To The Maxx

a few weeks ago i made a nice purchase at family.

i got an Ariel Pink 7′ called “My Molly EP.” It’s a five song deal, all home recordings from when he was 19 yrs old.

i once read a spot on description of his music…. i can’t remember where i read it, but (and i’m paraphrasing here) it went something like this: his music sounds like AM radio broadcasting through a turntable with a cactus needle as the needle and a styrofoam cup as the speaker. something like that.

anyway i love reclusive geniuses and i love lo-fi. hence, i love ariel pink and this EP.
it came out a year ago, and was recorded nine years ago, but it’s new to my ears and i want to share.

the song that i’m most excited about is his cover of The Smiths b-side “This Night Has Opened My Eyes.” He recently cut a cover of “Everybody” for a Madonna tribute album (mp3 available @ stereogum), but i like this cover way more. when I first heard it I didn’t realize that it was a Smiths song and thought he was just doing a strange homage to Morrissey….. or an “hoMoz” (pronounced O-’mäz, not hO-mOz/).

but no, it’s cover. and here it is in all its digital glory, for the phonographically challenged:

DOWNLOAD MP3:
ARIEL PINK “THIS NIGHT HAS OPENED MY EYES (THE SMITHS)” (YSI)

(buy) (myspace)

and here’s a video of the original, for your comparison:

new york quartet Standing Nudes have posted to their website all eight and a half minutes of “Honeybee,” the grand finale of their debut full-length Ghost Story because it’s “too long for myspace.”

the song starts off in Sonic Youth mode, with some Life Without Buildings style lyrical repetition from singer Molly Shea, before gradually sliding off into swirly trippy swelly druggy sludgy mode. then it collects itself and shifts into a tight yet mellowed-out groove that recalls one of my favorite songs ever, David Crosby’s “Cowboy Movie.”

then the song opens up again for some guitar calisthenics courtesy of jason maartens klauber and the chaotic drum thuggery of will stone (both dudes are also in stylofone).

then the song gets tight and vibey again.

then the song ends.

anyway, it’s big and it’s sorta mind-expanding and i rather like it.

STREAM: STANDING NUDES “HONEYBEE” and watch the pastel pixels trip the light fantastic HERE.

(buy cd/digital) (myspace)

new artist alert:

ROBERT FRANCIS

points of reference: springsteen, steve earle, townes van zandt, dylan, neil young (and on the more recent tip, conor oberst minus the cheese factor).

but i hate tossing off names like that without actually qualifying the comparison.

by which i mean to say that robert francis, through the quality of his songcraft, situates himself right in there with these greats who came before him. he’s not just “influenced by _______ ” or “sounds like _____________.”i see it more like this: he’s “the second-coming of _________” or he’s “the resurrection of _______.” he’s the real deal.

he’s not some indie kid who happens to like country and folk music. his songs come from a place of truth… his is an authentic point of view and the whole thing becomes a bit overwhelming once you realize that the guy’s only 19 years old.

his songs are like shapeshifters…. you get lulled into the fragility of his young voice and before you’ve realized it, the raw power of the music blindsides you, knocks you down.

i saw robert’s show earlier this week at bordello, in downtown los angeles. it was a nice setting for his music… dark, moody, an air of faded decadence. robert played guitar, backed by bass, pedal steel, keys and two skinny shirtless longhair drummers. and as good as the songs are on record, the live arrangements are even more powerful. the dual drums really drive the music in an exciting way. sonically, the live vibe reminded me of the arcade fire.

the thing, though, is that it’s a real thrill to watch the man play these songs, to invoke them, emote them. it’s a shame that you can’t watch his face as you listen to his album, you know? i always thought he looked like a young warren oates from “the wild bunch.”

here is a cut down version (per label request) of the gorgeous, epic title track (featuring Joachim Cooder on drums, Amir Yaghmai on violin and Juliette Commagere on vocals) from robert francis‘ first record “One By One,” in stores August 21, but available from his label, los angeles based Aeronaut Records right now.

DOWNLOAD: ROBERT FRANCIS “ONE BY ONE” (edit)

(four more songs available on myspace)

tour dates:
Aug 4 2007, Big Sur Showcase, Big Sur, California
Aug 5 2007, Henry Miller Library, Big Sur, California (w/ Hello Stranger)
Aug 17 2007, The Sports Page, Bigfork, Montana
Aug 18 2007, Raleighs, Polson, Montana
Aug 19 2007, Raleighs, Polson, Montana
Aug 23 2007, Mt. Tabor Theater, Portland, Oregon (w/ Highway)
Aug 31 2007, The Roxy, Hollywood, California (record release show)
Sep 9 2007 9:00P, WE and KCRW present Robert Francis w/ The Album Leaf, Santa Monica, California

i took in a lovely rock show last night at the famed roxy on the sunset strip. let my tell you about it, painting pictures with words and using actual pictures to supplement those word-pictures. perhaps there’ll be some moving pictures as well.

the show was a record release party for rooney, with support from hello stranger and coconut records. it was a fun evening, made all the more exciting by the fact that all the bands that played are buddies of mine, from the high school days and beyond.

first up was a triumphant set by hello stranger, replete with new songs and a new lineup.

setlist (new songs italicized for her pleasure): robody/drive it home/tienes nada/grab it/we used to talk/surrender/big boots

the usually four-piece lineup was augmented by a new keyboard/synth/organ man named john kirby who added crazy dynamics with his arsenal of toys, as well as by two killer backup singers. i would love to see this expanded lineup stick around for a while, seven peeps on stage made for quite the spectacle. the new songs sounded ridiculously huge, rendering the bulk of the (mostly-teen) crowd wide-eyed, maybe even overwhelmed. but kids are impressionable and they cheered like mad between songs. success!

some photos for ye:
juliette + keytar + big hat = sunset strip, 1988.
joachim, in the background, keeps it strictly topanga canyon, 1974.

ben and juliette get blurry.

smily john in the back and jared avec big strange guitar.

a signature prince tamboraca (tambourine/maraca) used by one of the backup singers. crazy.

next to take the stage was unannounced “special guest” coconut records a.k.a. jason schwartzman, for his live debut. the set was super short, which is a bit of a drag…. i would have loved to hear “it’s not you it’s me” but it’s all good.

jason played his first song solo acoustic, then dropped the guitar and played lead singer while “the best backing band in the world,” the coconuts (a.k.a. rooney, a.k.a. jason’s brother robert’s band), took instrumental duties. they did “minding my own business” and “west coast.” then jason sang the disco-fueled title-track, “nighttiming,” while dancing with a flashlight, backed by the album track (with original vocals) playing on his ipod (very “the management”). he also showed off coconut records canvas tote bags, which were available @ the merch booth.

here’s a video from the show (not the best sound quality, but whatevs) of “Minding My Own Business.”

and, yes, some pictures of coconut records, why not…

jason

jason, robert and taylor or “coconut records and the coconuts”

jason again.

rooney returned to the stage to finish the evening off (as themselves) and they succeeded in whipping the crowd into a frenzy. it was a sight to behold. the tunes from the new record, “calling the world”, sound badass live. i’m partial to the e.l.o. and supertramp vibe of “Are You Afraid?” and, of course, to the first single, “When Did Your Heart Go Missing,” which is on my new mix.

three of the five men of rooney.

if you didn’t get to go to this show… they’re taking it on the road (minus coconut records, which seems like it was a one-time only deal). hello stranger and rooney are heading out on the road together this summer.

TOUR DATES:
Aug 13 2007, Irving Plaza, New York, New York
Aug 16 2007, Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey
Aug 17 2007, The Trocadero, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Aug 18 2007, The Recher Theater, Towson, Maryland
Aug 20 2007, Rex Theater, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Aug 21 2007, Headliners, Toledo, Ohio
Aug 23 2007, House Of Blues , Chicago, Illinois
Aug 24 2007, The Canopy Club, Urbana, Illinois
Aug 26 2007, The Eagles Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

MYSPACES:
hello stranger
coconut records
rooney

thanks to the electronic prodding of one julia simpson and the conceptual imagination of one nick panama, i am happy to present to you a brand sztanking new…mix for the middle of july!!!!!!!for those of you just joining us, what you’re about to experience is a massive mp3 file for you to download and listen to and go apeshit. it’s like having a petite version of me inside your iPod or iPhone or Zune or computer or mind.i’m in yr brain, jockying yr toons.

DOWNLOAD MP3:SSSSUMMERRRR MIX, JULY 2007 (1:02:49/192 kbps/86.3 MB)

1. The Monochrome Set “Eine Symphonie Des Grauens” My very favorite track from the crazy Crippled Dick Hot Wax comp 7″ Up! singles only, UK 1978 – 1982.

2. Liars “Clear Island” Liars are back and they are done with concept albums. They are now solely concerned with fully crushing your skull.

3. Miniature Tigers “The Wolf” The more I listen to this song the closer it scoots towards “classic” status. Impossibly good. (orignal post)

4. Animal Collective “Derek” The last track from the new album, a Panda Bear composition that divides perfectly into two discrete halves.

5. The Pinups “Lookin’ For Boys” Another perfect summer jam, from from the best box set that money can buy. At a certain point this track veers dangerously close to “Surfin’ USA.” Not that that’s a bad thing at all.

6. The Chemical Brothers feat. Fatlip “The Salmon Dance”“Did you know?”"…What?” “That I could go to Japan?” (original post)

7. The Little Ones “Let Them Ring The Bells” So I kept hearing the name of this Los Angeles band and then I finally heard their music. In general, I think I need to pay better attention.

8. Tegan and Sara “Back In Your Head” Though I don’t love their whole body of work, I am a huge fan of this tune… something like the aural equivalent of Pinkberry: sweet pop bliss.

9. Blitzen Trapper “Wild Mountain Nation” Gotta love me some lo-fi Pacific Northwest indie country jams. Reminds me of the pre-”Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” styles of Wilco.

10. Jay Reatard “I Know A Place” If you read this blog with any regularity, you realize that I’m borderline obsessed with this guy’s music. My friend told me a gross and violent story about him that only makes me more of a fan. (original post)

11. Shout Out Louds “Tonight I Have To Leave It” In Sweden there’s this little book they pass around called “Writing Perfect Indie Pop Songs That Makes The Kids Cream Their Britches.”

12. Blur “Trimm Trabb” comes from the dense, brilliant and little-discussed Blur record from 1999 called “13.” I heard this come out of an iPod this 4th of July and it triggered a flood of memories of listening to “13″ when it came out. Fun fact: long before Pitchfork turned into the fire-breathing beast it is today, they gave this album an impressive 9.1 rating.

13. Rooney “When Did Your Heart Go Missing” 2 fun facts direct from Robert from Rooney: 1. The song is inspired by the music of Zoot Woman 2. The Jonathan Richman-esque spoken word outro was improvised and nailed on the first take.

14. Feist “1234″ (Vanshe Technologic Remix) This is admittedly much better than the remix of this song that we tried and failed to make. I also think I weirded out Feist at Bonnaroo when I gave her a thumbs-up in an admittedly creepy manner.

15. No Age “Neck Escaper” Their album “Weirdo Rippers” has a great name, but it’s not as good as the name of that Sonic Youth album “Rather Ripped.” Sorry, it’s not. But it’s close. This tune is two minutes long, and kinda grating. But before it’s grating it’s definitely beautiful for like the first 45 seconds. And that’s nearly half the song.

16. White Rabbits “While We Go Dancing” Chorus maximus! A+ on that one, guys.

17. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros “Johnny Appleseed” This song plays over the opening credits of my favorite show on television right now, “John From Cincinnati.” People say that HBO may imminently pull the plug on the show. That would be sad. If Rebecca DeMornay’s banging-on-the-trailer freakout last week wasn’t award worthy, I’m not quite sure what is….

18. Scissors For Lefty “Lay Down Your Weapons” Family bands are always cool. This band has two sets of brothers in it and then there’s an uncle of one of the sets of brothers in it too. I approve because family is important.

19. Happy Mondays “Rush Rush” Shaun Ryder covers the Debbie Harry/Giorgio Moroder track from the “Scarface” soundtrack, with backing vox from Juliette Commagere (of Hello Stranger) and production by the bulletproof monk himself, Sunny Levine. The world stops spinning.

20. Michael Yonkers Band “Microminiature Love” A scuzzy finish for you, my not so scuzzy friends. Thanks for listening, non-scuzzy ones.