I’m in serious mourning here. Somehow, the fact that Howie Day was in Brisbane – or even Australia, for that matter – opening for Whitley completely flew under my radar, and I only found out after it was too late. To put this into perspective, Howie Day is one of my ultimate “hope and pray to see live” musos… and to this date I haven’t managed to accomplish that feat.

My pain is only intensified by the fact that some work colleagues went to see Whitley, and then – get this – DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO GO WATCH THE OPENING ACTS. Sigh. Can you say, “Philistines”? I can.

Howie Day performing live. Sigh… for now I’ll need to content myself with a Live Music Friday.

Howie Day performing “Bunnies” live.

In the last few years, Howie’s moved away from this solo looping and more towards performing with a full band. While it’s an understandable development, I know that many fans hope that one day he returns to his roots full-time.

This performance is from 2001, at a Howie/John Mayer performance at the House of Blues. At times Howie sounds like a younger Mitch Hedberg; considering this was before his trip to rehab, however, this isn’t too surprising. The sound quality on this recording isn’t great; the lows bottom out, and it needs more treble. In addition to that, it includes perhaps the clumsiest outro on “Ghost” to “Beams of Light” that I’ve ever heard Howie perform.

So after all this derision, why am I posting this show, of the many that I have of Howie?

Because it finds Howie at his most passionate. It finds Howie at his most personal. It finds Howie at his most cathartic. Listen to “She Says”, and you’ll know what I mean. But the main reason?

Because it has that song. That moment. The moment when Howie and John get up on stage together. Fans will know which one I’m talking about.
Howie Day and John Mayer performing a killer version of “Sorry, So Sorry”. And while that track seemed to make it’s way around the internet a few years ago, the show in it’s entirety is a bit of a rarity. So I post it here for the true fans, who want to add it to their collection.

I’ve also posted a remastered version of “Sorry, So Sorry” as a separate download, for those who need better sound quality (albeit only slightly).

Oh. And if Howie, or his publicists come across this post, please know that I’m sorry for missing the gig. Now come back to Brisbane soon, ok? I’d pretty much resigned myself to never seeing him play live when I lived in South Africa, and now that I’m in a country that he actually visited and simply didn’t know about the gig… well, it’s killing me. So come back. Seriously.

Listen. Love. Support.

Howie Day, Live at the House of Blues, 22/6/2001

1.) After You
2.) Morning After
3.) Ghost
4.) Buzzing (Africa)
5.) Madrigals
6.) Sorry, So Sorry (with John Mayer)
7.) She Says (One)

Extra:Sorry, So Sorry (with John Mayer) (remastered version)

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So Death Cab for Cutie has finally released the much anticipated, “Narrow Stairs”, which I originally wrote about in my post, “Some Death Cab-related goodness“, and the first thing that I noticed was that I was obviously wrong: the track “Casino Blues” that I mentioned in that post does not appear anywhere on the release, which is disappointing. Damn you, unreliable sources!

Apart from that, however, the album rocks.

Quite aside from the much-touted and much-talked-about 9-minute-mammoth, “I Will Possess Your Heart”, this album is perhaps on of the most complete albums I’ve heard from Death Cab for Cutie. In most previous releases, when you get right down to it, the musicality of the band was overshadowed by Ben Gibbard’s lyrics. Not so with “Narrow Stairs“. With this release, the band as a whole comes across as a far more powerful unit… more muscular, and more a part of the final whole. And that’s a great thing.
While previous Death Cab releases have been filled with Gibbard’s existentialist pessimism, “Narrow Stairs” seems - to me, at least - to be their darkest release, in terms of actual physical and tangible doom. And after re-reading that sentence, I realise I should clarify that that is actually a good thing.

Clocking in at only 44 minutes, the only problem with the album is that it ends far too soon. I found it difficult to know which tracks to post here as a sampler, as - for the most part, apart from a few awkward tracks - the album is full of great tunes. “Your New Twin Sized Bed” and the alt.country style “Cath…” were strong contenders. In the end, however, it was the stunning album opener, “Bixby Canyon Bridge” and the doomed-relationship closing track, “The Ice is Getting Thinner” that won out.

Seriously. Get this album.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Death Cab For Cutie - Bixby Canyon Bridge
Listen: Death Cab For Cutie - The Ice Is Getting Thinner

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Langhorne Slim is an artist who has me excited; the quintessential “everyman” performer, he is a singer who seems to truly embrace his flaws… and then run with them.

Langhorne Slim (photo credit: Crackerfarm)

The 27-year-old Slim, aka Sean Scolnick, is a proponent of that frenetic folk-rock of which I’m such a fan; but he manages to do it with an authenticity that sets him apart from the crowd. The sound in his records is… well, raw, in the best sense of the word, and sometimes so crazed that the imperfections in his voice come cracking through… but you love him all the more for it.

Really, Langhorne Slim mixes folk, blues, and rock in a way that few others can. And while his sophomore self-titled disc - which came out last week - isn’t as raw as his past release, “When the Sun’s Gone Down”, and his “Engine” EP, there’s still enough soul, fire, and warmth in his recordings to pull you in; particularly in the cracked-voice chorus of “Diamonds and Gold”.

“A tough day at the office,
And a worse night at home
Don’t wanna talk about it
Just wanna be left alone”
- Langhorne Slim, “Diamonds and Gold”

Langhorne Slim has also released the gorgeous video to his first single from the album, “Rebel Side of Heaven”, which contains perhaps one of my favourite refrains ever, with the words:

“Although we’ve sinned all our lives, we’re not going to hell.
We’re going to the rebel side of heaven.”
- Langhorne Slim, “The Rebel Side of Heaven”

The video itself is one of the most beautifully-shot music videos I’ve ever seen, with rich vibrant colours and stark shadows. I’ve included it below for you visual pleasure.

Ultimately, I suppose what truly draws me in to Langhorne’s music is his unbridled passion. I hope it does the same for you.

I really couldn’t decide on which tracks to include below, so I thought I would include one from each of his last three releases. The first is the stunning track, “In the Midnight“, from the aforementioned release, “When The Sun’s Gone Down“, which displays his bluegrass influences and contains an awesome banjo accompaniment. The second is his track, “Restless“, which originally appeared on his “Engine” EP, but has gained a new life as a re-release on the new self-titled release; and finally, “Diamonds and Gold“, from that self-titled release.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Langhorne Slim - In The Midnight
Listen: Langhorne Slim - Restless
Listen: Langhorne Slim - Diamonds and Gold

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Just so that everyone knows, my iPod has officially given up the ghost, completely and utterly without warning. With most of my music on there, this is severely going to impact posting, and - quite frankly, more importantly - completely bums me out. Anyone want to start a “donate to help Matthew buy another iPod as he’s already in mountains of debt” fund? Oh wait, I already did… a shameless cry for help, yes, I know, but a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do…

Help a brother out, and keep the tunes flowing, would you? Click the donate button to help sponsor through Paypal. Every cent helps…

Anyway. Welcome back to another Live Music Friday. For today’s post, I thought I’d fall back on the always sublime Ryan Adams and the Cardinals.

Last year, in 2007, I was finally lucky enough to see Ryan Adams & The Cardinals perform live at The Tivoli, in Brisbane… and it was everything I had hoped it would be. The band are unbelievably tight, and despite Ryan’s well-known cantakerous exterior, he really does have this magical ability to pull you right into the song, taking you along to ride the melody and lyrics beside him.

This set is also from 2007, from a performance on the always wonderful NPR’s World Cafe (which also gave us the wonderful Counting Crows performance featured here).

The show finds Ryan at his sardonic best, with sarcastic observations peppered between the songs.
If nothing else, make sure that you listen to the tracks “I Taught Myself To Grow Old”, with Ryan’s voice soaring at it’s heart-breaking best, and a lovely slower version of the normally manic “Let It Ride”. While it’s a short set-list, and lacks for the regular “Magnolia Mountain” and “Wildflowers”, it’s a powerful set nonetheless. And don’t worry… I have a much longer Ryan Adams show that I’m sure I’ll post in the future, with a 10 minute version of “Magnolia Mountain”, so no fear there.
Something about this show, however, just connects with me. It’s a Ryan Adams quality - and a very distinctive one at that - that when I hear him live, it hits me like a shovel to the chest. It’s a very personal connection, and one that no other artist has managed to come close to, for me at least (save for Alex Dezen of The Damnwells, who is nipping at Ryan’s heels for my adulation).

I suppose that that was really a long-winded way of saying: “Ryan’s music makes my world a better place. It describes that bit that is simply out of the reach of words“. And while that’s a terribly trite comment to read on a music blog, it’s true nonetheless.

I hope it does the same for you.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, Live on World Cafe, 15 June 2007

1.) Introduction
2.) Two
3.) I Taught Myself To Grow Old
4.) Winding Wheel
5.) I See Monsters
6.) Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard
7.) Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
8.) Nightbirds
9.) Let It Ride
10.) Blue Hotel

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Continuing my recent love affair with Scottish musicians, today’s post deals with the, quite frankly, brilliant band from Glasgow, Frightened Rabbit.

Frightened Rabbit have released their new album, “The Midnight Organ Fight”.

Yesterday I finally recieved my copy of Frightened Rabbit’s new album, “The Midnight Organ Fight“, following a month of extreme expectation after I was exposed to their single “The Modern Leper” at the beginning of April. While that song raised my hopes somewhat, it in no way prepared me for the perfection that is “The Midnight Organ Fight”. This is an album that almost never puts a foot wrong, and is easily a contender for my “top albums of 2008″ list.

There’s a sincerity to lead singer/songwriter Scott Hutchison’s lyrics that immediately draws you in; it’s like a stream of consciousness of poignant observations… in fact, I’ve heard his lyrics described as “all the stuff you wish you’d said at the time of the break up but were too drunk/tired/dumbstruck/sad to sputter“, and I couldn’t put it better myself.

I might not want you back, but I want to kill him […]
I’m still in love with you and can’t admit it yet.
- Frightened Rabbit, “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms”

All of this is delivered in Hutchinson’s charming Scottish brogue - sometimes seemingly in direct contrast to his subject matter - and jangly, mixed guitars that only serve to heighten the urgency and immediacy of the emotions that lie just below the surface.

It’s beautiful, desperate, angry, and so damn tight, that I’m amazed this is only the band’s sophmore release. Put simply, Frightened Rabbit are everything that I got into this gig for.

Below, I’ve included the video for their first single, “Head Rolls Off“, and then two tracks off the new album; the aforementioned “Head Rolls Off”, and the heart-breaking “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms“.
Do yourself a favour, and get this album. Seriously.

Listen: Frightened Rabbit - Head Rolls Off
Listen: Frightened Rabbit - Good Arms vs. Bad Arms

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Yes, you read that right. Malcolm Middleton is easily my favourite Scotsman, and that’s saying something. While still predominantly known for his work with the - albeit, brilliant - Arab Strap, his solo output since leaving that outfit has been, in my opinion, nothing short of consistent excellence.

Malcolm Middleton has just released his new EP, “Sleight of Heart”

So it was with not much surprise that I found myself spinning his new EP, “Sleight of Heart“, pretty much non-stop over the last week. In short, it’s everything I would expect from the Scottish singer: a passionate, cathartic affair, that teeters on the edge of depression; yet one that - somehow - manages to inject enough humour, wit and optimism into the otherwise dark experience that you come out feeling… well… almost hopeful.

If you’re a fan of Malcolm’s 2007 release, “A Brighter Beat“, then you’ll definitely want to get your hands on a copy of this EP, as it’s predominantly comprised on tunes that were penned during the recording of that album. Throw in some eclectic cover tunes to that mix, and you’re in for a great aural experience.
I’ve included two songs below for you to get a taste. The first, “Blue Plastic Bags” is a track off the new EP, “Sleight of Heart”, and is a perfect example of Middleton’s skill in bringing a sad plight to our attention - in this case, a rampant and out of control British drinking culture - and injecting it with hope. While the song itself is full of longing, despair and confusion, Middleton is sure to couple that with a somewhat life-affirming refrain:

… and that refrain somehow reassures us that we’re not alone. And that’s an impressive feat.

The second tune is the title track off his previous release, “A Brighter Beat“, and is, really, a song of seeming contradicitions. The fast-paced, powerful melody seems to be in direct opposition to the actual story of the song; that of depression, and it’s ability to paralyze people. In one particularly expressive verse, Middleton sings:

Yet, again, Middleton brings the song back from the brink. Anyone can write a song about depression; but it’s Middleton’s ability to full a song about depression with redemptive moments that makes him truly stand out above the crowd.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Malcolm Middleton - Blue Plastic Bags
Listen: Malcolm Middleton - A Brighter Beat

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Wow. It’s been a busy few days, which means that I haven’t been able to get onto the blog much lately, so I apologise for not replying to comments here and there. Unfortunately it’s going to be just as busy a week this week, with another trip down to Sydney in the works. This time however, it’s not work-related; I’m heading down there to attend a lecture by Neil Gaiman… can you say “excited”? I certainly can.

However, not to worry; I have some posts set up to publish while I’m away, so they should hopefully tide you over for a while.

In the meantime, I thought I would drop a quick post today, discussing The New Frontiers.

The New Frontiers (image credit: Gabriel Hernandez)

I first heard The New Frontiers when I was exposed to their song, “Black Lungs“, a while ago… however, for whatever reason it languished in my “possible blog material” playlist for months, until now. I’m really not sure why I didn’t post the tune back then, as it really is a cracking song. It’s fitting that I post it now, however, as The New Frontiers have just released their debut album, Mending, this week.

The New Frontiers have been drawing comparisons from music bloggers to Wilco and Ryan Adams left and right, wherever you look. And, while I think these comparisons are somewhat overstated, you can certainly pick up those influences in their music. To that mix, however, I would add a healthy dose of The Alternate Routes… personally, I feel that would be a more accurate parallel, if you’re one of those people who demands their new music is compared to something.

The plain fact is that “Mending” is, in it’s entirety, one of the most promising albums I’ve heard from the alt.country stable thus far in 2008. There’s an integrity to these songs that eschews the pretentitiousness that the oh-so-hip alt.country sometimes spawns. And that’s a great thing.

I’ve included two songs below, the sparse “The Day You Fell Apart”, with it’s beautiful velvet vocals, and then the aforementioned “Black Lungs”; a meatier song, but one that still conveys the emotive quality of lead singer Nathan Pettijohn’s voice.
Apart from those, however, I would suggest heading across to their myspace page, as there are several links there that point towards sites where you can stream the entire “Mending” album.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: The New Frontiers - The Day You Fell Apart
Listen: The New Frontiers - Black Lungs

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Time for another Live Music Friday! Following on from our Alex & Angela Dezen post here, and The National Black Sessions post here, today we’ll be following up with a Bob Schneider show from 2002.

Bob Schneider, live at Antones, 2002

Bob Schneider… always an electrifying live show…

Bob Schneider is, quite possibly, one of my favourite singer-songwriters of the last decade. The man’s writing is… prolific, to say the least. In fact, I recall reading an interview with him once, where the interviewer asked him how it was possible to produce - consistently - so many hit tunes. To which Bob replied something to the effect that, if you’re in the habit of writing at least two songs a day, every day, you’re bound to strike it lucky occasionally.
While that answer is typical of Schneider, trying to shrug off the accolades with an easy smile, it really is needless modesty that underplays the brilliance of Schneider’s poetic, hauntingly beautiful songs. He truly is - in my eyes, at least - nothing less than a lyrical genius.

Anyone who has heard more than one song of his will be impressed with his versatility; some songs are witty, whimsical and naughty; stuffed with double-entendres and straight-forward raunchiness… most often these are the songs that come about as a result of his playing with his sometime band, “The Scabs”.
Other times, the songs are remorseful; chilling; unsettling; winsome and things of pure, unsullied beauty. It’s when Bob enters his more contemplative mode that he truly shines, for me. Really, it’s perfection.

This set, a show from December of 2002 at Antone’s in Schneider’s hometown of Austin, Texas, is perhaps one of my favourites of the many live shows I have of his. There’s a nice interplay between the flippant songs, and the more serious fare that makes for a nice entry point to Bob’s music. And the fact that he’s playing with long-time collaborator, Mitch Watkins, only sweetens the deal. It’s a long set, at 33 songs, so make sure you’re comfortable.

If nothing else, please make sure you listen to the track “Queen UK”. Please. As someone who used to play in a band, it breaks my heart every time I hear it.

The only thing that could have made the set better, for me? Including “King of the World”, “Tokyo” or “Gold in the Sunset” in the setlist. Still, you can’t have everything I suppose…

Listen. Love. Support.

Bob Schneider & Mitch Watkins, Live at Antone’s, 7 December 2002

1.) Intro
2.) Horses and Ponies
3.) Blood
4.) Round and Round
5.) Queen UK
6.) Down The Dark Stairs
7.) Cornflakes and Sodium Pentathol
8.) Pencil Me In
9.) Somewhere Over The Rainbow
10.) Spacesuit
11.) Captain Kirk
12.) The Other Side
13.) “Booger”
14.) Devil Was My Only Son
15.) Jingy
16.) Metal and Steel
17.) Cashville, TN
18.) Let It Go
19.) Losing You
20.) “One in ten chance”
21.) Batman
22.) Big Blue Sea
23.) Honeybomb
24.) 2002
25.) Sideshow Tornado
26.) All I Want For Christmas Is My Methadone
27.) Montana
28.) World Exploded Into Love
29.) Good Life
30.) If I Only Had A Brain
31.) Jimmy The Trucker
32.) Spend Some Time
33.) C’mon Baby

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Coldplay have just released their new single, Violet Hill as a free download

This is a very short post… more a heads up really… but if there are any Coldplay fans amongst my readers, the band yesterday released their new single, “Violet Hill”, from their upcoming album “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends“, which is due out June 12.

To download the single, head to their site here, and follow the instructions.

I’m not going to comment to much on the song itself yet, because, frankly, it’s still too early. I will say for now that Chris Martin still has that quality in his voice that can pull a listener in; but it just doesn’t hit me quite where it should.
Still… I’ve been wrong before. Time will tell.

****

Edit: I’ve just noticed that addictedtovinyl covered this story yesterday, and is offering up the mp3 for those who have trouble connecting to the official site.

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Romantica

Knowing my passion for Ryan Adams, a post featuring these guys shouldn’t come as a surprise. After Romantica’s “America” album was featured on Paste Magazine’s “Top 100 Albums of 2007″, comparisons began popping up between Romantica’s singer/songwriter Ben Kyle, and both Ryan Adams and Jeff Tweedy just about everywhere… heady company indeed.

When I first heard those comparisons, I was intrigued to say the least. After all, Adams and Tweedy are two of my favourite artists. But, more interestingly, both were known for playing in the alt.country/Americana style… and I knew that Ben Kyle was an Irish boy, and I wondered whether he would be able to bring that authenticity to the Americana style.
I shouldn’t have doubted it for a second.

Ben Kyle has said of the band’s style that:

It’s really hard to be objective about your own sound, particularly when you’re trying to sound subjective, but if if I had to label what we do… I’d probably call it “Irish Americana Pop.” Some of the artists I’ve listened to a lot on the American side are Gram Parsons, Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown, The Jayhawks, Wilco, Springsteen, and Dylan. And on the Irish/Brit side, Van Morrison, The Waterboys, Nick Drake, Belle and Sebastian and a lot of Irish folk. I think you can definitely hear some of these footprints, and we definitely take more of traditionalist approach.

And I can certainly hear pretty much all those influences in there. Although if I had to say what it immediately recalls for me, I’d probably say a delightful mix of Ryan Adams, Wilco, Del Amitri and some Gin Blossoms thrown in there for good measure. In fact, I can even hear some hints of The Damnwells in there, particularly in the opening chords of their tune, “Queen of Hearts”. In other words, it’s simply heaven.

The songs I’ve included below all come from “America” album - except for the bonus goodness of Ben Kyle and Ryan Adams performing together on one of Ben’s songs. Do yourself a favour, and check out the album now.

Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: Romantica - Ixcatan
Listen: Romantica - Queen of Hearts
Listen: Romantica - Drink The Night Away

Bonus Goodness:

Listen: Ben Kyle & Ryan Adams - The Dark (live)

(Aside: I have to pop down to Sydney tomorrow for work requirements, and will be there until next week, so I might not be able to pop onto the blog much. I’ve post-dated a post to appear on Live Music Friday, so hopefully that will appear without a hitch…)

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