3 Round Burst

1.
The new Yeah Yeah Yeahs EP Is Is is full of old songs that never made it to albums for whatever reason. And it's excellent. I still haven't tracked down their performance from Letterman, but I heard they played "Down Boy". Pitchfork has a great review of Is Is and a continuing onslaught of videos from the EP.

2.
Sebastien Grainger continues to work on his solo album which appears to be slated for 2008. Everything I am hearing from his MySpace page rocks. Life after Death From Above 1979 isn't perfect, but solo work is better than nothing.

3.
The new Ataxia album is suberb. John Frusciante continues to blow my mind. Another solo slbum of his (dubbed Solo X by fans) is slated for release towards the end of this year. Production quality is expected to lean towards the polished, synthed-out stylings of Shadows Collide With People. We can also expect a sequel to A Sphere In the Heart of Silence.

 
MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Down Boy"

 
MP3: Ataxia - "Hands"

 
MP3: John Frusciante - "Penetrate Time (Lou Bergs)"

 
MP3: Sebastien Grainger & Les Montagnes - "Are There Ways to Come Home?"

News that may be interesting

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Lydia Lunch are working on an EP to be released this fall. The EP, titled Omar Rodriguez Lopez & Lydia Lunch, is a single, extended track and will be available on vinyl and CD.

The Von Bondies (remember them?) are releasing a new album next year entitled Love, Hate and Then There's You. I still listen to Pawn Shoppe Heart every now and again.

Trail of Dead have found a new drummer. Their first show with the new line-up is the now-sold-out show on Thursday at Brooklyn's Luna Lounge. I'll be there.

From PJ.com: Pearl Jam announces the release of Immagine Nel Telaio "Picture in a Frame", a live concert film chronicling the band's performances and behind-the-scenes footage from the five Italian concerts that took place as part of the band's 2006 European tour. A limited edition commemorative T-shirt will be available for a special price when purchased with Immagine Nel Telaio here during a special pre-sale beginning August 22.

The National on Letterman

In case you missed it, here is The National's performance of "Fake Empire" from Tuesday night's show. They changed things up for this one, adding additional vocals and the horns that I love from the record. I keep hoping they bring those out during their live performances but, unfortunately, no such luck during the 3 times I've seen them perform the song.

The White Stripes @ MSG, 7/24/07

"I don't believe we've played this bar before" - Jack White

Setlist from Product Shop:

Dead Leaves On The Dirty Ground / When I Hear My Name / Jolene / Hotel Yorba / Cannon -> John The Revelator / Icky Thump / Do / Death Letter / In The Cold, Cold Night / A Martyr for My Love for You / I'm Slowly Turning Into You / Think I Smell A Rat -> Wasting My Time / 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues / You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As Your Told / Fell In Love With A Girl -> Ball & Biscuit
*Ridicously long encore break*
Blue Orchid // I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself // Little Ghost // We're Going To Be Friends // Little Bird -> Catch Hell Blues // My Doorbell // Seven Nation Army // Boll Weevil

Despite one of the better reviewed albums of the year, Grinderman just didn't do it for me. I'm amazed that I managed to sit through their entire set. No doubt they rocked and their drummer kicks ass but can someone explain to me how Nick Cave's vocal style is appealing? He seems to be on the wrong side of Craig Finn.

The White Stripes are one of the few bands I've seen that bring a completely different live experience versus their recorded output. Tickets weren't sold for the sections behind the stage but the rest of the venue seemed to be completely full. Jack and Meg looked right at home and the crowd was energetic throughout their entire 2 hour set. The show seemed to get better and better as the night went on. "Ball and Biscuit" was the obvious highlight for me as they closed their opening set. What else can you say? The man is insanely talented. "Catch Hell Blues" and "A Mayrtr for My Love For You" stood out from the Icky Thump tracks. Overall, a very entertaining and satisfying show.

UPDATE: The entire show is available for download at nyctaper.

The National on Letterman Tonight

Tonight, 7/24, The National will be performing "Fake Empire" on Letterman. I'm hoping that, if nothing else, this post provides me with a reminder to record this. Yeah Yeah Yeahs will also be on this Thursday.

A Thursday Night in Brooklyn

It feels like it's been ages since I've been to a show. Actually, this is probably the longest stretch since I moved to NYC two years ago. The last show I caught was Dinosaur Jr and now that my ears have finally healed, I have a few dates with some of my favorite majors.

Tonight is The White Stripes at the Garden. Much talk about how this one will play out. I'm expecting big things but more on that tomorrow.

Last Thursday, I saw an unexpected announcement on BV that Trail of Dead will be playing a $5 show in Brooklyn next Thursday night. Under normal circumstances, I would think twice about making this trek (it's a long one) but there was absolutely no hesitation for this one. I may be one of the few people who still feels this way about TOD. Tickets are still available. For 5 bucks, how can it not be worth it?

I'll follow that up on Monday, 8/6 with Muse at MSG. I have very little interest in seeing Cold War Kids for this one but needless to say, the anticipation is high for a Muse blowout in the Garden.

So this Ryan Adams Guy...

I've blatantly ignored everything Ryan Adams has done. Not really because of his antics - I knew nothing about his history - but because I had written him off as alt-country and that was not a sound I was particularly interested in. Literally, the only song I had ever heard from him before Saturday was the Oasis cover, "Wonderwall."

I recently received a copy of Easy Tiger in the mail (thank you) and figured this was as good a time as any to give him a shot. What I heard completely surprised me, it's excellent. It's a bit uneven at times but the voice, the songs. Maybe it's within the same vein that I've come to appreciate earlier Wilco albums or I'm just getting a bit older and can appreciate other types of music. Probably a little of both but regardless, his music resonated with me. I got this immediate sense that I needed to hear something else.

Popmatters put it best in their Easy Tiger review: "Gold, the Ryan Adams Album For People Who Don’t Have Time For All This Other Shit." That's where I went next, and my response was the same: excellent. From there it becomes difficult and therein lies the challenge of Ryan Adams' career. Most of his releases are a mixed bag, some loved and some hated. I tried Heartbreaker and didn't have the same response everyone else did. It was far too mellow with only a few stand out tracks. So, I'm not sure where to head next, Cold Roses maybe. Either way, I'm up for the challenge. It's a relatively down time right now for new releases so diving into some of the Ryan Adams back catalog along with my recent introduction (thanks NF) to Frusciante's Shadows Collide With People (the similarities and challenges are obvious) has left me plenty to marinate on until Radiohead graces us with LP7.

It didn't hurt that he recently did a cover from one of my all-time favorite bands.

MP3: Ryan Adams - "Down in a Hole" (Alice in Chains)

Ben Harper Tour Dates

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals have announced their upcoming tour in support of Lifeline out 8/28 and it includes a stop at Radio City Music Hall on 9/15 and 2 shows at LA's Orpheum Theatre on 11/8 and 9. No love for the DC area, however. All dates can be found here. In the words of Ben, "these upcoming theater shows are going to be an opportunity for us to play a lot of the songs that we haven't gotten to as often as we'd like -- especially songs that we feel fit well with Lifeline...more of a sit down, acoustic show, some amplification as well, but a mixture of all this and hopefully some new covers as well. Let's just dedicate this first tour of Lifeline to Brian and that eternal smile of his. I feel he'd be right up front for this one. You know what I'm saying"

You can also stream their first single, "In the Colors" right now on benharper.net.

Metro D is no stranger to the goodness that is a BHIC show. Previously:
Merriweather
Central Park Summerstage

Mercury Prize Nominees Announced

Pretty much your expected list of NME buzz bands:

Arctic Monkeys - 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'
Klaxons - 'Myths Of The Near Future'
Amy Winehouse - 'Back To Black'
Maps - 'We Can Create'
The View - 'Hats Off To The Buskers'
Jamie T - 'Panic Prevention'
Dizzee Rascal - 'Maths & English'
Bat For Lashes - 'Fur And Gold'
Young Knives - 'Voices of Animals And Men'
Fionn Regan - 'The End Of History'
New Young Pony Club - 'Fantastic Playroom'
Basquiat Strings - 'Basquiat Strings'

This one will probably be between Amy Winehouse and Arctic Monkeys, the latter of which will likely be the first back-to-back winner. Hell, I'd take Klaxons out of this group.

Smashing Pumpkins Played 9:30 Club

We weren't there but as has been the trend during their warm-up shows, this one was a 3 hour burner.

Main Set :
United States
Bleeding the Orchid
Today
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
Starla
Shame
The Aeroplane Flies High
Hummer
That's the Way (My Love Is)
Doomsday Clock
Blue Skies Bring Tears
For God and Country
The Crying Tree of Mercury
Thirty-Three
Rocket
I Don't Mind
Tonight Tonight
Tarantula
Starz
Zero
Neverlost
Come On (Let's Go)
Heavy Metal Machine
Disarm
1979
Untitled

Encore 1 :
Cherub Rock

Encore 2 :
Gossamer

Encore 3 :
F**k You (An Ode to No One)

I tend to side with the more sincere reviewers for the new album. Despite winning me over with "Tarantula," my expectations were still pretty low. I think Pitchfork actually phrased this pretty well at the end of their review, "Given the chance to revisit the good old days, Corgan has unearthed only a portion of the Pumpkins character-- and while that portion is meticulously revived, all the parts left behind remain sorely missed." Accept that piece of Pumpkins history that Corgan chose to unleash on the album and you may be pleasantly surprised. Play Siamese Dream afterwards and you'll be sorely disappointed. I'll choose the former and take it for what it's worth, a decent attempt at Corgan becoming relevant again. Oh, and I'll ingore the atrocity that is the final song on the album.

Epic: Daft Punk @ Wireless Festival

Part I

Part II


Hot tip from Good Weather For Airstrikes.

Interpol: Tour Dates, Pre-Sales

Interpol hit up AOL.

Our Love to Admire drops next week and there are special offers at iTunes (ticket pre-sales via TicketBastard) and Insound (lithograph).

The new album is streaming right now at MTV's "The Leak". I got my first full listen bombing my way up the Jersey Turnpike with JK. And yes, that's the third time in four posts I mentioned that journey. And yes this album is fantastic. In the same way I anticipate Bloc Party and Pearl Jam releases - and recently The National has been rolling like this, too - I am foaming at the mouth for some B-Sides and rarities.

Pretty soon news like this is going to be uber-relevant for our respective locations. I'm not in LA yet, but someone out there is and there are album release parties at both LA and NYC on the following dates:

July 11 @ Sweet and Vicious in NYC presented by Other Music.
July 13 @ LA's Natural History Museum.

LA folk can get more info at KROQ.com.

I'll be popping my LA Forum cherry in October. * marks the new dates.

5 July - POR - Lisbon Superbock Superrock
7 July - Eire - Oxegen
8 July - UK - T in the Park
19 July - Rochester, NY - Harro East Ballroom
20 July - Atlantic City, NJ - Music Box @ Borgata
21 July - Norfolk, VA - Norva
23 July - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
24 July - Pittsburgh, PA - Byham
25 July - Columbus, OH - The LC Ampitheatre
27 July - Grand Rapids, MI - Orbit Room
28 July - Detroit, MI - State
30 July - Milwaukee, WI - Rave
31 July - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian
1 August - St. Louis, MO - Pageant
3 August - Covington, KY - Madison Theatre
4 August - Lollapalooza Chicago, IL - Grant Park
5 August - V Festival Baltimore, MD - Pimlico Race Course
11 August - JAP - Summersonic Festival
12 August - JAP - Summersonic Festival
16 August - Austria - Frequency Festival
17 August - Germany - Highfield Festival
18 August - Netherlands - Lowland Festival
20 August UK- Birmingham Academy
21 August UK - Newcastle Academy
22 August UK - Edinburgh Corn Exchange
24 August - UK - Reading Festival
25 August - UK - Leeds Festival
8 September - Toronto, ON CAN V Festival
9 September - Montreal, QC - Osheaga Festival*
10 September - Albany, NY - Palace Theatre*
12 September - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena*
14 September - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden*
15 September - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre*
16 September - Raleigh, NC - Disco Rodeo*
18 September - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live*
19 September - Miami, FL - Bank United*
21 September - Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle*
22 September - Nashville, TN – Ryman*
23 September - New Orleans, LA - Sugar Mill*
25 September - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theatre*
26 September - Austin, TX – Stubbs*
27 September - Dallas, TX – Palladium*
10 October - Kansas City, KS – Uptown*
11 October - Chicago, IL – Aragon*
12 October - Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre*
14 October - Denver, CO – Fillmore*
15 October - Salt Lake City, UT - McKay Center*
16 October - Boise, ID - Big Easy*
18 October - Seattle, WA – Wamu*
19 October - Portland, OR - Memorial Coliseum*
20 October - San Francisco, CA - Bill Graham Civic Auditorium*
23 October - The Forum - Los Angeles, CA*
12 November - ITA - Florence - Sachhall
13 November - ITA - Milan – Alcatraz
15 November - SWITZ - Zurich - Volkshaus*
16 November - GER - Munich - Tonhalle
17 November - GER - Berlin - Columbiahalle
19 November - GER - Cologne - Palladium
20 November - HOL - Tilburg - O13
23 November - BEL Brussels - Forest National
24 November - GER - Hamburg - Docks
25 November - GER - Hamburg – Docks
28 November - UK/ Blackpool Empress Ballroom
29 November - UK/ London Alexandra Palace
30 November - UK/ London Alexandra Palace

MP3: Interpol - "Specialist" (Black Session)

MP3: Interpol - "Public Pervert [Carlos D Remix]

Vincent Gallo. John Frusciante. Paris Hilton?

[Photo Credit: VincentGallo.com]

While I was out of the net, Paris left jail, got sent back, served time and then was released. I could really give two shits. But I found this track over at Said the Gramophone called "I Wrote This Song For The Girl Paris Hilton" by an artist named Vincent Gallo.

I had previously heard of Vincent Gallo because of his friendship and work with the likes of John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer. Klinghoffer of Bicycle Thieves, Ataxia, PJ Harvey, and John's solo sessions and Frusciante of well, Red Hot Chili Peppers and my severe man-crush. At any rate, back to Gallo. Take a look at this dude's Wiki...I'm not sure if crazy is quite the word. He's got a who's who of interesting personalities among his acquaintances to include Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Ramone, Rick Rubin and Lukas Haas and I'm still laughing about his tangle with Roger Ebert at Cannes.

In 2005, at Weekend 2 of the Vincent Gallo-curated All Tomorrow Parties John Frusciante performed. That portion of the UK festival also featured Olivia Tremor Control, Autolux, PJ Harvey and Gallo himself among many other unique acts. Frusciante and Gallo have long been friends and Gallo is even referenced in the John Frusciante song "Look On" (one of my favorites from his solo work) from Inside of Emptiness. John sings:

Things used to be alright
So much was going on
I'm empty now inside
When I thought life was terrible
Things were going fine
Vincent called as a set up
Look on, look on, look on

I recently sparked a John Frusciante interest in my blogger-in-arms, JK. We had just caught sight of New York City as we headed toward the Lincoln Tunnel and I gave him a fast and furious intro to the greatness of Shadows Collide With People. I'm pretty sure his life was changed forever. Give me a couple of days to get my bearings and I will fill you in on how the latest Ataxia CD is.

And yes, that's John, looking at the camera, with the sweet molester 'stache in the above photo. As good as it is, it's got nothing on the blonde beast I'm rocking through the summer.


MP3: John Frusciante - "Look On"
MP3: John Frusciante - "What I Saw"

Treasure Island Music Festival

[Treasure Island Festival]

The chances of my fiance saddling up for another music festival after pushing through the dust and heat storm of Manchester, TN is highly doubtful, especially when this thing kicks off the weekend before I start school in LA. However, I've never seen Ghostland Observatory and our good buddy ultra8201 raves about them (I think that's them walking off stage in his header). I also never got around to catching Thievery Corporation in their hometown of DC while I was there. Not to mention the fact that I've never seen Modest Mouse, M.I.A., Spoon, Built to Spill, CYHSY, or M. Ward. If I don't make it, I'll have some reliable sources from the Bay Area in attendance anyway...and we'll let you know how it goes. 1-Day, 2-Day and VIP tickets are still available at TicketBastard.

On a side note, Modest Mouse has one of the most underrated albums of the year thus far. I think I might like it more than any of their previous efforts.


MP3: Ghostland Observatory - "Midnight Voyage"

MP3: Modest Mouse - "Parting of the Sensory"

MP3: Spoon - "Monkey Feelings"

MP3: Built to Spill - "Car"

Back In Action

Sorry for the lapse in communication these past few weeks. In that time my fiance and I have moved out of our apartment in A-ton, stayed with friends, finished our jobs on the East Coast and headed home to Rhody. I left a little early and got into some tasty adventures with friends new and old, beginning with a great afternoon and night in NYC with the infamous JK. We made one great decision too many and after watching Papi get buckled by Eric Gagne (Sox lost) we went about one beer too deep.

My body somehow found the energy to wake up the next morning around 7:30 and drive to Cambridge where I met up with a buddy of mine I haven't seen in about 5 years. We joined up with some other friends and forked over $60 a piece for $23 bleacher seats. Scalped tickets, $7 beers and J.D. "Nancy" Drew dropping fly balls has never been so much fun (Sox lost). The adventure didn't stop there as the night poured into the bars around Fenway and eventually Cambridge. The worst decision of the night came at Burger King, oddly enough. And we paid severely. With the sun beating into my buddy's apartment on the Charles River and BK wrappers EVERYWHERE, I somehow muscled up, packed up and continued on to Mount Desert Island, Maine, where my parents were kicking it. It could have been worse. I could have been my buddy Callo, who had to drive into work and teach summer school. Nonetheless I-95 into Maine broke me off. Worst. Drive. Ever. Parts of it reminded me a lot of I-65 in Alabama. Exits every 30 or 40 miles. And those exits had no sign of life.

Upon arrival at MDI, I began the slow process of recuperation beginning with lots of water, vegetables and exercise (Sox won, Sox won). My fiance and I are headed back up there for a week or so and I can't wait. The weather, as opposed to the weather RI experienced on the 4th, was spectacular. Alright. That's enough about that. I've been slacking. I haven't even touched the topic of Bonnaroo and I haven't talked about the album I can't stop rocking to: Icky Thump. Now that I've nestled in to a steady residence with wireless Internets...I should be better about all this.

More photos: [Ship Harbor | Beech Mountain]