Just an awesome weekend. The skies gave us a break from the grey, cold misery just in time to spend the weekend walking around the Highlands (in Louisville) to catch some Vitamin D and good sidewalk conversations. On top of that, I’m really happy with this week’s turnout of music. Something about this whole set just works so well together, so if you’re at your house or work, turn it up and let it play you through whatever your doing. It’s an hour’s worth of the best soundtracking you’ll get all day.
Did anything happen this week? I felt like went through some warp and ended up in the weekend. I guess some pass undetected, and then you’re in the next one. Crazy.
There are certain times during the year that Louisville has a great spark drifting around it. Usually, it’s during a winning season for UK or UL heading into March Madness, but it came a bit early this time ‘round. Not only is the town hanging on every dribble for Kentucky’s near flawless season, but the Super Bowl just happened to be happening as well. I learned a long time ago that most of the games became a lot more fun when I didn’t follow anyone. With no affiliation, you’re always a winner. Sure, some will say it’s a copout, but I never have a bad game. As long as it’s entertaining, I’m happy, but with as much excitement is going around – football, basketball, and the upcoming World Cup – even for a guy who really doesn’t care, it’s not hard to get caught up.
Anyway, let’s plat some music. A bit more of a slower week than last, but that just means that I get to turn you on to a few bands you probably haven’t heard of. Needing that fix? I got ya.
I woke up this morning with the sun shining through the window and the bluest sky I’d seen in months. Up until I took a look at the world around, it sure did feel like Spring. Even so, the near zero temps and snow covered ground are a lot easier to take when the sky’s not grey. I think I’ll go for a walk. Time to shed this cabin skin.
And I couldn’t ask for a better soundtrack to listen to. Our first major-artist week of the year: Yeasayer, She & Him, The Tallest Man on Earth, Drive-By Truckers, Goldfrapp & Joanna Newsom. Some cool covers as well with Justin Townes Earle teaming up with Dawn Landes to update a Dolly Parton Song, Grizzly Bear takes on Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel has one of the most stirring, moving renditions to an Arcade Fire song that I’ve ever heard. Ch-check it out.
Did you all catch Conan’s final show? Whether you’re a fan or not, there are fewer classy ways to wrap it all up. When he could have lambasted NBC, he thanked them for over two decades of loyalty. When he could have been down on the whole deal, he instead begged us all not to become cynics. And then, of course, we were all treated to Freebird. And why not? Will Ferrel, Beck, Ben Harper, Billy Gibbons, Max Wineberg, and another dude who I never figured out who was; Not a bad backing band to close out the shortest Tonight Show run yet, cementing him as the George Lazenby of late night.
Anyway, let’s play some music, yeah? I got some great stuff I wanna play ya. Turn it up.
Rough week for planet Earth. Good week for music though.
Along with those tunes, we had special, awesome phone calls from both Ben Sollee and Michael Roffman. One plays music, one tells you about good music. Party on, Garth.
Yesterday I got the pleasure of speaking in length to Ben Sollee, who’s 2008 album Learning To Bend set a new high water mark for what you could accomplish with a cello, some folk music, and a whole lot of political soul. He returns with some friends in tow this time with the disc, Dear Companion, a duet/collaboration record with fellow Kentuckians Daniel Martin Moore and Jim James (Yim Yames/My Morning Jacket) who held production duties. In this expansive phone call, we chat the origins of the project, having Jim as a producer, the in’s and out’s of the LP, and the theme and reason of the whole thing, mountain top removal, to which proceeds of the sales are going to aid in educating and halting.
Lee Renaldo is a multitasker. Not only is he able to contribute on a consistent basis to one of the most legendary bands of all time, Sonic Youth, all the while keeping his hands in an uncountable amount of side projects, but he can also do a phone interview while washing dishes and never miss a beat. Talent, my friends!
Here we discuss the ins and outs of being relevant in a band for thirty years, their life so far on new label Matador Records, the latest disc, The Eternal, vacations, and the adventure that’s to come in 2010.
So, it’s the first real show of the New Year. New website, new music, new favorites. Not a bad way to start a decade. There is a lot happening around here (including a new stations playing the show, IndieSF.com), so I thought a little organization might be in order.
New Interviews – I posted the full interviews with Lightning Dust and Sonic Youth this week. Make sure to check ‘em out.
New Videos – How about that new Video Player? You hit play, and your magically transported back to when you could turn on a TV and see multiple videos in a row!!! I know, magic is pretty awesome. This week we added new moving pictures from OK Go, Islands, RJD2, Animal Collective, & Japandroids, along with the rest of big ones making the rounds. Kick back and let ‘em play!
So, you’ve got a crush on Amber Webber and wanna have a chat with her? Vicariously, you can live through me. A member of both Lightning Dust and Black Mountain, she called in to talk about the biggest differences between her two acts, touring with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and what lies ahead. Let it roll…
2009’s Biggest, Best, and Most Discussed – Round Three!
Well here it is, the final part of our 2009 year-end, wrap-up edition of The Weekly Feed. It was a great year, but we all know we can do it better. Here’s to 2010 and enjoy this bit of pop culture history with drop-in’s from Wild Beasts, Islands, Brendan Benson, and Spiral Stairs (Scott from Pavement).
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. The executive producer is Stacy Owen, with additional help from WFPK’s Laura Shine. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
2009’s Biggest, Best, and Most Discussed – Round Two!
As promised, here is part two of the big year-end, wrap-up episode of The Weekly Feed. Along with more of the years biggest songs, we’ll also be joined by Lightning Dust, Yeasayer, Handsome Furs, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes, Sonic Youth, and Free Energy. Enjoy!
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. The executive producer is Stacy Owen, with additional help from WFPK’s Laura Shine. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
Now that part 1 and part 2 are officially in the books, I’ll be using this page to post some of the interviews in full. Since the The Weekly Feed is only an hour long, we had to cut most of the chatting out to make room for all of the music, so if you’re interested in what else the artists had on their mind, this would be a good spot. I’ll keep it updated on most days adding the newest artist to the top. Enjoy!
2009’s Biggest, Best, and Most Discussed – Round One!
Over the next three weeks, I’ll be posting the episodes that make up the three-part Year-End Wrap-Up special. We’ve all be working really hard on getting it together this month. Not only am I excited for you to hear some cool interviews with a lot of my favorite artists, but to start the conversation of the year’s biggest songs. Maybe there is something in here that you missed, or maybe there is something in here that you first heard on The Weekly Feed and it went on to become and important part of your 2009 soundtrack; something you’ll hear ten years from now and still place the moment you were in. Those moments are important, and I feel like I’ve got more than enough that made 2009 a pretty solid year in new music.
Also, there won’t be a full blog to go along with these like there are with regular season episodes. All the notes are in the show, and yeah, you get some great interviews to go along with it. This week, Company of Thieves, Chromeo, The Thermals, and Fun all make a call-in. So please, grab some friends, hit the lights, and pull the volume up a bit. It’s time to celebrate 2009.
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. The executive producer is Stacy Owen, with additional help from WFPK’s Laura Shine. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
Well, ladies and gents, this is the last of the regular season episodes of The Weekly Feed for 2009. The next three weeks will be filled with year-end specials that not only highlight the biggest and buzziest songs of the year, but also feature a ton of interviews with ‘09’s biggest names. I’m seriously excited about it all and can’t wait for you all to hear what’s been accomplished.
But for now, we get one more week of the tracks that made the kids yell in CAPS, whether good or bad, naughty or nice, yadda yadda yadda. Enjoy the weeks selection, and I’ll see you all for the upcoming Big Show(s).
Vampire Weekend – California pt. 2
For the moment, there is no bigger blog band. Wanna challenge that statement? Case in point, this is a b-side to a vinyl single (Cousins) that topped the aggregators merely a day after it hit shelves. Aside from being tied to a band that incited mandatory praise, it’s also a great track. Infectious hook and interesting, yet simplistic music. If this is the b-side, I’m really looking forward to the full next month.
Jason Collett – Love Is A Dirty Word
Jason, though a fine solo artist, may still be best known for being in the Broken Social Scene collective. This latest single looks to be getting a pretty great backing from his label, so I expect that he’ll finally make the whole jump to solo notoriety. Musically, it fits somewhere between the new David Grey and even the new Vampire Weekend, with a touch of the ol’ Elvis Costello. Somewhere between there…
The French Semester – What’s In The Bag
Not exactly a new track, but since the flow of music has all but halted for the end of the year, most of the blogs have had to dig to find the ones they may have missed earlier. Large Hearted Boy re-discovered this one, which walks along with a Beta Band swagger that takes a cue from the Feist counting game. It’s easy to pass over the first time through, but repeated listens can lead to
Local Natives – Camera Talk
A messy building up of strings, percussion, and vocal meandering opens up into a moment that’ll have a packed rock club shouting, “it’s alright. The camera’s talking.” It’s a nice moment, but may not equal the buildup that the Natives have had over the past year. There is promise, but could just as easily be left behind by plenty of bands doing the same thing, for you could just as easily pop on a Ra Ra Riot CD. But I’m interested.
Jonsi – Boy Lilikoi
Alright, this is the one. Jonsi is the same Jonsi as in the “dude from Sigur Ros.” I’ve always been okay with them, but nothing to the extent of how I feel about this song. In recent interviews, Jonsi calls his new solo CD a much more stripped down, acoustic affair. Don’t let the words full you, it’s not in an “unplugged” sort of way. Full orchestrations, epic chorus shouting, and a perfect melody. Soak it in and let it become the song that defined your Winter ’09.
Eels – In My Younger Days
The 2nd disc in a year from Eels is a quite the poplar opposite from Homebre Lobo. It seems that in E’s burst of creativity, he also wrote an album’s worth of sadness that’s he’s not too keen about giving any interviews about. Just as well, because this sullen music can speak at great lengths all by itself. View it as a portrait on the wall that you can’t take you’re eyes off of. There won’t be much movement in the picture, but the story plays out before you just the same.
Smashing Pumpkins – A Song For A Son
Blah. Listen, I’m not on the “I Hate Billy Corgan” train, because most of the time I do genuinely like the stuff he’s been putting out. I’m not crazy about it, but it’s been pretty decent. But this, I don’t know. I appreciate not only the grandeur of the song, but also the marketing campaign (44 songs, one released every few weeks for free on his website all making up the new album Teargarden by Kaleidyscope), but it all feels lame, contrived, pretentious, and forgettable. But hey, he has 44 tries, so I’m sure we’ll find a good group in the future.
Hostage – Valhalla
Techno ear worm. Play it, crank it, party, dance, and have a holiday. More than just beats, you get apocalyptic chanting, bells, and dark overtones, until Mr. DJ presents the “bassline.” Trust me, it’s worth it in a genre that can usually, easily fall flat on old routines.
The Paparazzi – The Rococo Tape
So, the gent who operated The Paparazzi (real last name, by the way) is also the gent who you’ve seen backing Cat Power on the bass for the past few tours. While he lists soul as one of his biggest influences, what you get here is more of the 60’s acoustic Kinks style cut. A nice, chatty psychedelic breakdown before a quick melody change and the songs over. Smart move to keep some spice.
Shearwater – Castaways
I’m really not sure what I thought the first time I heard this one. After noticing it was getting A LOT of attention and great reviews, at least for a moment, I thought there was some kind of prank happening. Almost cheesy-celtic on the surface, I’ll be the fist (or last) to admit that it starts to stick after a few more listens, and is pretty impressive the way it’s built. The secret? All from two of the guys in Okkervil River.
Fun – Believe In Me
It may not be as good as anything on Aim & Ignite, but as original Christmas songs go it’s pretty decent. Pay attention to the words, since that’s where most of the fun lies with all three members trading lines. “I was hoping for snow shoes, or maybe a bike. When I ask them for fun, they gave me Aim & Ignite.” It’s an easy go, but I chuckle every time. Sugary Xmas that’ll go down easy, and as presents go, free download on the bands site.
You’ll want to write it off as singer songwriter fare after 30 seconds or so, but wait till that sing-along drops in, hand claps in tow. It may be freezing outside, but this’ll take you right back into spring. And a horn solo to help play us out? Of course!
Liars – Scissors
Honestly, it’s a pretty hung jury here. The moment I think it’s pretty bad is also the moment I notice that I can’t hit the stop button. It’s pulling me in against my will but I’ll be just as happy to leave when it’s over. Back when I was really getting into bands like Hot Snakes I would have been more into it, but maybe I’ve just moved on.
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. The executive producer is Stacy Owen, with additional help from WFPK’s Laura Shine. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
Okay, i’m officially cold. There, winter. You got me. You win. Congratulations. Even with the heat occasionally up to 70, I’m still wearing my hoodie. I suppose we mark that one up to having a house that’s 100 years old with it’s 12 foot ceilings.
The good news, however, is that Christmas shopping is just about complete. Coupled with a nice weekend that featured Bardstown Rd. (here in Louisville) being lit up with a few dozen carolers and a few thousand passersby picking through the local mom n’ pops, and this Little Big Town has become a pretty delicious slice of something out of the early 1900’s. Cheers to you Louisville. Now, let’s do this!
Just push play.
Julian Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today
I’m standing up for this one. Truth be told, as much as I wanted to love the new Julian Casablancas solo record, I’ve been pretty under whelmed. But then he goes and slaps a bonus track on it that features him covering the classic SNL holiday song originally sang by Horatio Sanz. What makes this cover so good is that Julian takes it back to his earlier Strokes sounds, instead of the abstract synth-heavy tones that dominate the rest of the disc.
Spoon – Written In Reverse
The official first single from the new LP, Transference, (to say, that doesn’t include Got Nuffin’ or recently leaked Mystery Zone), took me a few listens to really get into it, but I’ve been hooked since. It doesn’t stray too far from anything we’ve heard in the past, but then again, no other band really sounds like Spoon, so I guess it’s okay if they’re not in a rush to go beyond what we already know. If you like Spoon, it’s pretty solid.
Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky
DISCLAIMER: I’ve unintentionally ignored them the whole way so far. It’s not that I had a reason, but when too many hip kids start raving in unison, its easy to shut the whole thing out. And really, that’s too bad, because as I suspected, it’s not too bad. Sure, it meanders (which most fans would say is a strong point), but when this song hits, from their new Fall Be Kind EP, its got some definite nice moments.
Boy & Bear – Mexican Mavis
I’ve really been diggin’ on this one since it was featured in the latest World Alliance Pact, and quickly became picked up around the web from there. It’s from an Australian chap who’s been working on finding his own direction through trail & error. The destination falls somewhere between Arctic Monkeys latest foray and Blitzen Trapper. That’s to say, it’s pretty great.
Art Museums – Sculpture Gardens
As I mentioned in the broadcast, it feels like it could be right out of the Wes Andersen songbook. New signee’s to Woodsist – which seems to be the reason everyone is talking about them. It’s fine.
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Even Heroes Have To Die
There has been quite the growing crowd anticipating Ted’s newest. He’s reportedly been hard at work for the better part of the year on the record, releasing some demo’s here and there to keep our appetites whet. To conclusion is the high end guitar pop rock meets punk that brought us in the begin with. Look out for The Brutalist Bricks come March.
Don Diablo – Rave Rave Rave
It’s been a pretty huge year for Diablo. The DJ has made gold out of many of remixes and hit a status that puts him on top of the reviews with every release. Unfortunately, his originals have stacked up to his remixes. Now he has a new EP, I Am Not From France, and seems to have finally found that perfect disco groove with Rave Rave Rave. The title should say it all, but don’t expect late 90’s nostalgia. He keeps the movements constant and the twists n’ turns a’plenty.
Toro Y Moi – Blessa
Columbia, SC kid who has been getting a steady stream of web press lately. File under dreamy bedroom pop with a little Memory Tapes, a little “Sleepyhead” Passion Pit, and a little old school trip-hop for good measure.
Zeus – Marching Through Your Head
Someone had given me an EP with this track a couple months back and I remember really liking it, but like some tend to do, it slipped through the cracks and was forgotten. Luckily, it got a few big hits this week and brought it back into attention. Jumping from the EP to be featured on the upcoming full length, its showcasing a band who knows the indie-pop formula and plays it to its strengths.
Pezzettino – You Never Know
The peppy acordionista who came to our attention at the beginning of the year is back with a 45 and her catchiest song single yet. Repetitious ear candy that’ll be there when you try to fall asleep tonight.
Grizzly Bear – Cheerleader (Neon Indian ‘Sega Genesis P-Orridge’ Remix)
It doesn’t get anymore uber-hip than this. Two of the years buzziest together under one beat. It’s fun, and definitely gives a flip to the album version, but probably won’t stick around, say, the way all of the recent Phoenix remixes have.
Morningbell – Good Morning, I’m Here
I’m not sure what it is about this Tampa, FL band that’s kept me so interested, but whenever their music shuffles up, I find myself more times than not hitting the repeat button.
Shout Out Louds – Walls
Lots of folks are pretty amped on this one, but I can’t follow. It’s a pretty decent hook, but what is it about this song that we haven’t been hearing for the past six years? (then again, I guess I could ask the same about most of the songs on here)
Idiot Glee – All Packed Up
Lexington, KY fella following in the Panda Bear footsteps and doing pretty well. It’s more bedroom lo-fi, but it’s got something a little extra. When his vocals pop on at the :30 mark, it transcends the usual vacant area that this genre likes to bury the melody in. While there is no take-off, and ultimately no pay-off, I don’t feel cheated. It’s ends as unassuming as it began, which is about as good as we can ask for. Beauty in the subtlety.
The Weekly Feed is distributed by WFPK and Louisville Public Media. The executive producer is Stacy Owen, with additional help from WFPK’s Laura Shine. Produced and hosted by Kyle Meredith. Make sure to say hi, yeah?
There is no need to talk about how much we all ate last week (and for some of us, well into the weekend). We all lived through the same occasion. There was family; some we love, some we weren’t even sure of their name or how far down the cousin line they went. There was food – all of the regulars with slight variations from house to house. There was driving, belching, bickering, laughs, hugs, high fives, and a few awkward moments. Thanks goodness there were headphones, too.
There is now madness in the malls and on the highway, and a secret Santa waiting to get you socks for your office party. You’ll need this to get through. Just push play.
Okay, so one motivational speech for the entire year can’t be too cliche, can it? With Thanksgiving nipping at up, I started thinking about the whole thankful thing and what an amazing year this has been so far. It seems to me that you only get a few chances here and there where the stars line up and you find the motivation to make a go at it (whatever it may be for you). I imagine that it’s kind of like surfing. You can wait and wait out there watching all of the passing waves, waiting for the right one, when really, most of them are the right ones. Or at least, all of them will move you forward one way or the other. Eventually, you get the motivation to grab one and as long as you stay up, you can ride it all the way in. You just have to stay up.
Of course, I live in Kentucky, so waves really aren’t a part of life around here. Regardless, somewhere in there is my thankful moment. Thanks to everyone who has helped this show grow. We’ve got some pretty big dreams and we’re glad that each and every one of you are a part of them.
Now, with that, lets go listen to some music. Just push play.
This past Saturday, we hosted a trio of bands that amounted to some of the best music I’ve seen on one stage in quite a while. Wussy (from Cincy), Harper Simon (the traveling companion in Graceland), and Company of Thieves. Now, I’ve seen the Thieves twice this year already, but nothing could have prepared me for the wrath that Geneveve unleashed on that stage. I’ve truly never seen anything like her and won’t be a bit surprised when the rest of the country catches on. So, obviously, take that as a recommendation. On top of it all, the night was for Dare To Care, who deliver foods to hungry young’ins, and we had a TON of food dropped off, including quite a few frozen turkeys, so the night was a pretty large success all around. Its nice when it all comes together.
Here in Kentucky, we had what was probably our last, great warm weekend. It hit in the 70’s with some perfect sunshine, and as the weatherman declared how awesome it was to have this nice October warmth in November, I couldn’t help but think of the Postal Service line over and over:
“Where concerns about the world getting warmer
The people thought they were just being rewarded
Now we can swim any day in November”
I wasn’t showing any signs of complaining though. It was great to walk with everyone around streets and sidewalks that were blanketed in the burnt oranges and deep yellows from fallen leaves. Though, musically, its starting to feel like all of the bands out there are doing the same thing, too. As we ease into the final stretch of ’09, fewer songs are popping up, but the ones that are, are firing on all cylinders. But, as LaVar Burton would say, you don’t have to take my word for it.
With Halloween behind us it’s time to start looking forward to next food coma inducing holiday, and probably a quick trip to the dentists office. We had a good Halloween though. My boy (age 2) got to do his first Trick or Treat and came out gangbusters. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) we didn’t have many kids stop by to our house so along with my sons bounty, we also still have all of the treats that we bought. Which is all to say that I’m enjoying a nice sugar high as I write this.
The week before Halloween. Let me just go ahead and play this one out, since I know this story well. I’ll talk about what to wear for a few of the parties that I’ll be attending… right up until the day of, which means I’ll never actually decide on a costume till the last minute. At that point, I’ll hit the closet and come up with some weird concoction that doesn’t exactly makes sense, but confuses everyone enough for them to forget that it doesn’t make sense and that I totally copped out. Luckily, I have a lot of hats. Seriously, like I have hats like girls have shoes. All different kinds. So, we’ll see how this all turns out. To be continued…?
You’ll never lose the beat if you just keep clapping your hands.
Though I’ve seen enough concerts and out-of-time clap-alongs to know that’s not really true, I’m sure the guys in Fruit Bats meant well by that lyric and it stands out enough to put a smile on my face every time it plays. It’s playing on the radio behind me as our hosting station, WFPK, charges through our Fall fund drive. It’s always exciting to hear people give back and share their thoughts and musings about what radio means to them these days. I’ve had a couple handfuls of great comments from folks who check out the show each week, so I wanted to say thanks. I’ll keep killing my eyesight rummaging through the blogs so you don’t have to. Really, it’s not problem.
Aside from that, I’d also like to officially welcome a few new folks: KSJE in Farmington, NM and WXRY in Columbia, SC who have both picked up The Weekly Feed. Thrilled to be a part of your community.
I know talking about the weather can be a crutch, but I’m cold! Everyone around me is talking about how much they enjoy Fall, how its their favorite. That wistful look in their eyes that will last well into the Holiday rush. But I’m cold! I’m not ready. Bring back the sun. I thought Postal Service said we could swim any day in November. Of course, the tickle in the back of my throat isn’t helping much. It might have been quick, but I believe I caught that cold. I’ll show it.
Anyway, we were lucky to see some great shows this past week, maybe making top billing was These United States who not only sent us into a frenzy at WFPK’s Live Lunch, but then killed it at Skull Alley later that night. If they keep this pace up of new, good music, we’re going to be strapped for space on the bandwagon come these next few years.
Welcome to another Week from The Feed. It’s post ACL Fest-style, which means we should start getting lots of live recordings from some pretty amazing shows over the next few days. I’ll definitely be passing along those links as they pop up on various sites. On a personal note, yesterday while I was sitting on my porch swing, I was surprised by a tiny, baby squirrel nuzzling my leg. It caught me off guard and I jumped (though it was a manly jump), but I’m pretty sure the little guy laughed at me. The, craziest thing, he kept following me. Wanted to play. Other came to watch and he let everyone pick him up. So weird. I honestly have never seen a fearless squirrel, though I’m told they exist on college campus’s and populated parks. Crazy though, just the same. I think I have a new friend.
Allow me to describe my setup. Every morning I wake up, put on the water for tea, grab something near to eat, and head to my office. My comp is next to a big window which I try to keep open as much as possible. Aside from a few chipmunks that like to play outside, I’ve also a neighborhood bully (it’s a squirrel), that will probably soon be trapped because he’s found his way into my walls. But for now, he’s part of the routine, as is this fantastic fall breeze that has accompanied the official Fall season. You’d think it was clockwork how well that was all synced. Slight chill, a big bright sun, and everything wilting and changing colors around me. I love summer, probably more than the others, but when Autumn arrives, its always welcome.
Music this week from Foo Fighters, Free Energy, the dude with the mustache from The Hold Steady, the dude from The Strokes, Mike Doughty (aka, the dude from Soul Coughing), Langhorne Slim, The Drums… so much more. Its a pretty great way to spend your day. Just push play.
Sometimes you just need a vacation. Jump in the car and go type of thing, as I did this weekend (well, okay, I jumped on a plane, but the sense of adventure remained the same). The last week has been spent in NYC – the land where music is made these days! – traversing the streets, meeting some great people, taking in some shows, and eating lots and lots of good food (And I also took some time to drop by F.A.O. Schwartz to play on the big piano from the movie Big. Like the dozens of other people, my talents did not include pulling off Heart & Soul, which I would imagine that keyboard has heard millions of times now).
Anyway, this is all to say that I took a break this week. While I do have the newest episode here in full, there is no blog this time around. But you don’t come for my sarcastic scribblings, you come for the music. So yeah, keep doin what ya do and enjoy, and my supreme wit will be back next week. New music this week from Joshua James, Girls, Wolfmother, Thao and The Get Down Stay Downs, Lake, Ed O’Brian & Neil Finn, Good Night States, Death Cab For Cutie, DM Stith and more.
Welcome to the show! Pop-radio free, indie rock, cultured from the bowels of Blog Land – divided and conquered by the know-it-all Web Kids. It’s nearly fantastic. Enjoy.
Not only did the country’s work force have a long weekend, but so did Blog Land, so it wasn’t the biggest of weeks for new music. Not to say we didn’t find some gems hiding out there, but plenty of rocks had to be moved to do so. I woke up this morning with a fog set down on my neighborhood so thick I couldn’t see my house twenty yards out, and I kind of figure that’s the way most people are feeling after a long weekend – still in that hazy, lazy mood and almost unwilling to be lifted. Well, this mix is especially for you, because I would use all of those words to describe these songs as well.
Welcome to another week in Feedly Land. The RSS’s have been a-burning with some late summer surprises. Much like the rest of the world, we hit a small lull for a moment but while the days grow a wee bit cooler, the blogs are as hot as ever.
I woke up this morning with the sun shining through the window and the bluest sky I’d seen in months. Up until I took a look at the world around, it sure did feel like Spring. Even so, the near zero temps and snow covered ground are a lot easier to take when the sky’s not grey. I think I’ll go for a walk. Time to shed this cabin skin.
Yesterday I got the pleasure of speaking in length to 
So, you’ve got a crush on Amber Webber and wanna have a chat with her? Vicariously, you can live through me. A member of both 
