8+

"Jerusalem (Pt. 4)" by Sleep which clocks in at 10:28

The original post that I wrote for this entry was for a different version of this song. The FULL version that clocks in at 63:31. And the post was 6,331 words long. Yes, one song that's over an hour long (you can thank me later for editing the song choice as well as this entry) and you're missing a lot of it (obviously) by listening to the version posted here. But, I'm not sure what else to do. If I were to post the full song as it was composed by the band I'd basically be giving away an entire album for free. That's not what I'm trying to do (at all) and given the massive amounts of trouble which the band faced over this record-long song I think it more than criminal to just give it away for free. So instead I give to you this portion of Sleep's hour long opus "Dopesmoker". It's my favorite "movement" within the larger whole and you might want to remember that it's not actually supposed to end so abruptly like it does in this MP3. It's not supposed to be constrained by the boundaries which have been placed upon it in this version of the album, wasn't meant to be abridged the way it was in the film Broken Flowers, and isn't even supposed to be called "Jerusalem (Pt. 4)". Confused?

Wikipedia explains:

For their third record, Sleep took almost two years writing, re-writing, and recording with producer Billy Anderson, investing a large portion of their major label advance on the album. The result was a 63-minute song, "Dopesmoker", that left the managers at London Records confused and dismayed. The band reworked the song into the 52-minute "Jerusalem" but London Records still refused to release it. The band was subsequently dropped, and the resulting red tape contributed heavily to the band’s disbanding. "Jerusalem" was released as a bootleg by a friend of the band in 1998. The song was split into six tracks against the band's wishes. A year later it was officially released by The Music Cartel and Rise Above Records. The official release kept the song split into six tracks.

Thankfully, in 2003 Tee Pee Records released Dopesmoker in its full-length single-track form which you can now buy at the link below and thus enjoy Sleep's original vision.

Buy Dopesmoker 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+:
The Velvet Underground - "The Gift"
Elton John - "Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding"
Jenő Jandó - "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2"
The Temptations - "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind"
Deerhoof - "Look Away"
Tan Dun - "Symphony 1997: II. Earth (Yi3)"
Jane's Addiction - "Three Days"
Joanna Newsom - "Monkey & Bear"

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.

OPP

The Daily Tarheel's Diversions Blog is keeping track of NC bands going to SxSW

Ryspace has a selection of live Arcade Fire tracks

T-Sides: “Two Nights with Explosions in the Sky” or “Yet Another Reason Why Pitchfork Blows”

An Aquarium Drunkard has an interview with Pink Nasty

My Life or Some Dream: a Bradley's Almanac mp3 compilation

Fluxblog Interview With Rob Sheffield part one and part two

Pop Candy: My trip to 'SNL'

Clint @ Knitting Factory Old Office - 27 February 2007

Clint played their US debut last night at the Knitting Factory Old Office. You're wondering - who is Clint? They're a five piece from Paris who bring to the stage their own unique blend of Bloc Party meets Queens of the Stone Age meets Placebo and they're playing three more shows in New York before heading home. Go check them out and tell them "Ferme d'oreille m'a envoyé"!

Listen:
"Video Clip"

Visit Clint on MySpace.

Clint live in NYC:
28 February @ Arlene's Grocery
2 March @ Baggott Inn
3 March @ Union Hall as part of EAR FARM Presents... L'amour (or Less)

*see more pictures of Clint (from this show) HERE

Sister Vanilla

Last year five albums by The Jesus and Mary Chain were reissued through Rhino Records (Psychocandy, Darklands, Automatic, Honey's Dead and Stoned & Dethroned) and this year the band has gotten back together for an appearance at Coachella and to record an album under the name Sister Vanilla. Excited? You should be.

Sister Vanilla features Jim and William Reid (as well as Ben Lurie) from The Jesus and Mary Chain with Jim and William’s sister Linda handling most of the vocals. The music is along the lines of what we all know and love about the legendary music from the brothers Reid (except this time there's wonderfully ethereal vocals from Linda that blend perfectly with the music) and is every bit as interesting and listenable as you might expect. The two songs posted below offer a great hint at what you're going to hear on the rest of the album when it comes out in April. "Jamcolas" has that trademark wild yet under control JAMC sunglass strut and will instantly remind you why the world considers this the first family of noise pop/shoegazing. "K To Be Lost" carries with it the same wandering guitar and breathless vocals while expanding on the sound hinted at on Munki when Linda sang on the song "Mo Tucker". Listen to them both and understand why you already need this record, whether you knew it or not. Little Pop Rock is beauty incarnate and is going to be the perfect soundtrack to Spring 2007.

Listen:
"Jamcolas"
"K To Be Lost"

Three for Free - La Laque, Die Romantik, and Mancino

EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week, three songs from artists playing the upcoming EAR FARM Presents... show. More on these guys later this week - for now, just the music. I love this music. You owe it to yourself to come out to Union Hall this Saturday. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.

Listen:
La Laque - "La Sirene dort"

Listen:
Die Romantik - "Narcissist's Waltz"

Listen:
Mancino - “Hetchie Hutchie Footchie”

Contrast Podcast #48

Time for another NEW Contrast Podcast! The theme this week is song chain. In other words, as Tim explains: "I pick a song, and then you pick a song that is related to that song in some way. Then someone else picks a song based on that song and so on. Repeat until fully satisfied!"

Go check out Contrast Podcast #48, it's fun.

You can download Contrast Podcast #48 HERE.

Today's NEW releases

Today's interesting releases (according to me, which aren't many this week):

• Edith Piaf - L'integrale
• The Fall - Reformation Post T.L.C.

Anything else that I might have missed?

snip·pets

Ex-'Idol' Hudson Wins Best Supporting Actress

Largehearted Boy posted Q's List of 100 Places To Find Music Online

Rolling Stone: Best Songs To Play While Drinking Whiskey

Putin awards state medal to Rostropovich

Racy pictures surface of Idol finalist Antonella Barba

Guns N' Roses delay album again

Timbaland 'Back With A Vengeance' On New Album

Goes Cube on tour + EAR FARM = Tour Documentary

And now for something completely different...

From March 6th - April 6th Goes Cube is going to be going on a cross-country tour of the United States and I'm proud to announce that EAR FARM is going to be going along for the entire trip. That's right, the month of March is going to bring with it some interesting times here at EAR FARM. Namely, tons of time on the road in a van with an awesome band and my video camera. Posts from the road? You bet.

Many of you may not be aware of the fact that my full time job entails working in the realm of film production but it does. Therefore, it is with tons of excitement that I set out upon this journey with the guys from Goes Cube to create a film that captures their experience during their first US tour. If you're a fan of the band, friends with the band, a blogger who has written about them, a music industry insider, another band who'll be playing one of these shows with Goes Cube - anything - please get in touch with me. I'd love to potentially have you talk on camera about Goes Cube's music or any aspect of indie music and touring. Seriously. Email me at earfarm -at- mac -dot- com. And hey, if we're coming to your town, please come out, see the show, and say hi.

Also, I plan to try to post daily on EAR FARM while on the road, but who knows how well that will turn out. Fingers crossed that you'll be able to get your usual EF fix, but in a new tour-oriented manner, during the month of March. Who knows for sure? Guess you'll have to keep checking back to find out. Oh, and if you live in any of the places we'll be visiting feel free to send along suggestions of places to eat, drink, visit, etc.

Tour dates below with up to the minute info always available on Goes Cube's MySpace page.

Goes Cube tour 2007:

6 March - The Red and Black w/ the Constants
1212 H Street St NW, Washington, DC, Washington DC

7 March - The Cave w/ Red Collar
452 1/2 Franklin, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

9 March - The Rudyard Kipling w/ Halophile
Louisville, Kentucky

10 March - Ruby Green
514 5th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee

11 March - Newby's
539 S Highland St, Memphis, Tennessee

13 March - Lakewood Bar and Grill
6340 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, Texas

14 March - Woody's w/ Nakatomi Plaza
321 W Ben White Blvd, Austin, Texas

15 March @ 1:00 PM - The Chain Drive w/ Catfish Have, Midgetmen, Black Tie Revue and more
Austin, Texas

16 March @ 4:00 PM - Ruta Maya w/ Foreign Islands, Takka Takka, and A Place To Bury Strangers
3601 S Congress Ave, Austin, Texas

19 March - The Bean
2011 Ave De Mesilla, Las Cruces, New Mexico

21 March - Beauty Bar w/ Foreign Islands
San Diego, California

22 March - The Viper Room w/ Foreign Islands and Street Drum Corps
8852 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, California

23 March - Studio 99 w/ Foreign Islands
Bakersfield, California

24 March - Brain Wash w/ Foreign Islands
San Francisco, California

26 March - Larimer Lounge w/ Foreign Islands
2721 Larimer, Denver, Colorado

28 March - El Torreon w/ Witch and Hare
3101 Gillham Plz, Kansas City, Missouri

29 March - The Ground Floor w/ Foreign Islands
215 E Main St, Belleville, Illinois

30 March - The Iron Post w/ Foreign Islands
120 Race St, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois

31 March - Elbo Room w/ Foreign Islands
Chicago, Illinois

1 April - Town Hall Pub w/ Foreign Islands
Chicago, Illinois

2 April - Elbow Room
6 S Washington, Ypsilanti, Michigan

3 April - Cafe Bourbon St w/ Necropolis
Columbus, Ohio

4 April - Garfield Artworks
4931 Penn Ave, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

6 April - Mercury Lounge w/ Bang Camaro
New York, NY

***the tour schedule has been updated and is now FINAL - see you on the road***

Queens of the Stone Age new album info

This just in from PR email land: Queens of the Stone Age have a new album coming out in June called Era Vulgaris. Word is, there will be guest spots from Julian Casablancas, Trent Reznor, Mark Lanegan, and Texan guitar wizard Billy Gibbons.

For more Queens of the Stone Age goodness you can watch the new in-studio video posted below or visit Queens of the Stone Age on MySpace.

Watch:
Queens of the Stone Age behind the scenes montage of Era Vulgaris studio sessions

8+

"The Gift" by The Velvet Underground which clocks in at 8:18

Hair metal had reached its limit. It was then mid-August 1989 and I was sick of everything I was listening to at the time. So were a lot of people I think. The wave of "alternative" music was cresting and about to break. Even if my hair didn't show it, the endlessly flanged riffs of Joe Perry, Slash, C.C. Deville, and all of the other guitar heroes were no longer music to my ears. A change was on the horizon and the path that lay ahead of me was one of looking back before looking forward. First, The Velvet Underground. Then, everything else.

I didn't know it right away, but I was starting to expand my musical horizons from the very moment I sat down for the first time in the cramped back seat of my friend Jon's older brother's (older brother was college age, but not enrolled in school) late '70s Camaro. On that day I heard "Lady Godiva's Operation" blasting through the speakers positioned directly next to my seat and I'll never forget just how blown away I was. Oh yeah, it was LOUD. He had 200 amps or something in there. As the speakers shook so did the car frame. But that's not what drove the point home. No, what made me know that this was going to be my next tape purchase was the music itself. It was dark and sexy and slightly scary but mostly interesting. The song grooved and chugged along like a perfect soundtrack to Richard Matheson's short story Dance of the Dead. In fact, I noted that at the time. I always loved horror movies, and stories, so this was an obvious connection for me to make and I listened and enjoyed for a few minutes when, suddenly, someone spoke very loudly. "SWEETLY". I had no clue what had just happened. "What the shit was that?!" I thought. Then it came again, same voice. "NEATLY PUMP AIR". Realizing it was part of the song, and not some rogue voice in my head, I continued to enjoy the rest of it and we were at our destination (Pizza Inn, if I remember correctly) in no time. Once we sat down, I needed answers.

"What were we listening to just now?"

"Dude. Velvet Underground dudes. Ya'll need to gets with this shit and stop listening to that Winger and shit. Duuuude." (he sounded like a southern Ted Theodore Logan)

"What album? And what was up with that guy's voice when it was all 'SWEETLY'? I thought it was one of you guys at first..."

"Dude, you want to borrow the tape? Be my guest bro. The album is called White Light/White Heat and that song was 'Lady Godiva's Operation'...isn't it fucking cool as shit? This band did tons of drugs, yeah. But what ya'll little bitches need to hear is 'The Gift'. It's on the same tape too. Check it out. It tells the raddest story and it's like rrrreally long and stuff. And the band mixed it so that the story is being told in one speaker and the music is in the other. You little dudes should go get some headphones on and check it out. You can pan it so you only hear one or the other. It's like: story only, or music only...your choice dude. It's awesome. And remember, listen to the words. It's about the story dude."

Being the smart (obedient) music hungry little dudes that we were, we went right about the task of listening to "The Gift" as soon as we got back to Jon's parents' house. And we did indeed listen on headphones. And we played with the balance and switched it from left to right and back again. And we listened to the spoken lyrics very closely. And we loved it.

Your turn.

Buy White Light/White Heat 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+:
Elton John - "Funeral for a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding"
Jenő Jandó - "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2"
The Temptations - "Take a Stroll Thru Your Mind"
Deerhoof - "Look Away"
Tan Dun - "Symphony 1997: II. Earth (Yi3)"
Jane's Addiction - "Three Days"
Joanna Newsom - "Monkey & Bear"
Depeche Mode - "Never Let Me Down Again" (Split Mix)

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.

OPP

Funky Video has "The Sexiest Music Videos Of All Time"

An Aquarium Drunkard has an M. Ward/Beth Orton show

17 Dots is the new blog done by several employees at eMusic

Badical Beats has an early video of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" live and a clip of The Simpsons' take on the video for "The Hardest Button To Button"

Idolator featured "My Insatiable One" by Suede

Sean from Said the Gramophone: on almosts

The Bastardly has semi-revealing photos of American Idol contestant Antonella Barba

Ben Clarke

Ben Clarke (also from Chicago) is another musician to keep your eyes and ears on, especially if you're a fan of slightly psychedelic folk influences in your rock music. He got in touch with me via MySpace and it couldn't have come at a better time. I'd just finished listening to quite a few bands with a sound not quite in line with my tastes when I got to Ben's profile and couldn't believe my ears. Here, thankfully, was an artist with a sense of honesty in his songs and a grasp of musical influence from the past as well as the present. The first song I heard of his ("Tell Me", posted below) reminded me of so many things I love about music all at once. Great vocals, adventurous production and a wide open sound - it's a song that sounds like it could've come from a current British band that's enamored with American music and is the song of Ben's that best sums up everything his music seems to be about.

To put it simply, you're going to want to give a listen to Ben Clarke if you've ever fallen in love with a Wilco record, or if you like your musicians to draw influence from legends such as Neil Young and Pink Floyd (give a listen to "Chump" on his MySpace page for a bit of the Floyd mixed with Tom Petty circa "Last Dance of Mary Jane") while always keeping in mind their own artistic intent. Especially, most importantly, you'll want to listen to his songs if you're a fan of '70s era Rolling Stones. Be sure to keep an eye out for live dates if you're in the Chicago area.

Listen:
"Tell Me"

See Ben Clarke live.

Dungen - "Gör Det Nu"

The new album from Dungen is set to come out on May 1st and Kemado Records has made available an excellent track from it. Enjoy.

Listen:
"Gör Det Nu"

In Miniature

Chicago's In Miniature reminds me of The Magnetic Fields or perhaps Kristin Hersh, if she had a more Leonard Cohen kind of sensibility. They sound like aimless cross-country wandering brought on by heartbreak, but in a friendly sense. The wandering is friendly I mean, not the heartbreak. Or, maybe that too...there's a certain kind of sweet sadness in the songs of In Miniature. As if this is the music of a few close friends who've taken off on a musical walkabout in response to what the world has thrown at them and they're (literally) inviting everyone else to come along for the ride. See what I mean: "Stefanie and Erin are looking forward to putting this plan into action, asking for audience participation and performing with a rotating cast of talented musicians."

In Miniature is obviously a young band just beginning to figure out who they are and where they'd like to go, but I like the potential shown in the songs posted on their site and, in particular, the song "Gone" that's posted below and the song "Lonestar Souvenir" on their MySpace page. I'll betcha they impress people at open mic nights.

Listen:
"Gone"

Cheyenne - "That Was The Ghost"

Cheyenne has a great new song posted on their MySpace page called "That Was The Ghost". It was recorded a few months ago live at Southpaw in Brooklyn and will appear on their full length later this year.

Read more about Cheyenne on EAR FARM HERE and HERE.

Three for Free - Buildings Breeding, Laura Gibson, and Essie Jain

EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week, a few songs sent to me via email. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.

Listen:
Buildings Breeding - "Stacking Up Reasons"

Listen:
Laura Gibson - "Hands In Pockets"

Listen:
Essie Jain - “Haze”

EAR FARM Presents... L'amour (or Less): An evening of rock from Paris to Brooklyn

REMINDER: On March 3, 2007, EAR FARM will present the first-ever evening of French and Francophile indie rock in New York at Union Hall. Featuring Anglophone bands from Paris, and expatriated old Europeans from Brooklyn, the echoes of rusty accordions will mesh with the jingle jangle of punk, dance-rock, and the psychedelic jaunts of La Laque (NY), Elodie O (Paris/NY), Mancino (NY), Die Romantik (Paris/NY), DJ Melody Nelson (Paris/NY), Clint (Paris), and Michael Higbee (Paris/NY).

The evening will start with a free hour of Pastis and pétanque on two indoor bocce courts and the music will start at 6pm with one band every hour and DJ sets in between by Melody Nelson, Frenchfriedjam, and myself. Stay tuned to EAR FARM in the coming weeks for more information about this event - UPDATE: read more about this event HERE.

Today's NEW releases

Today's interesting releases:

• Black Lips - Valientes Del Mundo Neuva
• Calla - Strength In Numbers
• Elvis Perkins - Ash Wednesday
• Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
• Southern Culture on the Skids - Countrypolitan Favorites
• Trans Am - Sex Change

Anything else that I might have missed?

The Muggabears @ The Delancey - 17 February 2007

The photos above are of The Muggabears playing a Neon Lights Presents... show @ The Delancey.

Read the EAR FARM review of their EP Night Choreography HERE.

Listen:
"Dead Kid Kicks"

Watch:
"Rings" live @ The Delancey - 17 February 2007 (QT)

Visit The Muggabears on MySpace.

More pictures of The Muggabears (from this show and others) HERE.