This is a mix. A mix made up of songs by the bands featured on EAR FARM in the month of July. You will download them and listen to them and enjoy them. This I know. Clicking the song title will give you the song, the band name will take you to the band's site, and the (+) will take you to a previous EAR FARM post about that band.
1. "Now Would Be" by The Sky Drops (+)
2. "Gotta Go" by Tim Young (+)
3. "The Freed Pig" by Sebadoh (+)
4. "5-22-02" by Golden Smog (+)
5. "The Bug Speaks" by The Song Corporation (+)
6. "Up For Days" by Pink Noise (+)
7. "I'm Coming True" by The Muggabears (+)
8. "Get Myself Into It" by The Rapture (+)
9. “Sandbox” by Katelyn Maier (+)
10. "Olympics" by Emma La Reina (+)
11. "This Month, Day 10" by Cansei De Ser Sexy (+)
Previously:
31 July 2006
EAR FARM's July '06 mixtape
Cansei de Ser Sexy
When Cansei de Ser Sexy recently played at Warsaw in Brooklyn I consciously decided to skip the show. I kind of figured that they were 100% hype/0% substance and that the show would be more about bloggers putting a notch in their belt that says 'I saw CSS before you did' than about good music. So, was I right? Given that I generally operate under the assumption that hyped up bullshit is indeed hyped up bullshit...did I have a right to even think that when I hadn't even listened to their album? Well, the day after their Brooklyn show I logged onto sites like Brooklyn Vegan, Heart on a stick, Yeti Don't Dance, and Music Snobbery (edit: as well as Fluxblog and Soft Communication) to find that many NYC bloggers whose opinion I trust had seen the show and loved it. Figures. The next day I went to the store, bought the album, came home and listened to it immediately, and loved it. Hey, so what? I was wrong, alright?
Now I'm here to try and keep you from making the same mistake. Sure, Cansei de Ser Sexy (Portuguese for "Tired of Being Sexy”) just played the Pitchfork Festival and has rapidly growing popularity but some of you may still be stuck in the mindset I had going on. Let it go I say, let it go.
Listen:
“This Month Day 10”
Visit Cansei de Ser Sexy on MySpace.
Buy Cansei de Ser Sexy HERE
Brakes news
Still confused by the seriously lackluster response the indie music loving world gave to the nearly flawless first album by Brakes, EAR FARM carries on to report the most recent happenings from Brakesland in regards to the recording of their second LP:
Currently working on their second album, the highly anticipated follow up to last years stunning debut Give Blood; Brakes will be taking time out from recording to appear at a selection of festivals across Europe.The above was from a MySpace bulletin. Visit Brakes on MySpace HERE.
The as yet untitled new album is likely to be released around the turn of the year.
For the very latest news keep an eye on the Brakes website: www.brakesbrakesbrakes.com. There is a competition up on the website right now a pair of tickets can be won to one of the festivals that Brakes are playing this summer - you get to choose which one!
Brakes recently flew to the US to start the recording of their second album - this involved first renting an apartment in Vanderbilt University, surrounded by some of the most well educated and well off students in the USA. After a few 'amusing' days of shouting 'keg! keg! keg!' at each other, and naming themselves the 'Alpha Beta Ceta Deta Epsillon Fraternity', they decided that the frat house lifestyle wasn't really for them, and got down to recording their album.
With the help of Stuart Sikes (Cat Power 'The Greatest'; White Stripes 'Red Blood Cells), recording began in the studio House Of David, a converted house on Nashville's Music Row, which has recorded, amongst many others, Elvis Presley, JJ Cale and Yo La Tengo.
Going straight to tape, the band would cut a live take to get the drums sounding fresh, and then overdub any guitars, vocals or bass that needed re-doing. Brakes invited in local steel string wizard James Teel to add some texture, and the whole band got involved laying down keyboard parts. David Briggs, the studio owner and a gifted piano played who had joined the Original Muscle Shoals Band at 14, before playing in Elvis Presley's band between 1967 and 1977, heard many of the tracks, and offered to put down some piano on the new Brakes' tune 'If I Should Die Tonight'. Brakes offered $20 as payment, but David insisted 'That's only worth 50 cents' after bashing out some electrifying barrelhouse piano. It was the first time in three years that he had recorded anything, and Brakes were honoured that he came out of retirement to play with them. 'They're good songs,' he said, and Brakes felt good.
Work continues apace
BRAKES SUMMER SCHEDULE
22nd July - Truck Festival, Oxford
4th August - Sudouest Festival, Portugal
6th August - The Electric Garden, UK
9th August - Oya Festival, Norway
12th August - Summer Sundae, UK
18th August - Frequency Festival, Austria
26th August - TDK Festival, London
3rd September - Electric Picnic, Ireland
8th September - Bestival, Isle Of Wight
16th September - End Of the Road Festival, Dorset
Emma La Reina, The Muggabears @ loft party, 10 Jay St, Brooklyn - 28 July 2006
This past Friday I was lucky enough (wise enough) to have attended a party at Emma La Reina's practice space in Brooklyn. Five bands were on the bill: Limbs, Antiques (from D.C.), The Harmony of Chaos, Emma La Reina, and The Muggabears. Sadly, I missed Limbs. They're a really fantastic band who I've seen before and who I'm excited to see again - I just have a good feeling about their potential. See if you'll be able to catch them on their upcoming tour by clicking HERE. Antiques sounded very good and had an interesting Dinosaur Jr. meets The Doors kinda thing going on while The Harmony of Chaos rocked the joint for what was their very first live show together. However, I was most interested in checking out what Emma La Reina and The Muggabears sounded like in a live setting.
Emma La Reina
No matter how much of an inclination I had that Emma La Reina was going to be an excellent live band, I just didn't expected to be blown away like I was. The band was very well tight, with each member rising to the forefront at times and then falling back into the mix with perfect fluidity. I stand by my comparison of Emma La Reina to Mogwai and Pretty Girls Make Graves and I challenge you to listen to them. Go see them live and let me know what you think. Wait, I already know. You're going to love them. See, in all of the city, at whatever moment in time it was that Emma La Reina went on, I'm guessing not one group of people was having more fun than those of us at 10 Jay St in Brooklyn.
Listen:
“Olympics”
Visit Emma La Reina on MySpace.
The Muggabears
Someone is paying attention to EAR FARM. What I mean is, at least one person went and bought the debut album from The Muggabears as a result of my post about them last week. I'm glad to hear that because seeing The Muggabears live only confirmed everything I was already thinking about the band. They're primed to reach larger audiences right away. They've got that rare combination of seemingly free-form rock mixed with intelligent songwriting that makes music lovers demand more. "Give us MORE songs Muggabears!" the crowd screamed when the band announced that their set was finished. The band gave in to the demands and rocked and rolled through a couple more excellent Sonic Youth influenced songs any blogger would be proud to write about. Get with it folks - The Muggabears.
Listen:
"I'm Coming True"
Visit The Muggabears on MySpace.
29 July 2006
Weekend Live Music
The Unicorns live @ The Earl, Atlanta, GA, 2 March 2004
(photo, from another show, from HERE)
1. "Tuff Ghost"
2. Say No To Drugs
3. "The Clap/I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Head/P.I.M.P"
4. "Innoculate The Innocuous"
5. Peanuts & Bryan Adams
6. "Jellybones"
7. Jellybone
8. "Ghost Mountain"
9. "Child Star"
10. Intercontinental Breakfast
11. "Sea Ghost"
12. Take Your Shirt Off
13. "Ready To Die"
14. "I Was Born (A Unicorn)"
15. "Emasculate The Masculine"
16. "Tuff Luff"
(this show is missing the final two tracks, but it's worth a listen anyway. also, it represents the first of many times that you're going to see a repeat band/artist in EAR FARM's Weekend Live Music series. don't worry, I haven't run out of other bands/artists - just wanted to get this Unicorns show up since the first one I posted hasn't been available for a while)
Past EAR FARM Weekend Live Music has included live songs/sets by Sublime, Spoon, Ween, The Unicorns, My Bloody Valentine, New Order, Sufjan Stevens, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sonic Youth, Explosions in the Sky, The Smiths, Morphine, Talking Heads, The Stone Roses, The Cure, PJ Harvey, Pulp, The Decemberists, Blur, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Led Zeppelin, Islands, Echo and the Bunnymen, Morrissey, The Durutti Column, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Giant Drag, Tool, Polvo, Mazzy Star, Meat Puppets, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nouvelle Vague, Built To Spill, Thelonious Monk Quartet, Liars, and Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Each week one of these live shows will be removed to make room on the server. Get them while you can.
28 July 2006
EAR FARM suggestions for this weekend
Tonight:
- 7pm - South Street Seaport - Nicolai Dunger, Elvis Perkins, Benjy Ferree
- 7:30pm - Pianos - Our Lady of the Highway, Bishop Allen, Annie Hayden, The Teeth, Annuals
- 8pm - Irving Plaza - Editors, Lake Trout, The Big Sleep
- 8pm - Pussycat Lounge - Man in Gray, My Little Pony, Rick Barry, April Smith, The Problem, Uniform
- 9pm - 10 Jay St., 2nd flr. (Brooklyn - BYOB) - Emma La Reina with Antiques (D.C.), The Harmony of Chaos, Limbs, and The Muggabears
- 9pm - Mercury Lounge - Sound Team, Cold War Kids, Midlake, The Diableros
- 6pm - Cake Shop - Print, Modern Day Urban Barbarians, Drayton Sawyer Gang, SHLSHKD, Ultrabunny (aka Bunnybrains 88), The Art of Shooting, The Butcherings, Kalpana, Bosola
- 8pm - Trash - The Muggabears, Tall Hands, Bagzone, The Parlour Scouts, Barkuna
- 9pm - Lit Lounge - Slowlands, Age Rings, Ryan Lee and The Mindless
- 9pm - Mercury Lounge - Sound Team, Cold War Kids, Midlake, Annuals
- 2pm - McCarren Park Pool - Of Montreal, Enon, Irving, Asobi Seksu
Emma La Reina
Emma La Reina has been on my list of bands I've been meaning to write about for a long time. Or long time in EAR FARM terms, which means since like December of last year. I was waiting because I wanted to see them live first, so consider this a half post - I'll be seeing them tonight. Why should you be interested in them? Because you like Mogwai and Pretty Girls Make Graves, because you love really great work on a drum kit, because you dig tasteful angular guitar blended with shoegaze notions and topped with dreamy female vocals. For an example of what I'm talking about, listen to the new track they just sent my way below ("Olympics"). I think it's pretty gosh darn special.
Listen:
“Olympics”
“Instraw Mental”
Visit Emma La Reina on MySpace.
See them live:
TONIGHT - 28 July 2006 - 9:00P in Brooklyn @ 10 Jay St., 2nd flr. (BYOB) - with Antiques (D.C.), The Harmony of Chaos, Limbs, and The Muggabears.
OPP
Chromewaves on Tapes 'N Tapes/Futureheads
Clever Titles... on 7L and Esoteric (who I love, plus you should go pledge some money for the Blogathon)
Bradley has Camera Obscura live in Allston
How I Spent My Summer Vacation, by Ben Girlpants
Subinev went to see Pretty Girls Make Graves last Sunday (I was too...um, tired yeah, to make it so thanks to Bryan for the fine pictures and such)
Nothing But Green Lights posted about Tap Tap (it's good, go listen)
27 July 2006
8+
“Sir Psycho Sexy” by Red Hot Chili Peppers which clocks in at 8:16
A few days after I turned sixteen and got my license (and two months after Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released) I went to the store with my best friend...Record Exchange in Raleigh at Mission Valley shopping center. But this was back when it was up on the other side near Nur Deli. I often went there rather than Schoolkids simply because parking was easier. Heck, I'm not even sure Record Exchange is still at Mission Valley at all these days, but no matter. Those details are irrelevant to most of you. Point is, there we were. Buying one CD each. He wanted to get Blood Sugar Sex Magik and, although I was a fan of Mother's Milk at the time, I was there to continue building my Depeche Mode collection. We left with our CDs and listened to mine (Black Celebration) in the car on the way back to his house. Once there we hung out and listened to our two new albums on our respective portable CD players with headphones on. At the same time. Yep, just hanging out with headphones on listening to our own music. I think I was almost finished listening to mine for a second time when my friend took off his headphones and was all "you HAVE to hear this song". He knew me very well, and knew my taste for extreme language and long songs. He was about to unleash on my young ears one of the greatest sex-filled swear word funk romps of all time and I was about to hear the song that would convince me I needed to get my own copy of Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
Listening to this song for the first time in many years this past weekend it occurred to me that funky songs tend to not age very well, though this one has held up alright. The song might sound a bit dated but I still know all of the words. With lines such as "There's a devil in my dick and some demons in my semen" and "I said what's up? Now suck my dick...like a ram getting ready to jam the lamb, she whimpered just a little when she felt my hand. On her crotch so very warm, I could feel her getting wet through her uniform" I don't think I'll EVER forget these lyrics.
Buy Blood Sugar Sex Magik HERE on Amazon.
EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
British Sea Power - "Lately"
Islands - "Swans"
Isolée - "Pillowtalk"
Animal Collective - "Banshee Beat"
Wilderness - "Post Plethoric Rhetoric"
The Wedding Present - "Interstate 5"
Sleater-Kinney - "Let's Call It Love"
My Morning Jacket - "Dondante"
Wilco - "Spiders (Kidsmoke)"
Isis - "From Sinking"
Lemon Jelly - "A Tune For Jack"
Herbie Hancock - "Sly"
New Order - "Temptation"
Polvo - "El Rocio"
Pulp - "Countdown"
Morrissey - "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils"
Dungen - "Du är för fin för mig"
Loose Fur - "Wreckroom"
The Who - "A Quick One, While He's Away"
Destroyer - "Rubies"
Neu! - "Fuer Immer (forever)"
Iggy Pop - "Mass Production"
The Cure - "Fascination Street" (Extended Mix)
Yo La Tengo - "Let's Be Still"
George Michael - "I Want Your Sex, Pts. 1 &2"
Digital Underground - "Doowutchyalike"
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "1% Of One"
Big Brother & the Holding Company - "Ball And Chain"
The Stone Roses - "I Am The Resurrection"
DJ Shadow - "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain"
Neil Young & Crazy Horse - “Cowgirl in the Sand”
Katelyn Maier @ Pianos - 26 July 2006
The voice. What an underused instrument it is in so many of the bands I go see live. It doesn't really bother me ever when a singer isn't "singing" but boy I sure take notice when someone has a really great singing voice. Took notice last night I did, yes. Katelyn Maier has an amazing voice. That's all there is to it and she's worth seeing live just to hear her sing. It's a bonus, really, that she plays guitar and writes smart songs. Another bonus - (for those of you who live in NYC and love singer/songwriter types) she recently moved to New York so you're going to be able go see/hear her music live rather soon...dates below.
Katelyn played the upstairs bar at Pianos last night and I was impressed. Or, not super impressed by the venue (I'd never even been upstairs there for some reason but the fact that I could hear the band from downstairs was a bit annoying) but very impressed with Katelyn. Yes, I mentioned her voice but equally impressive was that she has a good grasp of how to balance her singing between soft/gentle and really belting it out. There's almost no point in having such a lovely singing voice if you don't understand how to deliver lyrics effectively. You'll notice lots of girls with this exact problem if you ever watch American Idol but Katelyn doesn't sing like those wannabe divas. In fact, I think her music reminded me of some kind of cross between Natalie Merchant (in terms of vocal tone at times) and Kristin Hersh (during quieter moments and even songwriting-wise) and I'm pretty sure that Katelyn would've found popularity rather quickly ten years ago during the mid '90s female singer/songwriter boom. It's a tough market now and there are more than a few other singer/songwriters but Katelyn is one to pay attention to.
Listen:
“Sandbox”
“Cardboard Cutout”
Visit Katelyn Maier on MySpace.
See her live:
5 August 2006 - 10:00P @ Mo Pitkins
10 August 2006 - 7:00P @ Kenny's Castaways
22 August 2006 - 9:00P @ Sidewalk Cafe
The Wedding Present rare items to be auctioned off
From The Wedding Present's official site:
In an effort to reduce the clutter in his office David Gedge wants to reduce the size of his personal Wedding Present CD collection, so Scopitones have decided to offer some of the more rare and interesting recordings up for sale by silent auction. A percentage of the proceeds will go to The Streets Ahead Children's Centre Association . For full details of how to take part in this auction please visit the 'forum' section of this site and click on 'General'.
26 July 2006
The Rapture
I like The Rapture. I feel like they get a bad rap (ha!) sometimes though. Whatever, this post is not here to try and introduce some brand new band, just here to tell you some news about them and to give your ears a listen to a new song by The Rapture. Their new album Pieces of the People We Love is coming out on September 12th and they've worked with some fine producers like Paul Epworth (Bloc Party, Futureheads), Ewan Pearson (Depeche Mode, Chemical Brothers, Gwen Stefani), and Danger Mouse.
The Rapture’s Mattie Safer says: "We're pleased as punch to be working with people as brilliant as Paul & Ewan and Danger Mouse. We started with a goal of making an album that’s an even happier Saturday night than the last one, and this record is going to be so good that even the engineers get laid off the back of it.”
Listen:
“Get Myself Into It”
Visit The Rapture on MySpace.
Wanna see them live? Check HERE.
(this post was made possible thanks to a nice PR email I got today about this new track...heads up, you might see posts just like it elsewhere)
Tapes 'n Tapes on Late Show with David Letterman
Amazing. I couldn't believe I was watching Tapes 'n Tapes on national television last night. The Ed Sullivan Theater. Man. They seemed a bit nervous for the first part of "Insistor", heck I was nervous for them, but the guys really nailed the second half of the song and put on an excellent performance in my opinion. Anyone else watch? How sick of T'nT are the indie kids going to act like they are now?
HERE is a pretty crap video of people at Hexagon Bar in Minneapolis watching Tapes 'n Tapes on Letterman. For a bit of nostalgia, HERE is the first EAR FARM post about the band from 20 October, 2005. Back then, hardly anybody knew who they were and nobody even knew EAR FARM existed. As such, HERE is the post that really got the ball rolling in music blog land. Do people still question whether or not blogs are pushing some bands into the realm of popularity the way radio used to? You ask for blog miracles Theo, I give you Tapes 'n Tapes.
Listen:
"Insistor"
Watch:
"Insistor" (music video)
"Insistor" (live at Siren Festival)
Buy The Loon HERE.
(if the performance from last night shows up somewhere online, I'll update this post)
25 July 2006
THE world's largest independent rock and pop music archive to be opened for the first time
From this article:
Up to 100,000 songs recorded and filmed between 1966 and 1991 by Bill Graham, the US concert promoter, languished in a San Francisco basement for more than 10 years after his death. Then the collection was bought by Bill Sagan, a health company executive turned rock entrepreneur, who is negotiating to secure the stars' permission to release their music. He was in London at the weekend to meet lawyers for British rockers such as Led Zeppelin and The Who.You can browse, and buy, bits of music history from the archive by visiting Wolfgang's Vault.
The archive has unseen footage of a legendary show by The Who in 1973, when drummer Keith Moon collapsed and a student was picked from the audience to finish the show, and the final concert by the Sex Pistols in 1978. It includes unknown performances by Led Zeppelin such as a version of Howlin' Wolf's Killing Floor, which they later rewrote as The Lemon Song, and a tousle-headed Elton John singing his 1970 ballad Your Song.
Luminaries may prefer to forget some of the footage, such as Joe Cocker vomiting on stage and Madonna hitting herself in the face with her chunky necklaces. All were pitilessly captured by Graham's photographers or, in later years, four cameramen.
Graham, born Wolfgang Grajonca in Nazi Berlin, was described by Joplin as the first concert promoter to respect the artists and give them what they wanted -- on and off stage. Normally wary performers such as Frank Zappa and Bob Dylan signed contracts that allowed him to record their concerts at venues he managed in New York and California. Graham hoarded everything, from ticket stubs and backstage passes to psychedelic Jefferson Airplane posters and surplus Duran Duran T-shirts.
Metallica, welcome to 2003
Metallica has finally given in and is now offering their music on iTunes. At least they seem to have a bit of a sense of humor about it all:
Happy Monday!! From the “It's about fucking time!” file, comes this....Read the rest of that HERE.
At 12:01 AM, on Tuesday July 25th, we will begin offering our music on the iTunes Music Store, a Cupertino, CA based upstart outfit, who we feel may very well have a bright future . . . .
Over the last year or so, we have seen an ever-growing number of Metallica fans using online sites like iTunes to get their music. So, in continuing with the tradition of offering our albums for sale online (which we've been doing for a few years through various sites), as well as making our live concerts available for download in their entirety (through the livemetallica.com site), we are now offering fans the opportunity to obtain our songs individually.
Since many fans already have our albums in one form or another, but might still want to check out the digital versions, we decided to throw a couple of previously unreleased live tracks (Seattle, '89) on to each of the first four albums (Kill 'Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master of Puppets, & ...And Justice For All). We chose these four because, unlike the more recent releases, we were only capable of writing 8-9 songs for each of these albums!
Contrast Podcast #17
I'm back in podcasting action this week with Contrast Podcast. The theme: 'who'. Yes, I predictably selected the theme song for Doctor Who and to hear the reason why, you'll have to go listen to Contrast Podcast #17.
You can download it HERE.
Previous Contrast Podcasts you can currently download:
Contrast Podcast #11
Contrast Podcast #12
Contrast Podcast #13
Contrast Podcast #14
Contrast Podcast #15
Contrast Podcast #16
Today's NEW releases
Released today, I just might buy:
24 July 2006
The Muggabears
Let's get the name thing out of the way first, shall we? The Muggabears. "Bouncing here and there and everywhere...high adventure that's beyond compare, we are the Muggabears". I can't help it. Seriously, I'm sorry, but I often get this weird association disorder that happens with band names. Sometimes I'll put off listening to a band just because of it. Well, yeah, that didn't happen here...for very long. Yes, The Muggabears made me think of the theme song for the Gummi Bears for some reason. Made me think of the Care Bears as well. Perhaps because the name just sounds cuddly? I think it does. Say it: Muggabear. Mmmm, soft. Thankfully the only issue I ever had with those Gummi/Care Bears is that their stupid cartoon(s) always seemed to be on TV when I was hoping for some GI Joe or Transformer action. Thankfully, I mean, because I got over the lame association I created and checked out the music of The Muggabears.
Verdict: The Muggabears make excellent music. Their songs are not 'cuddly' or 'cute' and they shouldn't be ignored. They're a guitar based band that tends towards the experimental side of things while still keeping one foot firmly planted in solid melodies and structure. Not to try and get away with a cheap comparison, but watch as I do (and it's the truth) - The Muggabears fit very nicely into the indie-rock family tree someplace between Silver Jews and Sonic Youth and manage to pull off their sound without seeming derivative. Isn't that a combo you'd be very happy with hearing some more of? Yes, I know it is. From what I've been able to discern by listening to the three songs they offer online, we'd all be rather stupid to miss their upcoming shows. Look, for what it's worth to you, I'm telling you that this band has some 'blog buzz potential'...now I'm wondering: why don't we already own their debut Kim Berlin?
Listen:
"Married to the Moon"
"I'm Coming True"
"Sister Now"
Visit The Muggabears on MySpace.
Go HERE to buy their debut Kim Berlin.
See them live:
28 July 2006 - DUMBO Loft party w/Emma La Reina, Limbs, and Antiques
29 July 2006 - Trash Bar w/Tall Hands
snip·pets
The Streets make longest ever music video
Rolling Stones Lead Mid-Year Tour Figures
Wired: Microsoft iPod 'Killer' Is Doomed
NYTimes reviews Jens Lekman live
Robert Hilburn on meeting some of music's all-time greats
Blender lists The 25 Biggest Wusses in music
Rolling Stone on the new Yo La Tengo
Sean Lennon Gets Cinematic on New Album
22 July 2006
Weekend Live Music
Bob Marley & The Wailers live @ Hammersmith Odeon, London, 16 June 1976
(photo, from another show in 1976, from HERE)
1. "Trench Town Rock"
2. "Burnin' And Lootin'"
3. "Them Belly Full"
4. "Rebel Music"
5. "Crazy Baldhead"
6. "'I Shot The Sheriff"
7. "'Want More > No More Trouble"
EF can't offer the whole show as a .zip due to issues in the past when bandwidth was exceeded.
Also, it's time to start taking some of these live shows down, starting with the older ones next week. Get them while you can.
Past EAR FARM Weekend Live Music has included live songs/sets by Sublime, Spoon, Ween, The Unicorns, My Bloody Valentine, New Order, Sufjan Stevens, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sonic Youth, Explosions in the Sky, The Smiths, Morphine, Talking Heads, The Stone Roses, The Cure, PJ Harvey, Pulp, The Decemberists, Blur, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Led Zeppelin, Islands, Echo and the Bunnymen, Morrissey, The Durutti Column, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Giant Drag, Tool, Polvo, Mazzy Star, Meat Puppets, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nouvelle Vague, Built To Spill, Thelonious Monk Quartet, and Liars.
21 July 2006
Don't You (Forget About Me)
The following list covers all of the artists/bands featured on EAR FARM through the end of June 2006. This excludes the weekly features (such 8+, Weekend Live Music) and is more about current bands that have gotten a write-up on EF. Click the (+) to visit a previous EF posting about any of these bands and click the band name to go to their site.
New York based bands:
Apse (+)
The Art of Shooting (+)
Bastion (+)
Bishop Allen (+)
A Brief Smile (+)
Daylight's For The Birds (+)
Die Romantik (+)
The Diggs (+)
Dracula Zombie USA (+)
Fanuelle (+)
Goes Cube (+)
Higgins (+)
The Isles (+)
Levy (+)
Limbs (+)
Love As Laughter (+)
Man in Gray (+)
Mancino (+)
Mobius Band (+)
Murder Mystery (+)
The Nailbiters (+)
Nous Non Plus (+)
Other Passengers (+)
A Passing Feeling (+)
The Picture (+)
Proton Proton (+)
Royal Arms (+)
The Secret Life of Sofia (+)
Slowlands (+)
Split Over Drapes (+)
Susu (+)
Takka Takka (+)
Tigercity (+)
The Unsacred Hearts (+)
Bands from elsewhere:
Lily Allen (+)
The Alright Ma's (+)
The Apparitions (+)
Arthur & Yu (+)
Ash Tree (+)
At Dusk (+)
Beangrowers (+)
Bella (+)
Birdmonster (+)
Black Nasty (+)
Billy Bragg (+)
Brakes (+)
Captain of Industry (+)
Clementine Broadcast (+)
Cloud Cult (+)
Happycasio! (+)
Noah Harrison (+)
Richard Hawley (+)
The Heights (+)
John & Jehn (+)
Kim Novak (+)
Lesley Lane (+)
The Lovely Feathers (+)
Low Lustre (+)
Machine Go Boom (+)
Man Man (+)
The Melody Function (+)
Mull Historical Society (+)
OMR (+)
Peasant (+)
People in Planes (+)
The Pine Club (+)
Planes For Spaces (+)
Pleasant (+)
Pretty Girls Make Graves (+)
Sam Roberts Band (+)
The Sames (+)
Schooner (+)
Victor Scott (+)
Shade (+)
Kelley Stoltz (+)
Strip Squad (+)
Tapes 'n Tapes (+)
The Televangelist and The Architect (+)
Tennis and the Mennonites (+)
Track A Tiger (+)
The Vorstand Circus (+)
We Versus the Shark (+)
Katharine Whalen (+)
Wilderness (+)
20 July 2006
8+
“Cowgirl in the Sand” by Neil Young & Crazy Horse which clocks in at 10:06
In hopes of continuing to keep this site an experience for the people, and sometimes by the people, I offer another 8+ written by an EAR FARM reader/friend. This one comes to us from Juno who has selected an excellent song by one of her favorite artists of all time...
Neil Young is, in my humble opinion, the quintessential American rock star. He’s stubborn and brooding, yet seemingly humble and diffident at the same time. He pervades a simultaneously quiet and thunderous demeanor and, perhaps unsuprisingly, it is Neil’s polarities that drive his fervent songs. His unique songwriting styles are sublimely showcased in the final track “Cowgirl in the Sand” from his 1969 album Everybody Knows This is Nowhere.Speaking of which...if you'd like to tell us all about your musical fantasies slash write an 8+ to be considered for EAR FARM's weekly 8+ series, well, go ahead! Send me something you've written about a song longer than eight minutes. No guarantees on when (or if) it gets posted, but if it does you'll get all the credit and linkage you'd like. Contact info for me HERE.
When I first heard this song as a college sophomore, I knew immediately that Neil Young was cooler than the rest of us. The song instantly set a tone…a mood. That underlying groovy bass line, Neil’s ominous guitar riffs and singing style, his suggestive lyrics, and improvisational melodies…I should have been driving a rusty old Ford pick-up truck through the desolate highways of the southwest, Budweiser in hand. No, better yet… I should have been driving a motorcycle. Wait… even better, I should have been riding on the back of Neil’s motorcycle. Gripping his sideburns and holding on for dear life as we sped through the desert - stopping late into the night to build a fire, smoke a joint, and stare at the stars in the vast desert sky. The song was written for me… it was all mine:
"Hello cowgirl in the sand
Is this place at your command
Can I stay here for a while
Can I see your sweet sweet smile
Old enough now to change your name
When so many love you is it the same?
It’s the woman in you that makes you want to play this game…"
Does this make me the only person under the age of 50 to have a Neil Young fantasy?
Listen for yourself. Maybe you’ll develop a Neil fantasy of your own…
(photo from 1974 from HERE)
Buy Everybody Knows This is Nowhere HERE on Amazon.
EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
British Sea Power - "Lately"
Islands - "Swans"
Isolée - "Pillowtalk"
Animal Collective - "Banshee Beat"
Wilderness - "Post Plethoric Rhetoric"
The Wedding Present - "Interstate 5"
Sleater-Kinney - "Let's Call It Love"
My Morning Jacket - "Dondante"
Wilco - "Spiders (Kidsmoke)"
Isis - "From Sinking"
Lemon Jelly - "A Tune For Jack"
Herbie Hancock - "Sly"
New Order - "Temptation"
Polvo - "El Rocio"
Pulp - "Countdown"
Morrissey - "The Teachers Are Afraid of the Pupils"
Dungen - "Du är för fin för mig"
Loose Fur - "Wreckroom"
The Who - "A Quick One, While He's Away"
Destroyer - "Rubies"
Neu! - "Fuer Immer (forever)"
Iggy Pop - "Mass Production"
The Cure - "Fascination Street" (Extended Mix)
Yo La Tengo - "Let's Be Still"
George Michael - "I Want Your Sex, Pts. 1 &2"
Digital Underground - "Doowutchyalike"
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - "1% Of One"
Big Brother & the Holding Company - "Ball And Chain"
The Stone Roses - "I Am The Resurrection"
DJ Shadow - "Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain"
Goes Cube @ Trash Bar, 19 July 2006
I've gotten to know many musicians from NY based bands and most of them are totally nice people. Lots of times that's pointed out by bloggers (myself probably included) as if that really matters. It doesn't. (Hey, wanna go out with my friend? Is he hot? Oh uh...he's nice) The essential question is: how is their music? Well Goes Cube are definitely cool guys and all, but most importantly their music is blazing. Rip shred thrash thrash scream rock scream rock melody loud loud notmanypeoplemakesongslikethatanymore fist fuck. What the heck does all of that mean? Not sure but it just came to mind. And if Trent taught me anything it's that ending a statement with "fist fuck" is often much more effective than an exclamation point. Where was I? Or did I even begin?
Last night was a Family Business Records Party @ Trash Bar. I wanted to see the other bands but I just couldn't due to work and other obligations. However, yes like Jello, there's always room for Goes Cube. Why? It's because I'm head over heels for their enthusiasm, for their three-piece guitar/bass/drums attack, and for their songs. I love their songs to the max and to see them perform live is like diving into a large swimming pool filled with joy. Ha! No, angst. Wait. Let me say this: the new songs are just as superb live as you'd imagine and if you (correction when you) go see them live you will NOT be let down. If you ever lived on Fugazi and currently yearn for visceral, urgent, loud, music that just might blow you away in a live setting check out Goes Cube.
I went to see the show with my friend Franz and he did a sketch of Goes Cube last night. Check it out below. You can find more such drawings done by Franz of bands from BYP #1 HERE or from the EF Presents... show HERE. Also, be sure to visit his site FMP Studio.com.
One more thing, go check out one of my recent posts about Goes Cube to listen to some of their new songs or watch their recently released video.
See them live August 1st @ The Annex with Die! Die! Die!, Detachment Kit, and Aloke.
OPP
Riff Market talks about how live reviews kinda suck
Bradley's Almanac has The Futureheads live in Boston
My Old Kentucky Blog with a post about Lebowskifest that includes My Morning Jacket doing some covers
Village Indian points us in the direction of some MSNBC coverage on NYC's own The Diggs
Clever Titles Are So Last Summer is going to be blogging for charity (uncertain but I just might get in on this as well if I'm available)
This article on Frieze.com by Simon Reynolds discussing current music criticism is getting some music bloggers debating a bit
19 July 2006
Beg Yr Pardon!
Beg Yr Pardon #4 happened last night @ The Delancey. There were good times, great songs, many drinks, dancing and laughing and...well, yeah, all that and then some. About the bands, this is meant to be about the bands.
Susu
You know that Susu is an EAR FARM approved band so you'll understand why I made sure to get there early enough to catch their set. They thrill and wow and now I totally know many of their songs which makes for some moving and fist-pumping. I fight the fist pump though, I swear. I used to make fun of idiots who did stuff like that...but it came out during "Sawtooth". Again. Oh well, now I'm the fist-pumping idiot and I have Susu's awesome music to blame.
Listen:
"Sawtooth"
Visit SUSU on MySpace.
Medic Medic
Who is this Medic Medic? They're a three piece band from Pittsburgh and they kicked ass last night. As I was heading downstairs to check them out, two different people said to me "you have to see this band, they're awesome"! Not sure they both said that same thing, but you get the point. Those people were right. The Medic Medic formula is a very simple concept that's rather tough to actually pull off. One drummer, one guitarist, and one female vocalist and they really impressed me. Not that they sounded like this band per se but I've been listening to a bit of Slayer recently and Medic Medic did a fine job of scratching that heavy metal itch I've had of late.
Listen:
"Thee Eyes"
Visit Medic Medic on MySpace.
The Song Corporation
The Song Corporation - band number three. I had actually checked these guys out online already...a few weeks ago after meeting Kristie (guitarist in The Song Corporation) at a previous BYP. I liked what I heard in their music but wanted to wait to see them live before posting about them so as to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility...er, form a more well-rounded opinion. Anyway, I was excited to see them live and all but I didn't expect to be so impressed by them. Their show was a blast, had a pretty sweet balance between mellow songs/female vocals and more rocking songs/male vocals, and they had all kinds of people dancing and grooving along...a bunch of people got up on the stage with the band and stuff too. Yeah, I'll be going to see them again soon - one Song Corporation show made me a fan.
Listen:
"The Bug Speaks"
Visit The Song Corporation on MySpace.
Pink Noise
Pink Noise closed the night out with a bang. They arrived late due to car trouble but once they took the stage everything was instantly better. Actually, there were problems then too with some power issues but once THOSE got sorted everything was peachy. More so. They rocked and jammed like Sonic Youth of 15 years ago and I was once again extremely impressed with a band I'd never really even heard of before. Shame on me.
Listen:
"Up For Days"
Visit Pink Noise on MySpace.
So, after Pink Noise (and at other points in the night) DJ Fluxblog kicked out the jams (as did DJs The Obsessive Compulsive from Crackers United but I missed most of their stuff by going upstairs between bands) and got us all dancing a bit. Yes, even I was dancing...yikes. Turns out the theme for last night's party was the same as it always has been at Beg Yr Pardons - kick ass bands and a great time. See you at the next one? I'll be DJ'ing (a bit of a battle of sorts between myself and D from Soft Communication) so you better be there for support and to help me win by raising applause-o-meter levels with your cheers.
Read more about last night:
Crackers United
Fluxblog
18 July 2006
snip·pets
Mercury Prize short list announced
Arcade Fire new album details
Kellie Pickler signs record deal
National Geographic launches online world music store
Wired: Tricks for Adding MP3 Ringtones to Verizon's RAZR
Usher to Star in 'Chicago'
Mogwai on Miami Vice Soundtrack
Joy Division Movie Begins Shooting
The MTA Presents: Top Subway Songs
Stylus begins listing the top 100 music videos according to...Stylus
Contrast Podcast #16
Get your weekly Contrast Podcast fix boys and girls! Now serving, number 16: 'when I was 16 I liked'...Tim pretty much got me covered with his selection, see if you also liked any of these tracks: Contrast Podcast #16.
You can download it HERE.
Previous Contrast Podcasts you can currently download:
Contrast Podcast #10
Contrast Podcast #11
Contrast Podcast #12
Contrast Podcast #13
Contrast Podcast #14
Contrast Podcast #15
17 July 2006
EAR FARM suggestions for Tuesday and Wednesday
Tuesday - 18 July:
8pm - Beg Yr Pardon @ The Delancey - Everyone is slowly coming to understand how much fun these BYP shows are. Wake up. Best recurring indie-rock party in the city. Tomorrow night: Susu, Medic Medic, The Song Corporation, and Pink Noise.
Wednesday - 19 July:
8pm - Family Business Records Party @ Trash Bar - Drink specials galore and tons of great bands. I'm not kidding, I can not wait! You know you want to go and get your tits rocked off by Goes Cube. Just admit it. See you there? Thought so. Lineup: Object, Telenovela Star, Goes Cube, The Gritty Midi Gang, and Haunted Horses.
Siren Music Festival 2006
Siren '06! What?! What'd you guys think? Favorite band? (mine - Man Man) Least favorite? (of those I saw - Celebration) If they had a suggestion box for how to make it better next year, what would you say? (me: more bathrooms, more speakers for the second stage, and more beer taps/workers at Nathan's)
This was my third time going to the Siren Music Festival, I went to the first one back in 2001 and then skipped a few years but went again last year. Timing wasn't right for one of those years I missed (the fantastic lineup of Siren '02, damn) and the others I skipped out on because the lineups just weren't enticing enough to pay nothing for. Well, I'm sure I won't miss another one. I think. It's just too much fun spending the day at Coney Island listening to free music...even if it is one of the bands that turns out to be a bit bland or boring.
Basically, I was there to see three bands: Man Man, Tapes 'N Tapes, and Art Brut. The quickest summary I can offer of each band (in order) would go something like this: excellent, average, fun. Granted, I've had a bit of a Man Man crush in 2006 and it was my first time ever seeing Art Brut so I might've been more inclined to enjoy sets by those bands. As for Tapes, well, I've seen them a few times before and this performance was good but seemed to lack that extra sparkle that would've made the show awesome possum. To be fair, the sound wasn't so great during their set and it did also rain right as they started.
So, this time I've got a few extra pictures...more than you'd usually find in an EF concert post. The two wide shots (1st picture: Tapes 'N Tapes, 2nd picture: Art Brut) were taken by me (Matt) and the close-ups you see of Tapes 'N Tapes (posted below) were taken by nearly-regular EAR FARM contributor Mike. As well, I took my 35mm camera so in the next few days I'm hoping to have a few more pictures from the show.
Further Siren '06 coverage:
15 July 2006
Weekend Live Music
Liars live @ Cabaret, Montreal, Canada - 22 June 2006
(photo, from another show, from HERE)
1. (Intro)
2. "Drum and the Uncomfortable Can"
3. (unknown)
4. "The Frozen Glacier of Mastadon Blood"
5. "Visit From Drum"
6. "'We Fenced Other Gardens With The Bones Of Our Own"
7. "'Hold You, Drum"
8. (unknown)
9. "'To Hold You, Drum"
10. "'Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway"
11. "'Be Quiet Mt. Heart Attack!"
12. "'Let's Not Wrestle Mt Heart Attack"
13. "'Broken Witch"
14. "'Territorial Pissings"
Thanks go out to Etienne Blythe for this recording!
EF can't offer the whole show as a .zip due to issues in the past when bandwidth was exceeded.
Past EAR FARM Weekend Live Music has included live songs/sets by Sublime, Spoon, Ween, The Unicorns, My Bloody Valentine, New Order, Sufjan Stevens, Neutral Milk Hotel, Sonic Youth, Explosions in the Sky, The Smiths, Morphine, Talking Heads, The Stone Roses, The Cure, PJ Harvey, Pulp, The Decemberists, Blur, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Led Zeppelin, Islands, Echo and the Bunnymen, Morrissey, The Durutti Column, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Giant Drag, Tool, Polvo, Mazzy Star, Meat Puppets, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Nouvelle Vague, Built To Spill, and Thelonious Monk Quartet.
14 July 2006
EAR FARM suggestions for tonight and tomorrow
Tonight:
7pm - Schooner @ R&R - Schooner is from my hometown area and they're a great band...I saw them before at Lit and enjoyed it. Hopefully some people show up tonight - early show, good start to your weekend.
- Listen: Schooner - "Trains and Parades"
Tomorrow:
12noon to 9pm - Siren Music Festival 2006...brought to us by the Village Voice and it's FREE. Check the schedule HERE.
7pm - Low Lustre @ Galapagos Art Space - Low Lustre is a super duper good band. I was hoping to present this show and DJ it and tons of fun things but there was a mix-up in dates. If you're free, DO NOT miss this band. There'll be three fun bands and live painters and other awesomeness. Check out a previous EF post about them HERE.
- Listen: Low Lustre - "Dancing Blind"
