David Ford is a One-Man-Band

David Ford used to front a British indie-rock band called Easyworld. They split up in 2004. If you've seen his live, one-take video performance of the first single "Go to Hell" off of his latest solo LP, you may rightly conclude that the guy never really needed a backing band to begin with. In the clip, he plays every instrument (including the knife-and-fork and the sugar shaker), looping and layering each sonic riff on top of one another until the whole thing snowballs into a rich, robust rock song. The song itself is good and the performance is even more impressive. Check it out.

New Tunes from The Hold Steady

It's safe to assume that The Hold Steady's gritty, Springsteen-esque breakout 2006 record Boys and Girls in America quickly became the soundtrack to many a-summer barbecue. Now, the Minneappolis via NYC band is looking to build on their burgeoning indie cred with a more tuneful collection. The new album Stay Positive, slated to drop on July 15th, features additional instrumentation (mandolin and talk-box), and frontman Craig Finn even went as far as to take singing lessons in preparation for album sessions. Appropriately, I've heard nothing but good things thus far regarding Stay Positive, and the tracks that I've listened to personally sound particularly focused.

Slapped Actress

Sequestered in Memphis

My Morning Jacket Test Sonic Boundaries (And Get Nifty New Haircuts Too!)

If you're a My Morning Jacket fan, none of this information is probably news to you. Nonetheless, I'll humor myself by announcing MMJ finally officially released their long-awaited follow-up to Z on Tuesday. And though the band continues to broaden its musical palate, building on Z's experimentation with studio effects, Evil Urges ultimately takes several steps in rather curious directions. That is not at all to say that the results are bad, just a wee bit unexpected. Some of the new songs ("Highly Suspicious" being the most obvious culprit) are bound to alienate a number of southern-rock and jam-band fans who got on board with albums like At Dawn and It Still Moves, the latter of which is distinct for being drenched in reverb and having been recorded in a corn silo. The point is that there are is very little reverb, probably no corn silo consideration, and basically nothing outside of genuine musical ingenuity tying Evil Urges to any MMJ albums prior to Z. Hell, the guys even got fresh haircuts for the album artwork, and I gotta say that Jim James cleans up nice for a guy that was once the spitting image of Cousin It from the Addams Family (don't believe me, check him out on Conan O' Brien a few years back). With all that said, the bottom line is that if you're willing to be open-minded and take a chance on a great band with a newly embraced penchant for genre-bending, than you probably won't be disappointed with the new album. And while Evil Urges is not quite as accessible as Z, you have to respect a so-called "southern-rock" band that has the guff to intermittently indulge itself in Prince-like falsetto cooing and futuristic prog-rock electronic freak-outs.

For a taste of the new record, check out a few of my choice cuts below:

Look at You

Aluminum Park

Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2

A Belated Best-Of-2007

2007, we hardly knew ye. Nonetheless, I had initially resisted posting any kind of cliche end-of-the-year review, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt a bit derelict in my duties as a blogger for not putting together some sort of 2007 retrospective. So below is a list of the top five albums I was high on in '07. Needless to say, they are all very much recommended.

#1) The Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
There was certainly no sophomore slump for this artsy collective of Canadian indie-rockers. The Arcade Fire rocked through their second album with the same strange energy and velvety pathos as the first, this time with a hint of Springsteen in the mix. Watch out Levon Helm, a few more albums like this and these guys just might end up being the best band to ever come out of Canada.

The Arcade Fire - Intervention

#2) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Ridiculous album name aside, the Austin-based Spoon ooze with cool on their sixth studio LP. Mixing their trademark classic rock appeal with a bit more soul influence, Spoon tie this album together seamlessly, showcasing Brit Daniels as one of the premiere frontmen in rock music today. Oh yeah, and the songs are all catchy as Hell, too.

Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb

#3) Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
Sky Blue Sky is the follow-up effort to 2004's A Ghost is Born, an album which championed a combination of oddly quiet, yet guitar-centric, rock. Even though Sky Blue Sky arguably features that exact same blend, the results seem universally more welcomed this time around. Perhaps it's because the music doesn't pussyfoot around its own mellow vibe, or perhaps its the addition of stellar axeman Nels Cline, who leads the band to new levels of instrumental virtuosity on songs like "Impossible Germany" and "Walken."

Wilco - Hate it Here

Kanye West - Graduation
It should be noted that this album can't touch the freshness and originality of his West's first two LP's. Nonetheless, you have to give a brotha' props for creativity when he decides to rap over a Steely Dan or Daft Punk sample. That kind of thinking-outside-the-box has always been Kanye's M.O. Smoking 50 Cent in that semi-ridiculous publicity stunt is just another feather in his Luis Vuitton cap.

Kanye West - Homecoming (featuring Chris Martin)

The National - Boxer
For those of you that purchased The National's previous effort Alligator, much dap to you. For the rest of us, Boxer proved to be one of the major breakout albums of the year. Frontman Matt Berninger's crooning sounds so cool that the lyrics don't even matter. Combine that dynamic with steady, inventive instrumentation, with drummer Bryan Devendorf providing a more than solid backbone, and you've got a pretty kick-ass sound.

The National - Start a War

The Final Re-Up is Here

The fifth and final season of HBO's The Wire premiered this past Sunday night. In case you missed it, chronologically the show picks up about a year down the road from where Season Four left off. During that time, Carver has been promoted, Herc has been jilted from the force, Carcetti began severe city-wide budget cut-backs, and McNulty relapsed into some old habits. Political and social conflict will no doubt ensue. One other thing that's new, as always, is the show's theme song "Down in the Hole," this time performed by Steve Earle (posted below courtesy of The Leather Canary), who also has a recurring role on the show.
If you don't have HBO, I suggest you subscribe for at least the next nine weeks or so. Otherwise you'll risk missing out on the last season of the best show on TV, a statement that possesses a lot of added value considering the crap networks have been rolling out since the writers' strike set in. For an interesting discussion of the philosophical rhetoric of the series and its creator David Simon, check out this piece by Matthew Yglesias of The Atlantic.

Steve Earle - Down in the Whole

Today's Local Pick: George Stanford

Philly band Townhall's frontman, George Stanford, recently released his own solo EP. The collection's lead-off track, "My Own Worst Enemy," is a Marc Cohn-esque piano ballad with a catchy-ass cyclical refrain that builds upon itself as the song goes on. Check it out.

George Stanford - My Own Worst Enemy

The Wu is Back

I caught hip-hop's deepest posse this past summer at the Virgin Festival at Pimlico Racecourse, where the Staten Island crew tore through what might well have been the most enthralling set of a primarily indie-rock-centric weekend. Since then, I've been eagerly anticipating the release of their latest studio effort 8 Diagram. Several weeks ago I heard a leaked version of new tune "The Heart Gently Weeps" and it was obvious Wu-Tang Clan was back with a serious vengeance. Now that the album is in stores, you can check out the official version of the song below. In case you're unaware, it's a unique hybrid of the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" beneath the Clan's gritty trademark verses, featuring moral support from Dhani Harrison (former Beatle, and writer of the original version, George Harrison's son), guitar work from Chili Pepper guitar whiz John Frusciante, and R&B chanteuse Eryka Badu supplying the hook. Besides the track being flat-out great, it's also proof that their are still hip-hop artists that aren't content simply trying to pimp ring-tones.

Wu-Tang Clan - The Heart Gently Weeps (feat. Dhani Harrison, John Frusciante, & Eryka Badu)

The Boss is Back

Bruce Springsteen hasn't released a studio album in five years, during which time it became en vogue in the independent rock realm to cop the Boss' sound. Mix in a glockenspiel-and-piano run here or a lyric about a tragic, working-class anti-hero there and you've got yourself a song. It seemed everybody from The Killers to the Hold Steady and Josh Ritter to Tom Morello have been drinking the E Street cool-aid over the past few years. That being the case, it's about time Bruce came out with some new material of his own (I don't count last year's Seeger Sessions as new material since it was a collection of old-timey folk tunes that are older than your mom...well maybe not your mom, she's pretty old). Also, with all of that in mind, I'll give the guy a break if his new single "Radio Nowhere" sounds a tad similar to Tommy Tutone's "Jenny," after all Bruce has just a little bit more cred than Tutone, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. The new album Magic is slated to drop October 2. Check out the new single posted below.

Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere [mp3]

New Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter has a new album titled The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, and while that's a bold moniker for an album which stands as a stepping stone for an artist still attempting to establish himself as a fixture in the music biz, from what I've heard, the material seems to live up to the lofty billing. Case and point, the collection's lead-off track, "To the Dogs or Whoever," just might be the most dynamic tune Ritter has penned. It's got a Dylanesque quality without sounding overly devotional. Oh yeah and it's catchy as hell too. Check it.

Josh Ritter - To the Dogs or Whoever [mp3]

M.I.A. and the Future of Music

I'd be lying if I acted like a hardcore M.I.A. fan, although I have no doubts that they're out there. I had never really heard too much of her music, although I had read about her pretty regularly, whether it be critics raving about her unique take on hip-hop or various entertainment writers reporting on her legal situation in the US as a result of an apparent speculated tie to foreign terrorists. Regardless, it was all very, very intriguing, and so when I read the review of her new album Kala in Rolling Stone and saw her tracks posted all over everyone's blogs, I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. Now that I have, I'd still be lying if I acted like I was a major fan, but after hearing just a handful of songs, I'll readily admit that there is certainly potential room for growth in that area. Like most of the reviews I've read have stated, the material on Kala doesn't really compare to anything else that comes immediately to mind, at least not directly. It's more like a mashing together of many different styles and influences, but don't be mistaken, she's no Gwen Stefani knock-off. And whether you like the music or not, I believe one thing is for sure: the music crosscuts so many conventions that it has to be important. It blurs the generic lines of pop, hip-hop, and rock, as well as gender and national boundaries (she's from Bangladesh) to become something bigger than itself. It may not be the most popular music in America right now, or even the world at large, but it just might be the most evident prototype for the future of popular music. And don't forget, you heard that hear first.

M.I.A. - Paper Planes [mp3]

M.I.A. - Hit That [mp3]

Modest Mouse Rock the Landing

So I finally got around to seeing Modest Mouse last night, after missing out on a sell-out show during their first go-round in Philly this summer, and then missing them again at the Virgin Festival earlier in the month because they were up against the Police in a scheduling set-up that even the NBA playoffs would be ashamed of. Nonetheless, karma was on my side as I was passed along a pair of free tickets to last nights show at Penn's Landing, and even though it rained the entire time, the band sounded utterly cohesive as I found myself grooving to songs the studio versions of which I was never really in love with in the first place. For instance, I had heard the album version of "Bukowski" so many times on my ipod that I'd at times come close to imagining myself pulling a John Belushi on Isaac Brock's banjo. However, last night, that song was definitely one of the highlights for me. As was "The View," "Dashboard," and "Black Cadillacs," among others, and although there seemed to be a noticeable contrast between much of the newer material and the more vintage M.M. songs in terms of energy and crowd connection, one can usually expect that when a band is still figuring out how to translate studio tunes into more organic, live exercises. That kind of thing often comes with time and repetition. Irregardless, the set they put on was very impressive, and they certainly didn't let down their fans who endured more that a little precipitation in order to get their musical fix for the evening. If you're a novice in the Modest Mouse camp, I've posted a couple of my favorite cuts just for the hell of it. Cheers.

Modest Mouse - Paper Thin Walls [mp3]

Modest Mouse - The View [mp3]

Dylan Remixed

Everybody knows Mark Ronson is on fire. He's produced two of the year's hottest albums in Lily Allen's Alright, Still and Amy Winehouse's Back to Black. He even released a very well-regarded LP under his own moniker called Version with vocal assistance from some of the hottest names in the music biz. You know when a DJ/producer releases his own album and it takes off, he's managed to catch lightning in a bottle. Now Columbia Records has asked him to create what is apparently the first official Bob Dylan remix. Why not ask him to repaint the Mona Lisa while he's at it? After combing through the hundreds of songs in Dylan's more than ample catalogue, Ronson arrived at "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)," a track from 1966's Blonde on Blonde, which is just about the best album ever. The results are acceptable, though not overwhelming. Ronson's affinity for beefed-up horns is evident in his engineering, and it works to a degree, but gone is the core of what Dylan referred to as his "thin, wild mercury sound" that carries in the original. I'd give it a B- for the effort. Nice try Mark, but don't quit your day-job, and by "day-job" I mean making beats for Brit-pop stars and laying down tracks for Ghostface Killah. Stay away from the classics, because chances are you won't improve them. Just ask Madonna and her ill-conceived take on Don McLean's "American Pie," or ask Limp Bizkit and their half-baked cover of the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes." If you can find them, that is.

Bob Dylan - Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) (Mark Ronson Remix) [mp3]

K-OS and a Confusion on Entourage

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Sunday night's new episode of Entourage. However, oddly enough, most of that buzz seems to be more inquisitive than anything. To be more specific, I've heard a lot of people asking the same question, and that question is, "who is Anna Faris?" Faris made a rather prominently featured cameo in the episode, playing herself, which apparently left most people confused as to what kind of acting cred she really has if the majority of America hasn't ever heard her name before Sunday. The whole situation probably has her IMDB page getting more hits this week than the premiere of all of the Scary Movie films combined (not that those movies aren't each cinematic treasures unto themselves). Anyway, the point is, I actually do know who Anna Faris is. She had major roles in the previously mentioned Scary Movie franchise, and had bit parts in many other projects, the most respectable of which is probably the Bill Murray-Scarlet Johannsen vehicle Lost in Translation, where she played a character strikingly similar to one she played in the Ryan Reynolds comedy Just Friends. So maybe she actually could benefit E's help with her real life career, or maybe just a few more acting lessons.

Either way, after watching the episode, since I already knew all of these things, I had a different question on my mind, and it was more concerned with the song that played over the end credits. It sounded like a strange hybrid of different influences and styles. The verses sounded a lot like Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," but the production and the chant-like chorus had a much different feel all together. After some research I was surprised to find out the song was performed by eclectic, Toronto-via-Trinidad MC K-OS (pronounced "Chaos"). I had heard some of his material in the past and none of it sounded like this song which is titled "Valhalla," and is posted below. It's definitely strange all over, but something about it makes me want to keep listening over and over. Weird. But I guess not as weird as Anna Faris playing herself as a recognizable actress...

K-OS - Valhalla [mp3]

Country Rouse, City Rouse

Josh Rouse has a new album called Country Mouse, City House, which supposedly he recorded in his home studio in Spain in a mere matter of days. I would call that a rather ambitious undertaking for most artists, and although I'd be hesitant to say it's on par with some of Rouse's previous efforts, as usual, his tremendous sense of songcraft keeps him afloat. CMCH finds him doing what he does best, musing over laid-back, catchy arrangements with sing-along choruses, and while his material rarely overwhelms in terms of sheer weight, there is no doubt that this guy flat-out bleeds infectious pop tunes. I can say with complete confidence he's one of the most underrated songwriters of his generation. Check out the mp3's below for proof (courtesy of Carl Sandberg Visits Me in a Dream and LiveJournal).

Josh Rouse - Sweetie [mp3]

Josh Rouse - Nice to Fit In [mp3]

The Upside of John From Cincinnati

As my interest in HBO's new series John From Cincinnati began to wane, after the first few episodes or so, I realized that, despite my tepid feelings for the show itself, there was one definite bright spot. No, I'm not talking about the reemergence of Luke Perry's acting career (although he might beg to differ on that). I'm talking about the theme song, "Johnny Appleseed" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, which I had never heard prior to seeing John From Cincinnati. And while I'll admit the show hasn't turned out to be my cup of tea (not enough, if any, likeable characters, strange, sci-fi-ish plot twists that seem to lead nowhere in particular, etc.), they had a decent enough shot at hooking me based on theme song alone. Basically, this is just another reminder why Joe Strummer is one of the great rock frontmen of all time, and why, for such a long time, the Clash really were the only band that mattered.

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Johnny Appleseed [mp3]

(courtesy of My Old Kentucky Blog)

Jason Isbell, a Trucker No More

A co-worker recently made me aware of Jason Isbell's new album Sirens of the Ditch, and after hearing him perform on The World Cafe this afternoon, I decided I had to put together a post about the guy. Now I won't pretend to know a ton about the Drive-by Truckers, a band of which Isbell was a former instrumental member: for me, they were always neo-Skynyrd to My Morning Jacket's neo-Allman Bros, and having always been a Allman man, my tastes naturally skewed more towards MMJ. However, I have heard a fair amount of Drive-by Trucker tunes, and have even seen them perform live (with Robert Randolph supplying peddle-steel guitar assistance, no less) and they sounded great. However, judging from what I've heard of Isbell's new album, that band has been dealt a major blow by losing a tremendous songwriter. To me, he sounds like a sweeter, saner Ryan Adams. Check out the tunes below, courtesy ickmusic.

Jason Isbell - Chicago Promenade [mp3]

Jason Isbell - Dress Blues [mp3]

Virgin Festival

As I had previously mentioned, I spent my weekend in the beautiful state of Maryland. Actually Baltimore, to be specific, a city famous for its crabs (and various other STD's), but that's not why I was there. I was there for the second annual Virgin Festival at Pimlico Race Course, or as I like to call it, "Bonnaroo-Lite." Having missed actual the actual Bonnaroo this summer, I was able to get my sweaty-dirty-music-experience fix by going to other, smaller fests, and this one was about as close as I got to the real thing. It was two days of heat, booze, and cattle-like crowds, featuring staggeringly overpriced burritos and people in body paint, and of course, an abundance of varying musical acts, highlighted by the Police, the Beastie Boys, Wu Tang Clan, a crack-ish looking Amy Winehouse, and a quirky, upbeat Regina Spektor. As is the case with many a-festival, scheduling conflicts naturally arose among competing artist sets, so I didn't see everybody I had hoped. I missed the Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol, Matisyahu, and Modest Mouse, but sacrifices always have to be made, and hopefully I'll get the chance to see those bands again in the near future. As for right now, I'm not losing any sleep over it. In fact, as a direct result of my two days out of town, where I placed more emphasis on rocking out and drinking Miller High Life than catching up on Z's, I'd say sleep is going to be the one thing I do most during the ever-important recovery period this week. But in the meantime, feel free to scope some of my pics from the weekend below. Some of them came out nicely and some of them are just ok (click on the pictures to view enlarged versions).

TV On The Radio

Regina Spektor

Wu Tang Clan

Cheap Trick

Amy Winehouse

Ben Harper

The Police

Beastie Boys

Peter, Bjorn and John

Spoon

Weekend at Pimlico

I'll be out of town this weekend at the second annual Virgin Festival at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland. If you haven't seen the artist line-up, it's pretty solid. The point is, I won't be posting this weekend, but will present my reaction to the festival next week. Until then, be easy y'all...

Fionn Regan (Pronounced like "Finn Raygin")

I caught most of Fionn Regan's (pronounced phonetically like "Finn Raygin," or so is my understanding) set at the Xponential Music Festival a couple of weeks ago, but at the time, I didn't think much of it. His music, which I'd describe as smart, subtle Irish folk-pop, in my opinion doesn't lend itself greatly to the summer outdoor music festival scene. It's a bit too slight and quietly contemplative to be fully enjoyed in that type of scenario. However, I've found that in the studio, as on his new album The End of History, Regan's tunes are far more palatable. Check out "Put a Penny in the Slot," a catchy, acoustic number that recalls a young Donovan. Although, on some of his moodier material, particularly the single "Be Good or Be Gone," he reminds me a lot of Damien Rice, that is, when Rice is keeping things simple and not trying to outsmart himself. Anyhow, Regan was recently nominated for the UK's Mercury Award, which doesn't mean jack to most folks on our side of the pond, but over there, it's kind of a big deal. Check out the mp3's posted below, including Regan's cover of one of my personal favorite Beatles tunes, recorded live on BBC radio.

Fionn Regan - Put a Penny in the Slot [mp3] (Courtesy of FPSA)

Fionn Regan - Getting Better [mp3]

Zach Galifianakis Lends Kanye West a Little Redneck Cred

When I first read about the making of this video for Kanye West's new single "Can't Tell Me Nothing," it sounded like a joint effort between West and Zach Galifianakis. The story was that the two had met and hit it off at a comedy club where Galifianakis was performing. Although, if you watch the video, it seems as though Kanye amazingly managed to keep himself behind-the-scenes, as this clip has become another example of Galifianakis' odd brand of off-beat humor. I've seen the guy do stand-up and he was so drunk he pissed his pants right before before taking the stage. Nonetheless, he was pretty hilarious, interacting with/berating the crowd, playing the piano while rattling off one-liners, and just being downright zany. If you're a fan of this spin on the Kanye video, you should check out his other vids where he makes similar work on Anita Baker's "You Bring Me Joy" and Fiona Apple's "Not About Love." In my opinion, this video rendition of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is far more interesting than the original version featuring West, which is surprisingly boring, and not nearly as imaginitive as Kanye's other new video for "Stronger," where he takes on a Godzilla-like persona (possibly a manifestation of his own self-image?). Either way, I'm always a big fan of hip-hop stars who aren't afraid to branch out and be original. There's no arguing that this video, with Galifianakis at the helm, is certainly an example of that mentality.

By the way, doesn't Zach Galifianakis look a lot like Sam Beam of Iron & Wine? And come to think of it, you never see those two guys in the same room at the same time. Just something to think about...