"Indians are the rulers on the holiday," sings George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry on the lone album from The Wild Tchoupitoulas. Formed as a group of Mardi Gras Indians—ceremonial African-American Carnival revelers—The Wild Tchoupitoulas recorded in 1976 what was considered the first rock record to capture the funky New Orleans sound. It helped that the band was backed by legendary funk group The Meters as well as Landry's nephews, the Neville Brothers, who were inspired to perform as a group after the experience. The record also featured production from Allen Toussaint, a musician plenty famous in his own right.
Southern Nights is an American classic in every way: endearingly soulful, genre-defyingly experimental and every bit as funky today as it was back in 1975. Allen Toussaint may have been more commercially successful when he worked with other musicians (see Labelle's "Lady Marmalade"), but with Southern Nights he put his own indelible stamp on popular music. It's a shame that Glen Campbell's cover of "Southern Nights" is what climbed to number one on the charts and not Toussaint's original—a song he wrote about evenings spent on his family's front porch in Louisiana. But while often overlooked, the record nevertheless still gets its due in certain circles. Most recently, My Morning Jacket's Jim James credited it as an inspiration for his band's record Evil Urges (see "Sec Walkin"). With the Meters as Toussaint's backing band, the record simply plays itself.
As freaky as Devendra Banhart can look and sound with his face paint, headdresses and often psychadelic and surreal lyrics ("Wrap me in your marrow, stuff me in your bones"), the prodigious musician is a classicist at heart. Never more so has that shown than on his latest release, What Will We Be. Whether it's a simply constructed folk ballad or funky rock and roll groove, Banhart has an ear finely tuned to to the past, and here, he lets his good taste lead him into his most confident and accessible album to date.
Threadbare, the second studio effort of California's Port O'Brien, picks up right where 2007's All We Could Do Was Sing left off: hardworking fishermen, bakers and cannery workers getting their collective rocks off courtesy of singers Cambria Goodwin and Van Pierszalowski's skillful narratives that sit back and reflect as often as they boil and spill over with fistfuls of freshly sharpened words.
"We fit together like a meaningless puzzle," sings Zach Tipton on the playful "Love Song for Camus." Tipton, who puts on a one-man show as the Denver-based project I Am The Dot, has a knack for layering vocals and seamlessly fusing together atypical instrument combinations. In this case, it's a synthesized steel drum playing through a major scale over a percussion loop—a surprisingly light and breezy pairing that plays perfectly with the higher tones of Tipton's voice. The I Am The DotEP will be out soon on Brother Bear.
The old-time folk and swinging acoustic jazz from Portland's Run On Sentence was a big fat welcome surprise to my ears this afternoon. Shaking the dust off a style rich with history and oft forgotten in pop music, Dustin Hamman and company have created a fiery and original record—and yes, it's about time someone brought back the scat.
Run On Sentence - "Carrie Pt. 2"(from Oh When The Wind Comes Down)
Alec Ounsworth has one of the freakiest voices in contemporary pop music. It's not just that he sounds like he's taken too many drugs—it's that he relishes those nasally and warped cathartic moments. And somehow, it's that voice that consistently draws me to his music. Now, two years after Clap Your Hand Say Yeah's sophomore downturn, bandleader Ounsworth is dishing out music as a solo act. And as freaky and jagged as the quivery-voiced singer's delivery is on Mo Beauty, the record has a beautifully earnest quality. Thrown together with a palette of grit and funk from a troupe of New Orleans musicians—including über talented Galactic drummer Stanton Moore—the album is an eclectic and ragged mix of songs that grows on you little by little with each spin.
Alec Ounsworth - "South Philadelphia (Drugs Days)" (from Mo Beauty)
What's the best made-up word, invented for the sole purpose of rhyming in a song? For me, it has to be "own-ee-oh" sung by Thin Lizzy bassist and lead singer Phil Lynott in the excellent "Romeo and the Lonely Girl." The word appears during the chorus: "Oh, poor Romeo / Sitting out on his own-ee-oh." Steve Miller's nonsensical "pompatus" from his staple "The Joker" is worth a mention, however, its invention was for the sake of rhythm rather than rhyme.
Thao Nguyen—whose 2008 record We Brave Bee Stings And All turned heads with its shimmering and fuzzy guitar pop—has returned with her third full-length, the consistently pleasing Know Better Learn Faster. Here, the only changes come in the form of a shortened band name and a few notable guest appearances, including folks from Blitzen Trapper and Horse Feathers. The title track features a violin-wielding Andrew Bird providing the swing for Nguyen's heart-beaten woes.
There's something to be said for a distinctive voice. One that peers far enough out of its crate of influences to make its own personal narrative rise to the forefront. Martin Crane of Austin band Brazos has that subtle talent. On the song "Day Glo"—off the band's November 10th release Phosphorescent Blues—Crane's words flow from his mouth as jumbles of phrases ("I got many people to thank, but I can't write letters," "I don't mind dying when I make love to her") laced together by strings of rhythm and a fleetingly delivered meaning. Catch Brazos on tour starting next week with fellow Austin trio White Denim.
Everybody Taste made the "Top 20 Music Review Blogs on the Web" as determined by the concert ticket agency ClickitTicket. They called ET "a very unique site that is built on the principle that music is meant to be shared." As arbitrary as any list is, the recognition and kind words are certainly appreciated. Thanks to all of my readers for continuing to visit and enjoy the site! I'll be here until someone kicks me off...
When it concerns the 80s, Austin's Alan Palomo is master of all sounds funky, synthesized, and endearingly cheesy. As Neon Indian, 21-year-old Palomo isn't nearly as danceable as with past projects Vega or Ghosthustler—but the songs are every bit as blissfully carefree and catchy. With Psyhcic Chasms, Palomo has created a low fidelity tapestry of sun-drenched and light-hearted psychedelia channeled through a collection of electronic spare parts: swirling whistles and bells, lazer samples, flanger-effected keyboards and woozy reverb-soaked vocals. It may not be summertime, but it sure feels like it.
Elvis Costello's early records are rip-roaring fun. Filled with ska, punk and power pop gems, the aptly dubbed "Buddy Holly on methamphetamine" delivered simple music with a wide range of alternately bitter, angry and politically motivated narrators—sometimes even switching tone within a single song ("Alisson"). The recently re-released 1978 recording Live at El Mocambo captures the young Costello at his best, playing material entirely from his first two albums: My Aim Is True and This Year's Model. The quality of the recording is sub-par, but the energy—especially on songs like "Radio, Radio" and "Lip Service"—is perfectly raw and untethered.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - "Radio, Radio" (from Live at El Mocambo)
Portland's Nurses stretch the boundaries of traditional song structures, but never disarmingly so. Creating organic sounds out of seemingly otherworldly textures and combinations of noises, the band's songs become the inviting "Techniclor" alternative to a black and white world. Every song is its own enchanting world. And each one is worth returning to.
I'm not a fan of reunion tours or nostalgia acts, but when it's the Pixies those preconceived notions can be thrown out the window. Similar to The Boss's scheduled performances of complete albums, the Pixies will play all of their classic 1989 album Doolittle—one of the greatest alternative rock albums of all-time—on their upcoming tour. Whether it's Kim Deal's thumping bass melody on "Here Comes Your Man," the power chord frenzy of "Debaser" or the shiver-inducing combination of Joey Santiago's riffs and Francis Black's ranting in "Hey," the ravenous and wild Doolittle hasn't lost a step. If you missed it the first time around, it's time to play catch up.
Tour dates: 11.04 Los Angeles, CA: The Palladium 11.08 Oakland, CA: Fox Theater 11.09 Oakland, CA: Fox Theater 11.12 Seattle, WA: Paramount Theatre 11.13 Seattle, WA: Paramount Theatre 11.14 Eugene, OR: Hult Center 11.16 Denver, CO: The Fillmore 11.20 Chicago, IL: Aragon Ballroom 11.21 Chicago, IL: Aragon Ballroom 11.23 New York, NY: Hammerstein Ballroom 11.24 New York, NY: Hammerstein Ballroom 11.25 New York, NY: Hammerstein Ballroom 11.27 Boston, MA: Wang Center 11.30 Washington, D.C.: Constitution Hall
I've been on a huge Replacements kick the last few months. I recently finished the communally-written biography It's All Over But The Shouting and then, shortly after, saw Deer Tick perform "Can't Hardly Wait" in concert. The Mats never made it big, but their influence still abounds. After getting a hold of all the bootlegs and EPs this past weekend (Shit, Shower & Shave, Inconcerated, Shit Hits The Fans, etc.), I decided to compose a definitive list of my favorite Mats songs, as well as their best covers. Enjoy.
From the 1985 Alex Chilton-produced sessions—released in the UK only.
6) "Buck Hill" (from Hootenanny)
The Mats response to surf music—and in particular the Trashmen's "Surfin' Bird"—was an ode to aMinnesota ski hill. To love the band, you have to be able to laugh with them.
7) "Talent Show" (Studio demo from Don't Tell A Soul)
A keyhole into the band's reckless onstage nature. Also catchy as hell.
8) "Kiss Me On The Bus" (from Tim)
Charming, light pop from the band that wrote "Fuck School" and "I Hate Music." Who knew?
9) "I Will Dare" (from Let It Be)
REM's Peter Buck has a nice mandolin riff, but Stinson plays the real groove.
10) "Careless" (from Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash)
1:08 of their early no-frills punk, but it still has that signature Mats sound thanks to Stinson's riff.
11) "Androgynous" (from Let It Be)
The best lyrics Westerberg ever wrote. Undoubtedly, he was ahead of his time.
12) "Little Mascara" (from Tim)
"All you ever wanted was someone to take care of you / All you're ever losin' is a little mascara." Great line.
Here's the Mats performing "Kiss Me On The Bus" on SNL in 1986. They infamously changed into each other's clothes after their drunken version of "Bastards of Young"—hence Bob Stinson's little pants. They were banned from the show afterwards, mostly for directly cursing into the camera.
Blondie is one of the best genre-defying bands of the 1970s: reggae, rap, funk, disco, and punk—they did it all. Which is why it's odd that the minimalist rock of San Francisco trio Brilliant Colors reminds me so much of the band, especially singer Deborah Harry. Mostly, I think it's the melodic lines of Jess Scott's vocals: simplistic, heavily rhythmic and consistently charming. The band's debut, Introducing, is out Nov. 23rd 3rd on Slumberland.
Blondie - "Union City Blue"(from Eat To The Beat) Brilliant Colors - "Should I Tell You"(from Introducing)
Why have so many great bands contributed to the New Moon soundtrack? It's beyond me. And unfortunately, it's hard to ignore. Grizzly Bear's contribution with Beach House's Victoria Legrand is "Slow Life"—from the plucked acoustic guitar to the rousing turns of Legrand and Edward Droste's voices, the song is a booming slow jam with lots of build. Thank Nosferatu over there for the excellent taste.
Grizzly Bear Ft. Victoria Legrand - "Slow Life" (from New Moon Soundtrack)
"Indians are the rulers on the holiday," sings George "Big Chief Jolly" Landry on the lone album from The Wild Tchoupitoulas. Formed as a group of Mardi Gras Indians—ceremonial African-American Carnival revelers—The Wild Tchoupitoulas recorded in 1976 what was considered the first rock record to capture the funky New Orleans sound. It helped that the band was backed by legendary funk group The Meters as well as Landry's nephews, the Neville Brothers, who were inspired to perform as a group after the experience. The record also featured production from Allen Toussaint, a musician plenty famous in his own right.
The Misfits - 
