La Bodega

Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame

2010-03-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Listen to the entire new Dr. Dog album, Shame, Shame, in its entirety before it comes out below:

BRMC at First Ave

2010-03-29T16:45:00.001-07:00

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (still one of my favorite band names behind Captured By Robots) graced the stage at First Ave again in support of their newly released album Beat The Devil's Tattoo. I missed most of the openers Band Of Skulls set, but did manage to catch their ferocious drum solo at the end. From what I have heard of the band, they have somewhat of a generic garage rock sound, but the crowd really seemed into them and got everyone amped for BRMC, so no complaints here.

BRMC hit the stage after a short set change and broke the mold of bands opening with the lead track or lead single off their new album and started the slow and pounding War Machine. It definitely seemed to catch the crowd by surprise, as nobody really knew how to react after the initial thrill of seeing the band on stage. After playing another new one, they reached back and pulled some of their older tunes - Red Eyes of Tears and Love Burns. By now they had established that their light show wasn't messing around, mixing hazy red light for the slow burners and seizure inducing strobe lights for the rockers.

Overall it was another stellar performance from a great live band. It took them awhile to get into anything from Howl, arguably their best album, but they eventually tempered my concern by playing Ain't No Easy Way and then later on Shuffle Your Feet. Other favorites were the classic Whatever Happened To My Rock 'N Roll, Weapon Of Choice, and new favorite Aya. Also notable was Robert Turner's solo cover of Bob Dylan's Visions Of Johanna, in which he sat cross legged by himself on stage. At one point he looked up at the crowd and laughed because of various people in the crowd holding up their lighters. The symbol really seems to have lost its meaning from over exposure, and it seemed Robert felt the same way because he let out a laugh when he saw it. They closed up their encore with a duet between Robert and lead guitarist Peter Hayes doing a slowed down version of another favorite from Howl Open Invitiation. It's hard to imagine that already slow song slowed down even more, but they did it with green lazer lights shooting out into the crowd.

When Robert left the stage he said he would see us all again soon. I hope he meant it. Check out pictures from the show below.

The Doctor Is In

2010-02-10T20:11:00.000-08:00

Dr. Dog has a new album coming out soon called Shame, Shame. They have decided to share with us one of the songs from the fruits of their labor, called Shadow People. Click the link below to be directed to Stereogum.com, where you can listen to it.

Dr. Dog - "Shadow People" (Stereogum Premiere) - MP3 - Stereogum

If you haven't listen to or seen Dr. Dog live, I highly recommend it. Their blend of Beatles and Beach Boys like harmonizing and pop sensibilities, not to mention the truly upbeat feel of their music make them a perfect remedy for the winter blues, as well as the theme to your summer. They have a show coming up at The Fine Line Line on April 17th. It will be a party. I will be there. Will you?

Fist fight in the parking lot

2010-02-07T12:28:00.001-08:00

One of the better last skits of the show from SNL I have seen in a while. SNL should issue the right to this song to some actual hardcore band:

A Chicken Walks Into A Bar...

2010-02-05T05:29:00.000-08:00

Spoon

2010-01-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

You can stream the entire new Spoon album, Transference, below. The new album doesn't come out until January 19th.

The band also just announced two shows at First Ave on April 2nd and 3rd with Deerhunter and Micachu & The Shapes opening. Rejoice!

Quinn

2010-01-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

La Bodega has expanded beyond concert and music reviews, especially now that Quinn is around. He is almost two weeks old now, so I thought I would post some pictures that I have taken since we have been home from the hospital.

2009 Album Favorites

2009-12-19T09:23:00.000-08:00

The year is coming to a close, so as I have done the last few years, I have compiled my favorite albums from 2009.

Before getting into my top ten, this was the first year in which I felt somewhat out of touch with new artists. I found many of the critically acclaimed albums from the past year a bore, most notably The xx and Grizzly Bear. That being said, there were many fine albums by artists that have been around the block that really left a mark on me. So without further ado, my top 10 albums from 2009.

10. Them Crooked Vultures - S/T

The coolest super group to come around in a long time.

9. Julian Casablancas - Phrazes For The Young

Is it any wonder that out of all the members from The Strokes to release a solo album, this would be the one to stick?

8. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - S/T

This year's out of nowhere album. A band that sounds straight out of the 60s.

7. Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

Dizzying guitars from a band that owes a lot to 90s indie rock stalwarts Built To Spill, Modest Mouse, and Pavement.

6. Brendan Benson - My Old, Familiar Friend

Fantastic pop numbers. Brendan Benson deserves more recognition.

5. Magnolia Electric Company - Josephine

Their most ambitious album to date.

4. The Decemberists - The Hazards Of Love

Their ambitions paid off in my opinion. Unfortunately most critics saw it otherwise.

3. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

Their most accessible album to date is also their best album to date.

2. Doves - Kingdom Of Rust

If only fans of Coldplay fans would give them a chance, they would be playing arenas also. Another solid release from the consistent Brit rockers.

1. Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy

Their most solid and consistently good album since Keep It Like A Secret.

Others

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Century Of Self

Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons - Death Won't Send A Letter

Deastro - Moondagger

The Dodos - Time To Die

Mastodon - Crack The Skye

Metric - Fantasies

Modest Mouse - No One's First And Your Last

Monsters Of Folk - S/T

P.O.S. - Never Better

The Thermals - Now We Can See

Another Damn Best of List

2009-12-05T11:40:00.000-08:00

The end of the decade is approaching, which means everybody that considers themselves a music critic MUST create a list of the best albums of the decade. So, lucky for you, you can now argue with my picks for top (favorite) albums of the last 10 years. Here goes!!

Honorable Mentions

I started my list as a top 50, but when I realized that there was a clear distinction between the first half and the second half, I decided to cut it down to 25. So, here are the albums that were also some of my favorites but are in no particular order.

Tool - Lateralus

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music

Doves - The Last Broadcast

90 Day Men - At Panda Park

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

Tomahawk - Mit Gas

Sons and Daughters - This Gift

The Rapture - Echoes

Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place

Dr. Dog - Fate

The Decemberists - Her Majesty, The Decemberists

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl

The Wrens - Meadowlands

TV On The Radio - Desperate Youths, Bloodthirsty Babes

Parts and Labor - Receivers

Espers - Espers II

Neko Case - Blacklisted

The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead

Doves - Kingdom of Rust

Dismemberment Plan - Change

Built To Spill - There Is No Enemy

Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight

The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows

Top 25

My musical taste really took a turn beginning in the year 2000, mostly due to the top four albums in this list. There are a couple people specifically that I really have to thank for helping steer me towards more intelligent and musically gifted bands. Without those album and those people, God only knows what I would be listening to these days. It really was a great decade in music. Here are the albums that defined my decade.

25. Radiohead - Amnesiac: Part 2 of Radiohead's re-imagining. Unfortunately this album stood no chance to have the same impact as Kid A since it came out second, but just as musically stunning as it's counterpart.

24. Interpol - Turn On The Bright Lights: While they never really seemed to realized their potential after a great debut, Turn On The Bright Lights left a big impact on the decade. A handful of copycat bands came out pretty quickly (although you can certainly argue that Interpol was a Joy Division copycat), but none of them were nearly as good as Interpol.

23. My Morning Jacket - Z: Arena rock can be a good thing, as displayed by many of the songs on Z. Only on a couple songs do they rear back and bring the country jam mostly heard on their earlier albums. The rest is more of a showcase for Jim James and his amazing pipes.

22. Ween - White Pepper: I've made no secret of my love affair for Ween. this pick was more or less out of necessity to get them in this list. While The Mollusk is more cohesive, White Pepper is just full of really good songs.

21. Spoon - Girls Can Tell: With Girls Can Tell, Spoon made the switch from a more aggressive sound to indie pop, and look where it has gotten them. They are now one of the biggest indie acts around today.

20. Fugazi - The Argument: Fugazi was always unpretentious punk rock at it best. The Argument was seemingly, unfortunately, their swan song. But also one of their best.

19. Fantomas - The Directors Cut: Just a great concept for an album. If anybody could make old horror/thriller movie themes into schizophrenic noise rock, it's Mike Patton.

18. Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely: This album stands up to most of The White Stripes catalog. Jack and Brendan Benson share lead vocal duties and exchange sweet riffs throughout the album masterfully.

17. Sigur Ros - Takk: Sigur Ros reached it grandiose peak with Takk, while also delivering their best pop song with Hoppipolo. They could have cut a couple songs as the running time is a bit long, but the album is a wonderful spectacle.

16. British Sea Power - The Decline of the British Sea Power: OK, so I am a sucker for seafaring thematic albums, but this album rocks. From the waving and hushed Bowie like vocals, to the frenetic Pixies like songs, to the over the top theme, BSP's debut is still their best.

15. Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Deaf: QOTSA peaked on Songs For The Deaf, as no band leader Nick Oliveri was booted for being too hard of a partier. It is a shame too, because many of the best songs were sung by Nick. Nevertheless, Josh Homme has always been the mastermind behind the band, and Songs For The Deaf still brings the goods.

14. Constantines - Shine A Light: Bruce Springsteen meets Fugazi. Yes, Shine A Light is that awesome.

13. Spoon - Kill the Moonlight: Spoon's minimalist pop perfection. Things have only gotten bigger for the band since Kill the Moonlight, but never quite as good.

12. Secret Machines - September 000/Now Here Is Nowhere: So this might be cheating, as September 000 is an EP that came out a couple years before Secret Machines' full length debut, Now Here Is Nowhere, but I had to put them together. While September 000 boarders on exploding but shows restraint, Now Here Is Nowhere crosses that line in the first song. Lyrically Sept00 has a more personal feel, while NHIN is shrouded in scifi mystery. I love both equally.

11. Arcade Fire - Funeral: By far the best debut album from a band I have been around to experience. Win Butler perfectly captures the life and imagination of an adolescent trying to find a purpose in life.

10. Spoon - A Series of Sneaks: It still bewilders me how Spoon got booted from Atlantic after releasing A Series of Sneaks. Interestingly, it seemed to do wonders for their career. This is a more aggressive sound than more recent Spoon albums. Not much more to say other than this will probably always be my favorite of theirs.

9. My Morning Jacket - It Still Moves: My Morning Jacket's epic live show seemed to have finally caught up to them on album with It Still Moves. The alt country vibe is still there, but so is the extended jam sessions. There are still some of the quieter, more haunting songs showcasing Jim James amazing vocal capabilities predominant on their first two album, but something breathed new life in to the rest of the band, and It Still Moves is a rollicking good time.

8. Mastodon - Leviathan: A metal album for non-metalheads. The vast and endless ocean can be a menacing thing, and what better classic tale to accentuate that than Moby Dick. The band and the concept was a match made in hell.

7. Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven: Hearing Godspeed for the first time was like hearing a new kind of music for the first time. Rock songs are not supposed to be 20 minutes long. It really is an experience listening to this band.

6. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife: Honestly, I could probably interchange The Crane Wife with any of the other Decemberists album and feel OK about it. I would say The Crane Wife is their most ambitious, but The Hazards of Love topped that and then some when it came out this year. It was, definitely, a big step towards their newer proggy tendencies.

5. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver: I wish I was friends with James Murphy. He seems like he would be a really fun guy to hang out with. Always playing awesome music of old and letting me know how it influences the music he makes. Sound of Silver was just an awesome sophomore album from LCD. While it still had the fun, dancey songs heard on their first, Murphy shows off his songwriting capabilities with some sincerely touching songs to go along.

4. Radiohead - Kid A: What more can you say about Kid A that hasn't been said before. The coolest opinion I read on the album came from Chuck Klosterman, in which he said that Thom Yorke predicted the events of 9/11 with Kid A. If you listen to the album from beginning to end, the scary thing is you could totally see it. Realistically, the album, to me, could be the soundtrack, or an album that tells the story of, some kind of world wide disaster. It's not often a a band becomes the one of, if not the, biggest in the world by taking a daring chance on a completely new and experimental sound.

3. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica: Desolate, existential, loneliness, God. Those are some of the words I think of when I listen to this album. With The Moon & Antarctica, Modest Mouse reached their creative peak. The album flows from song to song impeccably, culminating in one final, emphatic statement that resonates Isaac Brock's mindset at the time - "And the one thing you taught me about human beings is this: they ain't made of nothin' but water and shit."

2. The White Stripes - White Blood Cells: white Blood Cells was my introduction to the White Stripes. In my mind, they haven't done better than this since. The songwriting is never better with Jack and Meg pumping out some of their simplest, yet most cohesive songs of their career. We all know what Jack can do with the guitar, and on just the few moments when he showcases it on White Blood Cells, you wish you could play guitar like him. I know I do.

1. And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Source Tags & Codes: Cohesiveness seems to be the theme of my top five albums. None exemplifies that as much as Trail of Dead's masterpiece Source Tags & Codes. Each song segues from one to another, with three of the four members of the band trading lead vocal duties without missing a beat. Trail of Dead have almost become a mockery of their over the top art house rock/punk/emo, but Source Tags & Codes matched its grandiose statement with pure musical intelligence.

Decemerists performing Hazards of Love at the State Theater

2009-10-10T09:02:00.001-07:00

Whether you dig the Decemberists recent concept album The Hazards of Love or not, if you were to see the live performance they would make you believers. Last night was one of the last performaces of the entire album and we were in attendance. While it was essentially the same show from the Rock the Garden performance from this past summer, seeing them at the glorious State Theater felt appropriate. You could've even purchased a playbill for the show, giving it a true theatrical feel.

After finishing up Hazards, they came out for a brief set of some of their other material, including Billy Liar, The Sporting Life, O Valenica, and b-side Everything I Do Nothing Seems To Turn Out Right. They capped their first encore off with a cover of Heart's "Crazy On You", with Shara and Becky sharing lead vocal duties. The ladies belted out a great rendition leaving all in attendance wanting more. Colin obliged came back out for one more turn, playing a nice, pretty little solo tune. The evening commenced with one of their best, the Crane Wife finale Sons and Daughters, inviting opener Laura Veirs on stage for the singalong.

Below are some shots from the show. Also check out the video from The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid. Shara is clearly the star of this album, and this shows you why.

Built to Spill at First Ave on 9/24

2009-10-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the privilege to see Built to Spill at First Ave. This was the 5th time I've gotten to see them, and the third time at First Ave alone. Each show at First Ave has gotten better and better. This time was certainly no exception. The set list covered pretty much their entire catalog and didn't favor one album over another. If you have ever been to a really great concert, you know what I am talking about when there is that moment in one song in particular that you know is coming and you are waiting for it, and when it comes your heart skips a couple beats and the whole crowd, as well as the band, is just loving life at that moment, and it is just perfect. That moment occurred during Carry The Zero from my favorite album of theirs "Keep It Like A Secret" at precisely the 3:59 to mark of the song. I love this band, and will see them every opportunity I get. Below are a couple shots I took from my phone as well as the set list. Also if you didn't notice I put there new album as my spotlight album, as I have now listened to it for the 2nd time in a row and already feel like it is their strongest since Keep It Like A Secret.

Set List - Song Title (Album)

Liar (You In Reverse)
Nowhere Nothin Fuckup (Ultimate Alternative Wavers)
Dystopian Dream Girl (There's Nothing Wrong With Love)
Virginia Reel Around The Fountain (Live)
Gone (You In Reverse)
Hindsight (There Is No Enemy)
Stop The Show (Perfect From Now On)
Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss (Ancient Melodies of the Future)
Stab (There's Nothing Wrong With Love)
Oh Yea (There Is No Enemy)
Conventional Wisdom (You In Reverse)
Carry The Zero (Keep It Like A Secret)

Encore

Time Trap (Keep It Like A Secret)
Big Dipper (There's Nothing Wrong With Love)
Untrustable Pt. 2 (Perfect From Now On)

A New Day

2009-10-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

It is a new day for everybody's favorite blog. No longer will La Bodega be confined to merely posting about concert reviews and the occasional album review. Truth is I don't go to as many concerts as I used to, and I have had an itch to start blogging about meaningless stuff that most people dont' care about. Come to think of it, the kind of things most people care about IS meaningless stuff, but I digress...

Anyway, I thought I would give this little blog of mine a fresh new start. Sure every now and then you might see a review of a show I went to recently, or an album I formed a mindless opinion about thanks to all the other reviews about that same album I will read. But you might also learn about what I had for dinner the night before, what some jackass did on the commute home from work, or what my much more successful siblings and wife are up to.

Additionally, with a fresh start comes a fresh new name. Expect La Bodega to have a smashing new name in the near future. Hell, I might even think of one tonight.

So there you have it. Spread the word. The blog formally known as La Bodega is hitting the town and is back in the game. Expect to see me wherever you go - in pop-up ads, on billboards, in TV commercials. I'm back baby, and I'm lovin' every minute of it!!

I Hate Maroon 5

2008-12-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

So Maroon 5 isn't unoriginal enough with the music they make, they have to cop the design of the cover art for their new album also?? Take a look for yourself:

Maroon 5: Call and Response - The Remix Album

Now see the cover for the magnificent album Echoes by The Rapture, release maybe 4 years ago:

The Rapture: Echoes

2008 Favorites

2008-12-10T18:14:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year to share my favorites from the past year. I stress that these are simply my favorites and not necessarily the best of the year, as there are way too many albums released every year to keep up with everything. I'll start with albums I thoroughly enjoyed but didn't crack my top 20:

Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
The Walkmen – You and Me
Los Campesinos! – Hold on Now, Youngster
Los Campesinos! – We are Beautiful, We are Doomed
Nomo – Ghost Rock
Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
Annuals – Such Fun
Devotchka – A Mad and Faithful Telling
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Real Emotional Trash
The War on Drugs – Wagonwheel Blues
Wolf Parade – At Mt. Zoomer

And now, I present, the most important top 20 list in the history of top lists!

20. Nine Inch Nails - The Slip
Trent pulled what has been dubbed “A Radiohead” by self-releasing this album online for free download. Another punch to the gut to the majors, and another quality release from NIN.

19. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Not the breakout record most people were expecting and not as cohesive as It Still Moves and Z, but it still contains some tunes that show MMJ at their best.

18. Shearwater - Rook
Absolutely beautiful vocals from the former Okkervil River guitarist Jonathan Meiburg.

17. The Roots - Rising Down
Their most aggressive album yet. Black Thought is as good as ever, and it's always refreshing to hear Malik B join the Roots Crew for a few songs.

16. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
Hard to say it is better than Rubber Factory, but they definitely stretched the blues rock motif as far as they could with the help of Danger Mouse. ‘Strange Times’ has one of the best guitar riffs I heard this year.

15. Sons & Daughters - This Gift
Adele Bethel shows off her pipes on this rollicking and intense follow up to The Repulsion Box. It’s easy to tell the band had more to work with on this album.

14. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
Something good must have happened to Will Scheff between the release of Black Sheep Boy and their 2007 release Stage Names. Similar to their last release, the extreme melodramatic tracks are few and far between. As good of a sister record to Stage Names as Black Sheep Boy Appendix is to Black Sheep Boy.

13. Parts and Labor - Receivers
Parts and Labor continue their move towards accessibility, however the jerky, squealing guitars are still the basis of this powerful progressive metal trio.

12. Phantom Planet - Raise the Dead
I’ll call it a guilty pleasure if I must, though I will never admit to feeling guilty for liking any music. ‘Geronimo’ is as bombastic of a song I heard all year.

11. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
It’s always difficult for me to describe any TV on the Radio release, which is a compliment to the band. Progressive, yet not difficult to listen to or enjoy. A prime example of a band that displays each member’s contributions wonderfully.

10. Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
As stripped down as Sigur Ros has sounded since their debut. There are even songs that clock in less than 4 minutes! Gobbledigook is the most pop sensible, radio friendly song Sigur Ros has given us yet.

9. Secret Machines - Secret Machines
While they lost lead guitarist and founding member Ben Curtis, Secret Machines return with a full on progressive release following their failed attempt on arena rock. In stark comparison to Ten Silver Drops, the last three tracks are some of the most gratifying songs I’ve heard from yet and end the album on a high note.

8. Melvins - Nude With Boots
My favorite Melvins album since Stag. Buzzo’s vocals sound as powerful as ever, and the droney sludgeyness that have become a Melvins staple take a back seat to the guitar onslaught of The King. Big Business assist yet again on bass and join Dale Crover on drums for the dual drummer effect.

7. Dr. Dog - Fate
A summer festival band is there ever was one. The Beach Boys-esque harmonies, and simple pop sensibilities of early Beatles music. Not a band combination if you ask me.

6. Constantines - Kensington Heights
Not anything out of the ordinary from the Constantines. Good ole blue collar rock and roll, a la Bruce Springsteen. Just with more muscle.

5. School of Seven Bells - Alpinisms
Best debut album of the year. It gave me great relief to see such a poignant electro-pop record come out of these guys, as the lead guitarist, Ben Curtis, left one of my favorite bands, Secret Machines, to form this group.

4. The Dodos - Visiter
Folky, yet not even close to monotonous. Most of the songs jump out with energy. Fools is one of the best songs of the year in my opinion.

3. The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
As cohesive and melodic of a record this duo has released yet. They even strip it down on a few tracks to the roots.

2. British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music?
As a matter of fact, I do. Which is why I also enjoyed this album so much. Save for the last couple tracks, this album is a non stop, crank the volume to 11 good time.

1. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
More rock centric than their debut album. Jack White and Brendan Benson flawless share lead vocal duties throughout the album. For me, this album is as enjoyable to listen to as any recent White Stripes album.

TV on the Radio - First Ave - 10/20/08

2008-10-21T18:03:00.000-07:00

TV on the Radio came back to Minneapolis for another two night gig at First Ave, just like they did the last couple times they came around The Cities. I really looked forward to the show because of how much I have enjoyed their new album thus far. Openers The Dirtbombs were entertaining in that dirty guitar driven rock sort of way. They made their way through what seemed liked twenty 3 minute rock songs, none all that different from the other. TV on the Radio also played a really good, energetic set. Songs such as "Dancing Choose," "Halfway Home," and "Crying" were the best of the evening. "Wolf Like Me" from their last release really got the whole crowd jumping as the noise level seemed to go through the roof. Older songs such as "Staring at the Sun," "Young Liars," and "Wrong Way," though great to hear, sounded a bit off as it seemed like they experimented the songs for the live settings. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the show. Check out pictures taken from the show below.

Openers The Dirtbombs. The lead singer was a big dude.

The saxophonist was a great addition, especially for the newer tunes.

Tunde decided to take a piece of the drumset for himself during "A Method."

My Morning Jacket

2008-10-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Let's split this into two sections, as I did actually venture to see these guys on two occasions within a week (one being extremely uplifting and one being extremely disappointing). First stop was their show here in the Twin Cities at the Orpheum Theater on 10/2. I was super pumped to finally see these guys, as the 4 plus years I've been up in the cities, they have only come around once before and we made the decision to see Broken Social Scene that night at First Ave instead of MMJ at The Quest. It's still debatable as to if we made the right decision or not, as BSS was a pretty darn good show and the Quest was a shitty venue.

Let me just first say that the band lived up to their reputation as one of, if not the, premiere live act to see. Their set relied heavily on their new album Evil Urges (which unfortunately doesn't live up to their previous three efforts) but they certainly did not neglect choice selections from their previous four albums. Jim James was a showman on stage, as he had a lot of room to move around and took advantage of it. A couple times he shed the guitar and threw on a cape during a few songs off the new album. What also surprised me was how much I enjoyed "Highly Suspicious" from the new album. The song has a lot more to offer live as it does on album, as the guitar work was absolutely phenomenal and it was stunning how long JJ was able to hold the high note at the climax of the song. The lighting crew also did an amazing job, matching them up with the psychedelic vibes during "Off the Record" and "Wordless Chorus," and blasting the audience with a chaotic frenzy of different effects during the jam sessions in "Anytime" and "I'm Amazed." Ending the set with "Anytime" followed by "One Big Holiday" probably made new fans of anyone that wasn't before and certainly left everyone craving for more. My one regret was not hearing "Run Thru," probably my favorite song by the band, and dubbed one of the 100 greatest guitar rock songs of all time by Rolling Stone. Check out the pictures and the set list below and be jealous if you weren't there, as it was it was a show to behold.

Jim's silhouette breaking through the thick cloud of fog.

The purple and yellow lights gave an appropriate odd and psychedelic feel during one of their stranger songs "Highly Suspicious."

Video Clip of "Anytime."

At Dawn (At Dawn)
Golden (It Still Moves)
Sec Walkin’ (Evil Urges)
It Beats 4 U (Z)
Evil Urges (Evil Urges)
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream #1 (Evil Urges)
Off the Record (Z)
The Way That He Sings (It Still Moves)
I’m Amazed (Evil Urges)
Phone Went West (At Dawn)
Thank You Too! (Evil Urges)
Two Halves (Evil Urges)
Remnants (Evil Urges)
Gideon (Z)
Librarian (Evil Urges)
Steam Engine (It Still Moves)
Smokin’ From Shootin’ (Evil Urges)
Touch Me I’m Going to Scream #2 (Evil Urges)

ENCORES:
Nashville to Kentucky (Tennessee Fire)
Worldess Chorus (Z)
Highly Suspicious (Evil Urges)
Anytime (Z)
One Big Holiday (It Still Moves)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The show was so good in fact, that Kally and I decided to drive 5 hours to Iowa City on the following Tuesday to see the band again. The show started off with just Jim James coming out and singing "Bermuda Highway," a lovely acoustic track from one of their earlier albums At Dawn. Following that the set was pretty similar to the Minneapolis show all the way through "Off the Record" when IT happened. Following the extended jam on the latter half of the song the all the lights went out signaling the end of the song. At that point, Jim took a step on the stage where there was no stage and took a tumble. Nobody really knew what happened except for the people that were on that side of the stage right up front. There was a lull and then the rest of the band left the stage. About 5 minutes later some dudes announces that Jim fell off the stage and that they were assessing his injury. Another 5 min later, the drummer comes out and tells us the same thing and that they promise to come back out and play if at all possible. Another 5 min later, the rest of the band, sans Jim James comes out, and we all knew what they were going to say before they even said it. Jim was too injured to play anymore and they had to take him to the hospital. The show was canceled. Our hearts were bumming. Everyone in the audience understood this was beyond their control and applauded. I was extremely impressed by all the understanding and good vibes. No way would the crowd react this way at a Rage show.

The following day I saw the entire set-list of what they were going to play and on it were the two songs I was super excited to hear that didn't get played in Minneapolis = "Run Thru" and "Dondonte." Hopefully they will reschedule and we will get another opportunity to see the Jacket again as they truly are something special. Check out the pictures I was able to get as well as the set-list of what was on the docket before JJ took a spill.

Jim performing "Bermuda Highway" solo.

Orange hazy lights rose from behind the band during "At Dawn." A wonderful touch.

We were just a few rows deep on the floor, as the show was general admission.

Bermuda Highway
At Dawn
Golden
It Beats 4 U
Evil Urges
Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 1
Off The Record <-------Jim falls at very end of song
----SHOW CANCELED----
Wonderful Man
I'm Amazed
Lowdown
I Will Sing You Songs
Sec Walkin
Two Halves
Laylow
Gideon
Librarian
Dondante
Smokin from Shootin
Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2

ENCORES:
Wordless Chorus
Highly Suspicious
Run Thru
Anytime
One Big Holiday

Sigur Ros - Orpheum Theater - 9/25/08

2008-10-08T19:36:00.000-07:00

Having seen Sigur Ros two times already in the past 2 or 3 years, you always expect the next show to be somewhat of a let down. This band does not let down. Every time I have seen them, their songs are always so full of emotion and authenticity, that it is impossible not to get wrapped up in their performance. This show was no exception. Stripped down a bit with their new album, this performance did not have the back up string section Amina that they've brought on tour with them the last two times they came around. This gave their set a somewhat more intimate appeal. Set highlights included the English sung "All Alright, "Festival," and the ridiculously titled "Gobbledigook" all from the new album. The band took a page from the Flaming Lips guide to live shows for the ladder of the three. Confetti was shot out of large cannons from each side of the stage, showering the audience while they all stood and clapped in unison, guided along by the lead singer from the band. The set closed with the final track from their Untitled album, just as their past two Minneapolis shows did. You will hear no complaints from me on this, as this song is without a doubt their most powerful song. Check out pictures from the show below.

River Rocks Music Festival - Harriet Island - 9/20/08

2008-10-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

I need to mention before I start writing this post that I just heard an Interpol song on a Georgio Armani cologne commercial..... Wonder if they will get lambasted as much as members of Metallica did for shopping at an Armani store? Yea, probably not.

ANYWAY..... the last 2 weeks I have had the privilege of seeing 3 very good shows. Starting off with the River Rocks Music Festival on Harriet Island 2 weekends ago, which turned out to be one of the last beautful summery days. While this was a 2 day gig, a buddy and I just went on Saturday, mainly to see the Roots. Other acts performing were locals The Alarmists and Heiruspecs, Mike Doughty, Semisonic, and the apparently still alive and kicking Live (who knew?) as the headliners of the evening.

We saw the set by the Alarmists, who I just can't seem to really catch on with. I do recommend checking out their first single from their latest album "Hired Gun." The Heiruspecs, a local hip hop act with a live band, a la The Roots, were an extremely pleasant surprise. The live instruments offered more to their act than just your same old local hip hop artists, who as they themselves put it are "a dime a dozen." What really captured me was one of the guys vocalized scratching ability.

The Roots were up next, and they did not disappoint. These guys seem to have so much fun on stage, and the way the interact with each other during their songs allows you to enjoy their show even more. Black Thoughts seems to get a bad rap as a boring MC, but I found him very charismatic. While you might not enjoy their albums if you are not a fan of hip hop, their live performances are on a whole 'nother level. The energy is through the roof and there is never a second in which music is not being played.

Mike Doughty, known for fronting the 90s college rock/indie darlings Soul Coughing, performed next with just an acoustic guitar along side a stand up cello. While I will say Doughty has a great lead singer's voice, when it's just him playing his songs tend to sound pretty redundant. It was fun to hear a few Soul Coughing songs thrown in his set, but overall he was fairly forgettable.

Minnesota music lovers will probably chastise me for this, but we really had no desire to see local favorites Semisonic, as well as Live. Thus we left after Doughty's set. One act of 90s alternative rock nostalgia was enough for me.

Lolla Land - Day 3

2008-09-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

The final day of Lollapalooza turned out to be a pretty chill day. There wasn't anyone playing that we really wanted to see until, well, the headliner. But to skip out another beautiful day in Chicago would have been a waste. After a long night of drinking, we got to the park at nearly 3:00. We caught a little bit of Chromeo's set. Their 80's DJ duo schtick was entertaining for about 10 minutes, but that was about as much as we could handle. We then caught some of Black Kids set, who were also entertaining for about 10 minutes. The first real decision we had to make this day was to see Iron and Wine, or G Love. In any most other situations, I'd probably opt to see Iron and Wine, however the outdoor festival setting was prime for the chill/bluesy sounds of G Love. And it turned out to be exactly that. We hung back and pretty much just listened rather than standing in the crowd and enjoyed the music and the fine weather. I ran up to snap a few pics to see Mr. Cool.

The time between this and NIN's headlining set saw us catching up with pieces of sets by Saul Williams, Flogging Molly, Gnarles Barkley, and Mark Ronson.

But like I said earlier, we were really there that day to see Nine Inch Nails. To my surprise, so were a majority of the other attendees. Surprised because Kanye was playing at the other end, and we all know how much everyone likes Kanye. Seeing the crowd for NIN was good to see, though, I must admit. Unfortunately we were pretty far back in the crowed, and didn't really get to "see" the show, but it was heard loud and clear. It was already known that Trent was battling an illness, as they already had to cancel their show in Minneapolis the night before, so I was just glad that they made it. As you can see by the setlist below, there wasn't really any album that he focused on. They played all the crowd pleasers old and new, and even worked in a few songs from the ambient instrumental album Ghosts. Before playing hurt, a touching moment by Trent was shared with the crowd in which he thanked Perry for giving his new band from Cleveland an opportunity to play in the first Lollapalooza 17 years ago, as well as the many talented musicians he has gotten to play with. Check out their setlist below:

999,999
1,000,000
Letting You
Discipline
March of the Pigs
The Frail
Closer
Gave Up
The Warning
Vessel
Ghosts 5
Ghosts 30
Ghosts 19
Piggy
The Greater Good
Pinion
Wish
Terrible Lie
Survivalism
The Big Come Down
Only
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like a Hole

(Encore)
Echoplex
Hurt
In This Twilight

The Palooza Pt. 2

2008-08-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

Back we were in Grant Park for Day 2 of Lollapalooza. We slept in a bit and arrived right on time for the first band of day that we really wanted to see - Dr. Dog. These guys were the perfect early day band for the festival. Their music has a perfect summery feel and they were really enjoying themselves on the large stage as they harmonized perfectly and jumped around during their songs. A lot of recognizable tunes from their new album and their previous effort. They were a great way to start the day feel, and really got us energized.

On the complete opposite end of the music spectrum is where the next act we saw resides - The Gutter Twins. Greg Dulli of Afghan Whigs fame and Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age fame, they were somehow able to make a hot and clear Saturday afternoon seem cold and dark. Lanegan stood like a statue while he growled lead vocals during most of their songs, and Dulli was always there to back him up with jarring screams. This is the first time I have really listened to the band, and I was really impressed with how crisp they sounded. Check out the pic below, and check out their album.

Next there was a decision to be made - MGMT or Devotchka? We had just seen Devotchka at First Ave, and while they are an impressive live band, I imagine they would get kind of swallowed up by the open air of the outdoor stage. So MGMT it was. Unfortunately that seemed to be pretty much everybody else's decision. Apparently MGMT became a HUGE buzz band during the past few months because it seemed everybody at Grant Park was waiting to see them. Not being a huge fan to begin with, we made our way towards the back and thought we could just listen. That didn't really turn out either, as it was MGMT that were really swallowed up by the outdoor stage. They were barely heard from where we were, so we decided to take the opportunity to relax and bit and grab something to eat before we finished up the day with a couple solid acts.

Next we caught the very end of Explosions in the Sky's set, who really seemed to take advantage of the large set-up and really filled up their end of the park in sound and audience. We passed by one guy as their set was ending saying, "Damn those guys are loud." Check them out at a small club, man. You have no idea. What we were really heading over for was Okkervil River's set, which actually turned out to be one of my favorite sets of the entire weekend. Will Scheff got totally into the songs and his band followed suit. While Okkervil has about half mellowed down songs and half rockers, only the rockers were head this day. All of the upbeat songs from their newer album with the rockers from Black Sheep Boy sprinkled in here and there, and everyone was singing along. Well down guys. You have impressed me each time I have seen you play.

Moving to the other side of the park, we caught the set by Battles. Yeah, these guy might take some effort at first to really get into, but they are totally worth it. You have to at least appreciate the complexity of their music. While the crowd seemed mildly into most their set, it was 'Atlas' that really tipped the scale. Along with LCS's 'All My Friends' and MIA's 'Paper Planes,' this was one of my favorite songs of 2007. Absolutely impossible not to bob your head to. The song is just friggin great, and so too was it live.

Ahh Sharon Jones. Do you ever put in a mediocre performace? Certainly not at Lollapooza 2008. While it was nearly a replica of her show at First Ave last fall, she was still a great time and every single member of the audience had a huge smile on their face as I'm sure most were seeing her for the first time. She is the irrefutable queen of soul/funk going strong today.

The big question of the weekend was who were we going to see Saturday night? Rage Against the Machine or Wilco? the decision turned out to be a no-brainer, as I was never really into the band that a majority of the people were there to see Saturday night. So Wilco it was, and I have no regrets. I admit I got into Wilco a little late in the game, but I was really excited to see them Saturday night. The location, the weather, and the overall feel of the moment was perfect. We weren't jockeying for position or fighting off sweaty pre-teens or fatty 30somethings. Instead, we had our own spots and had a perfect view of the stage as we listened to some great American rock music. Tweedy spewed out poetry and Nels Cline showed off his guitar prowess and the band made their way through a very diverse set of old and new songs from Being There to Sky Blue Sky, and even a brand new one. Favorites of the evening were "I am Trying to Break Your Heart," "A Shot in the Arm," "Can't Stand It," "Monday," and "Walken."

Setlist

01 Misunderstood
02 I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
03 You Are My Face
04 Impossible Germany
05 It's Just That Simple
06 Stage Banter
07 Handshake Drugs
08 Pot Kettle Black
09 One Wing
10 Spiders (Kidsmoke)
11 A Shot In The Arm
12 Jesus, Etc.
13 Hate It Here
14 Can't Stand It
15 Walken
16 Monday
17 Outtasite (Outta Mind)

Lollallallallapaloooooooza - Grant Part, Chicago, 8/1-8/4

2008-08-06T18:45:00.000-07:00

That is me, ready to conquer that massive 120 band, 3 day behemoth of a music festival known as Lollapalooza. As soon as I heard the rumors months ago stating that Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, two of my favorite bands, would be two of the headliners at this year's fest I knew immediately that I had to go. Thankfully the rumors held true. Not only were Radiohead and NIN two of the headliners, but Wilco, Kanye West, and reformed Rage Against the Machine were the others. Move over Bonnaroo and Coachella, this was to be the summer festival of the year.

Wasting no time with bringing out the main act of the weekend, Radiohead headlined the first day with no other headliner playing at the same time on the opposite end of the festival grounds. This means 75,000 people would be watching one of, if not THE, greatest bands in the world on a nice summer evening; pure Euphoria. First band on the docket were new age/agfro-prog rockers Yeasayer. They put on a fantastic performance that left me wanting to see them in a more intimate setting. Next we hit up The Kills for a couple songs, followed by Gogol Bordello. This was one of the highlights of the first day, as these guys were so intense and full of energy, I am sure they made more than a few new fans with their blend of eastern European themes and Sex Pistols punk.

After GB, we starting thinking about positioning for our spots for the Radiohead show, so we grabbed a bite to eat and went right back to the same stage, where they would take the stage in about 2 hours. Unfortunately everyone else had the same plan and nobody really moved from their spot for the rest of the evening in anticipation. This means we had to sit through Bloc Party rather than see Jack White and the Raconteurs boys. This was a necessary sacrifice, as there will be many more opportunities to see them. Bloc Party's performance was quite forgetful, as they could not live up to the big Lollapalooza stage and the open air seemed to swallow up their sound.

After an hour wait 'Packt like Sardines in a Crushed Tin Box,' Radiohead entered with wide fan fare and opened with '15 Step,' the opening song from In Rainbows. I believe nearly every song from their new album was played, with sprinkles of songs from the rest of their albums. Highlights from the set included an always moving rendition of Fake Plastic Trees, during which fireworks exploded in the night sky as the song reached it climax. Paranoid Android is debatably one of Radiohead's best song in their catalog, and they made fantastic use of their light set-up during this one. In the encore was House of Cards with it's grooving lead guitar hook got a lot of people's hips moving in their own tight spot. National Anthem and Everything in it's Right Place are two of my favorite Radiohead songs. The second encore also contained staple Idioteque and rocker 2+2=5.

Overall, I think it was impossible for Radiohead to live up to the expectation set by anyone after the first time you have seen them, and this held true. All of the songs were great, the light show was fantastic, but I never got chills like I did on the hit summer evening when I saw them in East Troy about 4 years ago. That being said, there is no band like Radiohead and I will see them every chance I get. They will never let down. See below for pictures from my vantage point as well as their set list, and stay tuned for my thoughts on Day 2.

01. 15 Step
02. Airbag
03. There There
04. All I Need
05. Nude
06. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
07. The Gloaming
08. The National Anthem
09. Faust Arp
10. No Surprises
11. Jigsaw Falling Into Place
12. Reckoner
13. Lucky
14. The Bends
15. Everything In Its Right Place
16. Fake Plastic Trees
17. Bodysnatchers

Encore 1:

18. Videotape
19. Paranoid Android
20. Dollars and Cents
21. House of Cards
22. Optimistic

Encore 2:

23. 2+2=5
24. Idioteque

Ween - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - 7/19/08

2008-08-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

Back in action baby! So Ween recently played in the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul and of course I was in attendance. The show was classic Ween - a great set list with a wide variety of old and new. I've read repeatedly that the Twin Cities is one of the favorite places for the guys to play, so I'd like to think they give a little extra effort when they play here. The venue was a more appropriate for the Oneness than the State Theater, which is where they played the last time they were here.

Some highlights for me were hearing Woman and Man from the new album. Unfortunately we did not get the intro from the album version of the song and they kicked right into the rocking part of the song. Voodoo Lady is always great to hear. Nan was just friggin hilarious to watch them play (apparently this was a special request by Deaner). I've never heard them play Stroker Ace, which is definitely one of their most rocking/metalhead songs. The Ace of Spades cover was great with Dave on lead vocals. The Mollusk, which is a staple of every Ween performance I've seen, was especially enjoyable this time. Gener repeated each line of the soliloquy about a dozen times using the megaphone. And finally, during the second encore (it seemed the crowd nor Ween ever wanted to leave, which was OK by me) Deaner jammed on drums and Claude and guitar for some time, with serious sludge rock/Melvins undertones.

Check the pictures below, but see them live next time you have the chance. I promise you, you will be an instant fan.

Setlist

Porkroll Egg & Cheese
Spinal Meningitis
Golden Eel
Happy Colored Marbles
Piss Up a Rope
Learnin to Love
Take Me Away
The Grobe
Even if You Don't
Voodoo Lady
Yer Party
Buckingham Green
Back to Basom
Bananas and Blow
My Own Bare Hands
Nan
Object
Woman and Man (sans intro)
Zoloft
Waving My Dick in the Wind
Stroker Ace
Dr. Rock
The Mollusk

(Encore)
Final Alarm (?)
Goin Gets Tough
The Blarney Stone
Ace of Spades (Motorhead cover)
Can't Put My Finger On It

(Encore 2)
Fiesta
You Fucked Up
Deaner and Claude Jam

It's Been a Long Time...

2008-04-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

I received a surprising number of comments from people saying that I haven't updated my blog in awhile. And here I thought I was just doing this for my own sake! So to appease the masses, I have returned from hibernation (laziness) for the first post of 2008.

Since I last left you, I have attended a few shows. Here is a quick recap...

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: Absolutely fantastic and enjoyable show. Sharon Jones has a great stage presence and her band, The Dap Kings, played great funk/soul music.

Daniel Johnston: I really didn't know what to expect going into this show. First Ave was packed and while I am sure half of the people were there for the wrong reasons, I found myself a bit torn myself. While I enjoyed Daniel's solo performance, the novelty of it all wore off when he was joined by a full band. All in all, it was nice to say I saw Daniel Johnston perform live, however I do not anticipate seeing him again.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Similar to Daniel Johnston, I think a big reason I went to this show is to say I saw The Boss. I had always heard Bruce is one of the best performers out there and I wanted to see it for myself (despite the 80 bucks for tickets). The show was certainly no let down as the whole band lived up to their reputation. Born to Run is still one of my favorite songs.

British Sea Power: I think my expectations for this show were a too high, as I found myself feeling a little disappointed most of the show. Some of the new songs fell a little flat, and they didn't play some of my favorites from their previous two albums. As the crowd thinned out, however, things got more exciting. The band got drunker and the music got looser and less structured, and ended up enjoying it a little more.

So there you have it. My winter recap of shows I attended. There is certainly a full slate on tap for the summer, as you will notice in the upcoming shows section to the right. Here is a quick run through...

Murder by Death at The Triple Rock: Not sure if I'll be attending this one, as it's on a Sunday night, though remembering the awesomeness of their last show at the Triple Rock might sway me.

Devotchka at First Ave: Will definitely be heading to this one. Similar to their last stop at First Ave, they will be joined by aerialists that will be twirling up and down tissue hanging from the rafters Cirque de Soliel style. A full horn section should help give their music the kick it seemed to be missing the last time.

The Helio Sequence at The Entry: On the fence about this one. Shows at the Entry tend to run pretty late. Their new album is probably their best album to date, however, and I have wanted to see them for a while now. We'll see.

White Rabbits at 400 Bar: Already have tickets for this one. Their debut album was one of my favorites of 2007 and everything I have heard about their live show makes this one a must.

Los Campesinos at The Varsity Theater: Probably not going to this one, but it is worth noting. Their new album is pure high energy brit pop and the show will most likely not let down.

A Silver Mt. Zion at The Varsity: May comes to a close with another appearance by these Canucks at The Varsity. Not 100% sure if I will be going to this, as I am trying to trim the number of concerts down. I am a big fan of this band, however, and since I will probably never get to see GYBE, this is the next best thing. The Varsity is the perfect setting for this show also.

Built to Spill at The Cabooze: This is part of an all day outdoor music fest dubbed Finnegan's shamROCK 2008. There are 4 or 5 other bands performing throughout the day with Built to Spill headlining. Not sure if I will see any of the other performers, but I did already purchase tickets because I love Built to Spill.

Iron and Wine: Probably not attending this one, but again, it is worth noting. Their last album is fantastic and definitely more apt for seeing live at First Ave, as they are more full band sounding than any of the others. The cost for tickets is also a detractor - $20.

Constantines at The Entry: Definitely heading to this one. I will never miss the opportunity to see The Cons. Their new album is being streamed on their MySpace page before it's release at the end of the month. While it is hard to say it is their best yet and all of their albums are great, it will certainly not disappoint.

Rock the Garden at The Walker: This is another all day outdoor fest that includes New Pornographers, Bon Iver, Cloud Cult, and Andrew Bird. A pretty stellar line up if you ask me. Not entirely sure if I will be in town for it, however.

Ween at Roy Wilkins: Need I say more? Too bad it is at Roy Wilkins, though. I am dying to see the guys at The Zoo.

Lollapalooza: Without question, the best headlining acts of all the summer music festivals this year - Radiohead, NIN, Wilco, Rage Against the Machine, Kanye West, not to mention the 115 other bands. This will definitely be a great way to go out for the summer concert season.

Favorites of 2007

2007-12-10T18:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year. Here are my favorites of the past year.

These are albums I didn't get a chance to listen to until just recently, but really enjoy. They could have made the top list if I had got to them sooner:

A Band of Bees - Octopus
Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Battles - Mirrored
MIA - Kala
The National - Boxer
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block
Wilco - Sky Blue Sky

These are albums I enjoyed enough to at least give an honorable mention:

Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Antibalas - Security
David Vandervelde – The Moonstation House Band
Elvis Perkins – Ash Wednesday
Explosions in the Sky – All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone
Iron and Wine – Shepherd’s Dog
Maximo Park – Our Earthly Pleasures
Minus the Bear – Planet of Ice
Nine Inch Nails – Year Zero
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – 100 Days, 100 Nights

These are my top 20 favorite Albums of 2007, along with a short blurb about each:

20. Feist – The Reminder
A somewhat more upbeat and dancey approach for Feist in comparison to her previous release.

19. Fog – Ditherer
Why did it take me this long to find a band from the Twin Cities I really enjoy?

18. Dr. Dog – We All Belong
A playful and easily enjoyable lo-fi release with some serious early Beatles influences.

17. Vietnam – Vietnam
A late night, smoke filled bar band with some solid chops.

16. Holy Fuck – LP
Despite the gimmicky band name, this album ranks up there with the other groovin’ albums of the year.

15. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City: Didn’t enjoy it as much as their debut, as they appear to be trying a bit too hard, but still a solid release.

14. Caribou – Andora
60’s psych makes a return!

13. Blonde Redhead – 23
Their most produced and slick album to date, and it’s a good thing in this instance. This is my favorite Blonde Redhead release, despite unimpressive critical response. “Spring and By Summer Fall” is a great song and “23” was a perfect lead single.

12. Parts and Labor – Mapmaker
Noise rock with hooks and melodies. “Fractured Skies,” “Unexplosions,” and “Fake Rain” are three of my favorite songs of the year.

11. Oakley Hall – I’ll Follow You
Pure Americana. The band continues to make country music indie kids can enjoy.

10. Ween – La Cucaracha
What else can I say about Ween. “Woman and Man” kicks serious ass, “Your Party” is impossible not to like, and “Blue Balloon” is classic Ween.

9. White Rabbits – Fort Nightly
The Walkmen and The French Kicks made sweet indie love, had a baby, and named it White Rabbits. Excellent album front to back.

8. !!! – Myth Takes
A sleazy dance floor romp. That is the best way to describe Myth Takes. “Must Be the Moon” and “Heart of Hearts” make you want to get sweaty on the dance floor.

7. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Baby 81
BRMC back to making kick ass American rock music. “Weapon of Choice” and “Need Some Air” are great rock singles that could fit in with formatted radio. “American X” is possibly the best song the band has made throughout their four releases.

6. Ted Leo – Living with the Living
I’ve always liked Ted Leo to the extent to where I could listen to his albums every now and then, but not usually the whole way through. This one I can, and I love it. “Sons of Cain” immediately caught my attention and opens the album perfectly with it’s blistering hook. Ted Leo has never been shy on voicing his opinion on the current state of the country, but now I really want to hear him out and enjoy his music at the same time.

5. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Brit Daniel is the king of indie rock. Spoon deserves to get the call to the majors, but why ruin a good thing? A comparable follow up to Gimme Fiction, with a few songs harkening back to older days.

4. Arcade Fire – Neon Bible
Pipe Organs never sounded better. Did these guys spend some time with The Boss while making this album or what?? This album hits on a number of social issues without sounding pretentious or annoying. Arcade Fire certainly didn’t let anybody down with their follow-up to possibly the best album of the decade.

3. Radiohead – In Rainbows
Wow. “Oh by the way, we finished making our album and it will be out in 10 days, AND you can pay whatever you want for it.” Radiohead is the best fucking band on the planet. Even if the album sucked, I still would have put it in my top 10 just for how they kicked big business’ ass with the way this album was released. Fortunately the album doesn’t suck. Quite the opposite actually. “Bodysnatchers” is their most rocking guitar driven song since “Electioneering.” “Reckoner” and “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” are just fantastic. Never stop making music Radiohead. I am begging you.

2. White Stripes – Icky Thump
A triumphant return by the dynamic duo. After the somewhat disappointing Get Behind Me Satan, Jack and Meg return to do what they are best at – Jack playing some of the best guitar in the business, and Meg following Jack’s lead. “Icky Thump” is another great lead single, just as they have done with all of their other releases.

1. LCD Soundsystem – Sound of Silver
James Murphy as a serious songwriter? Who would have thought. While Sound of Silver is not too far of a departure from their self titled debut, Murphy takes the lyrical content more to the forefront. “Get Innocuous” is a perfect lead in, “North American Scum” is the perfect single, and "Somewhat Great” and “All My Friends” shows off Murphy’s true songwriting ability, not to mention being two of the best songs of the year. These two are followed up with “Us V Them” as LCD return to their bread and butter with layer upon layer as the song continues to build to a feverish end. There is not a single misstep on the entire album, as they close it out with the piano-balladry of “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down.” This is not only my favorite album of the year, but in my opinion, the best release of 2007.

Recent Shows - Ween and Annuals

2007-11-08T20:55:00.000-08:00

I know what you are thinking... How can he lump two show reviews into one post, especially when one of those shows is Ween? The simple fact is that I am lazy, but feel both of these shows need mention. So shall we?

The Ween show was in Madison, WI at the Orpheum Theater. Another seated venue for Ween, sigh. This actually ended up being a much more entertaining show then the previous Ween show I attended at the State Theater here in Minn. As usual, Ween mixed up their set with songs from every full length release. Even Gabrielle from Shinola got a play. Favorites of the evening included Buckingham Green, Touch My Tooter, and the amazing show finale Blarney Stone. Being that this show was a mere four days before the release of their brand new album La Cucaracha, I was expecting a number of new songs. Unfortunately we were only treated to four new tunes, two of which were very mellow (Spirit Walker and Piece of Meat), and one of which, as fun as it is, is essentially an intro track to the album (Fiesta). Overall, the band was much more in tune then they were last summer. BTW, I have since picked up their new album. I highly recommend it.

Just yesterday evening I also had a chance to see Annuals play at the Varsity Theater. This turned out to a really great performance. Their isn't too much I can really say about the performance other than that the band is extremely tight for being so young and early in their career. Highlight of the evening was definitely when members of the opening band as well as co-headliners Manchester Orchestra (which I did not hang around for) joined them on stage for the rawkus opener of their album - Brother. 12 or so members on stage, most of them banging on drums and singing along. I recommend checking these guys out in concert if you get the chance. I'm already anticipating their return to the Twin Cities.

Spoon - First Ave. - 10/10/07

2007-10-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

Ahh Spoon. You never let me down. You have been so good to Minneapolis. You even did two shows this time! We went to the 21+ show last night at First Ave. Spoon was great as usual. They have always been good at mixing up their set list with old and new. This time wasn’t any different. The interesting thing on that note is that everything they played up until the encore was in chronological order based on album. They started their set out with a couple tracks from my favorite (and arguably best) album A Series of Sneaks - Utilitarian and Minor Tough. Britt showed off his classic coolness with his subtle swaggers and playful glances at individual audience members. Continuing on with the set, they broke out a few selections from Girls Can Tell - Fitted Shirt (this song never gets old in concert) and Anything You Want.

In between songs, Britt bantered with the crowd a bit, at one point he even mentioned how much Spoon loves playing Minneapolis from the 7th Street Entry to the 400 Bar (hooray!) and finally to First Ave. The show continued with Small Stakes, The Way We Get By (OC fans unite!), Stay Don't Go, and Vittorio E from Kill The Moonlight. Missing from these selections was Jonathan Fisk, unfortunately. It was at this point that I began to notice the chronological sequence, and that there had yet to be a song played from their brand new album. That was OK with me, though, as many of their older songs succeed in a live setting a bit more than many of the newer songs. That being said, My Mathematical Mind from Gimme Fiction was one of the highlights of the evening.

After a few songs from Gimme Fiction, the crowed roared as many finally got to hear what they came for - The Underdog. While the songs off the new album were enjoyable enough, The Underdog and You Got Yer Cherrybomb were lacking some pizzazz without the horn section. Nevertheless, everybody danced and sang along to the new tunes. The show was not over though, as the guys came back for an encore and played even more old tunes - the fairly obscure Chips and Dip from one of their EPs, another classic from Girls Can Tell - Me and Bean, and finished 'er up with a rocking rendition of Quincy Punk Episode. All older songs! They treated their true fans well. Afterwards we hung around in the hopes that we could share a few cheers with the band, and got to meet and thank Britt for a great show. We even got a picture. Have I mentioned what a cool guy he is?

Arcade Fire & LCD Soundsystem - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - 9/30/07

2007-10-01T17:41:00.000-07:00

If there were any reason to return from an extended absence of reporting on concerts around the Twin Cities, it would be to report on the much talked about tour featuring Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem...together...on the same night...on the same bill. This show was probably every indie hipster's wet dream, as it paired two of the premiere indie bands on the scene today. Hell, Arcade Fire is probably the indie equivalent to U2, and LCD Soundsystem is producing some of the best dance beats being played this side of Daft Punk. Anyway, enough build up – on to the show!

While I wasn't thrilled of the venue location (Roy Wilkins Auditorium) it was probably the best option. Arcade Fire has outgrown First Ave., and other options such as the State Theater (who would want to be seated at a show like this) and Xcel (hey, I said they were the INDIE equivalent to U2, not fan following equivalent) would be too big.

With disco ball en tow, LCD Soundsystem took the stage, opening their set with Us vs. Them. This set the stage for the remainder of the set, as it actually got a lot of the audience to pick their feet up and really dance (as opposed to "doing the standing still." The overhead lights then dimmed and the disco ball blazed with all of its glory. It was just as you would imagine an LCD Soundsystem show. Members from Arcade Fire joined the band on stage for a number of songs such as Win and his bro during North American Scum (personal favorite), My Friends (the drummer from AF provided the piano), and Someone Great (Régine helped out on the Xylophone). The set was a good mix from their self-titled debut (include Daft Punk is Playing at My House, Trials and Tribulations, and the insanely rocking Movement) and their fantastic new album Sound of Silver. The set concluded with probably the best dance single ever Yeah (no, not Usher. And if you thought that, you should stop reading my blog) and the set closer (and the album Sound of Silver closer) New York I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down. James Murphy, you are the MAN.

Seeing Arcade Fire is definitely an experience. From the first time seeing them at the 400 Bar, to a sold out show at First Ave., to the most buzzed about band at Lollapalooza 2 years ago, they have NEVER lacked energy. It is unbelievable to think they put out the same energy night in and night out. They opened their set with Neon Bible opener Black Mirror (during which made me think they were a couple obligatory F bombs away from The Fragile era NIN because of the goth look the members were all donning). The first half of the set was very heavy on newer tracks from Neon Bible (Keep the Car Running, Intervention, No Cars Go, The Well and the Lighthouse). Also, early in the set was the Neon Bible b-side Cold Wind, as well as one of the mellower tracks on Funeral Haiti (which is anything but mellow in concert). They began mixing it up with Funeral material when they played Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). Also later in the set we heard Neighborhood #4 (Power Out) before ending their set with Rebellion (Lies) with the entire crowd providing back up vocals screaming also during "Lies, Lies!" Of course, enough is never enough of any Arcade Fire fan. The band came back out and finished the evening with Wake Up, most likely the most uplifting experience you are sure to be a part of at any concert. With everyone chanting along with the band, Win's bro (sorry Win's bro, I can't remember your name) made his way onto the balcony to get everyone else on their feet. Later in the song, Win made his way onto the floor to get groped by adoring fans to show he was a man of the people. Yes, Arcade Fire is THE premiere live band today. Shame on you if you have yet to see them.

The Roots - 3/20/07 - First Ave.

2007-03-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Roots took over First Avenue last Tuesday with what turned out to be an exhausting, yet exhilarating two and a half hour long set. There are not many bands out there (if any) that will display such a wide array of musical genres in a live setting. Accompanied with a 4 piece brass section, a percussionist, keyboardist/DJ, and guitarist, Roots mainstays Black Thought, ?uestlove, and Hub put on an amazing, non-stop musical adventure. There was not one moment of the evening that live music was not being played, aside, of course, at the end of their set, at which point the band was hurried back on stage by the thunderous applause of the audience.

Notable Roots songs that the band delved into throughout the evening were opener and self title track of their latest release Game Theory, I Don't Care, Don't Say Nuthin', The Seed 2.0, and You Got Me. But the Roots own songs made up only a portion of the set. The set as a whole was comprised of non-stop ventures into other musical genres such as Funk, Jazz, Rock, and Hip Hop. The Rock portion of the evening consisted of what was said to be a Bob Dylan cover; a very politically motivated, 70s pshychadelic, almost Jimmy Hendrix-esque, jam that had to have lasted nearly 25 minutes. The star of this performance was the guitarist, whom unfortunately I cannot name, and who seemed to suddenly become abducted by the ghost of Jimmy Hendrix.

Another notable part of the evening was when Everyone but ?uestlove and the brass section left the stage to fulfill the funk/big band requisite portion of the night. ?uestlove shined on his equipment, naturally, while the brass section kept pace by throwing the funk. The set ended with the always favorite drum solo from ?uestlove.

The whole show was fantastic. Black Thought emceed nonchalantly and seamlessly through every song, as if he knew what to say 10 verses ahead of time, though you knew everything was off the cuff. Black Thought's rhymes were so fresh, that it wasn't until after the show that I realized that the other rappers that lay down vocals on The Roots albums like Malik B and Dice Raw weren't present. Also absent was beatboxer and vocal percussionist Rahzel. Despite these absences, the show wasn't lacking anything. Catch The Roots in a live setting if you ever have the chance. Their albums, as fantastic as they are, cannot prepare you....

Album Review: The Annuals - Be He Me

2007-03-02T21:57:00.000-08:00

This album actually came out last year, with a little indie buzz, but did not get too much attention. I got ahold of this album early this year, and have listened over and over again and is one of my favorites at the moment. The band consists of 6 individuals, none over the age of 22. Much of the album consists of not so traditional upbeat pop songs in the likes of beach boys or the beatles, though not nearly as structural. Citing influences such as Mike Patton, Radiohead, and Bjork should give you some kind of idea that mainstream radio is not where this band intends to be. Opening track "Brother" starts out as a downtempo, quiet folk song with wavy electronics, before busting out into of it's shell and ends up being the most rocking track on the album. The Mike Patton influence shows during the latter portion of "Dry Clothes," harkening back to the sounds of Mr. Bungle. The band shows their jammy tendencies during "The Bull, and the Goat," though are careful to fall into a tradition jammy lull. Unfortunately I missed the opportunity to miss what I have heard is their excellent and energetic live show due to weather restrictions, so I recommend you take advantage of the band while they are playing smaller clubs before the First Avenue's of the world get ahold of them.

The Shins & Viva Voce - 2/8/07 - First Ave.

2007-02-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

Wow has it been a long time since I have been to a show. Anyway, time to ring in the 2007 concert calender with a exciting double bill. I was initially not planning on going to this show. Why you ask? Maybe I have become spoiled with cheap shows so much to the point to where $25 all of a sudden sounds like a huge commitment. I like the Shins enough, I just do not expect them to be anything spectacular in a live setting. So it wasn't until Viva Voce, one of my new-found favorites, were added to the bill as the openers. Two good bands for $25? Sure, I'll "splurge" a little. So forgive me if I talk a bit more about Viva Voce.

Dare I say... Viva Voce were the more enjoyable act of the evening. I am sure that the Garden State loving crowd would disagree with me, but VV seemed to have more energy. The husband and wife duo played a fantastic set consisting mainly of songs from their latest release Get Yr Blood Sucked Out. Anita experimented on her guitar, exploring stoner rock/jammy tendencies, while also giving her whammy bar a workover, all the while Kevin kept the rhythm on drums. While I hoped for the space rocker "Helicopter," the band played opened with the more jammy "So Many Miles," showing off Anita's guitar prowess right away.

The other favorite of the set was the closer, the aptly titled "We Do Not Fuck Around," which they most certainly did not. As with the opener, the song was extended to a jam band like length so Anita could shred a little longer. While the crowd seemed too anxious for The Shins to come on stage than to nod their heads along to VV's songs, I thoroughly enjoyed the set and look forward to their return.

After a fairly long set change, The Shins entered to a repetitive synth loop, cluing you in to what they were opening with - "Sleeping Lessons" - the opening track on their brand new album. It was a perfect opener, as it is one of the Shins more rocking songs, and it did not let down live. The remainder of the set consisted of a good mix of songs from the aforementioned Wincing the Night Away and Chutes Too Narrow, while also mixing in the two best songs from their debut release Oh! Inverted World ("New Slang" being the expected favorite of the evening for a majority of the crowd). While a couple of songs were reworked a bit to sound better in a live setting, many of the songs did not deviate too much from studio versions, and thus lacked a lot of energy. The main exception to this was set closer "So Says I" while had the whole crowd throwing their hands in the air and jumping around.

All in all, The Shins performed as expected, if not slightly better. I am happy I made the decision to go. The video below is of Viva Voce performing a portion the opener "So Many Miles."

Imogen Heap–Kally

2006-12-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

Ryan was done with concerts for the year, but I wasn't.

One of my cooler than cool friends had a connection, so we got into the concert for free. I was pretty excited to be going to a concert that was sold out for free.

We arrived at door opening. People were lined outside along First Ave like it was Prince himself performing a free show. We got inside and secured a spot audience right on the steps. That way we can see above everyone. We took in the decorations on the stage, and made small talk with other fans. Imogen Heap appeared on stage on time! She introduced both her guests, Levi Weaver and also Kid Byond. Weaver has a great singer/songwriter sound that Jaime and I both loved. Kid Beyond beat-boxes everything and loops it with pedals. Unreal. You have to see him in concert. Such a performer and knows how to get a crowd amped up. I did not opt to buy a Kid Beyond album, as that wouldn't do his actions justice. Plus, his lyrics were a bit 5th grade story book. Such songs as Mothership, and Wondering Star were great to see live, but to have captivated on a cd deems the purchase futile.

Imogen performed only one Frou Frou song, which I was happy about. I love her Speak For Yourself album, and wanted to hear Just for Now. Her performance started walking upstairs and singing with her headset and keyboard. The most notable portion of her show was when she thanked a doctor that she had given tix to because he gave her some tea, and antibiotics due to her strep-throat! Unbelievable. Strep throat and up there singing. She loved the audience and we were loving every minute she was on stage.

Numbers during the night incluced Headlock, Goodnight and Go, Loose Ends, Hide and Seek, and one from her debut cd, that I didn't identify, being that I haven't listened to that album. But shall now!

Favorite Albums of 2006

2006-12-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

I was having a hard time restricting myself to just 10 this year considering the copious amounts of new music taken in this year. Enjoy. Feel free to praise or condemn my choices. Keep in mind these are my FAVORITES and by no means am I saying they are the BEST of the year:

15. French Kicks .. Two Thousand
New Yorkers The French Kicks return with another album full of catchy indie dance rock tunes on par with their last release Trial of the Century. Hip smacking favorites include Also Ran, Cloche, Knee High, and No Mean Time.

14. Mew .. And the Glass Handed Kites
While I really didn't get a chance to listen to this album as much as I would have liked, I knew it was deserving to be included in my year end list after listening to Apocalypso. Had I more of a chance, the album might have fallen in the top 5. Much of the album attacks you with heavy guitar riffage, pounding drum beats, and high pitched, almost Sigur Ros like, vocals. A very ambitious album from a band that is sure to make much more noise in the coming years.

13. Neko Case .. Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
The venerable Neko Case returns with another album, showing off her impeccable vocal chops as well as being joined by roots musician Kelly Hogan on back-up vocals. Neko's storytelling ability and mood setting flourishes even more on Fox Confessor, which is proving to be one of, if not the, most solid releases from her yet. Favorites include Star Witness, Maybe Sparrow, and the Needle Has Landed.

12. The Black Heart Procession .. The Spell
Few bands know how to set a dreary and mysterious mood like The Black Heart Procession. While the mood on their most recent release is on par with their previous releases, they have taken another ambitious step since Amore del Tropico, which took a large step itself from it's predecessor Three. The songs are more energetic, while still having that Black Heart Procession dreary piano focus in place. Favorites include Tangled, The Spell, Not Just Words, and The Fix.

11. Oakley Hall .. Second Guessing
With their first release of 2006 (proceeded with Gypsum Strings released later in the year) Oakley Hall fill this one with twangy alt country tunes combined with violin and lap steel guitar. Hiway and Second Guessing serve as such examples. The highlight of the album is the twangy rollicking country jam Volume Rambler. The album finishes nicely with the beer soaked Cod'ine.

10. Murder by Death .. In Bocca al Lupo
As with their 2003 release, Murder by Death have released another concept album. The album has a very dark feel to it as it seems to follow a character beginning a downward spiral into crime and eventually leading him to his death sentence. While the album was made to work as a whole piece, you are able to take away some songs on their own such as opener Boy Decide, Brother, and Sometimes the Line Walks You.

9. White Whale .. WWI
A new sea-faring concept band enters the stage to join the likes of The Decemberists and British Sea Power. And as with the previously mentioned bands, White Whale succeed on that level. While thematically White Whale is similar to the Decemberists, the songs are less folksy and rock a little harder and the lyrics are a little less literary, similarly to British Sea Power, in which lead singer Matt Suggs could be confused with BSP lead singer Yan. Favorites include, Nine Good Fingers, The Admiral, What's an Ocean For, and album closer One Prayer.

8. Thom Yorke .. The Eraser
Lead singer of hugely respected band attempts to satisfy the hordes of said band's fans eagerly anticipating their next release by releasing his debut solo album. This would sound like a gimmick in most situations, but not in Thom Yorke's case. Upon first listen, you might think the album feels as sort of Radiohead-light, but upon further listens, you are really forced to focused on Yorke's lush, untouched vocals, and you really get to appreciate his contributions to the bigger (Radiohead) picture. Musically, the album is full of straightforward electronic blips and bleeps, which work well with Thom's vocals. Favorites include The Eraser, Black Swan, and Harrowdown Hill.

7. Lansing-Dreiden .. The Dividing Island
Lansing-Dreiden return with a more focused album with The Dividing Island, and by focused I mean focused on the 1980s new wave scene. The album works on a much more consistent level than their last release, as each track is heavy on the synthesizer with hazy guitar distortions and deep throated vocals. Two exceptions to this are Our Next Breath, a very poppy with a Beach Boys sunny sound to it. The second being the album closer Dethroning the Optimyth, with a title that would suggest a Lord of the Ring type adventure. The song grabs you with heavy guitar riffs and does not let go until it stops on a dime and drops you flat on your face with no apologies.

6. Oakley Hall .. Gypsum Strings
As soon as you start listening to the first track of Gypsum Strings, you might confuse them with main songwriter Pat Sullivan's former band Oneida. Confidence Man opens with a flurry of electronic psych rock guitar distortion and is present throughout between the shouting dual vocals of Sullivan and co-lead singer Rachel Cox. Lazy Susan also follows the same trend. The rest of the album is full of country flavored guitar twang (If I Was in El Dorado) and banjo playing (Bury Your Burden, as well as Spanish Fandango). The album has somewhat of a moody feel to it and some of the songs are slowed down quite a bit. Another favorite is the riff heavy House Carpenter. As a whole, the album has a less country feel to it's 2006 predecessor Second Guessing.

5. TV on the Radio .. Return to Cookie Mountain
Upstart Brooklynites return with their second album of original sounding genre mixing/defying music in Return to Cookie Mountain. The hype and expectations were great in anticipation of their major label debut and the band certainly did not disappoint. Sonically ambitious and lushly arranged, the band fulfills nearly any musical palate you might be thirsting for. Some parts post-punk, electronica, industrial, atmospheric, and even doo-wop. Rocker Wolf Like Me leads the way as the first single, while the remainder of the album is no short of highlight moments. Rock revolutionary and pioneer David Bowie even lends his backing vocals on Province. Other favorites include I Was a Lover, Let the Devil In, and Dirty Wheel.

4. Secret Machines .. Ten Silver Drops
The lyrical mysteriousness of Now Here is Nowhere is gone. The Secret Machines are not trying to fool anyone on the subject matter of the 2006 release Ten Silver Drops. The album takes a much more direct approach, basing itself squarely on the hardships of failed relationships. While the subject matter is much more suitable to emo and teen angst rock, the Machines deliver their message on a much more grandiose level. They continue to expand on their space rock and guitar reverb with tracks like Alone, Jealous, and Stoned, as well as Faded Lines. Lightning Blue Eyes is very comparable to Nowhere Again from their last album, while they also make another visit to the Kraut Rock genre with Daddy's in the Doldrums, building up steam until the song reaches climax about three fourths of the way though the 8 and a half minute jam. The band does misstep at the end of the album with the last two tracks, finishing the album with sort of a whimper.

3. Built to Spill .. You in Reverse
Doug Martsch and company return with their sixth proper studio album, ditching the 3 and half minute popfest that were their last two album (not that these albums were fantastic), and return to the extended indie jam that was Perfect From Now On. Lead single and album highlight Goin' Against Your Mind combines these aspects, however, by creating a nearly 9 minute track with a flurry of catchy guitar riffs and catchy refrain. The other single out of the album, Conventional Wisdom, would be perfect for format controlled pop rock radio if the last half the 6 and a half minute song did not go into a guitar jam. The band shows it chops with Mess With Time, powering through heavy guitar riffs and vocal distortions. The remainder of the album is filled with mid tempo intelligent guitar balladry that would put most bands attempting the same thing to shame.

2. Espers .. Espers II
If someone were to attempt to define what type of music Espers are, their new release would be best described as Gothic Folk Rock. Much darker than previous efforts, the album still has a renaissance feel to it, but on a much darker and more sinister level. There are no singles to point to on the album, as it must be listened to as a whole to appreciate the balance between the delicate moments and the fist clenching heavy moments. You may find yourself caught in a trance while listening to it on a dark and quite night. Highlights include Widow's Weeds, Mansfield and Cyclops, and Dead King.

1. The Decemberists .. The Crane Wife
I would call these guys one of the most consistent bands out there, consistently releasing one great album after another, but this would mean that each album is equally as good as the last. The truth is, The Decemberists started out on an excellent note with Castaways and Cutouts, and continue to up the anti on each subsequent release. The Crane Wife is no exception, as it is even better than Picaresque. Their major label debut, the album builds upon their sea-faring indie folk rock and touches upon more wider variety of musical genres. Highlights are the proggy multi-part epic The Island, sing-a-long indie pop number O Valencia!, dancey The Perfect Crime, and the uplifting album closer Sons and Daughters.

Others worthy of note:
120 Days .. 120 Days
Beck .. The Information
Brightblack Morning Light .. Brightblack Morning Light
Calexico .. Garden Ruin
Califone .. Roots and Crowns
Comets on Fire .. Avatar
The Walkmen .. A Hundred Miles Off
Band of Horses - Everything All the Time
Calexico - Garden Ruin
Destroyer - Destroyer's Rubies
Hard-Fi - Stars of CCTV
Nomo - New Tones
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
The Roots - Game Theory
The Streets - The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living
Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon
Wolfmother - Wolfmother

Devotchka - 11/30/06 - First Ave.

2006-12-04T20:13:00.000-08:00

Hey, I don't know about you, but how about First Ave stops controlling the indie music scene in the Twin Cities. Anyway, off we were to another show at First Ave, this time to see Devotchka. While I was excited to see Devotchka, the thought of dealing with ignorant concert goers at First Ave for another night did not enthuse me. We got there after My Brightest Diamond's opening set and just in time for Devotchka. While I cannot say I am am familiar with many of their song titles, most of the songs were familiar enough to where I could sing a long here and there.

While the music itself was good and all, it felt as though the live versions of the songs were missing the live music intensity. Most of the times, they would play through the songs with not too much extra effort, with the exceptions of the instrumental gypsy rock jams (for lack of a better description). I was eagerly anticicapting "How It Ends" from Little Miss Sunshine fame, and thankfully my anticipation was met. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, the song did not contain much kick, as the drums and guitar strummed seemed toned down. Musically, highlight of the evening was set closer "Such a Lovely Thing," which definitely contained the most on stage excitement from the band. Another noteable part of the evening was the surprise performances of two females hanging form the rafters doing acrobatic tricks on Tissue (sp?). Unfortunately the concert was somewhat of a disappointment, but it will not stop me from appreciating Devotchka's music all together.

That will do it for my concert going experiences for 2006, as I do not have any others scheduled to go to the rest of the year. See you next year (most likely at First Ave).

The Decemberists - 11/12/06 - First Ave.

2006-11-13T19:35:00.001-08:00

Yesterday evening Kal, Ned, and I saw The Decemberists at First Ave. This was my 3 time seeing them and while they were great upon my first experience, the last show at First Ave was even better. So as you can imagine, I was expecting this to be a very fun entertaining show. The opener was Alasdair Roberts, a singer songwriter from Glasgow, Scotland. Accompanied with just an acoustic guitar and very relaxed drummer, the Scottie made his way through a very pleasant folky set. He even invited 3 girls from the crowd up on stage to do a bit of soft shoe dancing. His set lasted all of 25 minutes before he made way for the main attraction.

Opening the Decemberists set was the lead song from the new release "The Crane Wife Pt. 3." This seemed to set the stage for the rest of the evening. While there was absolutely nothing wrong with the setlist, nearly all of the selections, save for the highlight of the evening "The Island," were of the 3 and a half minutes pop sing-a-long variety. We also came to learn that Colin Meloy has been feeling under the weather, which was fairly noticeable, and seemed to affect his usually enthusiastic stage presence.

Following the opener was "July July!" (The only selection from Castaways and Cutouts), "We Both Go Down Together" and "Engine Driver" from Her Majesty..., the dancey "The Perfect Crime" and then "The Crane Wife Pts. 1 & 2." After completing the 10 minute number, Colin ran off stage, assumingly to ralph or sit down for a spell to save himself from fainting on stage. The rest of the band saved faced while Colin was off-stage catching his bearings by playing "You Are My Sunshine" to which the entire crowd joined in singing. Colin thankfully eventually came back on stage and the band ripped through the remainder of their set, including new songs "Yankee Bayonet," "O Valencia," and the aforementioned "The Island."

The set concluded appropriately with "Sons and Daughters" during which Colin pleaded with the crowd to "sing his sick away" and the whole room filled with voices joining the band to sing "hear all the bombs fade away." I know I was singing at the top of my lungs. It was an awesome moment, one to remember. The band then left the stage, and did not seem to plan to come back out, but the crowd would have none of it. After about 10 minutes of clapping and screaming for the band to come back out, they honored us by treating everyone to a stripped down version of "A Song for Myla Goldberg" from Her Majesty... While the show did not live up to expectations, it was most certainly not a disappointment. As mentioned earlier "The Island" fantastic, and if I was not going to hear "The Tain," this had to be played. I will most certainly be looking forward to their return to the Twin Cities.

A couple couple concerts of note...

2006-11-09T16:21:00.001-08:00

So the last couple weeks consisted two 2 concerts that ended up being fairly insignificat. The first being And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead. The show was moved from The Quest to Station 4, which at first excited me, until I took one step into Station 4. It was essentially an empty space bought out by the adjacent bar for live music purposes. All in all, the sound was terrible, the underaged crowd did not seem to get into the show at all, the beams running from the floor to the ceiling in the middle of the room obstructed the view, and the band put on a fairly ininspiring performance. Only one new song was performed, which is odd considering they have a new CD coming out on Tuesday. Highlights of the evening were pretty much limited to Aged Dolls (my favorite TOD song), Will You Smile Again for Me, and Totally Natural. Their next CD better be good, or I am thinking I am finished with TOD live.

Last night, a bunch of us went to see mainly The French Kicks. Unfortunately they were the openers for youtube.com class of 2006 OK Go. The show was at First Ave, and after seeing the French Kicks perform at Triple Rock, I wasn't expecting too much. As expected, the band is just not lively enough to handle a show at First Ave. While the songs were enjoyable, they lacked the excitement and danceability of the last show. OK Go then took the stage to play their brand of pop indie rock, including the youtube.com hit "Here It Goes" (treadmills not included). Their performace was entertaining if nothing else and they ripped through pretty much all of their studio released song, including a surprise cover of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down."

BRING ON THE DECEMBERISTS - 11/12!!!

The Secret Machines - 10/12/06 - First Ave.

2006-10-18T19:52:00.001-07:00

Will I ever get tired of seeing this band? I doubt it. It was another evening with the Secret Machines at First Ave with no opener. Much more preferrable than sitting through a set when all you want to do is see a great extended set by a great live band. These guys seem to get better and better every time I see them. Touring again on the strength of their latest release Ten Silver Drops, they were performing "In the Round," meaning the the stage was set up in the middle of the floor, with the audience crowded around on all sides. Call it pretentious if you will, but I was excited to see how this was going to enhance their already spectacular live experience.

As expected, the show was phenomenal. They started the set out with "What Used to be French" from their debut EP, much to the surprise of me as I'm sure as it was to the rest of the audience that is familiar with the band. Things sped up and jammed up as this lead into "Faded Lines" and "The Road Leads Where It's Lead." The light show was in full effect by now, as anyone that has seen a live show of theirs, which is just as much a part of the show as the music is. The set was mixed up real well with songs from the new album and previous release Now Here is Nowhere. The rest of the set included the tripy "Alone Jealous and Stoned" and "Pharoahs Daughter" and the steady and proggy "Daddy's in the Doldrums." The main set concluded with the title track to No Here is Nowhere, which is the extended and more jammy version of the single "Nowhere Again."

Throughout the show, the the applause grew louder and louder after each song, especially during the explosive finales of Dadddys in the Doldrums and Now Here is Nowhere, and when the band left the stage, this was no exception. The audience roared until they re-entered and lead off with the encore with another surprise, the steady and climactic "Macaroni's Radio" from their September 000 EP. This was surely a chance of pace with how the main set ended, but this was far from the end of the noise. "I Hate Pretending" was next. which meant a furocious drum solo from Josh Garza. They guy looked like Animal from the Muppets with 6 arms as he oblitered his drum kit. The encore continued with "Lightning Blue Eyes" and they ended on the only song they could have - "First Wave Intact." The whole crowd knew it was coming, like Albert Pujols knows what is coming on a 3-2 pitch in the bottom on the 9th in a tie game. And just like Albert would have, the band hit it out of the park. The climax of the song lifts you off your feet at the 6:45 mark and all hell breaks lose after that. I may lose my hearing to First Wave Intact somebody, but at least it won't be to some whiney Dashboard Confessional song. If you are on the fence about this band, SEE THEM LIVE!! I promise you that you will not be disappointed.

(Picture coutesy of www.brooklynvegan.com)

TV on the Radio - 10/8/06 - First Ave.

2006-10-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

After seeing TVOTR's performance on Letterman, I was even more excited to see them perform after waiting for over two years and 2 fantastic albums and and EP. New Pitchfork hype band Grizzly Bear opened, though we missed most of their set aside from maybe 15 to 20 minutes. One song was really enjoyable, but I was too jacked up for TVOTR to really give them a just critique. So after watching 25 minutes of Run Lola Run during the set change, Tunde Adebimpe and company filled the stage and they opened with Tunde doing a little beatboxing leading into "Dirty Whirl" from their latest release, the oddly titled Return to Cookie Mountain. As any good band will with a solid catalog, they mixed things up a bit with old and new songs. Second on the bill was Dreams from their debut album Desperate Youth... This turned out to be one of the highlights of the night and would set the stage for the energy level of the show. Tunde jumped and danced around the stage while ryhthm guitarist David Sitek ripped through his guitar strings during the sonic explosions of the aforementioned "Dreams," Blues from Down Here," and surprise of the night "Satellite" from the Young Liars EP. My personal favorite of the night, as well as personal favotite TVOTR song was "Young Liars" from the EP as well.

Crowd favorites of the night included their current single and good old fashioned rocker "Wolf Like Me" and past single "Staring at the Sun." The night was capped off with Tunde screaming into a megaphone while members of Grizzly Bear danced on stage with tamborines and Sitek flying into the crowd to body surf (though it is not confirmed whether or not anyone actually caught him), all this during the album closer Wash Away the Day. Even the crowd participated by chanting in unision during the appropriate parts, lead off by Tunde. With the energy level TVOTR performed with, it crazy to think that these guys are doing this day in and day out. Who knows, maybe every show isn't this good. Which, in that case, would make the show that much better. Come back soon!

The French Kicks - 9/16/06 - Triple Rock

2006-09-24T16:56:00.000-07:00

Whoops, this show was last week. Guess I should give it a mention in my little blog here. What is not to like about the French Kicks and their dancey new wave hooks. They are a band anybody can enjoy. The attendance was fairly modest, so there was plenty of room for everyone to have their own dancing space. Their set consisted almost entirely of songs from their last two releases. Some of the favorites of the evening were "One More Time," "Following Waves," and "Only So Long" from Trial of the Century. Selections from the new release included "So Far We Are," "Knee High," and "No Mean Time." The French Kicks don't pretend to be anything flashy, but their music does have a sort of swagger about it, and this evening, so did by feet and my hips and my shoulders. I'll dance to the French Kicks over the music playing at dance clubs any night of the week.

Built to Spill - 9/12/06 - First Ave

2006-09-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

This show was a long time coming. Originally scheduled for April 12, BTS's entire tour had to be rescheduled because guitar afficianado and main man Doug Martsch got a scratched cornea while playing some mad b-ball. But the long wait was finally over and Built to Spill seemed eager to take the stage in front of the aging indie jam hipsters. Doug announced before commencing with the opening song that this was the first show on the tour.

This didn't prove to be a hinderance, but more of a blessing as the band roared through quite an ecclectic set of old, new, and even newer unheard tunes. High point of the evening was definitely "Goin' Against Your Mind" from their most recent release. The blitzkreig of guitars during the nine minute jam sent the crowd (as well as myself and Kal) into a frenzy. Surprisingly this was only one of two songs, the other being "Conventional Wisdom" that the band would foray into throughout the evening. But with a catalog as unstoppable as theirs, it was not much of a disappointment. The band was much tighter than they were from their last visit to the Ave. Other favorites played during the night were "The Plan" from one of my all time favorite albums "Keep it Like a Secret," "Untrustable Pt. 2," and the encore "Broken Chairs" (sans whistle solo unfortunately).

As previously stated, new songs (newer than than You in Reverse) were a main part of the set as well, including heavily Raggae influenced number. Another notable part of the evening was a video of Doug Martsch cohort Calvin Johnson giving a speach concerning the horrible reasons why our overly ambitious conservative leaders went into war with Iraq, while BTS played quite the rocking instrumental jam during the non speaking parts of the video. Overall, it was an excellent show from a seasoned band of the indie rock scene. One certainly not confused as to the niche they have been placed in. Bravo Doug and co.

Wolf Parade - 8/9/06 - First Ave.

2006-08-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Wolf Parade returned to Minneapolis yet again to support their fabulous 2005 debut Apologies to the Queen Mary. As this was the third time we would be seeing them on the one album, their set was very familiar. To our surprise, they opened with a choice not from the album. I was not sure if it was a b-side or a new one, but it was one they played the last time we saw them at 7th St. Let's call it "I'll Sing You in Songs." The follow consisted of more familiar songs from the album such as personal favorite's "it's a Curse," "Shine a Light," and "Fancy Claps." The band did not seem to have everything together during the first half of the set, taking much time inbetween songs and not giving some of the best songs from the album just representation. They really picked things up during "This Heart's on Fire" and "I'll Believe in Anything" which was definitely the high point of the evening. Sprinkled into the set were a couple new songs, one of which was brought out during the encore and had a tight guitar hook along with pounding drums and swirling keyboards (hey, not too different from the best songs off Apologies). The night ended with an entended version of "Dinner Bells." While seeing Wolf Parade is always fun, I am glad to say I got to see them pre-mainstream indie stardom before they owned the First Ave mainstage.

A Silver Mt. Zion - 8/7/06 - Varsity Theater

2006-08-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Neo-political side project of Godspeed You Black Emperor members A Silver Mt. Zion entertained Minneapolis at the fantastic Varsity Theater. The perfect venue for such an occasion. We sat high about the crowd on the side of the Theater and had a perfect view of the stage. The band toook the stage and opened with one of the newer songs off of Horses in the Sky "God Bless Our Dead Marines." Efrim announced to the crowd that this was their 99th show together, but first widespread American tour. The band played very tight together in the intimate setting. At many times thoughout the set, they all stopped playing and harmonized together. Though none had fabulous voices, the sincerity in their voices was apparent and was felt thoughout the crowd. All was not hushed during the set though, as the band was full force during the opener and other selection from their catalog.

The bands encore consisted of them stating that they weren't going to go through the bullshit of leaving the stage, waiting 5 to 10 minutes while we all clapped until they came back to the stage. They simply stated that they would annouce when the last song of their "set" would be, and then the following would be the "encore." The last song of the set ran about 30 minutes long as the band fell into an spacey experimental noise-a-athon, "followed by the "encore." It was the perfect setting for an intimate band. While they were no Godspeed, they proved that they are not just a side project, but a more intimate interpretation of the music they like to play.

Ween - 8/1/06 - State Theater

2006-08-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!! Is there any better band out there? Not in my book. So as you can tell I was very excited to learn they were playing in my neck of the woods. I was a little surprised at the choice of venue, as the State Theater seems more apt to attract more intimate shows, but bring 'em on anyway. The night was billed as "An Evening with Ween," which means there was no opener. The crowd was all ready to seen Ween and only Ween. Looking down on the stage was the one and only Boognish. An icon if there ever was one. Opening their set with no hesitation with "She Wanted to Leave," Gener tells a tale of fruitless love amid the cruel seas. Charging their way through their set, they followed with fairly straight forward versions of "AIDS" and "Spinal Meningitis," possibly two of their most offensive songs, yet the crowd most certainly did not take offense as everyone sung along.

Things became more and more jammy throughout the night as they went into extended versions of "Voodoo Lady (definitely needed) and........"Pandy Fackler" which really was not necessary. Gener left the stage during the song as the keyboard jam extended to the nearly 20 minute mark and had me wondering if he was coming back. But of course, Gener was johnny on the spot as he ran back like a hero to save everyone from the doldrums of hippy jamminess. The set contained a very wide variety of older stuff from God Ween Satan such as the superb "Fat Lenny" to newer stuff from Shinola such as the rawkus "Gabrielle." Thrown in for good measure was a cover of Eric Clapton's "Cocaine," which followed "Bananas and Blow" appropriately. Highlights of the night included the progressiveness of "Buckingham Green," the power pop balladry of "Even If You Don't," and post break-up theme song "Baby Bitch."

Even selections from 12 Golden Country Greats (Powder Blue and Help Me Scrap the Mucas Off My Brain) were rendered during their acoustic encore set. The showtime ran up the the three hour mark. Much of the engery of the set was lost during the annoyingly long Pandy Fackler jam, and I felt very confined to my spot in the venue being that we had assigned seats. Another disappointment was the lack of new songs, considering they are in the process of finishing up their new album. But all in do time, and not many bands can hold a candle to Ween's live show. And when they come back to the cities again when the new album is out (which they most certainly will, as they sold out the State) I'm sure it will be at a more appropriate setting and newer songs will become live classics. Long live WEEN!.

Phoenix - 7/24/06 - Fine Line

2006-08-02T10:46:00.000-07:00

A bunch of us scored free tickets to see Phoenix at the Fine Line. While I am not a huge fan of The Fine Line, I am a fan of free tickets to see a fun band. What made the show really enticing is that I had read that The French Kicks were opening, which would have been a really fun double bill. To our disappointment, it was not the French Kicks opening, but The M's. The M's set was fairly short, and frankly fairly uninteresting. Phoenix took the stage after a short set change and opened with the opening track "Napoleon Says" off their new album. While the new album is a slight departure from the slick, dancey jams from their previous two releases, the new songs translated well live. Rollicking tunes like said opening songs, "Consolation Prizes," "Long Distance Call," and Second To None" were peppered throughout the set. Mixed in were fantastic picks from the previous two album such as the smooth "Run Run Run" and "Everything is Everything" from Alphabetical. Highlights on the night included a smashing version of their most rocking song "I'm an Actor" in which their drummer (the French Fabio sporting the flowing locks and poofy shirt buttoned down mid chest) beat his drums like an unwanted step-child. They did not pull any surprises in the encore as they came out with the neo-disco song "Too Young" from debut album United, probably their most popular song. Weird moment of the night was when they played the electronic mashup portion of "Funky Squaredance" from United. I surely recommend seeing Phoenix if you are at all a fan of the album. Very enjoyable live performance.

Fiona Apple and Daimen Rice (Kally posting–not Ryan)

2006-07-17T14:58:00.000-07:00

The curtain has been torn away to reveal the old man with the buttons and cranks. Fiona Apple is not a good and passionate musician. She's an anorexic crackhead that got lucky with an original sound that isn't that original anymore. At one point of the concert, she hid behind the piano. Another time, she was yelling and screaming the words, but not into the mic. Nope, she was throwing that about with her toothpick arms clutching it while hitting herself and slapping her head. The only songs that I enjoyed (I was hoping for O Sailor) were from the Extraoridnary Machine album, which she didn't sing as though reading a cue card.

Damien Rice was sub-par only because he was catering to such a vast audience. when he offered to play his newer songs, everyone yelled "Blower's Daughter" and after a coin flip, it was won in their favor. My friend and I had a chance to talk to him before the concert, but we weren't sure if it was him. Little guy. 5'4" maybe? he was out enjoying a cigarette with the drummer Earl.

Needless to say I will NOT be spending more than $30 on a concert unless guranteed a good time. My best concert ever? $10 Arcade Fire concert, with a Constantines show as a close runner up.

Album Review: Lansing Dreiden - The Dividing Island

2006-06-13T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here we go with the first album review on La Bodega. Lansing-Dreiden's new album, The Dividing Island, focuses on the best aspects of their initial release The Incomplete Triangle. Instead of trying to cover too much ground, they seem to focus more on the upbeat sunny pop from their EP and 80s new-wave sounds from the first album. Look to "A Line You Can Cross" and "Two Extremes" for the new wave influences. "Cement to Stone" and "Our Next Breath" could be included on a soundtrack to your summer with their upbeat, Beach Boys, like sound. The band does somewhat of a 180 on the closer "Dethroning the Optimyth" - an intense closer with a Slayer-like metal guitar riff. The track would not have worked anywhere else on the album aside from the finale. You can consider these guys pretentious if you would like (they do not pulicize any of the names from the band and haven't done any kind of tour even after 2 full albums and 1 ep), but if you look past all that and simply pay attention to the music, you will find something quite ambitious and unique.

My rating - 7.5/10

The Boy Least Likely To - 6/8/06 - Varsity Theater

2006-06-09T07:24:00.000-07:00

I had won tickets to see The Boy Least Likely To thanks to the Onion. Probably not a show I would have paid to see, but being that it was free, and I did not have to get up for work the next morning, and it was at the Varsity Theater (which is becoming my favorite Minneapolis venue) we decided to check it out. Openers The Bicycles played songs in the same vein as TBLLT - playful catchy pop songs. They played for about 25 minutes. One song to remember was called Cuddley Toy. I believe you can DL it from their site. It is worth checking out.

The Boy Least Likely To then took the stage with a surprising large backdrop of the CD cover behind them. They played most everything from their only release "The Best Party Ever." While the show might not have have lived up to the title, it was better than most college parties I attended; they even did a faithful (ahem) cover of Faith by George Michael. They rolled on for about 45 min, and instead of leaving the stage and hope the audience would clap and cheer enough to warrent an encore, they simply stayed and declared the next couple songs to be their encore. I loved this tactic, as it reminded me of a Melvins show I attended in which the band simply stayed motionless on stage for 10 minutes while the crowd yelled for more. Anyway, the played a couple acoustic numbers and ended with the only song they could have, the ridiculously catchy Be Gentle With Me. The song was definitely the highlight of the night as the crowd sung along while bubbles were shot into the air giving the moment an almost euphoric feeling. All in all, it was a fun show and worth the free tickets.

The Walkmen - 6/3/06 - 400 Bar

2006-06-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Seeing anyone of my beloved bands at the 400 Bar (capacity of maybe 200) always excites me. So you can guess how much I was anticipating seeing the Walkmen, fresh of the release of their new album A Hundred Miles Off. Opening were Sybris and The Mazarin. I had not done any research on the first two bands so we were not in a hurry to get to the show. We missed Sybris and got there just in time to see the Mazarin. They were amped up and probably blew a few eardrums in the crowd. Straight up guitar rock/jam reminicent of Built to Spill. All of the vocals were drowned out, but discernable enough to tell the singer was attempting to channel Doug Matsch. After a thankfully brief 8 song set, the band left the stage and made way for the band everyone was there to see. A fairly short set change ensued and then Hamilton and co. took the stage. As I am not yet known on all of the new songs, I wasn't able to point out which songs were which, but they were all recognizable. They opened with All the Hands and the Cook from the new album. Throughout the set, they sprinkled some older favorites in such as Little House of Savages, Wake Up, Thinking of a Dream I Had, and the Freebird of all Walkmen Songs - The Rat. One girl even had the stones to yell out "Play The Rat again!" afterwards. Part of me didn't want them to play it just so the posers would be disappointed. Most of the set consisted of newer songs, however such as Lost in Boston and one of my favorites of the night Louisiana. They guys came back on stage twice for two encores to honor the cheers. We stopped by the merch table afterwards to see two of the members selling their own merch! Very honorable. We asked them about their shortened Lollapalooza set from the previous summer and snagged some stickers and a patch. Great night, great show, and my ears are still ringing!

Welcome

2006-06-04T08:44:00.000-07:00

This blog will be dedicated to reviews of new albums I come across and concerts I have been to. It will be the blog to end all blogs. Tell all your friends!!!