Xavier Rudd: "To Let" (Live @ Bonnaroo ‘07)

Nothing beats getting off work and slipping into a Bonnaroo mindset, listening to the cool-calm-collected Xavier Rudd. Fortunately, I can not only listen to Rudd but I can listen to Rudd at the Bonnaroo show I saw him play. Thanks to the finely equipped fans, Rudd’s show has been released on a few sites lying on the outskirts of the internet. I spoke earlier about Rudd commanding the crowd easier than an air conditioner psychologically controls Bonnarooers. Anyone familiar with Xavier Rudd probably knows the track “To Let”, which I thought I knew until Bonnaroo.

[MP3] Xavier Rudd – To Let (Jam)
[MP3] Xavier Rudd – To Let

His set was one of the best I saw at Bonnaroo; tempo always changing, fans screaming and dancing, and a “good energy”. If you’ve ever been at a concert that really makes you observe the static relationship between musician and crowd – this was that type of stint. It’s not a new song from the Aboriginal spokesmusician, but it’s one that he flushes out in a irregular form that is pleasing to the atmosphere as much as the ears.

Stay tuned for some more of my favorite Bonnaroo tracks and a live mini-compilation!

A Day In The Life

or

I read the news today, oh boy..

The Hold Steady – Acoustic Sessions

The Hold Steady are a band that has grown on me quite a bit this year. When Boys And Girls In America came out in 2006 I avoided it generally because I didn’t much care for their previous LP, and I also didn’t like the ridiculous amount of unwavering hype and support Pitchfork was giving a band that didn’t seem like they deserved it. Or rather, a band that produced an album solely for the comfort of Pitchfork writers. I know that’s not the way it went down, but that’s how it seemed.

So I’ve warmed up to BAGIA quite a bit, particularly the first three tracks (the rest of the album sinks from there, for lack of variety and bite). I wondered how the band might sound if they didn’t have such a loud and heavy sound, one that masks imperfections while it simplifies and overextends the guitar-driven melodies and straightens the vocals a bit. Enter the “Stuck Between Stations” single and a recent acoustic performance.

The following two songs are acoustic versions of two of my favorite songs from BAGIA. I’d love to say something positive about them, but I’m completely unimpressed. Here, Craig Finn’s vocals reveal their true colors, one of inexperience and a general lack of singing talent. That hasn’t stopped me from liking a band before, and it won’t stop me from appreciating what I can of The Hold Steady. But damn, he could at least try to sing on key…and on time…and like he cares.

[MP3] The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations (Acoustic)
[MP3] The Hold Steady – Chips Ahoy! (Acoustic)

For comparison:

[MP3] The Hold Steady – Chips Ahoy! (Album Version)

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Boys And Girls In America

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Wednesday’s Links

Check out 17dots’ exclusive details on Arcade Fire’s upcoming, post-Neon Bible album. “Brilliant, heartbreaking, stunning. Arcade Fire have done it again.”

Blender.com has an exclusive video of The White Stripes performing at Bonnaroo. I don’t really have much to say here for lack of hard, eye-witness commentary, but I’m sure Nathaniel can tell you allllll about it.

The Cure are going on tour with the reportedly hand-selected, glitchy post-rock collective 65daysofstatic. Check out the video for their new album’s first single “Don’t Go Down To Sorrow.”

Check out the new video for Interpol’s new single “The Heinrich Maneuver.” Painful to watch (you’ll get both meanings of “painful” by the end of the video).

The DL has a Guitar Hero II Showdown between Dinosaur Jr. guitarist J. Mascis and comedian David Cross. Tensions are strong, the air is thick, and shred fevers run high…with awkwardness. Is J. Mascis stoned for like every waking second?

Cat Stevens: "I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old"

I’ve been spending a lot of time driving lately, which means I’ve had a lot of time to think and listen to music, aside from growing restless. One of the thoughts I had was to not always be forced to introduce new and relevant tracks, rather post about some old (maybe undershowcased) tracks that I really like. Here’s a tune everyone should grow to love from one of my favorites – Cat Stevens.

Until a compilation of Cat Stevens’ career was culminated in the form of The Very Best of Cat Stevens, which is a fantastic album, this song had never been released before. It’s probably seen fair exposure on the underground circuit of bootleg and live show trading, but until 2000 this song was arguably non-existent. Call it the “new” content effect if you want, but this song instantly became my favorite track on that album and one of my favorites within Stevens’ catalogue.

[MP3] Cat Stevens – I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old

Eccentric verses discussing reduntant life tasks (buying vitamin land and marzipan) and grandoise plans for the future (including air conditioned gardens) are outdone by a chorus that kicks up the tempo and gets permanently stuck in your head. “Because I’ve got no time for silly chitter chatter / I’m on my way / While my blood’s still warm and mind doesn’t matter / I’m hoping to stay / Because I’ve got a thing about Seeing my grandson grow old” churns out a great chorus that is capped off by a Beatles-esque “uh oh oh, uh oh oh” that Stevens coos. His guitar is as sharp as it ever was and the solo artist harmonica solo staple rounds at this song; one of the most wholesome tunes he’s ever constructed.

Cat Stevens: "I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old"

I’ve been spending a lot of time driving lately, which means I’ve had a lot of time to think and listen to music, aside from growing restless. One of the thoughts I had was to not always be forced to introduce new and relevant tracks, rather post about some old (maybe undershowcased) tracks that I really like. Here’s a tune everyone should grow to love from one of my favorites – Cat Stevens.

Until a compilation of Cat Stevens’ career was culminated in the form of The Very Best of Cat Stevens, which is a fantastic album, this song had never been released before. It’s probably seen fair exposure on the underground circuit of bootleg and live show trading, but until 2000 this song was arguably non-existent. Call it the “new” content effect if you want, but this song instantly became my favorite track on that album and one of my favorites within Stevens’ catalogue.

[MP3] Cat Stevens – I’ve Got A Thing About Seeing My Grandson Grow Old

Eccentric verses discussing reduntant life tasks (buying vitamin land and marzipan) and grandoise plans for the future (including air conditioned gardens) are outdone by a chorus that kicks up the tempo and gets permanently stuck in your head. “Because I’ve got no time for silly chitter chatter / I’m on my way / While my blood’s still warm and mind doesn’t matter / I’m hoping to stay / Because I’ve got a thing about Seeing my grandson grow old” churns out a great chorus that is capped off by a Beatles-esque “uh oh oh, uh oh oh” that Stevens coos. His guitar is as sharp as it ever was and the solo artist harmonica solo staple rounds at this song; one of the most wholesome tunes he’s ever constructed.

Here’s To You, Man.

I feel it is my responsibiliy to pay homage to my East Coast affiliate, co-worker, fellow mack daddy, and (most importantly) friend. Connor is a man that deserves more than the mediocre 20% gratuity. Indeed, I owe him nearly 100% for his superb double time bogging while I’ve been on vacation, Rooing, conferencing, and moving. You guys, without a doubt, have appreciated the consistent Connor-flow over the two weeks, but nobody has appreciated it more than me. It’s rewarding to be partnered with a pal like him, so here are a few tunes (which I’m sure he has) to convey my appreciation.

[MP3] Aimee Man – Two of Us
[MP3] Elliott Smith – Pitseleh
[MP3] The Format + Radiohead – Paranoid Dog Android Problems
[MP3] Oh No! Oh My! – I Guess I’m Floating (lyrics)
[MP3] Beirut – Postcards From Italy

Insound Fires Up Tour Support w/ The Thermals

Insound’s Tour Support series, which collects live songs and rarities from some of music’s more popular indie groups, has featured such bands as The Rapture, Bright Eyes, and Ida, but for unknown reasons the series hasn’t seen a release in a few years…until now! Thanks to the cooperation of disillusioned punk rockers The Thermals (whose album The Body, The Blood, The Machine made our Best Albums of 2006 list), the series has been revived!

Insound Tour Support: The Thermals comes out on July 3rd and features 13 tracks which break down like so: four were recorded for a KEXP session a while back, six are from a recent live show at The Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, and the remaining three are special acoustic versions of songs from TBTBTM. I know that news sounds amazing but I haven’t even got to the best part… this 13-track CD, which is only available from Insound and from The Thermals merch booth on tour, will cost you only $5.99. If that isn’t enough to convince you, how about a couple MP3s:

[MP3] The Thermals – Returning To The Fold (Live on KEXP)
[MP3] The Thermals – A Pillar Of Salt (Acoustic)

Check out the full tracklist and buy the damn thing here. Here are some bonus MP3s:

[MP3] The Thermals – A Pillar Of Salt
[MP3] The Thermals – Here’s Your Future
[MP3] The Thermals – No Culture Icons

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Insound Support Tour

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Caribou: "She’s The One"

Psych-pop connoisseur Caribou (real name Daniel Snaith, formerly known as Manitoba) has a new album coming out on Merge Records on August 21st. It’s called Andorra and it sounds unmistakably like this:

[MP3] Caribou – She’s The One

Apparently Snaith still believes in romanticism. In a world as legitimately fucked up as ours, such a belief might be a little too optimistic, or maybe even self-centered when we really need, now more than ever, to look outward and, above all else, to be realistic. But perhaps Snaith’s music provides a much-needed albeit temporary escape from these intimidating realities. After all, if World War III’s going down across the street, can you really be blamed for shutting your eyes and pumping the volume? If escape is what you need, let “She’s The One” take you wherever it is you need to go and from whatever it is you need to escape.

Andorra is the new hotness. Don’t miss out on this one, it’s about as cool as riding bareback on a unicorn through a field of happiness with rainbows at every turn.

Listen to “Melody Day,” the first single from Andorra, at Caribou’s Myspace.

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Official Site | MySpace Site | More MP3s | Buy Melody Day EP

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Sunday is not a business day.

So I’ve moved back to Lexington for the remainder of the summer and have been persistently annoying the cable company in a motivational effort to borrow one of “their guys” that’ll flip a switch to a little necessity known as the internet.

Thanks to the clustered organization of such companies, I am having to wait until their next available business day (Wednesday; between the hours of 10-1) for my internet start working. It’s rather sad, but I feel crippled without personal internet access (resorting to library computers). Never take Google for credit, indeed.

Business days. Phhht.