Who’s in your fantasy supergroup?
4 Comments Published by Drinking Buddy May 9th, 2008 in MP3's, Music Musings.
When I was a young boy, I came up with a game called “Create Your Own Fantasy Supergroup”. My two friends who liked music and I would sit around discussing who we would hand select to create the ultimate band. You got to choose one from each of the following categories:
• Lead Singer
• Lead Guitar
• Rhythm Guitar
• Bass
• Drums
• Miscellaneous musician - this could be anyone that plays an instrument of any kind, excluding skin flute.
• Miscellaneous performer - this could be any performer you want – they don’t necessarily have to play an instrument.
Feel free to get weird.
For example, it could be M.C. Hammer dancing off to the side of the stage in hammerpants with suspenders over his nipples and his dental hygienist glasses. Or it could be Mario Lopez, playing Greg Lougainis in a made-for-TV movie, emphatically nailing can-opener after can-opener into a small pool just behind the stage. Both are performers. Both are eligible for the supergroup.
Back when I was a youngster, I usually went with the likes of Eddie Vedder, Carter Beauford, and Todd Park Mohr. Today, I’m still a big enough douchebag to think about this sort of thing. Here’s my fantasy supergroup as it stands today:
Band Name: The Cockslingers
Lead Singer: Jim James, My Morning Jacket. The non-sexual man-crush runs deep.
Lead Guitar: M. Ward. I don’t like squealing guitars and 3 minute solos. I do like M. Ward’s playing style. Here’s why.
Rhythm Guitar: Josh Ritter. Couldn’t leave him out of the band.
Bass: Brian Reyes, The Little Ones. The bass player needs to be jolly. Never has there been a jollier guy than this guy. He reminds me of someone whose nickname would be “Buddy” or perhaps “Tippy”.
Drums: Julian Dorio, The Whigs. The first time I saw him play he was wearing all white. He looked like a complete assneck. But he delivered the goods and can shred drums. That was also the day we at HearYa met Shirk and we began our path to fame and golden-fleeced loins of glory.
Miscellaneous musician: Stephen Kellogg on kazoo. If anyone has seen this guy on the kazoo, you know what I’m talking about. Plus, hey man…it’s like, hey man, somebody’s got to draw in the high school babes.
Miscellaneous performer: Jewel yodeling topless.
Who’s in your fantasy supergroup? Comment and win my favor.
Here are some free mp3’s from The Cockslingers:
Jim James – Smokin’ from Shootin’ (live solo from SXSW 2008)
Jim James & M. Ward – Chinese Translation (live from SXSW 2008)
Yukon Records is on fire right now. Flashing Red Lights debut album, Bridges, is one of a few Yukon albums we’ll be featuring on HearYa. Flashing Red Lights hail from LA and are led by Mack Slevin, a guitarist from several other LA bands. Good for him (and us) for stepping out and writing his own tunes.
Bridges jumped out at me because of the complex guitar work, but the banjo, lap steel and hand claps don’t hurt either. Flashing Red Lights serve up jangly guitars and a nice batch of indie-pop tunes that are perfect for your upcoming summer days.
Remember my drunken rant about The Kennedy award show where Hootie & The Blowfish played in tribute to Brian Wilson? It was submitted for a Pulitzer or a Dundie…I can’t remember. The question was posed to me, who would I rather have up on that stage to replace Hootie. I now have my answer. The Explorers Club.
The six-piece out of Charleston recreate the Beach Boys sound so well it’s almost frightening. Many have tried, some have been successful, but nobody has even come close to hitting it on the head like The Explorers Club. The three piece overlapping harmonies effortlessly wash over you from the onset and hook you immediately.
There was a day recently that was 70 and sunny in Chicago (just one, mind you) and I had the sun-roof open, windows down and Freedom Wind blaring. I was sporting my snappy Von Zipper Aviators and I found a little slice of heaven. The Explorers Club made me forget the shit Chicago winter that I just lived through. It snowed the following day. Bastards!
Freedom Wind will leave you smiling from ear to ear. There are no shortage of gems during the span of 35 minutes. A couple of the standouts include the lead track, “Forever,” “Do You Love Me?” that sounds like it penned by Brian Wilson himself, and “Last Kiss & Forever.”
Not too long ago Drinking Buddy wrote about Pete Molinari, wondering if he was the second coming of Bob Dylan. I appreciated the comparison. It seems that Dylan references abound on this site, recently for bands like Leatherbag and The Felice Brothers, but there will never be another Dylan. I’m just not sure if any musician will ever be that prolific again.
There will never be another Dylan just like there’ll never be another Springsteen, but their influence and spirit will live and breathe in other musician storytellers that can pluck a guitar string, blow into a harmonica, and write songs that have something interesting to say. Which brings me to Joe Pug, straight from the loins of Dylan and The Boss (sorry, I just had a baby so now every artist has to be the child of two other male musicians for some reason).
Joe is a Chicago carpenter and songwriter. He just released an EP called Nation of Heat that had an immediate impact on me. Listening to this album is like waking up on Sunday morning, slipping into a tattered pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. The album is a possession that can become your friend. Kind of like Jack Daniels.
I found it hard to make it past the first track, “Hymn 101,” just because it is so damn good. After taking that song off repeat and listening to the rest of Nation of Heat, I knew I’d be addicted. Here I am, almost a week later, and the album has still not left my player. It will be one of the best EP’s of 2008.
Rocco Labriola, formerly pedal steel/lead guitar in the now defunct Cracklin Moth, is playing with Joe Pug so I’d recommend checking them out around the local Chicago circuit.
Joe Pug - Call It What You Will
Joe Pug - “Hymn 101″
Joe Pug - “Speak Plainly Diana”
If you’ve read this blog for any length, you can probably guess that there’s not much music in my library labeled under Electronica/Dance. I’m way more comfortable at a dive bar than a club and I’ll take Johnny Cash over house music any day. Somehow, regardless of the genre that includes the word “electronica,” I’m addicted to The Battle Royale.
When I first listened to the album, it felt like I was struck by lightning. The first half is part electronic and part guitar-driven rock and roll, then halfway through, something strange happens. Wake Up Thunderbabe turns into acoustic indie-pop and they pull it off brilliantly.
This is versatility at its finest. Drive into work listening to the first half of the album with your morning cup of joe, then wind down your day with the second half. Listen to all the mp3’s below and you’ll get my drift - Seriously, don’t let “Racecar” turn you off if it’s not your thing. Just move down to “Let’s Leave” and don’t let the Electronica/Dance label fool you. The Battle Royale can’t be limited to any one genre.
The stuff from HearYa this past week:
The Sword - Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians
Langhorne Slim - Rebel Side of Heaven
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Lone Pine Hill
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Who Am I To Say
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Your Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Turn Out My Lights
Some stuff worthy of discussion, but not discussed yet on HearYa:
Wolf Parade - Call It A Ritual
The Botticellis - Up Against the Glass
Robert Francis - All Of My Trains
Attn. Chicago readers: stay on the lookout for this Lykke Li and Perro Del Mar at Schubas on May 12th.
Indie Artist Lookalikes: Part Two
5 Comments Published by Drinking Buddy May 2nd, 2008 in Music Musings.About a year ago, I wrote a post about indie artists who resembled other famous people. Well I’ve marinated on it for another year, and come up with some more for your viewing pleasure.
Glenn Richards from Augie March and Donal Logue from some TV stuff You’ve all seen Donal Logue somewhere but you can’t remember where. I can’t either. It took me a full 35 minutes just to figure out the name of this jergoff. What kind of self-righteous soft stoolface drops the “d” on Donald?
Singer/songwriter Josh Rouse and Matt Simon from the Real World Hawaii Possibly the greatest season of the Real World ever, Matt was overshadowed by Ruthie’s alcoholism and striking resemblance to Tiger Woods. However, Matt was able to make out with the always-topless Kaia toward the end of the season, which earned my admiration. And he always wore that velvet/terry cloth-blend green shirt, which has to count for something. Ass.
Guitarist Bryce Dessner from The National and artist Frida Kahlo The resemblance in the area between the eyes and forehead is striking, no?
Ex-Drummer Bill Berry from R.E.M. and artist Frida Kahlo I’m on a roll. Bill Berry’s unibrow is slightly more bushy than someone else’s I know. Thankfully, I was able to find an image of Frida Kahlo with a unibrow so bushy, a man with three eyeballs is nesting in it.
Adam Duritz and Sideshow Bob Too easy. Adam Duritz has become a caricature of himself over the last few years. “Round here….yyyyyeeeeaahhhhhhhhhh!”
Brandon Summers from The Helio Sequence and Win Butler from The Arcade Fire. Two great bands, two eerily similar jibs. I think I also see a hint of Kevin Spacey in these guys.
Singer/Songwriter Brett Dennen and Velma from Scooby Doo In case you’re wondering, Brett Dennen is in fact a dude. But I did have to look it up just to make sure. You guys owe me big time for this one. I double dare you to find another blog that can deftly segue into Velma. Blow it out your ass, Pitchfork. Sorry for cursing.
HearYa Live Session 17: Justin Townes Earle
4 Comments Published by Woody May 1st, 2008 in MP3's, HearYa Sessions.
There are certain bands that roll though town and are on my required list: Drive-By Truckers, Lucero, and The Hold Steady, to name a few. No matter what’s going on in my life, I make sure it revolves around those shows. I now have a new addition to my short list and his name is Justin Townes Earle.
I had listened to Justin Townes Earles’s recent debut release, The Good Life, a few times and thought it was spectacular, but in no way did it prepare me for the experience of seeing him perform live. Justin arrived to Shirk’s studio with his good friend Cory Younts, played for a short time, and left me walking out that afternoon absolutely floored. The chemistry between Justin and Cory was magnificent. I joked with Steve Shirk afterwards that I could mix the session and it would still sound magnificent.
The boys laid down four tracks, each one more captivating than the next. The version of “Lone Pine Hill,” however, might just be the finest thing we’ve recorded in any of our live sessions. I don’t know if I blinked while they played it. I went to Schuba’s to catch him that night with The Felice Brothers and in front of a crowd, they were even better. His stage presence is unparalleled and it was easily one of finest performances that I have seen in quite some time.
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Lone Pine Hill
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Who Am I To Say
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Your Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - Turn Out My Lights
From later on that night at Schubas:
Exclusive: The Felice Brothers - Revolver (Live at Schubas)
Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle - The Ghost of Virginia (Live at Schubas)
When I first heard the name Langhorne Slim, I expected a dirty blues sound. Something about that name made me think of the delta blues and I pictured a skinny, old black dude with a howling voice singing songs about being down on his luck after his old lady left him. Langorne Slim may have fallen on a few hard times, but you wouldn’t know it by listening to his newest release on Kemado Records. His songwriting and music find the beauty of day-to-day life and the album is a joyous celebration of life’s ups and downs.
The album starts with “Spinning Compass,” a song that sets the tone for the entire album. It’s about a relationship ending, not mutually or amicably, yet somehow Langhorne Slim’s lyrics about pain and misery are camouflaged in an upbeat song that you’ll sing along to in the car (but not quite get all the words). “Yeah I’ve been miserable, totally invisible, less than hmm hm hmmm, never given all you’ve got, hmm hm hmmm, loved a little lost alot.”
Then “Rebel Side of Heaven” follows and gives all us sinners hope with the anthem chorus, “Although we’ve sinned all our lives, we’re not going to hell. We’re going to the rebel side of heaven.” From there the album rambles on with more American music on songs like “Restless” and “Sometimes.” Slim puts together a string of songs with a potpourri of sound that would smell great if ears could smell. There’s a smattering of soulful blues and a dash of finger-picked twang. You’ll hear guitars, drums, trumpets, keys, the violin, and I’m pretty sure I heard the xylophone a few times. “Collette” is the most stripped down and personal track on the album and it’s my favorite.
What really draws me to Langhorne Slim is his unbridled passion. He’s an artist that pours himself into his music. I don’t know him personally, but I would imagine that songwriting is a contemplative, healing process for him. Several songs start off with themes of sorrow, but there’s always a “but things will get better” transition to hope and optimism, if not explicitly in verse, then in the melodies and instrumentation.
Langhorne Slim’s music will make you feel better. Like on “Diamonds and Gold” when he offers advice: “Toss your misery out the door/ What are you waitin’ for/ You’ve got to learn to get a little happy along the way/ It’s alright to change your style/ It’s alright to smile/ It’s alright to get a little happy along the way.” Now imagine those inspiring words coming from the love child of Cat Stevens and Josh Ritter.
I’m not sure what the rebel side of heaven looks like, but I hope when I’m bellied up to the bar at The Big Guy in the Sky’s Bar and Lounge, that Langhorne strolls up in his fedora so I can buy him cocktail. I hear ice cubes are made of clouds up there.
Langhorne Slim - Rebel Side of Heaven
Langhorne Slim - “Restless” on Letterman
Things have been a little hectic over the past couple days. Mrs. Oz and I were blessed with our first baby on Monday morning. It’s a girl.
Back to scheduled programming shortly.
Wilco - “My Darling”
