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Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog releases Stranger from captivity [new mp3]

by oz on March 10, 2010

Dr. Dog Cover Art

Dr. Dog are releasing Shame, Shame on April 6th. With the exception of The Drive-By Truckers upcoming release, this is my most anticipated album of 2010. “Stranger” is available below for your downloading pleasure.

Dr. Dog – Stranger

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Top 50 Albums of 2008 [Picks 1-10]

by oz on December 19, 2008

The best part of doing these year end lists is rediscovering every album we loved in 2008. While we chose Blitzen Trapper as the best album of the year, it may as well be a three-way tie. How do you choose between Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Foxes and The Black Keys?

Hopefully y’all liked our choices. I’m always interested in hearing about what we overlooked.  So, what were your favorite albums of the year that we missed?

1. Blitzen Trapper – Furr (our review)

Blitzen Trapper

The cover art is made of wood and that’s what the album gives me. I don’t have enough good things to say. It’s my favorite album of 2008 and “Black River Killer” is my favorite song right now.

Blitzen Trapper – Furr

Blitzen Trapper – Bread for Gold

Video: Blitzen Trapper – Furr (Live on Conan)

2. Black Keys – Attack and Release

Black Keys

After Magic Potion, how do the Akron boys take it to the next level? They let Danger Mouse take over production and add in more instruments like banjos and flutes. The results are wondrous.

Video: The Black Keys – I Got Mine (Live on Letterman)

3. Fleet Foxes – Self Titled (our review)

Fleet Foxes

As stunning a debut as you’ll see in years. Woody saw them at SXSW and said “I thought angels were singing to me.” I called him a pussy at the time, but he’s right. So angelic. To say I am looking forward to their 2nd release is as big of an understatement.

Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why

Video: Fleet Foxes – Tiger Mountain Peasant Song (Live In London)

4. Dr. Dog – Fate

Dr. Dog

Jeff Tweedy loves Dr. Dog and so do we. Production is getting tighter and the songs are taking on bigger, often biblical themes.  See them live to really appreciate the band.

Dr. Dog – The Ark

Dr. Dog – The Old Days

Video: Dr. Dog – Hang On

5. Justin Townes Earle – The Good Life
Justin Townes Earle

Justin Townes Earle is what country music needs right now. If you’ve had enough of the mainstream pop garbage, listen to the music as Hank, Townes, Kris, Willie, Waylon and Johnny intended it to be heard. Justin has a voice and bravado that’s a throwback to country music’s legends.

Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle – Lone Pine Hill (from the HearYa Live Session)

Exclusive: Justin Townes Earle – Who Am I To Say (from the HearYa Live Session)

Hear more from our live session with Justin Townes Earle.

Video: Justin Townes Earle – Lone Pine Hill (Live)

6. Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creations Dark

Drive By Truckers cover art

DBT’s first album without Isbell and, although I miss him dearly, Hood and Cooley show that the show will certainly go on. It’s 19 tracks deep and “Ghost To Most,” “Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife,” and “Daddy Needs a Drink” have all become favorites.  I’m also craving more Shonna Tucker after hearing “I’m Sorry Huston.”

Drive-By Truckers – Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Live)

Drive-By Truckers – Opening Act (Live)

Drive-By Truckers – Ghost To Most (Live)

Video: Drive By Truckers – Ghost To Most

7. Calexico – Carried to Dust (our review)

Calexico

In our review, I compared these guys to the scene in Young Guns when the gang visits the spirit world. Calexico are true musicians that explore new sounds and bend genres. This album comes with some spicy, southwestern flavor.

Calexico – Two Silver Trees

Video: Calexico – Two Silver Trees

8. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

My Morning Jacket

Do I even need to write anything about My Morning Jacket? This would have been higher on the list, but there are one or two tracks on Evil Urges that I can’t even listen to – “Highly Suspicious” is one of them. I still respect the constant experimentation and will remain a captive listener with each release.

My Morning Jacket – I’m Amazed

Video: My Morning Jacket – Librarian (Live)

9. Port O’Brien – All We Could Do Was Sing (our review)

Port O'Brien

Lead singer-songwriter Van Pierszalowski is an Alaska fisherman (think Deadliest Catch) and All I Could Do Was Sing always feels inspired by a bit of cabin fever with soft, sweet, finger-picked tunes like “Fisherman’s Son” offset by extended jams and heavy guitar riffs on “Pigeonhold” and “The Rooftop Song.” Damn good people too.

Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today

Port O’Brien – Close The Lid

Hear more at our live session with Port O’Brien.

Video: Port O’Brien – I Woke Up Today (recorded exclusively for HearYa.com)


Port OBrien I Woke Up Today for Hearya.com – Port OBrien

10. Langhorne Slim – Self Titled (our review)

Langhorne Slim

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.

Langhorne Slim – Rebel Side of Heaven

Exclusive: Langhorne Slim – Collette (from the HearYa Live Session)

Exclusive: Langhorne Slim – Restless (from the HearYa Live Session)

Hear more tracks at our live session with Langhorne Slim and The War Eagles.

Video: Langhorne Slim – Restless (Live on Letterman)

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Shitty Pics: Treasure Island Music Festival 2008

by oz on September 24, 2008

As many of you know, I headed out to The Treasure Island Music Festival on Sunday afternoon with my trusty point and shoot camera in my holster. As you also may know, my pictures are always horrendous but I like to share them anyway.

Port O’Brien and Dr. Dog tied for my favorite performance of the day. Van Pierszalowski played with his usual intensity and while most people talk Port O’Brien’s anthem, “I Woke Up Today,” I found a new favorite. “The Rooftop Song” may be a song that you overlook on their album, but seeing them perform it live is quite an experience.

This is Tokyo Police Club.

This was my first time seeing The Morning Benders and I was really impressed. They played a tight set that included a new track that I can’t recall the name of. I think Chris Chu and the gang will continue to put out great pop music.

It’s hard to take a worse picture than this, until you see my picture of Dr. Dog.  That one is really shitty. I now know what Woody was slurring to me at South By Southwest when he said “the Fleet Foxes sound like angels singing.” Their vocals are stunning.

Okkervil River took the stage and had some technical difficulties starting off. Will Sheff got a little testy and asked for “a real guitar chord” and took a cheap shot at the festival. A few of the people around me that weren’t familiar with Okkervil River were real turned off. Seemed out of character for Sheff, but my man crush remains in tact. There’s a lesson to learn from this, however. If you are a band playing at a festival, don’t assume that everyone in the crowd is there to see you. It’s your opportunity to win new fans, so smile and don’t take yourself too seriously.

Yeah, see what I mean? Those shadow puppets are really Dr. Dog, playing at sunset. You can see San Francisco in the background across the bay and this band was the perfect choice to close the day and start the night. “The Ark” was a crowd favorite.

I don’t know what the hell this is, but it walked by me twice and really freaked me out. It’s mouth is right at wang level, so it made every guy around a wee bit nervous.

I had to leave after Dr. Dog’s set, so I missed The Kills and The Raconteurs, but I walked away from the festival one happy camper.  Other than a great lineup, here are five more reasons why you shouldn’t miss this festival next year…

  1. Before boarding the shuttles from San Francisco to Treasure Island, some hippie chicks were selling pot brownies like it was a lemonade stand. I did not partake, but I’m pretty sure San Francisco is one of the only cities that has no issues with this.
  2. No beer lines. Do I need to continue with the list?
  3. No bathroom lines. The human to port-o-potty ratio was 5 to 1. I was expecting to use Drinking Buddy’s “Peeing at a Rock Show” handbook, volume 1 and volume 2, but it was unnecessary.
  4. Super comfy shuttles.  It was expecting school buses, but they put us up in tour buses.
  5. The setting is about as good as it gets, isolated on a small island across the bay from San Francisco.

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New Video: Dr. Dog – The Ark

by oz on September 19, 2008

I’ve been obsessed with Dr. Dog’s song “The Ark” since the release of their latest album, Fate. The video is not exactly what I was expecting, given all the biblical references in the track. There’s an element of gore, so take caution if you aren’t into the sight of blood dripping from a singing severed head.

I’m really hoping they can pull of this singing head trick on stage at the Treasure Island Music Festival on Sunday.

Do NOT try this at home.

Dr. Dog – The Ark

[youtube]SNP168Rvfh8[/youtube]

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