The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions :: 1970

Although suffering from poor health in the spring of 1970, Howlin' Wolf agreed to travel to Europe to record with the who's who if British rock royalty; namely the Stones rhythm section (Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman), Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood. Produced by Norman Dayronthe, the sessions capture an interesting snapshot of a blues legend passing on some of his secrets to the next generation. Keep in mind that British rock, in it's beginnings, was almost entirely made up of young lads obsessed with the American art form which was virtually ignored in it's own home.

Listen to the man school the gathered players on how to get it done on the "The Red Rooster" rehearsal, and then listen to it all come together. "Wang Dang-Doodle" just smokes.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Howlin' Wolf :: Red Rooster (Rehearsal)
MP3: Howlin' Wolf :: The Red Rooster
MP3: Howlin' Wolf :: Wang-Dang Doodle
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Amazon: The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (reissue)

+ Howlin' Wolf available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Howlin' Wolf MP3s.

Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (Reissue)

1998's Grammy award winning, genre classic, Car Wheels On A Gravel Road is Lucinda Williams opus -- it's her absolute masterpiece. These meticulously crafted sad, southern stories and instrumentation ultimately took three different cities and three different producers to get right. Beginning in Austin, then moving the recordings to Nashville with Steve Earle helming the controls, and finally setting up shop in Los Angeles with producer Roy Bittan. It's the L.A. sessions that became the final album we know today.

This two disc reissue, some eight years later, gathers alternate takes of studio cuts and a second disc of live versions from the supporting tour of that year. Theses alt versions shed some light on other directions the mood and atmosphere of the album could have taken; but what would have been preferable is a second disc entirely made up of the session outtakes from the various locations and producers. Maybe the folks at Universal are saving those for a future Lucinda box set release, who knows.

Update: Bruce from Some Velvet Blog emailed me this per the reissue: "Here's a cool back story. The live concert was from a WXPN summer festival that I booked back when Lu toured on that album. What happened was the A&R guy who did the re-issue wanted to do something cool and they were going through the vaults and found a box with these tapes in them and all the box said was Lucinda-WXPN. So, they threw it on, and it was this concert. There was no label, nothing. So the A&R guy asked around about WXPN which led to a call to me. We did the multi-track recording of the show, but never actually did anything and it sat on a shelf until I said they could go for it and use it."

RIYL: Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Uncle Tupelo, Kathleen Edwards, Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Lucinda Williams :: Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
MP3: Lucinda Williams :: Changed The Locks (live)
MP3: Lucinda Williams :: Out of Touch (alt version)
----------
Amazon: Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
++ www.lucindawilliams.com

+ Lucinda Williams available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Lucinda Williams MP3s.

Cat Power :: 11/25 Los Angeles - Review

A decade into her career, Chan Marshall's alter-ego, Cat Power has amassed a level of mystery, speculation and gossip befitting an indie-sized Madonna. Publicly long portrayed as a shy and somewhat neurotic chanteuse, Cat Power has at times both rejected and embraced the praise and adulation of her fans and critics alike. Uncomfortable with the late-'90s "it girl" status bestowed upon her, Marshall's albums became sporadic and her performances uneven and unpredictable--until now.

With the release of 2006's "The Greatest," it seems the tide has turned for the artist, who is making her most mature and accessible work to date while garnering praise from both her existing fan base as well as mainstream media. This year also marked her return to the stage, this time flanked by the super-tight and professional Memphis Rhythm Band, which also backed her on the recording of "The Greatest."

Continue reading the review at LiveDaily HERE........

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Cat Power :: The Greatest
Video: Cross Bones Style
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Amazon: Cat Power - The Greatest ++www.catpowerthegreatest.com

+ Cat Power available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Cat Power MP3s.

Revisiting :: Zabriskie Point Sessions Pt II

A number of readers have requested additional tracks off The Zabriskie Point Sessions, so here is another excerpt from the cream of the crop. Per the comments in the original post, yes, the sparse piano track later became "Us And Them" found on 1973s Dark Side of The Moon. **Part one of this post can be found here.

When Radiohead's Ok Computer was released, one of the finest and most appropriate appraisals was that of deeming the band the '90s Pink Floyd. I was reminded of this recently while listening to the Floyd sessions for the soundtrack to the 1970 film Zabriskie Point.

A bootleg, the disc captures the band in November and December of 1969, pre Atom Heart Mother and Meddle, finding their sound after the departure of troubled founder Syd Barrett. Loose and expansive, the set is a fascinating listen as you hear skeletal scraps of songs that the band would later flesh out on future albums. This early era, often ambient, Pink Floyd has long been overshadowed by their mammoth and epic '70s work. The two are really completely different animals and therefore should be viewed as such.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Fingal's Cave (Take One)
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Blues Scene
MP3: Pink Floyd :: The Red Queen Theme (aka Country)
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Rain In The Country (Suite)
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Funky Dung
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Amazon: Zabriskie Point OST

+ Explore eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer. No strings.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Pink Floyd MP3s.

Neil Young Archives :: Live - Fillmore East

After years of speculation and anticipation, Neil Young has finally released the first artifact from his legendary archives. The six track album is culled from the March 6th & 7th, 1970 performances at Bill Graham's famed Fillmore East. While the material itself is fantastic it does beg the question of why a complete show was not chosen in it's stead. For example, where are tunes from Neil Young's acoustic sets that often opened these Crazyhorse shows?

The collection is Crazyhorse at its Danny Whitten era peak with Young and Whitten trading licks and leads; their chops impeccable. Those in the know have collected live shows from this tour on the bootleg circuit for years as the material is both classic and the playing truly inspired. The above album length grievances aside -- for eleven dollars -- this excellent, clean recording is well worth your dime. Check out the extended version of "Cowgirl In the Sand" below for a taste.

**Also: If you have yet to see it, watch the video below of CSNY destroy "Down By The River" -- Neil is on fire.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Neil Young :: Cowgirl In The Sand
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Video: Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young :: Down By The River
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Amazon: Neil Young - Live at the Fillmore East

+ Explore eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer. No strings.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Neil Young MP3s.

Revisiting :: The Zabriskie Point Sessions

When Radiohead's Ok Computer was released, one of the finest and most appropriate appraisals was that of deeming the band the '90s Pink Floyd. I was reminded of this recently while listening to the Floyd sessions for the soundtrack to the 1970 film Zabriskie Point.

A bootleg, the disc captures the band in November and December of 1969, pre Atom Heart Mother and Meddle, finding their sound after the departure of troubled founder Syd Barrett. Loose and expansive, the set is a fascinating listen as you hear skeletal scraps of songs that the band would later flesh out on future albums. This early era, often ambient, Pink Floyd has long been overshadowed by their mammoth and epic '70s work. The two are really completely different animals and therefore should be viewed as such.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Rain In The Country
MP3: Pink Floyd :: The Piano Sequence
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Intermezzo
MP3: Pink Floyd :: Zabriskie Point Theme
----------
Amazon: Zabriskie Point OST

+ Explore eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer. No strings.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Pink Floyd MP3s.

Now Podcasting :: Episode 19

Welcome to Episode 19 of the podcast edition of The Aquarium Drunkard Show; airing live every Wednesday 2-4 p.m. PST at the Little Radio studios in downtown L.A. As requested, below is the tracklisting order for this week's podcast.

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Scotty - Draw Your brakes ++ The Clash – Mustapha Dance ++ The Meters - Keep on Marching (Funky Soldier) ++ Carleen & The Groovers - The Thing ++ Desmond Dekker – Shanty Town ++ Broken Social Scene – Looks Just Like The Sun ++ Beach House – Apple Orchard ++ Beck – Cold Brains ++ Brian Jonestown Massacre – Anenome ++ Jean-Michel Bernard - Generique Stephane ++ Robert Pollard – Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft ++ The Animals – Smokestack Lightening ++ Santo & Johnny – Sleepwalk ++ The Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat ++ Midlake – Roscoe ++ The Beatles - Rain ++ The Modern Lovers – Roadrunner (alt version) ++ Guided By Voices - The Official Ironmen Rally Song ++ R.E.M. – Stumble ++ Orange Juice – Falling & Laughing ++ Dinosaur Jr. – Quicksand (cover) ++ Pavement – Killing Moon (cover) ++ Clem Snide - Dont Let The Sun Go Down On Your Grievience (cover) ++ Neutral Milk Hotel - Two Headed Boy Part 2 ++ Black Fiction – Magic Hands ++ Ryan Adams – Blue ++ Robyn Hitchcock – Wind Cries Mary (cover) ++ Elvis Costello - Big Tears ++ Pet Politics – Sunday Morning ++ Beck - Cellphone's Dead
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Subscribe: Add This Feed
MP3 Download/Stream: Episode 19
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Aquarium Drunkard Podcast: Archives Here

Chavez :: Better Days Will Haunt You

Last month Matador Records released the three disc Better Days Will Haunt You, a clearing house for all things Chavez related. Bless you, Matador. Chavez, along with Guided By Voices, Pavement, and a whole slew of others too countless to name, were part of the glory days of '90s indie rock, before indie rock had been co-opted and popularized by the masses. During their brief time together Chavez helped forge a path for guitar driven rock & roll that has both influenced and been imitated by countless others since their demise.

The scoop: Every last remastered nugget from Matt Sweeney and company are gathered here and (thankfully) chronologically sequenced. Disc one hosts the beginnings of the band's sound found on Gone Glimmering and assorted leftovers setting the scene for disc two. It's here on the second disc that we really get swept away by the Chavez animal. Casual fans may remember tracks off the band's stellar second LP, Ride The Fader, which landed moderate college radio airplay in the mid-late '90s. Remember 120 Minutes? I think they may have gotten some airtime on there as well. The third disc is comprised of a DVD with your standard videos, mini-doc, etc.

News: The band will supposedly be doing a brief reunited tour in December. Also, Sweeney is still around playing with all sorts of folks, most notably Aquarium Drunkard superhero Will Oldham. The two formed the band Superwolf in 2005 and released the excellent album of the same name as well and the I Gave You ep. Watch the video for "I Gave You" below and wait for Sweeney's grisly cameo at the end...

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Chavez :: The Guard Attacks/Unreal Is Here
MP3: Chavez :: You Faded
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Video: Superwolf :: I Gave You
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Amazon: Chavez - Better Days Will Haunt You
www.menofchavez.com

+ Chavez available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Chavez MP3s.

One By One I'll Knock Ya Out...

You may recall that a couple of months ago I derided Beck's output post Sea Change; you can read that here if you like. The gist was that the last two commercial releases seemed like tired re-treads of his older material. Now press fast forward. I recently learned that this album was mostly recorded with Nigel Goodrich not long after their work on Sea Change. The album was then shelved in favor of releasing the formulaic Guero album.

Having convinced myself I was over Beck, upon The Information's release, I was in no real hurry to check it out. So it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago I finally got around to playing it all the way through, and damn if this tune "Cellphone's Dead" doesn't just make the shit hop. Boom. If you are a fan of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters you will instantly find something to groove on here. Additionally, if you like to pop-it-and-lock-it, you too will find something to suit your breakin' fancy.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Beck :: Cellphone's Dead
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Amazon: Beck - The Information
www.beck.com ++ www.myspace.com/beck
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Beck MP3s.
--
Download:
MP3: The Shins :: Phantom Limb

Paleo :: is david andrew strackany...

THE SONG DIARY - Long Story Short: 365 songs in 365 days

Morgan at Yer Bird introduced me to the sounds of Paleo last April, but I had almost entirely forgotten about the artist until last week when I received a sampler from Paleo's ongoing song diary project. In a world of post-Sufjan's 50 states project, I'll admit the undertaking sounded a little gimmicky at first. Nothing to fear it turns out.

At times ambitious to a fault, the project does in fact produce some real lo-fi gems, and this sampler does a fine job weeding them out for us to peruse only the winners. You can purchase Paleo's debut album, Misery, Missouri, on his website, as well as check in on the song-a-day project via the MP3 archive.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Paleo :: In The Morning Linda Dies
----------
www.myspace.com/paleo ++ www.paleo.ws
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Paleo MP3s.
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Los Angeles Tickets Giveaway:
RATATAT: 12/07 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA w/ The Faint & Ladytron -- One pair to giveaway. Shoot me an email by Thanksgiving if you want these. Winner randomly selected.

Southtown Girls Won't Blow You Away...

The Hold Steady's "Southtown Girls" may well be the most listened to single song in my collection since the release of their latest album, Boys and Girls in America, in October. It's damn catchy in that 'return-to-the-rock' kind of way that harkens back to the days of fist pumping, debauched, fake-arena rawk not seen en masse since the Afghan Whigs at their peak.

To the uninitiated, not unlike it's predecessor, 2004's Separation Sunday, Boys and Girls in America is at first listen quite the unassuming album. Full of loud bursts of guitars, bordering on pastiche keyboard fills, and leader Craig Finn's bark, The Hold Steady come off as a seasoned bar band. It's only on further examination that you decode the back alley poetry and creeping charm that make up the band. Paeans to drinking, love, misery, the streets, and the working class -- The Hold Steady can at times seem like (albeit less depressing) an aural counterpart to a Bukowski short story.

What has been the most surprising (and refreshing) about The Hold Steady is the fact that they have been so accepted in contemporary music. Non-pretentious, un-ironic, bare bones rock & roll has not been fashionable in years and yet these guys are making it in today's fickle rock landscape.

Previously: You can read my two part interview with The Hold Steady's Franz Nicolay from last January HERE.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: The Hold Steady :: Southtown Girls
MP3: The Hold Steady :: Chips Ahoy!
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www.theholdsteady.com ++ www.myspace.com/theholdsteady
Amazon: The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America

+ The Hold Steady available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional The Hold Steady MP3s.

Songs: Ohia :: The North Star Blues Session

First off, a big thank you to the friend who sent me this session earlier in the week -- it's been a fine listen indeed.

Secondly, if you are a Molina, Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co. fan you will relish this Live session from the "Duyster" radio show on Studio Brussel, FM 94.5 Belgium. Molina is in fine form, playing tunes that would soon find their way onto albums and become Live staples. Enjoy.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Songs: Ohia :: Interview
MP3: Songs: Ohia :: Leave The City
MP3: Songs: Ohia :: North Star
MP3: Songs: Ohia :: Don't This Look Like The Dark
MP3: Songs: Ohia :: North Star Blues
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www.magnoliaelectricco.com ++ www.myspace.com/magnoliaelectricco

+ Songs: Ohia available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Songs: Ohia MP3s.

Johnny Cash :: At San Quentin (2006)

If it seems like this 1969 recording, Johnny Cashs second Live stint in a prison, was just reissued not too long ago it's because, well, it was. In 2000 audiences were graced with the At San Quentin (The Complete 1969 Concert) two disc reissue featuring: "2-CD's of music with 2 previously unreleased Cash tracks, and a full hour of guest artist recordings, now presented in their original sequence. Also features the original 1 hour documentary on DVD. Deluxe edition will be packaged in a 5x10 longbox with updated cover art, unreleased photos of the event, and new liner notes." That sounds pretty good right? Hold on, old chap -- not so fast. This new-fangled 2006 job has everything recorded at the prison get-down...from every musician there, plus the DVD of bonus extras.

Verdict: If you already own the 2000 reissue and don't have money burning a hole in your pocket you can let this one pass you by. It's capitalizing on the wildly successful Walk The Line film and subsequent Johnny Cash fever. Not too mention the Holidays are about here. But, and this is a big but, if you haven't gotten your hands on that 2000 reissue this newly minted one is admittedly mighty fine. Or hey, you can always go old school and just pony up for the original vinyl release.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Johnny Cash :: I Still Miss Someone
MP3: Johnny Cash :: Jackson
MP3: Johnny Cash :: Long Black Veil
----------
Amazon: Johnny Cash - At San Quentin (Legacy Edition)
www.johnnycash.com

+ Johnny Cash is available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Johnny Cash MP3s.

The Top 40 American Artists Working Today

This past month An Aquarium Drunkard was asked to participate in Information Leafblower's 4th annual "Top 40 Bands In America" feature. It turns out I was supposed to send in my top ten picks, but I misread the instructions and sent in a list of who I felt were the most interesting top forty American artists working today. Anyhow, I now have a list of my present favorite music-makers in the U.S.A.

First, be sure to read Information Leafblower's list here. It is comprised of nominations from 24 different audio blogs. Not surprisingly, my top 40 list is vastly different from the one that made the final cut over on Leafblower so I thought it would be interesting to compare the two. Note, my submissions were not rated 1,2,3,4, etc, but is just a (current) list of my favorite American artists working today.

Here it is, exactly as sent to Leafblower, below. Have at it...who did I leave off that you love...hate...despise, etc. Oh, and yes, I'm well aware the Decemberists are omitted...though they almost made the 40 mark. Also, Look for the official Aquarium Drunkard Year In Review next month.
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The National ++ last year's "alligator" destroyed. can't wait to see what comes out in 2007.
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals ++ love him or hate him, he writes better songs than you.
Wilco ++ tweedy and co. just continue to get more interesting. revisit "ghost is born."
My Morning Jacket ++ jim james. angelic, ferocious.
The Whigs ++ further proof athens, ga still has it. Listen to their debut LP. Excellent.
Okkervil River ++ realllly excited for next full length record.
Will Oldham ++ just continues to excel year after year, project after project.
Iron & Wine ++ reinvigorated this "sound."
The Shins ++ they'll like, change yer life, or something to that effect.
Robert Pollard ++ Released two albums this year, the 1st was the best guided by voices record in years.
Stephen Malkmus ++ baby, c'mon. baby c'mon.
The Hold Steady ++ making bar rock unsafe again.
Sufjan Stevens ++ someone still loves you sufjan stevens.
Bob Dylan ++ how can you still be making albums this good?
Horse Feathers ++ out of nowhere (the pacific NW), this quiet duo's debut album hit me.
Daniel Hutchens ++ one of the most under appreciated/unrecognized singer/songwriter working today.
Jack White ++ one multi-talented cat.
Modest Mouse ++ how many bands are now aping their sound in 2006?
Sonic Youth ++ three albums in a row in my top ten. the sound of nyc.
Yo La Tengo ++ they won me back over with this year's release
TV On The Radio ++ blowing shit up. period.
Brendan Benson ++ the king of pop. it melts off this guy.
Sparklehorse ++ he's bringing weird/sad shit back. yeah.
Jay Farrar ++ after years of dull albums he's climbed back on his horse w/ Son Volt and Gob Iron.
Ben Kweller ++ pure poppity pop pop.
Cat Power ++ the greatest,the greatest
Centro-matic ++ will johnson has something to say. pick up "fort recovery."
Drive-by Truckers ++ these guys own the true Rock Show, southern or otherwise.
Howlin' Rain ++ the grateful dead for the indie-rock/cool-haircut set.
Doveman ++ he floats the quiet masterpiece.
Eef Barzelay ++ solo or with Cem Snide. Doesn’t matter.
The Evens ++ their 2nd album more than makes up for no fugazi.
Howe Gelb ++ rootsy gospel by an American treasure.
Justin Timberlake ++ dude's bringing sexy back. yeah.
Lambchop ++ have you heard 2006's "damaged"??
Modern Skirts ++ one of the best breezy piano pop indie outfits out there.
Page France ++ charming, intelligent folk. one to watch in '07.
M. Ward ++ brittle, sometimes brilliant compositons.
Midlake ++ one word. roscoe.
Lucero ++ the sounds of memphis rawk.

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+ Many artists listed available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 trial offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional MP3s.

The Smithereens :: Meet The Beatles!?

'80s college rock scenesters, The Smithereens, have recently unveiled news that they will be releasing a full album tribute to The Beatles Meet The Beatles! album appropriately entitled Meet The Smithereens! The tribute album is said to drop in January of 2007; the same month as the original Beatles release in 1964. This is all good and well, but begs the question "why?" Taking a note from The Walkmen??

From the press release: "Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken says, "'Meet the Beatles!' was a call to arms to an army of musically-inclined kids across the nation. There was no turning back after hearing this LP and seeing the Beatles on the 'Ed Sullivan Show.' We were instantly hipped to the fact that there can never be anything cooler than playing in a rock n roll band."

Have a listen to my favorite Smithereens track off their 1988 album Green Thoughts.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: The Smithereens :: House That We Used To Live In
----------
Amazon: The Smithereens - Green Thoughts

+ The Smithereens available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Smithereens MP3s.

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Joanna Newsom :: Ys

A divisive artist, Joanna Newsom’s brand of 21st century folk music arrived seemingly fully formed on her debut -- 2004’s critically acclaimed The Milk-Eyed Mender. A classically trained harpist, Newsom’s cross to bear, in terms of audience acceptance, is that of her singing voice. And how to describe that voice to the uninitiated -- a blend of stammering childlike whimsy, coupled with Victoria Williams, perhaps? Without a doubt, it is the definition of “an acquired taste.”

On the back end, the album’s pedigree is strong one with Steve Albini manning the boards, famed Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks handling the arrangements and mixed by the brilliant Jim O’Rourke. Admittingly none of the above matter unless the source material stands up which it does. A five song concept album Ys grows leaps and bounds from its predecessor in terms of both taking chances and genuine artistic growth. In terms of immediate likeability the two are not mutually exclusive, so one can expect Ys to be a creeper of an album. Don’t expect to grasp its eclectic nuances in one (or five) sittings. But as any music lover will tell you, that is usually the litmus test for a great album.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Joanna Newsom :: Only Skin
----------
Amazon: Joanna Newsom - Ys

+ Joanna Newsom available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Joanna Newsom MP3s.

Joe Lally :: There To Here

The second Dischord related post in a week comes to us via Fugazi bassist Joe Lally's solo full length debut, There To Here. With Ian MacKaye teamed up with partner Amy Farina on the excellent Evens project, Guy Picciotto wearing his producers hat, and drummer Brendan Canty helming the Burn To Shine documentary series, Lally hit Inner Ear studios armed with a cadre of Dischord veterans to record his debut release.

Peppered with the tell-tale signs of a Fugazi-related project (namely taste, minimalism, and current affairs) the bassist's debut is a downbeat ride into the 21st century's socio-anthropological landscape coupled with the steady and dexterous hand of Lally's production and instrumentation. Lyrical subtlety is not, and has never been the name of the game for these guys, so while what coming from someone else might come off as heavy handed seems perfectly natural here. No real "rockin' here but innarestin' none the less.

Also of note, since Fugazi's hiatus began in 2001, Lally has curated the Fugazi Live Series which digs deep into the archives featuring a wide range of live output throughout their career. Worth checking out.

Last Week on Aquarium Drunkard: The Evens :: Get Evens

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Joe Lally :: There To Here
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eMusic: Joe Lally - There To Here

Related Media:
Video: Fugazi :: Long Division
Video: Fugazi :: Shut The Door
Video: Fugazi :: Waiting Room
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www.joelally.com ++ www.dischord.com ++ www.fugaziliveseries.com

+ Joe Lally available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Fugazi MP3s.

Catching Up (With Catbird Records)

A copy of Magnus Larsson's (aka Pet Politics) latest EP arrived in the mail the other day via Catbird Records, which reminded me I had yet to mention another of the labels releases I purchased this year: Tap Tap.

Frequent readers of A.D. should recognize Pet Politics nom de plume from various posts over the past year and a half. Larsson's lo-fi bedroom stylings are grand in a Lou Reed/John Cale sort of way. Throw in an imagined tinny Phil Spector vibe riding in the backseat throwing out ideas here and there. Great stuff all around, and this EP is no different.

The addition of Tap Tap to the Catbird roster yet again sets the bar a little higher for the label, which itself is only a year old. The group's album, Lanzafame, (which is now sold out at Catbird) is being remastered and reissued by Stolen Records in the near future so if you missed the boat earlier in '06 you can still pick it up. Think: Post Wolf Parade/Arcade Fire and/or Modest Mouse influenced schtick - from across the pond - and you're on the right track. All in all, quite a solid listen top to bottom.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Pet Politics :: Sunday Morning
MP3: Pet Politics :: The Ghost of Mary And Her Friends
MP3: Tap Tap :: 100,000 Thoughts
Mp3: Tap Tap :: Way To Go, Boy
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www.petpolitics.se ++ www.myspace.com/taptapmusic
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional MP3s.

Beach House :: Sunday Morning Sounds

Read music blogs? If so you have no doubt read (numerous) blurbs on the languid, yet exceptional, Beach House debut -- and for good reason. Laid back in all the right places, this may be the Sunday morning album of 2006. The LP makes the case for quality unobtrusive background music that seeps in over time/over coffee with the morning news.

If you're here in Los Angeles, the Baltimore duo will be playing The Echo November 16th along with Ariel Pink. Tour information: here.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Beach House :: Apple Orchard
MP3: Beach House :: Lovelier Girl
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Amazon: Beach House - S/T
www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic ++ www.beachhousemusic.net

+ Beach House available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Beach House MP3s.

Whiskeytown Video :: Gram Parsons Tribute

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Related Video: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals performing "Isis" at recent NYC Dylan trbute.
Via: www.alt-country.org

Loudquietloud :: A Film About the Pixies

In my mind The Pixies canon is hallowed ground, so much so that I opted out of seeing them live when they re-formed in 2004 for fear the experience might taint the music and memories for me. After watching this DVD I see that my fears were unwarranted as the band comes off as tight as they were when I saw them live at 16 in 1991. I'm impressed.

The documentary follows the reunited foursome from their first rehearsals together in twelve years through to the end of their exceptionally successful tour. Expertly scored by Daniel Lanois, Loudquietloud succeeds in pulling back the curtain just enough to witness the inner workings of the group without sacrificing too much of the magic. Speaking of magic, in a few bizarre scenes you get to witness drummer David Lovering perform magic, as he now works as a professional magician at L.A.'s famed Magic Castle.

Here's a track off The Pixies 1988 album, Surfer Rosa, which I hope everyone already owns, or has at least heard in it's entirety.

Read: Frank Black on the prospect of the Pixies recording again (Seattle Times), via LHB.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: The Pixies :: Break My Body
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Amazon: Loudquietloud :: A Film About the Pixies

+ Pixies available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
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+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Pixies MP3s.

The Devil And Daniel Johnston :: DVD

A truly great documentary works for the audience regardless of it's source material; one such recent example of this is The Devil And Daniel Johnston. Regarded by some as an incomparable artistic genius, and by others as a troubled and talentless hack, Johnston's cult of personality is polarizing to say the least.

A haunting film, director Jeff Feuerzeig captures the life and times of the outsider musician and artist splicing Johnston's old Super 8 footage, audio cassette journal recordings, past performances, and interviews with Johnston's family, friends, and colleagues past and present. Plagued by crippling mental illness since his teens, the documentary is at times an incredibly tough watch thankfully aided by the levity of humor.

What makes the documentary so compelling is that Johnston's life and the coincidences surrounding it are truly stranger than fiction. You just can't make this shit up. From his arrival in Austin via Carnival at the height of the '80s music scene, to miraculously surviving a single engine plane crash (he threw the key out the window, at 30,000 feet, in a manic state), by the end of Feuerzeig's film you truly come away thinking this guy is not of this world. Now in his 40's Johnston lives with his parents in Texas and has since the 1980s.

The Clem Snide track below can be found on the 2004 tribute album Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered also featuring Teenage Fanclub w/ Jad Fair, Eels, TV On The Radio, Bright Eyes, Beck, Sparlehorse, Flaming Lips, and Tom Waits among others.

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