1. The Kissaway Trail, Sleep Mountain

Danish outfit, very Death Cab for Cutie. Honestly, the jury is still out but so far, thumbs up; meaning, I didn’t reach over to shut it off once through the first listen — and that’s saying something . I also did reach over to turn it up a couple of times, most notably for “New Lipstick” and the cover of Neil Young’s “Philadelphia.” Summary: take a risk.

2. David Chernis, Music for Super 8

Sure, sure… I might be biased. But this is beautiful. The guitar-balls behind the original Damnwells‘ lineup releases his first solo project, a complete 180. Instrumental. Restrained. Surprising. Eclectic. Enjoy.

3. Chris Trapper, Into the Bright Lights

Lead singer of The Push Stars out with a solo EP, getting back to that Push Stars pop sound I love so much after diverting a bit. Gorgeous.

You know the drill. IN SHORT is our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff we think’s worth mentioning… sometimes it’s about music, sometimes not. This month, three videos that have been forwarded our way multiple times — we got the hint . So here goes, one to make you laugh, one to make you ooo and ahh, one to perk your interest about the seedy inner insides of the music industry.

1. Bohemian Rhapsody, The Muppets

Come on, I had you at Muppets. 60 seconds or so in… wait for it. Mama? (Animal).

2. Don’t Stop Believing, Nick Pitera (five of him)

Apparently this is a Glee cover (the TV show which I’m proud to say I don’t watch — although I certainly do watch a lot of cheesy TV). This, for sure, is cheesy but dammit it’s also cool.

3. Golden Days, The Damnwells

Yes, I’ve given this band of ridiculous amount of airtime. But finally, the documentary movie that Chris Suchorsky put together is available. The film follows the story as the band lands their major label record deal and then gets completely hosed by the machine (Epic), as does happen. It’s been around the film festival circuit, even nabbing best documentary in Phoenix a couple of years back. Now, the DVD is available (naturally, Epic delayed the process). If you don’t want to drop the cash, add them to your queue on Netflix, they are officially listed although the release on Netflix, still TBD. It’s a damn (ehem) fine little film.

xo

So it’s off to Austin, Texas for me this Saturday. Going all-out this year for a 10 day stint, covering interactive, film & music at SxSW. If you’ve been before, you get that this is a fairly brave undertaking. Which is why I’ve got tons of Emergen-C, Tylenol, and eye-cream ready to go with. And I purchased an iPhone over the weekend to make it easier to navigate all those texts, etc., I feel so 21st century! God damn, this thing is friggin’ cool. It’ll be perfect once I transfer my “Truth Hits Everybody” ring tone from my old phone. In any case, by the end of Sx, all the walking, talking, the late nights, the tacos and Lone Star Ale having taken their toll, I’m sure I’ll feel at least 10 years older. But it’s a small price to pay. Showcases I’ll be at below, in case you happen to be in town . I’ll have a blog for you guys next Monday for the full report of the front half of the festival, at least insofar as much as I can take in the first couple of days. In the meantime… here’s what’s been spinning around the office this month so far:

Simone White, Yakiimo


If you haven’t met Simone just yet, the above is a decent taste… a commercial that played all over Europe and the UK with her song, “The Beep Beep Song” from the first album, I Am the Man. Spectacular record. The new one on the way is Yakiimo, with a release across the pond scheduled for June. Working on getting it out here as well. I think of her as a modern-day Joni Mitchell. Fave tracks from Yakiimo include Victoria Anne, Candy Bar Killer, and You Are Loved. You can hear them all here. Totally worth the import price.

Clem Snide, Hungry Bird

When Eef Barzelay isn’t busy doing his solo projects (which I equally adore) he’s got his hands full with Clem Snide. Always a good buy. My picks: Me No (a rocker!) and Pray, so very R.E.M. Hear them here.

Glasvegas, Glasvegas

Lamely, the actual video is no longer embed-able (Columbia Records, you fucking idiots). But still, holy crap, this is heaven. So very very Brit Box. Glasgow pop at its uber-finest. Genius name. Can’t get enough and can barely stand the wait to see them in Austin. So God damn brilliant. Echo and the Bunnymen meets The Family Cat. Double-shit hot.

Sometymes Why, Joey

Yep, it’s a Concrete Blonde cover, gorgeous. You can get it on their new album, Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine.

Michael Miller, I Made You Up

Unfucking believable. It’s a creeper so make sure you hang with it. Really hard to decide favorite tracks because the whole thing just builds. Nonetheless, “Munkie,” “Sweetness,” “Carolina Skyline,” “Gomer Put Your Fist Down,” “Sutures.” Hear them here. I’m telling you, this is a five-star record, all the way. Due out this summer. Pete Yorn, Tracy Bonham, Amy Correa and others guest. Plus it’s an all-star backing band. How the hell isn’t this guy famous? Working on that.

That’s all for now, talk to you guys from Austin next week. Here’s where I’ll be among other places:

• Breath of Fresh Air Showcase 12-6 PM, Wednesday 03/18, Threadgills, 301 W Riverside Dr (Brownshoe, Jeremy Messersmith, Romantica, Chris Velan, The Secret, Life of Sofia, Amy Speace, Winterpills, KaiserCartel, The Damnwells)
• Bloodshot Records Showcase 12-6 PM, Friday 03/20, Yard Dog, 1510 S. Congress (Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Ben Weaver, Charlie Pickett, Exene Cervenka, Deadstring Brothers, Ha Ha Tonka, The Meat Purveyors, Dex Romweber Duo, The Silos, Andre Williams, Justin Townes Earle, Rosie Flores, Waco Brothers

xo

dear hole in my head through which the foul winds of winter blow,

they say i don’t need you. i beg to differ. without you, the wind would not whistle through in that musical way; it would become very hot and stale in here; nothing would leave or be let in. so i am told you are not only a benefit to me but here to stay. from you, things are allowed to leave that may have felt trapped; others are let in that may be unwelcome.

its hard to let things in during this kind of New England winter — or out. i’m inclined to never, ever leave the house. when i do, my body clenches up, my shoulders hunch and ache, my lungs hurt. i try to take long gliding strides but i keep slipping on the ice, so i pussyfoot.

an hour long walk through the world, walking gingerly and trying not to fall, knotted up in various forms of mild pain, is how i take my exercise these days. and i listen to music, using a small electrical device that pumps sounds through tubes, and i look for things on the ground and in the air, and always i hear the whistling of you, the hole in my head.

listening to music isn’t what it used to be, you know. now when i take in that which used to feed me, i am mainly only reminded that it did feed me once — the hunger for the old Leonard Cohen album, now sated, for example, is somehow lacking. but still in spite of the unwelcome perspective i now i have, sometimes music enters my life with that old alchemy when i am not looking. perhaps this is age; perhaps it is the new electrical devices that make it all so easy that nothing is precious anymore.

i think about this as i trudge through the March snow and stumble and wipe snow from my face. last night i woke during the Nor’Easter wailing outside to get a glass of water and then could not get back to sleep, realized that you, the hole in my head, had been cut off by a strategic cave-in, made worried lists in my steamed-up mind, wrote nonsense words on chalkboards, failed pointless tests — and music was playing the whole time. Not from my electrical device! this went on for about two solid hours until i finally collapsed into sleep from over-exertion.

here is a sampling of the music that was playing:

• Carol Brown by Flight of the Conchords — mainly just one verse and chorus, over and over.
• God and Suicide by Blitzen Trapper — a song i don’t know that well, so again, just the first verse over and over.
• Little Boy Ghost by me (new song in progress) — the whole song.
• Moonbeam Song by Harry Nillsson — mainly the melody, i don’t know all the words, but it builds so beautifully.
• Bridge by Lucy Wainwright Roche — just the chorus. of course, over and over.
• You Always Hurt The One You Love by the Mills Brothers – the best version ever. before the swingy beat comes in on the guitar. i enjoyed hearing it, with even the scratchy vinyl sounds.
• some weird classical music riff that repeated over and over — i think it was a Mozart phrase that was welded clumsily onto a Souza march, and never resolves. pure sonic hell.
• And Then..? by Miracle Legion, melding with the version that Winterpills (my band) has recorded for a Mark Mulcahy covers album.
• a troubling chord progression for a half-baked new song that has only a title: Three Drops of Blood.
• Queen Bee by Neil Halstead. that drum beat, the chorus — ‘what did you say, hey hey girl?’ — calming and also in my twilit mind unsettling. what DID you say, hey hey girl?all this, a soundtrack for midnight worry, midnight lists, midnight tests, while a storm carries on outside, more snow, filling in all the holes, and come morning, the wind still whistled with conviction through my porous head. i need you.

Philip

hadley, ma, march 2, 2009

Winterpills are on tour by the way, you can catch them (and me!) in Austin at SxSW:

Breath of Fresh Air Showcase 12-6 PM, Wednesday 03/18, Threadgills, 301 W Riverside Dr (Brownshoe, Jeremy Messersmith, Romantica, Chris Velan, The Secret, Life of Sofia, Amy Peace, Winterpills, KaiserCartel, The Damnwells)

Signature Sounds Showcase 8PM-1AM, Wednesday 03/18, The Velveeta Room, 6th St. & Red River (Caroline Herring, Peter Mulvey, Chris Smither, Eilen Jewell, Winterpills)

Join us for a great evening of music!

Ooooo! New record! No word on official release date. But you can hear tracks here. At first listen, I Will/With You, Everything’s Gone, Losin’ You, likey. She’s sultry, she’s wicked. Dangerously lovely combination. If you haven’t heard any of her older stuff before, buy all of it. Seriously.

Andy Zipf, What’s Going On

Damn, Andy always slays me, especially with covers. Heart him.

Bill Mullins, all of it

Surf guitar rock at its finest. And other stuff too. Straight from Vermont. Hometown boy!

The Cars, Candy-O

Hard to believe I didn’t have a copy of this already and I was desperately missing it. Luckily, Cupid came through on Valentine’s Day, bless his heart. It’s All I Can Do/Let’s Go are perhaps two of my fave songs ever. So happy to have them in my life again whenever I choose. The Cars rule, rule, rule.

The Damnwells (sort of), One Last Century

Sweet Jesus! You know I love me some Damnwells. New record out, download it for free here (annoyingly, it’s through Paste — we being adamant Blurt people around here. But hey, free is free). In any case, good to have the boys back, sort of… Dave and Steve stepped away last year. But still, I fucking adore this band. Lots to dig on this record, still chewing on it. Dandelion stands out. Need to give it a spin in the car. For sure, Alex’s magic scratchy, woo-voice (I know that sounds sappy!) always gets me at the knees. And this one seems made for sync, loaded with ballads, very smart. A little light on the guitar-grit this go around, which, as those of you who know me know… I’ve got a thing for guitars. Speaking of… Chernis has a few new things up his sleeve. In case you missed him . Darjeeling Mail’s my favorite.

xo