And it's great to hear that Ollabelle is back. Their debut was quite pleasant

The new Ollabelle is significantly different from the debut album. There's much more of a focus on original songwriting, and there's much more of a "band" approach here. It's good, but not as impressive as the debut album, in my opinion.

[Kyle]

Andy, I'd love to hear more about Camera Obscua and Tom Ze-- I've been reading rave reviews for both of those records and contemplating whether I want to risk putting down money on them (my library doesn't have either).

The Camera Obscura album is really delightful. It's pure pop, in the best sense of the term. It reminds me of some of Phil Spector's work with the girl groups of the early '60s, Dusty Springfield, Leslie Gore -- sweeping strings (actually faux-synthesizer strings), everything-but-the-kitchen-sink production, and incredibly catchy melodies and choruses. And Tracyanne Campbell's songwriting is a revelation. It's quirky as can be (the first single, "Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken" is actually an "answer" song to Lloyd Cole's "Are You Ready To Be Heartbroken," twenty-two years after the fact), but always supremely melodic and accessible. The Belle and Sebastian influence is undeniable (the first two albums were produced by Stuart Murdoch of B&S), but really, Camera Obscura may be at the point where they are surpassing their heroes. It's definitely a contender for Best of 2006.

I'm glad to hear you like the new Camera Obscura album. I really, really enjoyed Underachievers Please Try Harder and have been eagerly anticipating their latest. I was a bit nervous to see how it would turn out with the departure of the male singer, but from the sounds of it, its all good.

I'd also like to throw my two cents in praise of Voxtrot's EP "Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, and Wives". Rather than immediately releasing a full-length this new band seems to be taking it slow by releasing ep's and "Mothers" is great. Really great. It sounds like every indie rock band you've ever heard but manage to sound like none of them at the same time. Their quirky and thoughtful lyrics combined with killer melodies make for an exciting listen.

[cultureDish]

I thought I'd throw in a couple of current favs:

- The Boards of Canada: The Campfire Headphase
- Nine Horses: Snowbourne Sorrow

[opus]

- Nine Horses: Snowbourne Sorrow

I'm still on the fence with this one. When he's on, Sylvian is one of my fave songwriters, and Snowbourne Sorrow does have some excellent tracks (esp. his duet with Stina Nordenstram), but other parts of it just drag for me. I think my overall reaction is the same I had for Sylvian's Blemish. I appreciate it, but it doesn't move me quite like his earlier works.

[Andy Whitman]

I've dropped their name a couple times here in the past and will do so again. The Benevento Russo Duo (or just The Duo) are hands down my favorite new music discovery of the past year. An organ and drum duo (with occasional guest bass player Mike Gordon), these guys demonstrate the best of the modern improvisational groups-- great songs, robust musicianship, a broad vocabulary and a love of exploration and fun. Their new album will be out in the summer and here's an mp3 of the opening track... a brooding, emotional little comp that starts the slow burn around the 5-6 min. mark and really gets nice i think. Cant wait for the album.

BTW, Paste listed the Duo in the "4 to watch" a few issues back... their live shows are white hot with a thriving fan base-- I say, look for a break-out in 2006

I have been listening to the new Benevento Russo Duo album (Play Pause Stop) quite a bit in the last few days. It's very adventurous, and very good. I haven't heard the first album, but based on what I'm hearing I'm guessing that the new one is less jazz-oriented than the debut. It's all instrumental (except for a few "oohs" and "aaahs" on the first song), heavy on the organ, synths, and tape loops, and reminds me of what The Flaming Lips might sound like without Wayne Coyne's inane lyrics (sorry, Lips fans, but songs about pink robots just don't do it for me). As Coltrane notes, the musicianship is exemplary. These guys can play.

[Greg P]

You dog. The unpriveleged masses have to wait till July. I really should become a music critic.

These guys can play.

I collect their live shows and this is where they really shine. Even someone who hates jamming and improv can get off on what they're doing. Marco's references fly by so fast and furious that its never boring and his "teasers" are brilliantly quirky, running the gamut from snippets of the Rockford Files theme to Hava Nagila to Zeppelin ... in a single, inspired stream.

Edited by coltrane, 21 June 2006 - 12:00 PM.

[Hugues]

Hi, I'm Hugues, I'm French, and just found this board today while googling about Sam Phillips news. I found very interesting discussions here, and some familiar names I know from my regular readings of All Music Guide and Paste magazine. I even must confess that Thom Jurek is the reviewer I admire the most out there! Each time I want to read something about one of my favourite artists, it's signed Thom Jurek (or Mark Deming)!

So, I'm especially music obsessed on daily basis, and you may notice my English is not perfect.

Some 2006 releases I really enjoyed so far:

Amy Allison: Everything & Nothing Too
Neko Case: Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
Annie Gallup: Half Of My Crime
Richard Julian: Slow New York
Essra Mohawk: Love Is Still The Answer
Niobe: White Hats
Ron Sexsmith: Time Being
Young & Sexy: Panic When You Find It

releases gladly anticipated:

Jenifer Jackson: The Outskirts Of A Giant Town
Devon Sproule: Keep Your Silver Shined
M.Ward: Post-War

Cheers,
Hugues

[Josh Hurst]

Welcome aboard, Hugues! Looks like you'll fit in just fine here; if you search the site you'll find that we have whole threads devoted to those Neko Case and Ron Sexsmith records.

[Hugues]

Welcome aboard, Hugues! Looks like you'll fit in just fine here; if you search the site you'll find that we have whole threads devoted to those Neko Case and Ron Sexsmith records.

Thank you, Josh. Yes, I did the same observations to myself when I saw the Sam Phillips and Ron Sexsmith topics!

[yank_eh]

4. Antje Dovecott- Big Dream Boulevard. I am lare getting on the bus when it comes to htis immensely gifted songwriter. This record will also make my year end list most likely, if for nothing than the songs Jerusalem, Sexual Band-Aid, and most importantly: Judas. This record has to be heard to be believed.

I'll second this motion. and I just wanted to correct the spelling in case anyone tries to google her.

it's Antje DUVEKOT.

another new artist/band I'm digging:

Beirut - Gulag Orkestar

this is some American Indie kid but it sounds like a full band from Eastern Europe.

Favorite Tracks (in no particular order): Brandenburg, Mount Wroclai (Idle Days) [Amelie-like accordion], The Canals of our City


Also for some good pop check out Islands - Into the Sea. This was featured in Pitchfork's Best New Music earlier this year. Is this thread for more obscure bands or is it ok to reiterate a band that has already got some substantial recognition?