Return

Well, ive been lost at sea for a while. Life has been busy and I needed a break from the blog. However, today I return.

Rock.

Dave

After Hours with Of Montreal

Thursday, April 12th Of Montreal will perform on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Should be interesting. Since its network television and not Las Vegas, Kevin Barnes will probably be forced to keep his artistic expression in his pants.

Should be worth staying up to watch so save the date.

The Orange Peels

Last week I clicked my way through about 10 eMusic "Sounds Like" links until I came to a band called The Orange Peels. I think I happened upon them before because I recognized the name. I glanced at a few listener reviews and with that my curiosity got the best of me. I decided to take the plunge.

The music is very catchy. Sometimes a little too predictable as far as the lyrics go. But the sound is very full of life. It probably helped that I started listening to the album on a rare 70 degree winter day.

I don't know what the band is currently up to but take a listen for yourself.

My favorite track is California Blue.


myspace.com/opeels

Easy Pill

Just over a year ago I had the good fortune of seeing Ted Leo/Pharmacists open up for Ryan Adams at Irving Plaza in New York. There were about a dozen bands on the bill that night since it was a benefit show with proceeds going to hurricane Katrina. The whole show was put together by Jesse Malin, a sidekick of Mr. Adams. Anyway, there were a lot of bands on the bill that I had never seen, and some that had never heard of. The likes of Marah, Jesse Malin, Ted Leo/Rx, Butch Walker, Debbie Harry and others...obviously Ryan Adams & The Cardinals.

Of all those bands Ted Leo and the Pharmacists stole the show for me. I was blown away by their explosiveness on the stage. The band ripped through their set and hooked us all. I personally went home and wasted no time in snatching up 2 of their albums...then later the rest. Shake The Sheets is stunning. Perfect punk infected rock music with hook after hook. It gets a little political, but thats what Ted likes to do. Its not overbearing or preachy though, thats something I can't deal with. Leave your politics at home. But with Ted Leo it just comes across perfectly.

Their first release with Touch and Go records is out today "Living With The Living". I will review it when I have heard it. I plan on buying the vinyl which comes with free mp3 downloads of the entire album. Otherwise, you can find it on eMusic.

And honestly, if you don't already have the album "Shake The Sheets" you don't realize the void in your life. Get it first!

www.tedleo.com

Enjoy.

Spooning

Ever have a desire to see a room full of 200 white boys stand in place and dance their faces off without a care?

Ever have a desire to be a part of such an event?

As luck would have it Spoon are heading out on a short tour. What is lucky about this you ask? The very short tour will be making a stop in both Baltimore and Philadelphia!!!!! AND both shows are in small venues. AND both shows are on the weekend!!!!

My only Spoon experience was an eventful evening. Kozy and I hit up the TLA on South to watch Spoon rock right after their latest release Gimme Fiction. The show was amazing. They were one of the tightest rock bands i have ever seen. The entire room was gripped by the performance, and all the while our feet could not stop dancing and tapping.

This time around Spoon are probably going to be warming up a few new songs that will come on their next album, which is speculated to be released sometime this year. As soon as the current flames being put off by the "Fire" start to die down im sure.


04-21 Baltimore, MD - Sonar
04-22 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom


I hope to see you there. Hmmmm, perhaps it will be a full on Spoon weekend!

Wincing The Vinyl Away

Alright. I recently admitted that I did not go out and buy The Shins new album Wincing The Night Away, when it was released officially a few weeks ago. Three reasons really came into play. First, I was broke. Second, I have had a perfect copy of the album for several months. And Third, I honestly played it out so bad, that I didn't even have a desire to listen to it in its true form.

So for the first time in years, I broke my own rule. A personal rule that states the following....

It is only ok to illegally download an anticipated album if I commit myself to an "eventual purchase".

Now obviously if the supposed anticipated album that has leaked turns out to be terrible, then the commitment to slap down money to buy it does not exist. It ends there.

But with an album such as Wincing The Night Away, which I am crazy about, there is no doubt that I have to own the real thing. I feel good about supporting the artist, not so much financially, but just to get out there and contribute to the number of albums they sell. To show them and the label that I want this band to be able to continue to make music. It's also important to me to keep my own collection of cd's and each bands catalog up to date.

Feeling my regret over the past few weeks, I ended up wandering into Bert's on Saturday. I wasn't really concerned at that point about catching up on my Shins collection. I just wanted to wander in, and buy a random cd (Writers Block) that I can't download from eMusic. Plus, I like Bert's and I like Bert. It's important to support my local music shop.

While scanning the walls that are covered in new vinyl records, I noticed that he had Wincing The Night Away. My chance to redeem myself perhaps. Though I am a serious vinyl collector, I have never bypassed a CD purchase and moved straight into vinyl. Until this day. I noticed the sticker on front of the record. It stated that inside the package of this vinyl album there was a code that would allow me to download mp3's of each song.

Now, this is nothing new. I have seen this concept appear from time to time on other vinyl albums. Personally I think its a great idea. Many people consider vinyl to be the "true format". So If i can buy a copy of an album in its true vinyl form and be able to download the album on its dreaded low quality file format...then Im all in!

So now I own Wincing The Night Away. Giant 12"x12" artwork, bonus poster, free mp3 downloads from Sub Pop....and my own copy of the album....in its true format. All for only $13.99.

And future anticipated vinyl releases that will include free mp3 downloads are the new Ted Leo/Rx album and the new Arcade Fire album.

Very exciting.

Silverchair. Webster Hall. 02.13.07

I don't believe I have ever gone to such great lengths to see a band. First, I was unable to get tickets to either NYC show because they sold out before I could blink. I found a good deal on a Buy It Now eBay auction for 2 tickets to the Webster Hall show and was beyond satisfied with that.

Fast forward to the day of the show. The entire eastern seaboard is experiencing severe winter weather for the first time this entire winter. Snow, freezing rain, ice, sleet, high winds, below freezing temperatures....all of which offer ideal driving conditions for a 150 mile drive to New York City....especially when half of that trip will be traveled in the middle of the night.

And you ask why? How could this band Silverchair offer an experience worth braving all of this?

On May 20, 2003 I was one of the few lucky people in this country to see Silverchair play one of only 4 shows in the US....their first in nearly 4 years....and their last for nearly 4 years. It was one of the most stunning, jaw dropping and eclectic sets I have ever seen. The band played songs from every album but their debut. The rocked hard, softened it with Daniel playing songs on the keyboard, entertained us with antics of all sorts. Daniel was all about theatrics at the time. From his attire, to the way he danced around the stage in circles and went crazy. I even remember him yelling out a drink order to the back bar, and having the crowd pass the drink all the way to the front. He said we dare not spill a drop. We didn't.

Last night I witnessed the return of Silverchair to the great city of New York. Webster Hall, February 13, 2007. The band has changed a lot since they last played this city. Four years older, and much more straight forward and professional in their delivery. This time, they were strictly business. Daniel kept his antics to a minimum, but when he did take on the role of the front man you could see Ben and Chris exchange smiles with each other. Daniel was clean cut, dressed in a full suit, which of course with Daniel being Daniel, the suit disappeared throughout the show, one layer at a time. It's always refreshing to see that Daniel still plays the same guitars at every show. It really preserves that lasting impression and familiarity when you see them live. Chris also played many of the same bass guitars, and Ben was rocking on the same drum kit that he used at the Bowery in 2003.

The songs were the same, but different. In 2003, the band tried hard to make every one of their old songs fit into the Diorama mold. They had no choice really. The songs on Diorama were massive, they were whimsical and rocked all at the same time. In 2003 they adjusted many of the old songs to fit right alongside the new ones. They added longer and cleaner guitar solos to songs such as Ana's Song (Open Fire), and made songs like Anthem For The Year 2000 even larger than life.

Last night they just put it out there. They played the songs straight through, altered them just a bit, whether it was Daniel singing in a different key from time to time, or drifting into different guitar solos. I felt like it was truly a live performance. Just a band being themselves. Not as rehearsed sounding as the Diorama tour. This I'm sure was due to the very straight forward rocking sound of the new songs from the upcoming release Young Modern. The songs sounded great live and I can't wait to hear the recorded versions. It's nearly impossible to follow up an album like Diorama and make everybody happy, but I know that if anyone can do it, its Silverchair.

The show completely lacked intimacy. A solo performance from Daniel on the keyboard, sweeping us away with After All These Years or Miss You Love or Asylum, simply never came. I was however pleased that they didn't even attempt to touch anything from Frogstomp. As much as I still love those songs, there really are just so many more songs they have recorded since then that I would rather hear. It was also difficult to realize that some of the older staple songs in the bands live set list have been cut to make way for the new songs. Paint Pastel Princess, Black Tangled Heart, Anthem, and many others, mostly from Neon Ballroom went missing.

All in all, the show was brilliant. If Silverchair never come to Philadelphia again, and I have to drive to NY, NY every 4 years to see them, then I am more than willing to make that commitment.

Rock.

The SETLIST:
Without You / Emotion Sickness / Greatest View / World Upon Your Shoulders / Across the Night / Young Modern / Ana's Song / Straight Lines / Tuna In The Brine / Luv Your Life / The Door / Don't Wanna Be The One / Mindreader / Freak
ENCORE
If You Keep Losing Sleep / Lever

2007 PLUG: Independent Music Awards

So while the spectacular musical talents of Mary J. Blige were being awarded by the Grammys last night, there was another, less credible portion of the music industry handing out its awards. I of course am joking. I hate MJB with a passion, but was happier to see the Dixie Chicks win Album of the Year over the others.

The winners of the 2007 Plug: Independent Music awards:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Arctic Monkeys
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Neko Case
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Sufjan Stevens
INDIE ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You...
AMERICANA ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Thom York - The Eraser
LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR- Broken Social Scene
SONG OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - The Funeral
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR- Wolf Parade - I'll Believe In Anything
ALBUM ART/PACKAGING OF THE YEAR- Hot Chip - The Warning
RECORD LABEL OF THE YEAR- Sub Pop
LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR- Bowery Ballroom - NY, NY
MUSIC WEBSITE OF THE YEAR- pitchforkmedia.com
MUSIC BLOG OF THE YEAR- brooklynvegan.com
MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR- Paste
ONLINE RECORD STORE OF THE YEAR- Amazon.com


For more winners and all to see all of the nominees visit www.plugawards.com.

These Friends of Mine

Just wanted to say that tonight I decided to see what Rosie Thomas was all about. I really only remembered hearing her name in connection to Sufjan and the "scandal" of Sufjan and Rosie making babies together. Which wasn't true at all, it was just a buzz revolving around the fact that they were working on an album together.

Well, that album, These Friends of Mine by Rosie Thomas is to be released on compact disc March 13, 2007(what a day) but eMusic has been offering it for a few weeks now. Tonight I sucked it up and downloaded a free track, and discovered in doing so, that I had already downloaded the title track a few weeks ago(January 6th).

Anyway, I never bothered to listen to any of it until tonight but I have to say that its SPECTACULAR. Its 2am right now and this album is sweeping me off of my feet. I was soooooo ready for bed after Conan was over, but this Rosie experience came out of nowhere.

Its very beautiful acoustic/folk. A lot of harmonizing with Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer. Honestly some of the songs sound like Seven Swans era Sufjan songs, except make Sufjan singing the background vocals and on the lead vocals put an amazingly soft and soothing female voice. Slow acoustic guitars, orchestra arrangements and from time to time, Sufjans favorite weapon...the banjo.

I should also add that I have had my 90 download per month eMusic subscription for almost a year now, and until this day I have NEVER until this evening purchased a download booster. I only had enough downloads remaining until February 22 to download 3 songs from the album. After about 2 minutes of debate I went for it.

No regrets.

Silverchair at the Bowery // 2003

Everything you have heard is true. Silverchair are amazing. Here are three pics take by John and I at their show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on May 20, 2003 on tour for Diorama. And the answer to your question is....YES....we were front and center stage!

The Video

Mini Kozy

Welcome into the world Tatiyana Rebecca!

Straight Lines

So, according to chairpage.com Silverchair will release the single for Straight Lines on March 10th. So that either means that you can order it and hope that it arrives before the album is released, or wait 3 weeks until Young Modern comes out and have them shipped together. Either way, Silverchair singles are always a must have. This is the word from chairpage...

In other Silverchair news it has been announced that a CD single of “Straight Lines” will be released in Australia on Saturday March 10 with Young Modern to follow on March 31.

The CD single will feature 3 bonus tracks - two more original songs plus a live version of the Midnight Oil classic “I Don’t Wanna Be The One” which Silverchair performed at last year’s ARIA Awards to induct the Oils into the Hall Of Fame.



Sounds good to me!

New Music

Current anticipated, or unanticipated but I tried to include a broad spectrum of albums, future releases:

01/30/07 - Youth Group Casino Twilight Dogs
01/30/07 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Some Loud Thunder
02/06/07 - Bloc Party A Weekend In The City
02/06/07 - Sondre Lerche Phantom Punch
02/20/07 - Cool Hand Luke The Balancing Act
02/20/07 - Explosions In The Sky All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
02/20/07 - Anberlin Cities
03/06/07 - Lovedrug Everything Starts Where It Ends
03/06/07 - Relient K Five Score And Seven Years Ago
03/06/07 - The Arcade Fire Neon Bible
03/06/07 - My Brightest Diamond Tear It Down
03/20/07 - The Snake The Cross The Crown Cotton Teeth
03/20/07 - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Living With The Living
03/29/07 - Silverchair Young Modern (Australian Release, will buy on eBay)
04/02/07 - Maximo Park Our Earthly Pleasures (U.K.)
04/03/07 - Kings Of Leon Because Of The Times
04/10/07 - Bright Eyes Cassadaga
04/17/07 - Waking Ashland The Well
05/15/07 - Wilco Sky Blue Sky

Mae is releasing an album titled Singularity which is slated for an April 2007 release.

matt pond PA is releasing an album titled Last Light late spring.

Say Anything's new album will be entitled In Defense Of The Genre.

God Bless Bloc Party Part 2

Sorry, I can't get enough.

God Bless Bloc Party

Kozy's Top 15 Albums

Sorry, I have no album pix yet but I will re-post this soon with the album art.

Top 15 Albums

01. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope

02. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

03. Badly Drawn Boy - Born In The U.K.

04. Calexico - Garden Ruin

05. Beck - The Information

06. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

07. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America

08. The Strokes - First Impressions Of Earth

09. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That

10. The Format - Dog Problems

11. Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

12. This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain

13. Yeahs Yeah Yeah - Show Your Bones

14. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers

15. Pete Yorn - Nightcrawler

Limbeck - Julia

Friendly Reminder

Jake: I just can't quit you, James...I'm fond of Y-O-U.

James: It's because my songs are so damn catchy, what can I say.


Don't forget to tune in to NBC tonight at 11:30 for Saturday Night Live. Hosted by Jake Gyllenhaal with musical guests none other than The Shins. So....Phantom Limb....and....I guess we'll have to find out.

Here's hoping for a James Mercer / Jake Gyllenhaal Brokeback Mountain skit.

Not.

The Shins - Phantom Limb

It's a day to celebrate ignorance.