Hey Hey Melodica: The Sinking Ship & the Landlocked Sailor

l. to. r: Jeffrey Geesa, Nathaniel Sparks, Anthoney Scroggins, David Petrison

Indie from Indianapolis, Indiana. Hey Hey Melodica is built around singer and guitar player Anthoney Scroggins who used to dabble in punk before being immersed in vintage melodic pop music made by The Zombies and the Beach Boys. The Sinking Ship & the Landlocked Sailor is the sophomore release of a group that is exploring well documented folk tunings mashed with bass lines and drum patterns lifted from The Clash (in their quieter moments, that is).

Guitar player David Petrison lays down the tinkling melodies that bring back memories of Elliot Smith and Big Star. Scroggins has retained a rough edge on his vocals from his punk days, singing about loss with barely contained anger and frustration.

Hey Hey Melodica:
Jeffrey Geesa: drums
David Petrison: electric guitar
Nathaniel Sparks: bass
Anthoney Scroggins: vocals, guitar

The Sinking Ship & the Landlocked Sailor is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Song For Stephen
2. Birds in Cages
3. Our Own Quiet Parade
4. Dust/Bones
5. Ladybug

Live dates:

• 10/08 The Melody Inn, Indianapolis
• 10/17 Birdy’s (Broad Ripple Fall Music Fest), Indianapolis
• 11/01 Vollrath (w/ the Cell Phones), Indianapolis

» heyheymelodica.com
» myspace.com/heyheymelodica

Words about music (205): Dave Davies

photo: Matt Gibbons

Working with the Kinks, there always seemed to be some kind of automatic process at work. Ray and I had this telepathy happening for a long time, where one of us always knew what the other could do with something.

Dave Davies

Danny Schmidt: European tour dates

photo: John Grubbs

Austin singer/songwriter Danny Schmidt will be on tour in The Netherlands, Germany and Italy, promoting his Instead The Forest Rose To Sing album.

• 09/30 Transvaria, The Hague, The Netherlands
• 10/01 Theater de Wegwijzer, Joosland, The Netherlands
• 10/02 In the Woods, Lage Vuursche, The Netherlands
• 10/03 Take Root Festival, Groningen, The Netherlands
• 10/04 Music Star, Norderstedt, Germany
• 10/06 La Mela, Ferrara, Italy
• 10/08 Fuzz, Pesaro, Italy
• 10/09 Pegaso, Arcola, Italy
• 10/10 Il Banco, Zoagli, Italy
• 11/11 Birimbo, Brienno, Italy
• 10/12 Meneer Frits, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• 10/13 De Schalm, Westwoud, The Netherlands
• 10/16 Cafe ´t Keerpunt, Spijkerboor, The Netherlands
• 10/18 The Patronaat, Haarlem, The Netherlands

» dannyschmidt.com
» myspace.com/dannyschmidt

HCTF interview with Danny Schmidt and review of Instead The Forest Rose To Sing.

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour: session for "Amsterdam Acoustics"

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour did a session for Amsterdam Acoustics, September 28, 2009, performing Satellite and The Golden Age.

» amsterdamacoustics.com

The band will do another European tour later this year, kicking off with a festival appearance in Luxemburg:

Live dates:

• 11/27 Luxembourg, Rockhal, (Sonic Visions Festival)
• 11/29 Switzerland, Lausanne, Tour aux Docks
• 12/01 Zurich, Switzerland, Abart
• 12/02 Utrecht, The Netherlands, Tivoli
• 12/03 Den Bosch, The Netherlands, W2
• 12/04 Groningen, The Netherlands, Vera
• 12/08 Lille, France, Lille Grande Mix
• 12/09 Toulouse, France, Rex
• 12/10 Paris, France, Trabendo
• 12/11 Strasbourg, France, Laiterie
• 12/13 Cologne, Germany, Gebaude 9
• 12/14 Munich, Germany, Atomic Cafe
• 12/15 Berlin, Germany, Berlin Lido
• 12/16 Hamburg, Germany, Knust
• 12/17 Aarhus, Denmark, Train
• 12/19 Copenhagen, Denmark, Vega

» theasteroidsgalaxytour.com
» myspace.com/theasteroidsgalaxytour

HCTF review of Fruit.

Lions In The Street: Lions In The Street

The Lions In The Street are out of the courtroom and back on track playing good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. Their self-titled full-length is an album that celebrates their regained freedom after the endless hassle with their "label" TVT Records. The Vancouver quartet into Seventies rock - even the stereo mix is old-school, guitars on the left and right, drums on just one mostly.

Keith Richards is obviously a huge influence and the band emulates his gift for simple chord progressions quite admirably. And since Keef is into Chuck Berry, they band comes up with nice hommage (Hey Hey Arlene). With rockers like Walking Back To You, You're Gonna Lose and Shangri-La they will go down well with checkered shirts/ well worn jeans crowd. They can cool down a bit with the gospel-tinged How Could I Be So Blind or the pedal steel of Truer Now. With snippets of harmonica and Nicky Hopkins styled piano flourishes, tasteful female backing vocals Lions In The Street is an album that will do nicely until the long-awaited deluxe edition of Exile on Main St finally surfaces.

Recommended if you like Mick Taylor-era Stones, Rose Hill Drive, and The Steepwater Band.

Lions In The Street:
Chris: guitar, vocals
Sean: guitar
Enzo: bass
Jeff: drums, organ

Lions In The Street is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website. Release date: October 17th.

1. Moving Along
2. Gold Pour Down
3. Already Gone
4. Lady Blue
5. Walking Back To You
6. Hey Hey Arlene
7. Waiting On A Woman
8. All Because Of You
9. You're Gonna Lose
10. How Could I Be So Blind
11. Shangri-La
12. Truer Now

Live dates:

• 10/09 Fernridge Hall, Langley, BC
• 10/17 Media Club (LP release party), Vancouver, BC

» lionsinthestreet.com
» myspace.com/lionsinthestreet

John Cale: "In Conversation" MoMa, NY 10/19

John Cale will be interviewed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. He will be discussing his work for the Venice Biennale.

An Evening in conversation with John Cale Monday, October 19, 7 p.m. For An Evening with John Cale, Cale (Welsh, b. 1942), artist, musician, and [a] founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground, reflects upon the liaison between music and art.

The evening includes a discussion of his recent work, Dyddiau Du (Dark Days) (2009), first presented in the Wales Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which exemplifies the multivalent nature of contemporary media art. Held in conjunction with the MoMA exhibition Looking at Music: Side 2, the event will be moderated by Associate Curator Barbara London. Program approx. 60 min.

» moma.org
» John Cale tour dates

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/26 San Francisco

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Gov't Mule
2009/09/26
The Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA

Disc 1:

1. Intro
2. One Of These Days
3. Fearless
4. Wish You Were Here
5. Thorazine Shuffle
6. Kind Of Bird
7. Frozen Fear
8. Brighter Days
9. Like Flies
10. Don't Let It Bring You Down (w/ Jackie Greene) >

Disc 2:

1. Loser (w/ Jackie Greene)
2. Lola Leave Your Light On
3. Broke Down On The Brazos
4. Inside Outside Woman Blues
5. Any Open Window
6. Drums
7. Empty Pages (w/ Jose Neto)

Disc 3:

1. Wild Horses (w/ Grace Potter)
2. Take Me To The River (w/ Grace Potter)
3. Mule / Who Do You Love / Whole Lotta Love >
4. E (w/ Jackie Greene): Morning Dew
5. Southern Man (w/ Grace Potter)

MP3: Gov't Mule - One Of These Days > Fearless > Wish You Were Here

» Grab your torrent

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/25 Chicago

Mike Gordon
2009/09/25
Park West
Chicago, IL

Disc 1

1. Intro
2. Another Door
3. Walls of Time
4. Spiral
5. Can't Stand Still
6. Time (The Revelator) >
7. The Field
8. Morphing Again >
9. Soul Food Man >

Disc 2

1. Dig Further Down
2. Sugar Shack
3. What Things Seem
4. Sound*
5. Hey Now Baby *
6. 15 Step
7. River Niger
8. Jam > Radar Blip

Disc 3

1. Jam > Traveled Too Far
2. E: Rhymes
3. She Said, She Said

* w/ Ivan Neville on keyboards

» Grab your torrent

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/25 San Francisco

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Gov't Mule
2009/09/25
The Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA

Disc 1:

1. Intro
2. Broke Down On The Brazos
3. Blind Man In The Dark >
4. Trouble Every Day
5. She Said, She Said >
6. Tomorrow Never Knows
7. Painted Silver Light
8. No Need To Suffer
9. I'll Be The One

Disc 2:

1. Don't Let Me Down (w/ Jackie Greene) >
2. Sugaree (w/ Jackie Greene)
3. Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys #
4. Railroad Boy
5. Monday Mourning Madness
6. Forevermore
7. Wandering Child
8. Drums

Disc 3:

1. Devil Likes It Slow
2. I Believe To My Soul
3. I'm A Ram
4. E (w/ Jackie Greene & Dave Schools): Find The Cost Of Freedom >
5. Ohio
6. After Midnight >
7. Get Out My Life Woman*
8. That's What Love Will Make You Do*

# w/ Dave Schools & Eric McFadden
* w/ Eric Krasno & Sam "Chicken Wing" Kininger & Ryan Zoidis

» Grab your torrent

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/26 Madison

Mike Gordon
2009/09/26
Barrymore Theatre
Madison, Wisconsin

Set 1

1. The Beltless Buckler
2. Andelmans' Yard
3. Jaded
4. Willow Tree
5. Only A Dream
6. Pretend
7. Cruel World
8. I'm Deranged
9. Couch Lady

Set 2

1. Suskind Hotel
2. Express Yourself >
3. Intensified
4. Crumblin Bones
5. Cities
6. Voices >
7. Midnight >
8. Voices
9. Sarala
10. Another Door
11. E: Takin' It To The Streets

» Grab your torrent

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/23 Los Angeles

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Govt Mule
2009/09/23
Club Nokia
Los Angeles, CA

Set 1

1. Brand New Angel
2. Streamline Woman
3. Rocking Horse
4. Beautifully Broken
5. The Shape I'm In
6. Broke Down On The Brazos
7. Dirty Work (1)
8. Endless Parade
9. Thorazine Shuffle

Set 2

1. Rooster (2)
2. Hunger Strike (2)> Dear Mr. Fantasy (2)> Hunger Strike
3. Railroad Boy
4. Monday Mourning Madness
5. Sco-Mule (3)
6. Drums
7. 32-20 Blues (4)
8. Smokestack Lightning (4)
9. El 'A' Major jam
10. When The Music's Over
11. E: Mule

(1) with Jeff Young on guitar
(2) with Pete Thorn on guitar
(3) with 19
(4) with Bruce Willis

» Grab your torrent

Darling New Neighbors: Rocket

The Darling New Neighbors from Austin, TX, bring accordion and violin to the self-released indie niche market. Rocket is an album that blows up inside your skull with musical genres jumping over each other, sometimes quite a few times within a single track. They could be the missing link between the Pixies and Belly, but with a classical twist and a penchant for old time dance music.

Founded by Elizabeth Jackson and Amy Moreland in 2004, the Darling New Neighbors went through quite a few drummers, before settling down with the current one, Karl Lundin, who teaches kids how to hit things in a way that makes sense. With Rocket they are ready fo take off - with dreamy vocals (Electolux, Indian Mounds) that can go into trash-talk mode (Take It) and sounds even more all over the place than the original - the cover of the Neil Young classic Only Love Can Break Your Heart.

This album is a serious contender for best lo-fi release of 2009.

Darling New Neighbors:
Elizabeth Jackson: vocals, accordion, violin, bass
Amy Moreland: guitar, vocals, bass
Karl Lundin: drums, vocals

Rocket is a self-released album. Buy it from CDBaby.

Tracks:

1. Lilliput
2. Gasoline
3. Electrolux
4. Tango
5. Stars
6. Take It
7. Sydney
8. Indian Mounds
9. Boys in Cars
10. Pining
11. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
12. Bonus: Boys

Live dates:

• 09/30 The Chain Drive, Austin, TX
• 10/08 Flipnotics, Austin, TX
• 10/23 Lambert's, Austin, TX
• 10/24 Martini Ranch, San Antonio, TX

» darlingnewneighbors.com
» myspace.com/darlingnewneighbors

Morrissey: tour dates, "Swords" B-sides

Morrissey hits the road again. Swords, a compilation of B-sides, will be released in the UK on October 26th and November 3rd in the USA. Comes with a bonus disc featuring eight live performances recorded in Warsaw in July this year.

European tour:

• 10/23 Birmingham, UK @ Symphony Hall
• 10/24 Swindon, UK @ Oasis
• 10/26 Bournemouth, UK @ Opera House
• 10/27 London Royal, UK @ Albert Hall
• 10/29 Leeds, UK @ Academy
• 10/30 Sheffield, UK @ City Hall
• 11/02 Salisbury, UK @ Salisbury City Hall
• 11/03 Brentwood, UK @ Leisure Centre
• 11/05 London, UK @ Alexandra Palace
• 11/07 Liverpool, UK @ Echo Arena
• 11/09 Nijmegen, The Netherlands @ De Vereeniging
• 11/10 Lille, France @ Aeronef
• 11/12 Paris, France @ Le Zenith
• 11/14 Brussels, Belgium @ Forest Club
• 11/16 Berlin, Germany @ Tempodrom
• 11/17 Hamburg, Germany @ CCH
• 11/19 Dusseldorf, Germany @ Philipshalle
• 11/20 Munich, Germany @ Tonhalle
• 11/23 Dublin, Ireland @ National Stadium

USA tour:

• 11/29 Seattle, WA @ Paramount
• 11/30 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
• 12/02 Oakland, CA @ Paramount
• 12/04 Indio, CA @ Fantasy Springs
• 12/05 Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint
• 12/07 Pomona, CA @ Fox Theatre
• 12/08 San Diego, CA @ Copley Symphony Hall
• 12/10 Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
• 12/11 Ventura, CA @ Ventura Theatre

» itsmorrisseysworld.com

Phish: Festival 8 comes with an acoustic set

Phish has announced the schedule for Festival 8 at the Empire Polo Club, Indio, CA. They will don a musical costume for the first time since 1998 and the third day opens with an acoustic set.

FRIDAY (10/30)

• 4:00PM Concert field opens
• 7:30PM Set 1
• 10:00PM Set 2

SATURDAY (10/31)

• 12:00PM Concert field opens
• 3:00PM Set 1
• 7:30PM The Halloween Set
• 10:00PM Set 3

SUNDAY (11/01)

• 10:00AM Concert field opens
• 12:00PM Acoustic Set
• 5:30PM Set 2
• 8:30PM Set 3

» phish.com/festival8

New York Dolls: UK tour dates

photo: Paul Bachmann

The New York Dolls will be on tour in the UK in December, promoting their 'Cause I Sez So album:

• 12/02 Cambridge, The Junction
• 12/03 Bristol, Anson Rooms
• 12/04 London, Kentish Town Forum
• 12/04 Southampton, Talking Heads
• 12/08 Lamington Spa, The Assembly
• 12/09 Liverpool, O2 Academy
• 12/10 Edinburgh, Picture House

The current incarnation of the New York Dolls consists of David Johansen (vocals); Sylvain Sylvain (guitar); Steve Conte (guitar); Brian Delaney (drums); and former Hanoi Rocks bass guitarist Sami Yaffa.

» www.nydolls.org
» Press release

HCTF review of 'Cause I Sez So.

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/20 Anaheim

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Govt Mule
2009/09/20
House of Blues
Anaheim, CA

Set 1

1. Blind Man In The Dark
2. Any Open Window *
3. Game Face
4. Towering Fool
5. Trane > Third Stone From The Sun > Eternity's Breath > St. Stephen jam
6. John The Revelator
7. Effigy > Folsom Prison Blues jam > Effigy
8. Wandering Child

Set 2

1. Broke Down On The Brazos
2. Railroad Boy
3. Monday Mourning Madness
4. Forevermore
5. Drums
6. Time To Confess > Mr. Big
7. I'm A Ram
8. E: Fallen Down > The Other One jam

* first time played

» Grab your torrent

Phish: Clifford Ball DVD Easter Eggs

French Phish blogger Bouncing Around Euroom has discovered Easter egss hidden in The Clifford Ball DVD box set.

In all the videos, the band is in front of Clifford Ball footage and make comments, jokes or laugh at themselves. It's like a multi-angle feature or a video version of the audio commentary you find on many movie DVD.

Exact timings are listed on week4paug.net.

» Bouncing Around Euroom

HCTF review of The Clifford Ball DVD.

John Cale: "Paris 1919" live in Cardiff 11/21, Q&A 11/20

At last an update on the official MySpace page with this teaser:

John Cale performs Paris 1919 Live in its entirety for one very special evening in Cardiff, Wales.

More details here:

Satrurday the 21st of November, John Cale will perform a very special concert at the legendary (and newly reopened) Cardiff Coal Exchange. Backed by his LA based band and a large compliment of musicians, this exclusive concert will see Cale produce a special performance of his most celebrated solo album ‘Paris 1919' in it's entirety. This never seen before performance will be John Cale's only UK date in 2009. Tickets for this concert go on sale from Thursday the 24th of September (see below for outlets).

When Past and Future Collide: John Cale Performs Paris 1919 Live in its Entirety
Saturday 21st November
8.00pm
The Coal Exchange, Cardiff Bay
Tickets: £22.50 (sbf): Ticketline UK Box Office 02920 230130
p4music.co.uk / seetickets.co.uk / hmvtckets.com / ticketlineuk.com

There is more. Discussing Amercian Psycho:

Friday, November 20 at 6pm at Cineworld, Cale will take part in a Q&A to accompany a screening of the cult film American Psycho, starring fellow Welshman Christian Bale, for which he composed the score.

» myspace.com/johncaleofficialsite
» John Cale tour dates
» More about Paris 1919

(Thanks: Ziggy)

Girls In Trouble: Girls In Trouble

There is a lot of sex and violence in the bible. Brooklyn multi-instrumentalist Alicia Jo Rabins, has studied the Torah at length and made them into an concept indie album about called Girls In Trouble. It also became the name of her band.

Life was dangerous for women back in biblical times, with human sacrifices and generals who were not above rape. Alicia Jo Rabins doesn't preach - she tells the stories for the women's point of view. So meet Judith, who cut off Holofernes’ head. Or Miriam who saved Moses, but was struck with leprosy. And then there is the girl who runs to meet her father comping out only to learn that he has taken a vow to take the life of the first living creature he meets.

Holding Masters degrees in Jewish women's studies, and in poetry she knows how to use no-frills lyrics that get stuck inside in the brain. Using folk and modern Americana Girls In Trouble is a compelling album that gets an extra lift through the smart percussion that sounds a bit like Blur in their hey-day.

Girls In Trouble:
Alicia Jo Rabins: vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, violin, viola
Aaron Hartman: upright an electric bass, electric guitar, piano
Jascha Hoffman: organs, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, percussion
Tim Monaghan: drums

Girls In Trouble is released on JDub Records. Release date: October 27th.

Tracks:

1. I Was A Desert
2. Secrets / You're Always Watching
3. Marble Floor
4. Snow / Scorpions And Spiders
5. Hunter / The Bee Lays Her Honey
6. Mountain / When My Father Came Back
7. I Fell Off My Camel
8. Who Sent The Heat?
9. A Lion At Rest
10. Where You Go

» myspace.com/girlsintroublemusic

C-Mon & Kypski: We Are Square

photo: Roel Determeijer

Dutch band C-Mon & Kypski rose from the dance music underground with their album Where the Wild Things Are ... in 2006. The wait for new material is over with We Are Square, an album that sounds tighter and more upbeat - and all four members are taking turns handling the vocals. They haven't quite turned into a pop band yet. Samples collector and turntables wizard Simon Akkermans (C-Mon) is still very much at large and drummer Thomas Elbers (Kypski) jumps at every change to show off his chops.

On We Are Square the band nods to jazz, with guests like Benjamin Herman tenar and alto sax, and rising hiphop orchestra leader Kyteman on trumpet. On previous albums the guests wandered around aimlessly, but now they blend in seamlessly. Best track More Is Less moves from MC toasting to Chuck Berry rock guitar, scratching, garage rock, funk, Philly soul and late night jazz - think Zappa with Napoleon Murphy Brock on vocals.

C-Mon & Kypsk want their audience to dance the night away and they prove that cellos can swing (Ghouls 'n Ghosts). Maybe they can convince stand-up comedian and Sinatra freak Hans Teeuwen to join them on stage for an eerie rendition of Be Here Now. Closing track Revenge Of The Piñatas pulls out all the stops, with a Mexican inspired brass section letting rip and a wild clarinet solo by Janfie van Strien.

C-Mon & Kypski:
Daniel Rose: guitars
Jori Collignon: keyboards
Simon Akkermans: samples, producing
Thomas Elbers: drums, scratches

We Are Square drops on October 23.

Tracks:

1. Turn Of The Tides
2. China
3. More Is Less
4. High On A Wire
5. Travelling Birds
6. Burning Hot
7. Ghouls 'n Ghosts
8. Be Here Now
9. Bomba
10. Revenge Of The Piñatas

Dutch live dates:

• 10/17 De Kelder, Amersfoort
• 10/31 LVC, Leiden
• 11/06 Vera, Groningen
• 11/07 013, Tilburg
• 11/13 Bibelot, Dordrecht
• 11/14 Luxor Live, Arnhem
• 11/21 Bolwerk, Sneek
• 11/27 Paard van Troje (Arms Around You Festival), Den Haag
• 11/28 Atak, Enschede
• 12/04 Mezz, Breda
• 12/11 Heineken Music Hall (w/ Kyteman’s Hip Hop Orkest), Amsterdam

» c-monandkypski.nl
» myspace.com/cmonandkypski

HCTF review of Where The Wild Things Are....

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/18 Jacksonville Beach

Mike Gordon
2009/09/18
Freebird Live
Jacksonville Beach, FL

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Only A Dream
3. Sound
4. Rhymes >
5. Can't Stand Still
6. Andelman's Yard
7. The Grid
8. The Field
9. Soulfood Man

Set 2

1. Intro
2. Suskind Hotel
3. Swamp Music
4. Crumblin' Bones
5. Voices
6. Beneath The Willow Tree
7. Beltless Buckler
8. Another Door >
9. La La La
10. Another Door
11. Encore Break/Crowd
12. Meat

» Grab your torrent

Matt Schofield: UK tour dates (and one in Holland)

UK blues guitarist Matt Schofield will be on tour in the UK. A single date happens in The Netherlands, October 30, sharing the bill (and maybe the stage) with Peter Green.

• 10/14 Bath, Chapel Arts
• 10/15 London, 100 Club
• 10/16 York, Fibbers
• 10/17 Newcastle, The Cluny
• 10/18 Maryport, The Wave
• 10/22 Swindon, Arts Centre
• 10/24 Great Bardfield, High Barn
• 10/30 Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, Boerderij
• 11/05 Swansea, Milkwood Jam
• 11/06 Exeter, The Globe
• 11/07 New Milton, Forest Arts Centre
• 11/08 Cheltenham, Bacon Theatre
• 11/11 Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
• 11/12 Southend, Riga Music Bar
• 11/13 Worcester, Marrs Bar
• 11/14 St. Albans, Maltings Arts Theatre

He will be playing Italy 11/15 - 12/06. Details yet to be finalized.

» mattschofield.com

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/19 Birmingham

Mike Gordon
2009/09/19
WorkPlay Theater
Birmingham, AL

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Andelmans' Yard
3. Sugar Shack
4. Walls Of Time
5. Cruel World
6. Pretend
7. Only A Dream >
8. Soul Food Man
9. Percussion Jam > Vocal Jam >
10. Traveled Too Far

Set 2

1. Intro
2. Time (The Revelator)
3. Dig Further Down
4. Spiral
5. Nobody Home >
6. 15 Steps
7. Voices
8. She Said, She said
9. Crowd
10. Time For Loving Is Now

» Grab your torrent

Phish: The Biography drops 11/23

The publication date of Phish: The Biography by Parke Puterbaugh has been pushed back to November 23rd.

This new date gives Da Capo Books plenty of time to come up with a better cover for the 320 pages of content.

» Da Capo Books

Words about music (204): Greg Allman

I said, other people can write songs, let's see if I can. So the first 400 or 500 wound up on the floor somewhere. Then I wrote one called Melissa.

Greg Allman

The Willowz: Everyone

photo: Faustine Cornette Saint Cyr

LA quartet The Willowz are into fast-paced short rock songs with a hint of soul. Their new album Everyone is - like its predecessor Chautauqua - a barn stormer tearing through ten songs in less than half an hour. They have added a few slower songs in some of their songs like the pseudo lounge ballad No Heroes with soft trumpets adding a layer of gloss on the gritty vocals, but they are cut out for fast paced stuff like Twenty Five and Repetition.

Everyone is a pretty decent 21st century garage rock album. Basic, solid and, most of all, fun.

The Willowz:
Richie James Follin: vocals, guitar
Aric Chirstopher Bohn: guitar, vocals
William-Lewis Mclaren: guitar, vocals
Loren Shane Humphrey: drums

Everyone is released on Dim Mak Records. Release date: November 17.

Tracks:

1. Break Your Back
2. Destruction
3. Repetition
4. I Know
5. Jimmy James
6. Way It Seems
7. Twenty Five
8. You Do
9. No Heroes
10. Everyone

» thewillowz.com
» myspace.com/thewillowz

HCTF review of Chautauqua.

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/17 Reno

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Govt Mule
2009/09/17
Hawkins Amphitheatre
Reno, NV

Set 1

1. Bad Little Doggie
2. Streamline Woman
3. Lay Your Burden Down
4. Slackjaw Jezebel >
5. The Letter
6. Frozen Fear
7. Sco-Mule
8. Larger Than Life >
9. If 6 Was 9 >
10. Larger Than Life
11. Soulshine

Set 2

1. New World Blues
2. Empty Pages
3. Banks Of The Deep End
4. Bad Man Walking
5. Drums
6. Get Behind The Mule
7. Inside Outside Woman Blues >
8. Blind Man In The Dark
9. E (w/ Larry Lester): I Hear Ya Knockin'
10. Smokestack Lightning
11. Sing Me Back Home*

* Warren and Lazy Lester only

» Grab your torrent

Mary Travers: 1936-2009

Mary Travers, best known as the lead singer of folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary, died of complications from leukemia on September 16th at age 72.

Video: Mary Travers - And When I Die

» More

Malcolm Holcombe: For The Mission Baby

photo: Bill Emory

Malcolm Holcombe has one of the roughest voices in music. You can almost smell the nicotine coming out of speakers. For The Mission Baby is the follow-up of his 2007 album Gamblin' House and this time around the upright bass is more prominent in the mix, making his toe-tapping songs like Leonard's Pigpen and title track For The Misssion Baby more powerful.

Holcombe digs deep, coming up with impressive slow songs like Another One Gone and Straight and Tall. For The Mission Baby is an album that urges the listener to take notice of his loved ones.

For The Mission Baby is released on Echo Mountain Records. It will be released in the U.S. on September 29, and in the UK/Europe on October 5.

Tracks:

1. Big Time Blues
2. Hannah's Tradin' Post
3. Leonard's Pigpen
4. You Have It All
5. Short Street Blues
6. A Bigger Plan
7. For The Misssion Baby
8. Another One Gone
9. Doncha Miss That Water
10. Straight and Tall
11. Whenever I Pray
12. Someone Left Behind

» malcolmholcombe.com
» myspace.com/malcolmholcombe

HCTF review of Gamblin' House.

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/17 Atlanta

Mike Gordon
2009/09/17
Variety Playhouse
Atlanta, GA

Set 1

1. Intro
2. Sugar Shack
3. Radar Blip
4. Emotional Railroad
5. What Things Seem
6. Morphing Again
7. River Niger
8. Wave the Ocean
9. Yield Not to Temptation

Set 2

1. Intro
2. Jaded
3. Ain't Love Funny
4. 5 Step >
5. Couch Lady
6. Spiral
7. Nobody Home >
8. I'm Deranged
9. Traveled Too Far
10. crowd/banter
11. E: Dig Futher Down

Yield Not to Temptation with Col. Bruce Hampton on vocals
Nobody Home & I'm Deranged with DG Coker Jr. on saxaphone

» Grab your torrent

Dead Confederate w/ The Meat Puppets: tour dates

Dead Confederate - photo: Pamela

An indie rock double bill. Dead Confederate teams up with the Meat Puppets.

• 09/19 San Francisco, CA - Slim's#
• 09/20 Sebastopol, CA - HopMonk
• 09/22 Portland OR. Wonder Ballroom#
• 09/23 Seattle WA - Chop Suey#
• 09/24 Boise, ID - Grizzly Rose#
• 09/25 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge#
• 09/26 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre Boulder#
• 10/21 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree Café#
• 10/22 Nashville, TN - Exit/In#
• 10/23 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade#
• 10/24 Athens, GA, 40 Watt Club#
• 10/26 Chicago, IL - Double Door*
• 10/27 Toronto, ON - The Mod Club*
• 10/28 MONTREAL, QC - Il Motore*
• 10/29 New York, NY - The Bowery Ballroom*
• 10/30 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Upstairs*
• 11/05 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's
• 11/07 Austin, TX - Fun Fun Fest

# w/ Meat Puppets and Ume
* w/ A Place to Bury Strangers and All The Saints

» deadconfederate.com
» themeatpuppets.com

Lobster Newberg: Actress

photo: markesephotography.com

Lobster Newberg were a promising progressive jam band from Chicago. Were, because they recently announced that they will be on indefinite hiatus. So their album Actress serves a musical last will for now and it makes interesting listening.

Main man Colin Peterik wrote all the songs, except for Leon Russell cover Tight Rope. Percussive keyboard parts drive the songs forward, with drummer Jamie Dull and bass player Corey Kamerman riding shotgun. Phil Miller on guitar can roam free. The core quartet is expanded with hired help, most notably Dave Elson on flute, alto and tenor sax, who can channel Roxy Music's Andy Mackay and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson.

The songs are well structured and over the top sometimes (Stay has an overlong instrumental section that never really comes together), but when the pieces do fit musical magic is lurking around the corner, especially in Bed (vocals catching a good wave to ride with the music) where and Illusion (old school prog with keyboards lifted out of Rod Argent's 101 on effective meandering melodies). The odd one out is the funky rocker Bug City, which sounds like Living Colour outtake.

Lobster Newberg:
Colin Peterik: vocals, keyboards
Jamie Dull: drums, percussion
Phil Miller: guitars
Corey Kamerman: bass

Actress is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

Tracks:

1. Set Your Sails
2. Stay
3. Bug City
4. Lost
5. Wonderful
6. Demian
7. Illusion
8. Bed
9. Tight Rope
10. Silver Cities
11. Have You Ever Been Alone

» lobsternewberg.com
» myspace.com/lobsternewberg

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/14 Raleigh & 2009/09/15 Asheville

Mike Gordon
2009/09/14
Lincoln Theatre
Raleigh, NC

1. Intro
2. Dig Further Down >
3. Sugar Shack
4. Cruel World
5. Foundation
6. Pretend
7. God Put A Smile Upon My Face^ >
8. Nobody Home
9. Get Bassed >
10. Suskind Hotel@
11. River Niger

Disc 2:

1. Intro
2. Couch Lady
3. Meat* >
4. Traveled Too Far
5. E: What Things Seem >
6. Soulfood Man

^ Coldplay cover
@ w/ Sugar Shack teases around 7min mark
* w/ Vocal Jam

» Grab your torrent

Mike Gordon
2009/09/15
The Orange Peel
Asheville, NC

1. Voices
2. Andelmans' Yard
3. Walls Of Time*
4. Can't Stand Still*
5. Spiral
6. Swamp Music
7. The Field
8. Midnight
9. Crumblin Bones
10. Only A Dream
11. E: Things That Make You Go Hmm

* with Jeff Sipe on drums

» Grab your torrent

Erin McKeown: Hundreds of Lions

photo: Michael Weintrob

Erin McKeown (Fredericksburg, VA ) is a singer-songwriter/activist (lobbying for a better energy policy) whose songs are part Suzanne Vega and part Judy Garland. Her new album Hundreds of Lions lacks musical teeth, but her lyrics can hurt and scratch sometimes. She recorded it in a church studio, mainly using acoustic instruments adding some digital beeps and clicks to make it more interesting - but the album had fared better if she had erased all of that.

Santa Cruz is a nice tune to come out the speakers of your car radio, The Foxes has rather good piano-strings interaction and the use of cellos for (Put the Fun Back in the) Funeral was a wise move. Otherwise the album is for hardcore fans who can't get enough of jazzy pop tunes that go nowhere special.

Hundreds of Lions is released on Righteous Babe Records. Release date: October 13th.

Tracks:

1. To A Hammer
2. Santa Cruz
3. You, Sailor
4. The Foxes
5. (Put the Fun Back in the) Funeral
6. The Lions
7. All That Time You Missed
8. The Boats
9. The Rascal
10. 28
11. Seamless

» erinmckeown.com
» myspace.com/erinmckeown

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/13 Portland

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Gov't Mule
2009/09/13
Crystal Ballroom
Portland, OR

Set 1

1. Mr. High & Mighty
2. Brand New Angel
3. Lola Leave Your Light On
4. I Can't Quit You Babe
5. Trouble Every Day
6. Frozen Fear #
7. Lazy
8. Fool's Moon
9. I Think You Know What I Mean >
10. When The Levee Breaks
11. I Think You Know What I Mean

Set 2

1. Dear Prudence
2. Politician
3. Effigy >
4. Hey Joe >
5. Effigy >
6. Folsom Prison Blues Jam >
7. Effigy
8. Painted Silver Light
9. Drums >
10. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
11. Mule >
12. What Is Hip >
13. Mule
14. E: Stay With Me

# 1st time played

» Grab your torrent

The Decemberists: "Here Come The Waves: The Hazards of Love Visualized" 10/19 in LA

photo: Autumn DeWilde

The Decemberists go multimedia with a special show in Los Angeles, playing their album The Hazards of Love in sync with four animations by four different directors:

On October 19, The Decemberists will unveil Here Come The Waves: The Hazards of Love Visualized, a special project that takes their ambitious and acclaimed song cycle to new heights for it’s final American performance at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles. This unique live experience will feature The Decemberists in collaboration with four filmmakers — Guilherme Marcondes, Julia Pott, Peter Sluszka and Santa Maria — each of whom have created animation to accompany a section of the music. Presented in association with Flux, the event will also be a benefit for The GRAMMY Foundation’s Grammy In The Schools music education programs for high school students.

At Royce Hall, The Decemberists will perform the entire piece synchronized with the animation, as well as an additional second set of older and newer material. A limited presale will begin at 10:00am PT on Wednesday, September 16 at decemberists.tickets.musictoday.com. General tickets will go on sale on Friday, September 18.

Live dates:

• 09/18 Orono, Maine, University of Maine #
• 09/19 New York, NY Terminal 5 #
• 09/20 Burlington, VT Flynn Theater #
• 09/21 Montclair, NJ, Wellmont Theater #
• 09/23 Norfolk, VA The Norva #
• 09/24 Charlottesville, VA Charlottesville Pavilion #
• 09/25 Asheville, NC, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium #
• 09/26 Athens, GA The Classic Center #
• 09/27 Nashville, TN, Ryman Auditorium #
• 09/29 St. Augustine, FL, St. Augustine Amphitheater #
• 09/30 Orlando, FL, Hard Rock Live #
• 10/02 Houston, TX House of Blues #
• 10/03 Austin, TX, Austin City Limits Music Festival
• 10/04 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom #
• 10/06 Lexington, KY University of Kentucky, Lexington #
• 10/07 Columbia, MO, Ninth St. Fall Fest #
• 10/08 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre #
• 10/09 Minneapolis, MN, State Theatre #
• 10/18 San Francisco, CA Treasure Island Music Festival
• 10/19 Los Angeles, CA, UCLA Royce Hall
• 11/18 London, UK Forum
• 11/19 London, UK Coronet
• 11/21 The Hague, Netherlands, Crossing Border Festival

# w/ Laura Veirs & the Hall of Flames

» decemberists.com

HCTF review of The Hazards of Love.

Bridge School Benefit 2009 line-up announced

The line-up for the 23rd Annual Bridge School Benefit Concerts has been announced. Sheryl Crow, Fleet Foxes, Jimmy Buffett, Wolfmother, Gavin Rossdale. No Doubt, Chris Martin, The Monsters of Folk, and the event's organizer, Neil Young will play at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA on Saturday, October 24, 2009 – 5:00pm and Sunday, October 25, 2009 – 2:00pm.

Tickets for the 23rd Annual Bridge School Benefit Conerts are on sale Sunday, September 20th at 10am at Livenation.com or charge by phone at (877) 598-6659. Tickets may be purchased at the Shoreline Amphitheatre Box Office between 10am to 2pm on Sundays with no service charge. Advance tickets are $150.00 and $75.00 for reserved seating and $39.50 for general admission plus applicable service charges. Four packs of general admission tickets may be purchased for $99.00. There is a 2 ticket limit for reserved seats and 8 ticket total purchase limit for these shows. There are a limited number of lower level reserved seats available via auction at Livenation.com beginning September 20th at 10am. Proceeds from these auction tickets will benefit the Bridge School.

» bridgeschool.org

Beats Antique: Contraption (EP Vol. 1)

The music of Oakland band Beats Antique could be described as left-field underground dance music featuring brass, dulcimer, utilizing Middle East tempos and a famous belly dancer/composer to fill the spotlights. It's the kind of music that will be playing in the background of avant garde art manifestations, trippy dance fests and of course live on stage at music fests like Burning Man.

But is it any good? The new EP Contraption (Vol. 1) offers seven tracks faeturing the core members Zoe Jakes (belly dancer, composer, and arranger), David Satori (guitar, saz, viola, and percussion), and Sidecar Tommy (keyboards, toy piano, drums, and percussion) and a plethora of guests including Jamie Janover (dulcimer) and the Fanfara Kalashnikov. In the appropiate called track Junktion Beats Antique they keep change musical lanes, Mission starts with a treated strings bit that would fit in a nightmare of Robert Smith. Think flamenco, Balkan beats, dubstep and a dozen other styles mixed into a tasty musical beverage that leaves a lasting impression.

The Contraption (Vol. 1) EP is a self-released album. Buy a digital download from the band's website. A physical CD can be obtained through CD Baby.

Tracks:

1. Oriental Uno (feat. Fanfara Kalashnikov)
2. Louie's Lullaby
3. Junktion
4. She's looking for something (feat. Lynx and Janover)
5. 100 Eyes
6. Mission
7. EXTRA EXTRA

Free Beats Antique!
That's right. HCTF has one physical copy of the Contraption EP and three digital download cards. Want one?

It's gone ...

Live dates:

• 09/17 Yosemite National Park, CA, Symbiosis Gathering
• 09/21 Yosemite National Park, CA, Symbiosis Gathering

» beatsantique.com
» myspace.com/beatsantique

Trey Anastasio and the New York Philharmonic 2009/09/12 reviews and torrent

Big Red in the big hall in the Big Apple.

Trey Anastasio and the New York Philharmonic
2009/09/12
Carnegie Hall
New York, NY

Set 1

1. First Tube
2. The Inlaw Josie Wales
3. Brian and Robert
4. Divided Sky
5. Water In the Sky
6. Pebbles and Marbles
7. Guyute Orchestral

Set 2

1. Time Turns Elastic
2. Let Me Lie
3. You Enjoy Myself
4. E: If I Could

» Hidden Track review
» New York Times Review

» Grab your torrent

Gov't Mule 2009 torrents: 2009/09/09 Salt Lake City & 2009/09/12 Jacksonville

photo: Chris Rushin mule.net

Gov't Mule
2009/09/09
The Depot
Salt Lake City, UT

Set 1

1. Crowd
2. Bad Little Doggie
3. Brand New Angel
4. Lay Your Burden Down
5. Endless Parade
6. Banks Of The Deep End
7. Larger Than Life
8. Birth Of The Mule
9. Empty Pages
10. Don't Step On The Grass Sam

Set 2

1. Wasted Time (Warren solo)
2. When Doves Cry > Beautifully Broken > When Doves Cry > Beautifully Broken
3. Thelonius Beck
4. Wandering Child >
5. Bassendrumz > Matt & Jorgen
6. Drums >
7. Drumznkeys Matt & Danny
8. Child Of The Earth
9. Is It My Body
10. Mule >Superstition >
11. I've Been Workin' > Norwegian Wood tease > Mule
12. (Crowd)
13. E: That's Why I'm Here->
14. Sugaree

» Grab your torrent

Gov't Mule
2009/09/12
Britt Festival
Britt Gardens & Amphitheatre
Jacksonville, OR

Set 1

1. John The Revelator
2. Patchwork Quilt
3. She Said, She Said >
4. Tomorrow Never Knows
5. Beautifully Broken
6. Devil Likes It Slow
7. Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home
8. Gameface Mountain Jam jam
9. Soulshine

Set 2

1. Banks Of The Deep End
2. Slackjaw Jezebel
3. About To Rage
4. Little Wing
5. Drums >
6. Bad Little Doggie
7. How MAny More Years >
8. Wang Dang Doodle >
9. Higher Ground jam >
10. How Many More Years Reprise
11. E: Need Your Love #
12. Almost Cut My Hair #

# w/ Jeff Pevar

» Grab your torrent

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/12 Falls Church

Mike Gordon
2009/09/12
State Theatre
Falls Church, VA

Disc 1:

1. Another Door
2. Andelmans' Yard
3. Emotional Railroad
4. Can't Stand Still
5. Spiral
6. Ain't Wasting Time No More*+ >
7. La La La +
8. Sound

Disc 2:

1. Sarala^ >
2. Couch Lady
3. 15 Steps**
4. Only A Dream
5. E: Sugar Shack
6. Taking It To The Streets***

* Allman Brothers cover
+ Reid Genauer on guitar & vocals
^ Craig Myers original
** Radiohead cover
*** Doobie Brothers cover

» Grab your torrent

Rolling Stones: "Exile on Main St" box set

A deluxe box set of Exile on Main St. is in the works. It will be first ever archival release from the Rolling Stones vaults:

Keith Richards shed some light on the upcoming box set edition of the Rolling Stones 1972 double-album masterpiece Exile On Main Street. The collection -- which has no release date yet -- is the first time the Stones have officially sanctioned an archival release from their vaults. Richards told Rolling Stone that he and Mick Jagger are currently in the studio sifting through the album's numerous outtakes, explaining, "There's new songs on there, stuff we've forgotten about. Mick and I were looking at each other like, 'Ah, did we do that?'"

» Exile on Main St. on Wikipedia

(Thru therockradio.com)

Mike Gordon 2009 torrents: 2009/09/10 Portland & 2009/09/11 Woodstock

Mike Gordon
2009/09/10
Port City Music Hall
Portland, ME

Disc 1:

1. intro
2. Sugar Shack
3. Radar Blip
4. What Things Seem
5. Morphing Again
6. Time For Loving Is Now
7. No One Receiving >
8. Traveled Too Far >
9. Couch Lady
10. band introductions / Mike talking

Disc 2:

1. Emotional Railroad >
2. Traveled Too Far >
3. Meat >
4. Dig Further Down
5. encore break
6. River Niger
7. Voices

» Grab your torrent (16 bit)
» Grab your torrent (24 bit)

Mike Gordon
2009/09/11
Bearsville Theater
Woodstock, NY

Disc 1:

1. Suskind Hotel
2. Walls Of Time
3. percussion jam > jam w. vocal jam >
4. Traveled Too Far
5. Swamp Music

Disc 2:

1. The Field >
2. Another Door >
3. Things That Make You Go Hmm
4. Crumblin Bones
5. percussion jam *
6. Dig Further Down
7. E: Only A Dream >
8. Soulfood Man

* with guest on percussion

» Grab your torrent