don’t own no shoes, i got a tin roof tan 9 July 2009

I’ve noticed the last while that I like raw music. I like music that is bluesy, folksy, sensual, with a rough edge. And as I was listening to my latest acquisitions I was noticing that was the dominant theme… at least in my opinion.

Those Darlins Those Darlins – WHAT A FUN RECORD!! I heard about this trio of country ladies from a friend who was recommending them to another friend on Facebook. I was completely smitten with their single “Wild One” and was disappointed they didn’t quite have a full-length out yet. I literally jumped and did a jig when this was released! Back in my younger days, I told people that I liked every kind of music “but country and rap.” Such a tired and ridiculous answer. Those Darlins are putting out the kind of country music I’ve come to love – it’s like they’re an all-female Johnny Cash tribute band not playing Johnny Cash songs. They’ve got some twang, but the genuine, endearing kind that has had men from all over falling in love with Southern ladies for generations. “Snaggletooth Mama” and “Mama’s Heart” are frequently getting stuck in my head, just like “Wild One” did when I first heard it. For any Cary Ann Hearst fans out there, this is a perfect companion album. And I just bought my ticket to see these ladies at Schuba’s next week!!

The Films Oh Scorpio – Speaking of Miss Cary Ann, her hubby Michael Trent’s band finally has a new release! Two things immediately struck me as why this album is made of awesome: Butch Walker produced it, and they finally released “Pour It Out,” one of my favorite Films songs for years. The song has changed since I remember hearing it and swooning at the Village Tavern in Mt. Pleasant, but it’s still identifiable. Butch Walker and bassist Jake Sinclair have done wonders to the overall sound of The Films. I have a few Tinkers Punishment tracks floating around my iPod (the bands former name/incarnation), and they have developed leaps and bounds over that. It’s a crisp, tight album, but Michael and the rest of the band have picked up enough Southern spirit that it doesn’t sound prefabricated. It’s still pretty genuine. The term “L.A. rock” keeps popping in my head to describe them, but since they aren’t from L.A. (NYC by way of Charleston and Denver) I haven’t the faintest idea why. They are continuing the fabulous trend of garage rock that the Strokes helped to bring back. I hope to see these boys again real soon.

The Dead Weather Horehound – SQUEEEEEE!!!!! I am in LOVE with and LUST after anything Jack White touches!! If I had to pick a modern, living idol, he would be it. I love his attitude, his wit, and his weirdness. And his music is top notch. Hearing that he had a new band and would be reviving his drummer career got me all hot and bothered. And then I saw a clip of the Dead Weather performing on Conan… and Jack White momentarily took the back burner as I got a blast of Allison Mosshart, the lead singer of the band, as well as of The Kills. Umm… I kinda want to BE her. I can’t fathom how the stage doesn’t just erupt in flames with the power she alone generates, not to mention with Jack White. The album has the same blues-based awesomeness Jack White is famous for, just funneled through a different medium. I’ve heard people say Allison Mosshart is like a female Jack White, and to a degree I must agree. She gets it. And she delivers accordingly. Though “I Cut Like a Buffalo”, a 60’s-style punk song as sung by the boys in the band, melds just right with the rest of the album. This is a very exciting album to be around for, and I’m so pleased that my dear Mr. Jack White can start up a bunch of bands and have them stand on their own. Despite my obvious adoration! (And I’m seeing these guys at the end of the month. I hope I survive the blitz.)

In addition to the above, I’ve been listening some to the 2nd South Carolina String Band, a group that revives Civil War-era songs and tunes. Love. It. Since becoming a history major and living in the South I’ve become very fascinated with Civil War period and the culture of the Old South/Confederacy. I’ve been going through a somewhat intense phase with it right now, so having some “authentic” music around is fantastic. But randomly humming/whistling “Dixie” without thinking probably isn’t a good thing. I’ve decided that once I get back home to the South I’m going to look into reenacting. SOOOO geeky, but I think I would have a good deal of fun with it!

the remus lupins @ evanston public library 14 June 2009

Taylor is the real wizard rock fan. (Wizard rock being a sub-genre of rock that centers around the world of Harry Potter.) She has the largest collection of wrock merchandise I’ve seen, she knows all the bands, and she’s involved with Wrockstock and the Wizrocklopedia. She even got me to start a wizard rock band with her called The Cheering Charms. This is a thing with her obviously. Last summer she flew out to take me to Wrock Chicago, a one-day wrock fest that was part of a local Harry Potter convention. It was amazing!! For the longest time I remained aloof of the whole phenomenon, but went because Taylor is my best friend and that’s what best friends do. But I was very much impressed. Sure there were a few bands that need to tighten the screws a little, but I was blown away by how professional a number of them were! One band that took my heart was The Remus Lupins.

The Remus Lupins are one of the BIG bands in the genre, along with Harry & the Potters and Draco & the Malfoys. And this is with good reason. Lead singer and songwriter Alex Carpenter is a total legit rock musician. He’s got excellent chops, has a winning smile, and is one of the genre’s heartthrobs. When I saw him at Wrock Chicago he sang a song called “Alone on Valentine’s Day” that has him howl (because Remus Lupin in the HP books is a werewolf, you know), and I was literally swept off my feet. So ever sinse then I’ve had a place in my heart for wizard rock and The Remus Lupins.

Wizard rock bands usually play libraries and bookstores (the event Friday night was a kick-off for the libraries summer reading program, I think), but I got weird looks from people when I told them where it was. A library? How good can they be? Uh, abso-frickin-mazing! I took my brother John Calvin (a few years ago a dead ringer for Year One Harry Potter) and we arrived at the library with a few minutes to spare before doors opened. Once inside, I was surprised to see so many familiar faces! Taylor had introduced me to a lot of people last summer, and many of them were there, like Abby – the wizmaster in charge of Wrockstock. A few of her cohorts were there as well. And Jared of Gred & Forge (another wizrock band) and Steph of Tonks & the Aurors. That’s when it dawned on me that they were opening for the Remus Lupins! Huzzah!

One of my favorite things is seeing young fans get and be excited for a show. This one had little kids younger than seven lining up in the front row. Gred & Forge is definitely a dancing band, and he encouraged everyone to dance. Little kids dancing to songs about Weasleys!! YES! Jared behaved himself, which was good. And then the older fans, the ones in the middle and high school range, were adorable. Pogoing and twisting and running into each other in squeals. Wizrock events are places where certain people can let their true colors fly, and I love seeing that. Tonks was minus her Aurors as they couldn’t get off work, but did a fabulous acoustic set just the same. She’s a Springsteen fan, and it shows her her performance style. Her voice really booms!

And then my boys The Remus Lupins came up. Mr. Alex Carpenter knows how to deliver a great rock show even in a library. The band just put out a new record The Rest is Silence and played a few songs off it. They got nice and sweaty quickly, and were jumping all over the place. I love that there is in existence superbly crafted songs (dance and shoegaze alike) that are about Harry Potter. It just amuses me greatly. There was also a sax involved at a few points. Quite a bit more cowbell than I expected, which was welcome. There was jumping off the bass drum. And of course, loads of giggly, excitable fangirls who danced like mad.

Afterwards I got my brother a “Percy Is A Prat” t-shirt from Gred & Forge – every band referenced that opinion at least once during their set – and a “Team Lupin” shirt for myself. Then I got a little giggly fangirly myself, and made all the other girls jealous.

Accio Hot Guy. Yep, a pretty good Friday night.

i’m a lumberjack and i’m okay 1 June 2009

Two years ago I borrowed Michael Palin’s Diaries 1969-1979: The Monty Python Years from Taylor’s mom. Unfortunately, I moved away and had to return the book before I finished it. I’m proud to say I finally finished the book!!

I recall that two years ago Taylor and I had a converation about how much we love Michael Palin, a position made almost solely from his performances in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (We also find him the handsomest of the Pythons, even if our dear friend Evan is the spitting image of Eric Idle.) After reading the book in its entirety, I can say that not only is the man incredibly talented and funny, but also smart, sweet, and endearing. You read about the history and development of one of the greatest comedy groups of all time, as well as anecdotes about the growing young Palin family. He’s a devoted husband and father (how many celebrities can say they have been happily married to the same woman since they were 22?!), and it’s refreshing to see them featured so prominently in his diaries. He’d go see his sons perform in the school Christmas pageant and be brought to tears at how dedicated they were to their roles. He’d mention little suggestions his wife would make that would find their way into Python merchandise. And he frequently mentions his parents, and the struggle the family had with his father, who suffered greatly from old age.

Having read Kim Howard’s Monty Python’s Tunisian Holiday, I was interested in reading Palin’s version of events. Though not as thorough (of course the superfan would have better recollection of those six weeks than the very busy actor), they do mention similar events, like how funny it was to hear the local extras being taught to say “Welease Wodewick” for the Pilate scene, and how nice it was to have a sober Graham Chapman as the set doctor (I didn’t know he became a doctor before becoming a comedy actor/writer!). But then to have the pleasant filming experience followed up with all the legal and financial trouble it took to have Life of Brian released! a definite struggle, but it certainly paid out in the end.

I’m familiar with Monty Python work, but not to a great extent. So I found myself going on YouTube to look up clips and sketches from Palin’s various projects. I found this gem, a little 3-year-old who’d memorized the “Mr. Gumby and the Brain Surgeon” sketch, playing both Palin and Cleese characters:

And I also discovered this sketch that I wasn’t aware of before that had me in giggles for obvious reasons:

Definitely recommended if you’re into British comedy shows, or would at least like to know more. A follow-up is being published later this year, so get the first installment read before then!

live long and prosper, scruffy nerfherder 1 June 2009

This post is a good week behind, but I got caught up starting at my new job this past week, so please forgive me…

I heard about the movie Fanboys the way I have lately learned about new movies – perusing new movie trailers on Hulu. A film about geeky guys circa 1998 who are huge Star Wars geeks and intend to break into Skywalker Ranch to view Phantom Menace before their friend dies of cancer? Sign me up! It appears it had a short theater run, as it only came out a few months ago and came out on DVD this week. As I am transferring to another Chain Name Entertainment Store location, I bought it as a farewell present to myself.

Initial thoughts? Not bad. The casting is pretty great. LOADS of cameos of stars from various cult classics (including Star Wars cast members), and Jay Baruchel – a man I have adored peripherally for years. This is the kind of film you might think Judd Apatow had a hand in when you consider not only the casting but the humor. Actually, the humor was a bit of a drawback. Way too heavy on the potty, not enough smart. Sure, they’re geeky guys, but you can lay off it just a little and get a better laugh (in my opinion).

Of course there were multiple mentions of Trekkies and the Eternal Struggle between the two fandoms. Pretty funny, even more so since I have seen the new Star Trek film twice this week. It got me thinking of Harry Potter fans and do they have an arch nemesis fandom? No, not really. Potter fans are very inclusive. I briefly entertained the idea of Potter vs. Twilight, but Twilight gets it’s behind whupped so easily there’s no competition. Plus, way too much crossover. People do get VERY heated over their respective fandoms. I know I do. And Shatner making an appearance was a stroke of genius. (Not a spoiler since it’s in the trailer.)

Now, the new Star Trek… I’ve heard that J.J. Abrams made the latest installment with non-Trekkies in mind. He did an excellent job. I thought the casting was great, though my mother and aunts who grew up on the original series feel Spock didn’t quite have the edge that Leonard Nimoy gave him – but boy is that man hot. As is New Kirk Chris Pine, who did an admirable job being Harrison Ford-like. I do have to say that the plot line was pretty run-of-the-mill. Many shades of other sci-fi franchises and not all that incredible original. However, I still found it enthralling and hope that in future the films will build off the foundation this one served as and be even more made of awsome.

Star Trek may have won the battle this time, but Star Wars still wins the war.

books that rock 11 May 2009

I’ve been on a reading binge for the past week or so, and discovered some fabulous new books to recommend.

Monty Python’s Tunisian Holiday, by Kim “Howard” Johnson
Johnson was a young kid in the mid-70’s when he started a fan zine for Monty Python, a group slowly emerging in America. He started a correspondence with a few of the members, became better acquainted, and by the late 70’s found himself in Tunisia on the set of Life of Brian. I read half of Michael Palin’s diary, so I already knew the Python guys were pretty awesome off-screen, and this book only reiterates that. Johnson was on set for six weeks, and has practically daily updates of what went on – what was filmed, what was eventually cut, how the cast and crew spent their days off, things like that. Johnson was an extra, and played a Roman soldier, a peasant, and was a stand-in for a few of the Pythons. You can tell he had loads of fun being a part of a comedy masterpiece. A real joy to read for a fan of anything British and silly.

Don’t Stop Believin’, Brian Raftery
A book on karaoke. Yes, way. I wasn’t expecting much about this book on one man’s journey into the world of karaoke, but was very pleasantly surprised. Not only does he go into his personal history with karaoke, but he also details the origins and evolution of karaoke in both Japan and the world. It’s really fascinating! I’ve done some live metal karaoke, and hold a special place in my heart for it. So does Raftery. He made me want to go out NOW and find some dingy karaoke bar and sing my heart out to Dio and Joan Jett like the good old days. And chances are the book will have the same effect on you. I dare you to not burst into song while you read. (I did a few times, including to “Raspberry Beret.”)

Under Their Thumb, Bill German
A real fanboy success story I can appreciate. German (like the aforementioned Johnson) created a fan zine for his favorite group The Rolling Stones. A few short years down the road, and he’s buddies with Keith Richards and Ron Wood, going to their houses, visiting with the Stones backstage, getting to know the crew, getting to know all the nitty gritty secrets all fans want to know and then regret knowing… it’s a fascinating story. He’s an excellent writer, and puts in all the details a person wants to know. While I’m definitely on the Beatles side of the debate, I’ve gained sympathy for the Stones side. This book made go out and get a copy of Sticky Fingers. But Mick Jagger is a total jerk.

But Enough About Me, Jancee Dunn
A reread, but too fun nonetheless. Jersey girl (poofy hair included) lands a job at Rolling Stone magazine. This is what I wish my life was like! Dunn alternates stories of her quirky family life (is there any other kind?) and rising in the ranks of Rolling Stone and MTV2 with short advice essays on topics such as “How To Control the Panic When Your Subject Is Absurdly Famous” and “Dirt Gathering: Shortcuts to Finding the Least Loyal Person in an Entourage.” Really fascinating stuff. And as Dunn was voted Class Clown back in high school, hilariously written as well. For me it was totally worth it for the reading of her encounter with Dolly Parton, and learning that Ron Wood washes his own socks in the bathroom when he travels.

backlog of music reviews 11 May 2009

IT IS TIME! I’ve been awful and not doing reviews of new music, so I’m going to tackle it now and make it short and sweet. If you have further inquiries, make them in the comments and I’ll get back to you.

The Decemberists Hazards of Love – I love this. Not quite the level of Crane Wife or “Mariner’s Revenge Song,” but darnwell close enough. Shara Worden as the Queen in “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid”?!! *fans self* Whoa. That lady can belt some notes. And the fact that the supposed single is a song about infanticide? So Decemberists. J’adore. And the creepy children’s choir in the third reprise? Oh, Colin Meloy. I would offer to have your tweegoth babies if you weren’t already happily settled. This literary Portland group has yet to fail me.

Mindy Gledhill Feather in the Wind – Mindy is a Utah artist, and like 98% of the artists from Utah, only 2% of the population know about them. It’s a shame because they get insulated and not able to spread their wings, so to speak. Not too long ago, she posted on Twitter that she was performing for orphans in Eastern Europe, and how can you not like a musician for that? Mindy has a fabulous and lovely voice, not affected like most female artists. But the substance of her music is not something that grabs me. I’ve got a good row or two of CDs of female singers who have similar music, and it’s not something I go for much anymore. She great, don’t get me wrong, but her light and airy songs are not what I typically seek out. But I know a number of people on my flist and what-not who would/will adore her, and will be passing on the vibes.

Vivian Girls Vivian Girls – I read about this band in a few magazines, didn’t hear the songs, but knew I needed to check them out. So on my recent trip to Georgia (and the requisite combing of my favorite indie music stores) I found a copy at Wuxtry and felt I’d achieved something. It’s a short album of typical punk-influenced bursts of song, and very retro in mood. I could hear this album being made over 40 years ago and not being all that out of place. If they were more raucous, this trio of females would be on Tarantino’s playlist. Very lo-fi and awesome.

Creature No Sleep At All - A random find, so I know almost nothing about the group itseld, but rooted in punk inflences and fun to listen to. My favorite being “Bridgitte Bardot.” Excellent dance beats, ripe to mixes and remixes. Kind of like a more fun loving CSS with some of the guys from The Sounds. Bands like this just make me happy.

The Von Bondies Love Hate and Then There’s You – The Von Bondies had the respect of the hipster community for all of five seconds back in 2003/2004, but were then completely overshadowed by lead singer Jason Stollsteimer getting pwned by Jack White in a Detroit nightclub in late 2003. Poor band gained fame because their lead singer’s face was beated to a pulp and everybody knew it. So that’s what I think of when I think of the Von Bondies. Sorry guys. The new tunes aren’t much of a departure from their 2004 mainstream breakthrough Pawn Shoppe Heart, but it ain’t all that bad, either. “Pale Bride” is alright, but it really just sounds like what you did five years ago. And yet I still feel drawn to it. Maybe the next release will actually have something to inch past the Jack White Shadow.

I need to keep this up. If you hear of anything good, pass it on!

keef 5 May 2009

Say what you will, but Keith Richards was a babe back in the day. (You know, until shooting heroin into his muscles and all that started to show…)

rock week: international week of mystery 4 May 2009

Yes, another lame attempt at a tagline for my “rock weeks.”

So the last weekend in April I was lucky enough to fly down to Georgia and see some of my old friends. Taylor and I are founding members of a group of friends called Gajataash (we took the first letter of everyone’s name and invented a word) who met while at Jump, Little Children’s Dock Street 9 performance series. We’ve since shortened it to Gaja to accomodate other friends who have become close. The website I linked is incredibly out of date, but I prefer it that way. Whenever we get together it’s like when my mom and her sisters get together – loads of rehashing of old stories. Despite the fact that a triple murder occurred nearby, the trip was a blast.

Well, once I got back I got a message from my friend Vivian who happened to have a spare ticket to the Flight of the Conchords show the following night! Of course I took her up on it. A co-worker of mine swears she saw Jemaine walking a block away from our store entering one of the four-star hotels next to us, and as I left to meet up with Vivian I saw a big tour bus circling the block, so I’m sure my co-worker was correct. Their opener was the comedian Eugene Merman (the guy who plays their landlord on the show) and he did this great bit about why he hates Delta Airlines with the intenisty of a thousand suns. It concluded with John Wesley Harding taking the stage, along with a member of the Mekons, to sing a song Harding wrote especially for Merman’s hatred of Delta. Then Merman handed out postcards he’d printed up that read “I hate you!” with his story on the back, and instructed us to deluge Delta with them. Awesome.

Then the Conchords themselves took the stage. I’m afraid I haven’t seen anything of their show’s second season (I don’t have cable), but I devoured their first once it came out on DVD. And their album. “Foux du Fafa” is still a favorite. Luckily for me they didn’t play loads of songs from the second season (though they’re so funny out of context it didn’t matter), and were very charming on stage. Before their “political” song “Think About It” they said they were very concerned with current issues, and said they want to raise money to get tissues to the pigs! They get swine flu, too, you know!

At one point they announced that they were touring with the New Zealand Symphony, and introduced the Symphony to the stage – which turned out to be one guy with a cello. (I guess you had to be there, but I was in stitches.) They said that due to budget cuts it was just the cellist, but it used to contain a trumpeter and one dude who danced in the corner. And one interesting choice they made was to not play “Robots” or “Business Time” – two songs I would claim to be their hits. But I can respect that. After seeing Jump, Little Children and Jay Clifford a few dozen times you kind of wish they don’t sing “Cathedrals” and replace it with something more obscure. In the end it was a fantastic show, and I was grateful for the last minute ticket opportunity.

Thursday I FINALLY got to see Franz Ferdinand. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s been a thing with me for a few years to see Franz Ferdinand. Ticketmaster gouged me a little, but I kept saying it would be worth it. I’m sorry to say, it wasn’t totally. I think the main problem was I attended the show at the Riviera by myself. I had no one to bounce energy off of. The opener (I never caught their name) sucked. Just… blah. I don’t understand how so many blah groups get great opportunities like opening for Franz Ferdinand and not be better. Luckily they had a short set.

Franz had a screen behind them with some lights set up, and during many of their songs images and video loops would play behind them. It was pretty hot, I do say. I was amused to notice that the setlist was composed of almost the entirety of their debut album, a number from their latest release, and hardly anything but the single from their second. (Their sophomore album just wasn’t up to snuff, and I have yet to hear the entirety of their latest.) So I liked that. Nick, the guitarist, busted his foot somehow earlier, so he was seated the whole night, leaving Alex, the lead singer, alone in his stage-thrashing. But that boy has moves. And what a luscious voice! I think people underrate his singing talents. Just the same, I didn’t find their show all that special, and really wanted to leave by the end. I stayed for the encore out of some groupie/fangirl force within me that would be insulted if I left earlier, but it was rather dull to say the least. Well, at least I can take that off my checklist now. I still say the band’s debut album is a classic, but that’s it.

Saturday my siblings and I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine. TOTALLY worth it for the Hugh Jackman factor. I adore that man so much. However, it lacked actual origins. Who was his father? How did he and his brother survive? What was it like during the wars? I’m not a comic book aficianado, I just dig some of the films, so I know I’m missing loads of info by not reading the comics, but please. The film was a tad annoying with it’s confusing storyline. And the after-credits scene? What a gyp. But Hugh Jackman (and the way-too-little-on-screen-time of Ryan Reynolds) made the film watchable. Really, honestly, that’s what the ladies wanted.

long time no… read 15 April 2009

So currently I’ve been full of suck at blogging. My life has been attempting to twirl into insanity, and I’ve been desperately grabbing at it like the mother of a two-year-old. I am WAY behind in all the album reviews I have been intending to do (I keep saying that, and I apologize), but as I’m waiting on my laundry, I can spare a few minutes and give you something of an update.

Record Store Day is on Saturday! Treat yourself to some new vinyl at your local independent record store and breathe in the smell of people loving music.

I saw Andrew Bird this past Friday at the Civic Opera House here in Chicago. It was the second of two nights there, and the night before he had dropped and broken his violin! Luckily it was a clean break, and was repairable. We found out he’d bought it when he was 16 from an old Polish immigrant who required an audition from you before he would make you an instrument. LOADS of sentimental value, so I’m glad it wasn’t lost. Seeing Bird in an opera house was astounding, but I still prefer him in a smaller venue where you can really *feel* the music. But sitting behind a girl who was reading Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen before the show says a lot.

Apparently he was playing “Dr. Stringz” when he dropped his violin. He got very enthusiastic with it and it slipped. When he played it for our audience he kept two hands on that fiddle the whole time. Then he launched into “Monstres?” and a girl in the aisle started thrash-dancing like Animal from the Muppets. I recall a friend saying that when you see a good band perform, you leave thinking, “WOW! That was great! I think I can do this, too!” But when you leave an Andrew Bird show you think, “Wow. Why should I even try making music? Nothing can top what I just witnessed!”

My current band do to promo work for, The Old Ceremony, is featured in the premier issue of BLURT magazine. I was perusing it at work, having no clue, when I literally let out a SQUEAK! when I saw their write-up. I’ve known people to be featured in magazines before, but it has yet to get old.

Be advised I am in the process of writing reviews for The Decemberists, Mindy Gledhill, Sophie Madeleine, and hopefully a few others. Stay tuned.

Taylor alerted me to the fact that my favorite wizard rock band, The Remus Lupins, have a new music video out! Their cinematographer is, I think, still in high school, and he did a remarkable job. Anything involving Harry Potter 7 makes me all weepy, and this video for “Seven Potters” was no different. And isn’t Alex Carpenter (wizard rock’s noted heartthrob) a cutie?

I have a few more shows on the horizon, and a trip back to Georgia looming in the future. Bug me about those reviews, will you? They deserve to get posted.

Alabama Leprechaun 17 March 2009

Just because this is the best St. Patrick’s Day newscast one could ever hope for:

Brought in Irish music to work today, and have had “A Nation Once Again” stuck in my head ever since.