Author: Jennifer

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August Video Challenge: Wolf Parade, Animal In Your Care

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There is no “official” video for this one, so I went with the best quality concert video I could find. The band is Wolf Parade, from Montreal, Canada; the song is Animal In Your Care from At Mount Zoomer (2008). I have, sadly, never seen them live myself, and possibly never will, since they went on indefinite hiatus in May of 2011 in order to work on other projects.

Reasons I like this song: the jagged rhythms that hammer and fade, stomp and chime and swirl and bounce around before coalescing somewhat suddenly and surging upwards, and the lyrics, for example: I fell for crime I fell for beauty / I fell for you because you’re the one that cared.

 

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August Video Challenge: Def Leppard, Pour Some Sugar On Me

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From Hysteria, which turned 25 (!) yesterday.

I went to see Def Leppard live a couple of weeks ago – they were headlining, Poison and Lita Ford were also on the bill, and it was my last show before the bar exam ate my face – and honestly, you guys, hearing this one live was thrilling.

I have pictures to share later, but for right now, here’s Def Leppard, c. 1987:
 

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August Video Challenge: Dwight Yoakam, Fast As You / Turn Me On, Turn Me Up, Turn Me Loose

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This, again, was a very difficult decision, because of the strength of Dwight Yoakam‘s musical and video catalog. In fact it was so difficult I decided I couldn’t contain myself to just one.

So, first, because it’s Friday, and the heat of summer still lingers in New York, and there are very few things I like better than watching him sing and dance with his guitar, here he is cutting the rug while playing Fast As You, from This Time (1993):

 

 
Second, Turn Me On, Turn Me Up, Turn Me Loose from If There Was a Way (1990) which does include dancing but is beyond that is probably my all-time favorite Dwight Yoakam song. Also, there is some seriously freaky business going on in this video.

I mean, there’s the filmic set piece at the beginning, and then he (or the character he’s playing) falls face-first into a brothel, and then there are men line-dancing in lederhosen and scantily-clad ladies wearing enormous headphones riding partial mechanical bulls that are suspended from the ceiling.

Meanwhile, Dwight Yoakam is both on the stage singing his song in a fancy sparkly jacket and in the audience, watching himself sing. It’s basically what would happen if an Elvis Presley movie had been directed by David Lynch.
 

 

As a bonus: in the course of picking out these videos, I learned he’ll be putting out a new record this fall, to be called 3 Pears, and include collaborations with Kid Rock and Beck. In all seriousness I cannot wait to hear what that might sound like.

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August Video Challenge: The Honorable South, Beast

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And now for something COMPLETELY different: The Honorable South, out of New Orleans, with Beast, from their debut record I Love My Tribe.

After my first listen to I Love My Tribe, I thought to myself They’ve found a way to bottle the spirit of New Orleans, which I know is not a musical metaphor, but is nonetheless the best description I can give you.

But to expand on that thought just a little bit: their tunes are the bone-rattling booty-shaking electric funk cure for what ails you. Click play and prepare to shake your tail feathers.

 

 

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August Video Challenge: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Insider

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Another year, another challenge, or: I am once again setting myself the task of posting a video a day, every day, for an entire month.

I am starting today with the video for Insider by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers featuring Stevie Nicks, from Hard Promises (1981).

It was recorded at around the same time as its much more famous cousin, Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, which was written by Tom Petty and Mike Campbell for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers but ended up as the single for Bella Donna, Steve Nicks’ first solo record.

I picked it – and it was a very difficult choice, given both the volume and quality of both Petty’s musical and video catalogs – because it is one of my favorite songs, and I didn’t know he had made a video for it until, er, just now, when I went to his VEVO channel to see what was in the “official” video library.

I like it for many reasons; it’s one of his slower, quieter songs – reflective, even – a little bitter, and a little bit sad. With books, some you read, and some read you; I’ve found, over time, that with songs, some you listen to, and some listen to you. This is one that I listened to when I was 15, and later, when I was older, it listened to me very carefully, at times when I’ve had to live / with some hard promises had very immediate and specific meaning.

 

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Video: Sisters of Mercy, Jolene

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The first time I heard this song was in the late spring of 1996.

I was sitting on the floor of a friends’ flat in Glasgow, half listening to them talk and half listening to the music coming out of the stereo – everything they played was new to me, at the time – and when this tune came on, I listened to two verses in stunned baffled silence before finally asking Who is that and is he for real singing a Dolly Parton song?

The answers are: a) Andrew Eldritch, of the Sisters of Mercy, b) yes, yes he is.

It remains one of my favorite versions of Jolene, as well as one of my favorite cover songs of all time.
 
http://youtu.be/AdUHxFKCQBs

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Milan Jay: In the Shadows of Footsteps

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Because every time I listen to it I find something new and interesting within the layers of tones, and because it’s the exact sort of full-throttle industrial-flavored jam I need in my life in general, but even more so for the next week and a half.

It’s a free download on Soundcloud for right now; the “official” release is August 4, the same day Milan Jay (now with new drummer!) will be at Indiependence in Cork.
 
In The Shadows Of Footsteps (Free Download) by Milan Jay

For more music from Milan Jay, visit their bandcamp page. And if you like you can read my thoughts on some of their earlier work (spoiler: I like their tunes a lot) over here.

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Postcards from the Pit: JJAMZ, Webster Hall, 7/10/12

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IMG_6264
Alex Greenwald and Z Berg, during LAX

I’m putting this shot first mainly because it is my favorite from the evening. I’m fond of the song, too, even though at first Alex Greenwald + what seems to be a frilly love song = major cognitive dissonance.

But by his second verse – So I carved both our names into my pale white chest/Asked you to do the same/It seemed a reasonable request/I nearly lost it when you said yes. – things have taken a turn back towards familiar and deeply weird territory.

Overall feelings: It was a great show. They powered through a selection of tunes from their new record, Suicide Pact (out now!), including the title track, Heartbeat (now with super-creepy ’80s horror movie video!), Never Enough, Cleverly Disguised,Get What You Want and Square One, and also did an awesome cover of Elastica’s Connection.

They are on the road with the NYLON + Starbucks Summer Tour through the end of July, and after a few of their own shows will be headed out with the Superhumanoids in August. Check their listings and see if they’re coming near you.

Here are a few more pictures:
 

IMG_6250 Z Berg and James B. Valentine

 

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Alex Greenwald

 

IMG_6285Michael Runion

 

IMG_6291Z Berg

 

IMG_6253Alex Greenwald, Michael Runion, and Z Berg. Jason Boesel is there but hidden by his drums!

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Video: Erasure, Oh L’Amour

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For no other reason than sometimes this song gets stuck in my head and I have to put it on repeat for a little while and then tell the Internet get your glitter and your heels we’re going out.

Okay maybe one other reason: check out those harmonies at the beginning. Angels never sounded so good.

 

Erasure - Oh L'Amour (Original Video)

 
They’re still singing, as well; there was a new Erasure record last year (Tomorrow’s World) and Andy Bell is headlining Poptronik in Spain in September. And they have a new live record out too!

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Tour Alert: Beast Friends Forever: Lucas Carpenter, Mark Rose, Jon Walker

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Lucas Carpenter, Mark Rose and Jon Walker are headed out on the road together once again. This time around they’ll be playing it songwriters circle style, i.e. rotating through songs and accompanying each other. And if you think the tour poster is as adorable as I do, you can snag yourself one at the shows.

As enticement and introduction, some videos. First up is Lucas Carpenter:
 
http://youtu.be/xuA6O7I1TJQ
 
Reasons Lucas Carpenter is awesome: 1) Totally cool with people who cackle loudly when something funny happens during his set, as I did last fall, when he busted out the fancy vintage live-looping machine and, you guys, it honked; yes I am secretly twelve and also 2) Writes songs that are by turns poignant and hilarious and also make snarky references to emoticons.

Next is Mark Rose (Spitalfield):
 

Mark Rose live at Lincoln Hall

 
Highlight of his set in September: That moment he dropped a little bit of Smells Like Teen Spirit neatly and seamlessly into one of his songs without even breaking the rhythm.
 
And then Jon Walker (The Young Veins, Panic[!] at the Disco), freshly returned from a sojourn in Costa Rica:
 
Fairytale by Jon Walker [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

 
Jon Walker barefoot and playing the guitar means all is right with the world and everything is in its proper place.

Special note: later in July he’s opening for Gold Motel at their shows in Indianapolis (7/25 @ Hoosier Dome), Chicago, IL (7/26, Schubas) and St. Louis, MO (7/27, @ The Firebird.)

 
Tour dates below are as of 7/7/2012; for updates/more information go to the Beast Friends Tour Tumblr.

07-07: Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel Club Lounge (5PM | ALL AGES)

07-08: Erie, PA @ Basement Transmissions (4PM | ALL AGES)

07-09: Rochester, NY @ Lovin’ Cup (7PM | ALL AGES | $5 COVER)

07-10: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern (8PM | ALL AGES)

07-11: Ardmore, PA (Philly) @ Milkboy (8PM | ALL AGES)

07-12: Allentown, PA @ Planet Trog (5:30PM | ALL AGES)

07-13: Morgantown, WV @ The Cue (7PM | ALL AGES | $7 COVER)

07-14: Dayton, OH @ Ghostlight Coffee (8PM | ALL AGES | $3 COVER)

07-15: Bloomington, IL @ Coffee Nation (7:30PM | ALL AGES)

07-16: Online Show – “Live! at Threadless” @ StageIt.com (8PM (CST) | ONLINE TIX (PAY WHAT YOU WANT) | LIVE TAPING [in Chicago] TIX ([$7,] 30 AVAIL))