I found Letterman’s reaction to Atlanta R&B singer Keri Hilson + Kanye’s performance just as interesting as the performance itself.

Letterman:

Seriously! Oh man! Good gig. Oh my goodness. How about that?

Keri, how are you? Welcome to the show. Thanks very much.

Kanye, now how did she get away with this? Honest to god.

Thank you, girls [backup dancers].

[to the camera] I am so old.

A friend pointed me to this video by Nate Harrison about the Amen break, one of the most used breaks in hip hop and electronica. It goes on to use this as a point of discussion of copyright laws and music appropriation. I’ve heard discussion of this break before, but it was usually a more from a hip hop side; this gives a fairly full discussion of the track, though it’s a bit heavy on the electronica side of it.

The narration is a bit dry, but it’s really interesting nonetheless.

I’m going away for the weekend so I won’t be able to post a full review or all my photos of the show until Sunday or Monday, but tonight’s Iron & Wine show at the Swedish American Hall was pretty great.

Set list for the 5/7/09 show:

• Upward Over the Mountain*
• Jesus the Mexican Boy
• Woman King
• God Made the Automobile
• Cinder & Smoke
• Peng? [in the printed set list I oversaw but not in my notes]
• Southern Anthem*
• Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
• Her Tea Leaves
• House By the Sea
• Such Great Heights*
• Bird Stealing Bread
• Godless Brother in Love
• Innocent Bones
• Naked as We Came*
• Trapeze Swinger*
  =encore=
• Sodom, South Georgia*

* there was magic in these.

Update: I posted my full review.

Song obsessions are those songs that we listen to on repeat. I noticed that my obsessions are often a week long. I also thought that other people might have similar obsessions. I’ve collected a panel of a few like-minded individuals and gotten their “song obsessions of the week.” Quite often it’s easy to explain why the song is good; it’s much hard to explain why we’re obsessed. Maybe you’ll become obsessed with one of these.

–

Adrian (me):
Wintersleep – Weighty Ghost (mp3) (buy)

The recent Land of Talk cover of this that’s surfaced brought to mind the original. Walking to a friend’s party over the weekend, I listened to it a couple times and sang along–it’s a highly singable song (as some kids on the CBC know).

I thought I’d featured this track before, but it seems it was just on a mixtape. I’m glad my brain hooked onto this again so I’d feature it now. Better late than never, right?

–

Keith:
Desario – Cane Cola (mp3) (buy)

Ever have one of those bands where there’s just one element which puts you off the bandwagon? This is a tune by a supremely catchy band on Darla who do a poppy style of power pop very reminiscent to Poole or other bands that detuned the rock from the 70’s style of the genre. But I just can’t get into the vocalist, who takes a bit more of a warbly angle to it rather than smoothing it out. This is my favorite song by them, but somehow I’d probably love the whole thing much more if it was instrumental. Sorry …

–

Rob:
Gregory Brothers – Autotuning the News #2 (mp3) (free at the group’s site)

All right, I feel absolutely foolish about this, but I have to admit
that I’ve listened more obsessively to the “Auto-Tune The News”
YouTube clip than I have to any other song in… a long time.
Probably my first true song obsession for months. What is happening
to me?

It’s worth noting that without the Katie Couric bit the piece would be
merely another clever YouTube novelty. With the sequence… well, I
guess it becomes a merely clever YouTube novelty with a surprisingly
brilliant thirty second interlude.

–

Weighty Ghost video, while we’re in a video mood, after the jump.
Read the rest of this entry »

Posted every Thursday, On Sale Soon is a weekly series of the tickets going on sale that weekend.

Where to get tickets: The Independent, Great American Music Hall, Slim’s, Fillmore, Shoreline, and other Livenation venues, the Warfield. Another Planet booked venues like Greek Theatre @ Berkeley, Palace of Fine Arts, etc. Bimbo’s.

On sale now/ Thursday May 7:
7/9 The Rural Alberta Advantage @ Bottom of the Hill

On sale Friday May 8:
7/10 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones @ the Fillmore

8/8 Leela James and Bilal, Anthony David @ the Grand Ballroom

On sale Saturday May 9:
7/8 Ace Enders & A Million Different People, Person L, The Gay Blades, The Dangerous Summer @ Bottom of the Hill

9/12 The Killers @ Shoreline Amphitheater

On sale Sunday May 10:
6/4 Peter Murphy @ Bimbo’s
6/8 Patrick Wolf, Living Things, Plastiscines, Jaguar Love @ Slim’s
6/20 Superbooty @ Bimbo’s
6/26 Phoenix, Boys Noize and Diplo @ the Grand Ballroom
6/28 Tortured Soul @ The Independent
7/1 Deer Tick, Dawes @ The Independent

7/1 Boneramac @ Great American
7/13 Tortoise @ Great American
7/19 Toadies @ Slim’s
7/25 Blowoff @ Slim’s
7/28 Jarvis Cocker @ the Fillmore

8/10 Heaven & Hell, Coheed and Cambria @ San Jose State Event Center
8/22 Forbidden @ Slim’s

9/10 Maximo Park @ the Grand Ballroom

On sale Monday May 11:
6/3 Julio Iglesias @ Montalvo Arts Center
6/17 the Wallflowers @ Montalvo Arts Center

7/10 Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson @ Montalvo Arts Center
7/16 Kenny G @ Montalvo Arts Center
7/17 Cowboy Junkies, Son Volt @ Montalvo Arts Center
7/18 Ozomatli
7/21 Jewel
7/24 Boney James and Fourplay

8/6 Madeleine Peyroux
8/15 Buddy Guy
8/27 David Sanborn, David Benoit

9/13 Peter Frampton
9/18 Ottmar Liebert, Luna Negra

Double check all information as venues and promoters often change on-sale times and days up until the last minute.

Last night I saw Damien Jurado (myspace) and Laura Gibson at the Bottom of the Hill.

In the cool and misty rain–something that must have made both Pacific Northwest artists feel somewhat at home–I made my way to the club at the bottom of the north slope of Potrero Hill.

Joining the show shortly after Ms. Gibson[1] started, I noted that her band was the same set up as when I saw her during Noise Pop at the Great American: Laura on guitar and two others each on half a drum set and a number of other instruments. I believe they’re both a part of Musee Mecanique. Laura’s quite awkward on stage, but in an endearing and lovable way. She told a few stories between songs, some funny and some heartfelt.

The band played well throughout and the two backing members brought some nice elements to the table. Perhaps my favorite song of the set, though, was one Laura played solo–”Funeral Song”–that was very beautiful and sparse.

With a small set up for Laura and a solo set coming up, it was only a short change over until Damien Jurado was on. Sitting on a chair with his guitar, Jurado only had a mic and a stool (to rest his set list on) with him on stage.

If you saw my Damien Jurado primer last week and then glance at the set list below, you’ll notice that he came out with the big guns, especially early on. After “Ghost of David”, “Medication”, “Abilene” and “Ohio” right in a row, I was already ready to declare it a good show, but he just continued, pulling songs from throughout his career from very early releases through a song he wrote on this very tour.

Jurado didn’t speak much between songs and when he did it was a mixture of longing for home–missing his wife–self deprecation and admitting he was crazy after five weeks on the road. One quick story involved playing in Austin one night and then deciding to drive through to Tuscon, which turned out to be a 15 hour drive, the same night and he’s the only driver in his car. Another time after a couple more upbeat songs, he said, ‘Enough happy songs,’ adding after some laughter and applause, ‘Yay depression!’

I know some people who prefer people preferring as part of a full band rather than solo, but I find more opportunity to connect to the songs when they’re stripped down. With ever-changing arrangements of songs like ‘Ghost of David’ and ‘Ohio’, those stay fresh to me even in an acoustic arrangement.

With eyes cast at the floor, Jurado played a great set–a killer set, even. I’m still reeling from it. Better song selection than I could have asked for and new and different arrangements of old songs were good to hear too. The climax of the set was ‘Killer’, a song I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him do live before. It was dark and strong and mesmerizing. There was an intense look in his eyes and an edge in his voice and, though the narrator is obviously a fictional persona, it seemed as though Jurado was thoroughly invested in the song and the character.

Damien Jurado’s setlist, 5/5/09, Bottom of the Hill, SF:

• Ghost of David
• Medication
• Abilene
• Ohio
• [not sure]
• Last Rights
• Coats of Ice
• Sheets
• [new song]
• Johnny Go Riding
• Letters and Drawings
• I Can’t Get Over You
• Denton, TX
• What Were the Chances
• Killer
• Lose My Head

Lastly, can I say how much I love two band bills? Big fan.

[1] Do you think I should adopt the New York Times style guidelines in regards to names?

cred: ipickmynose

My show will be shortened by a Stanford baseball game today, so I’ll be on from 3pm till just before 5pm today doing my radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM. Listen on the “radio” (remember those?) or online.

You can follow along with my playlist online. Next week I’ll return to my 3-6pm slot as usual.

Update Here’s the show and the playlist:

KZSU – I once was Canadian 5/5/09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 5/5/09 [second hour] (mp3)

• American Analog – Set Make It Take It
  —
• Silian Rail – Not The Wind, Not The Flag [sound bed]
  —
• Sigur Ros – Untitled 4
• Nada Surf – Your Legs Grow
• Death Cab for Cutie – Why You’d Want to Live Here
• An Horse – Shoes Watch
  —
• Telekinesis! – Coast of Carolina
• Say Hi – Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
• Tegan & Sara – The Con
• Rogue Wave – Man-Revolutionary!
  —
• Boat – Elephant Ears
• Candie Payne – One More Chance
• Camera Obscura – French Navy
• Beach Boys – Why Do Fools Fall in Love
  —
• The Orchids (US) – That Boy is Messin’ Up My Mind
• the Satintones – Going to the Hop
• Marv Johnson – Come to Me
• Alder Ray – A Little Love (Will Go A Long Way)
• Nick Drake – Blues Run the Game
• Simon & Garfunkel – Poem on the Underground Wall
  —
• Psapp – The Camel’s Back [sound bed]
  —
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Andrew Bird – Tenuousness
• Seabear – Arms
• Damien Jurado – Last Rights
  —
• Wintersleep – Weighty Ghost
• Beirut – On A Bayonet

the photo I gave Joel P. West in exchange for Dust Jacket

After Natalie’s suggestion and further song obsession, I participated in Joel P. West’s (myspace) Dust Jacket Project, where you send him a piece of art–a photo, drawing, song, poem, etc–and he’ll send you a download code for the album.

That’s pretty sweet, right*, but it gets better: this San Diegan’s album is good. From the opener, “28th and NE Davis”, you can tell it’s going to be a quirky, orchestrated folk album. It took me a couple listens to get into the song, but now when the stomps/ low drums starts, I’m looking forward to the rest of the song, and the album. The melody, especially along with the words “open up, my hands are freezing” has slowly burrowed its way into my head.

Another highlight is “Bark and Feathers”. It’s an upbeat folk number with a rollicking drum beat and nice strings throughout.

Joel P. West – 28th and NE Davis

Joel P. West – Bark and Feathers (mp3)

It’s got its inconsistencies, but while I don’t love all of it, Dust Jacket’s a solid effort and worth the price.

Make some art and get the album. You can also check out his Daytrotter session.

*Granted: you can get just about any album you want complete free, but that’s not exactly legal, nor does it have the pleasant side effect that it forces you to be creative.

Jim Granato, the director, during the Q&A

As I mentioned Rogue Wave (myspace) were to play an acoustic set at Sundance Kabuki Theater here in San Francisco after the premier of D Tour, part of this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival. The film is a documentary about member Pat Spurgeon and his struggle with kidney failure.

Pat answering a question

During the short Q&A after the film, it was obvious that everyone had come out, from the doctors and surgeons featured in the film to San Francisco music elite like Jonathan Richman–who asked a question during the Q&A–to John Vanderslice.

After the Q&A, the band set up right in front of the screen and proceeded to play a four or five set of acoustic songs. Shortly into the set, Mr. John Vanderslice joined the band for the remainder of the set. The set included “Bird on a Wire”, “Lake Michigan” among other songs, new and old. They played well: the band was tight and they just had fun up there. I enjoyed it. It’s been a while since I saw them and I think this convinced me to go to their show at the Independent in June to see a full set.

You can download the zip file with the following:
1. mp3s of the songs
2. liner notes (pdf)
3. playlist files (iTunes txt file and an m3u file)

(for the iTunes file, simply import all the songs to your library and then go to File->import and then select the song list (the txt file). you should now have the 2009april in your iTunes with all the songs in the correct order).

Go ahead and check out the playlist (below) or the liner notes.

Adrian’s April 2009 mixtape (mediafire link)

If you like the artists or songs, I suggest supporting them by buying their music, going to a show, buying merchandise from them or at least telling other people about them.

The playlist:

1. Seldom Can’t/ Must
2. Elliott Smith Say Yes
3. Cymbals Eat Guitars Wind Phoenix
4. Dr. Dog The Old Days
5. The Ad Libs He Ain’t No Angel
6. David Ruffin Anything That You Ask For
7. Ben E. King So Much Love
8. Jimmy Ruffin What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
9. Damien Jurado and Gathered in Song Air Show Disaster
10. St. Vincent and the National Sleep All Summer
11. Joel P. West Bark and Feathers
12. Telekinesis Coast of Carolina
13. John Vanderslice Too Much Time
14. Garrett Pierce And The Ghosts Boarded Trains
15. Rural Alberta Advantage Edmonton (Hearya session version)
16. Songs: Ohia Blue Chicago Moon
17. American Analog Set New Equation

Song obsessions are those songs that we listen to on repeat. I noticed that my obsessions are often a week long. I also thought that other people might have similar obsessions. I’ve collected a panel of a few like-minded individuals and gotten their “song obsessions of the week.” Quite often it’s easy to explain why the song is good; it’s much hard to explain why we’re obsessed. Maybe you’ll become obsessed with one of these.

–

Adrian (me):
John Vanderslice – Too Much Time (mp3) (buy)

I like this song the first time I heard it at Treasure Island and the version at Tiny Telephone’s 10th Anniversary was great.

Still, with JV’s production eccentricities, I didn’t know what to expect from the studio version. It’s completely different but I’ve listened to it a dozen times since it was released Tuesday, so that probably means I like it.

–

Keith:
Even as We Speak – Swimming Song (mp3) (buy)

As people continue to purge their digitized collections some great bargains can be found in the used bins. This week’s obsession worthy example a copy of Feral Pop Frenzy I stumbled across in the please take me home for a dollar bin. Not the rarest of Sarah releases for sure, but I find that this song dares the listener to try and only play it once. Dontcha want to just hug her and tell her that you think everything’s fantastic?

–

Scott:
Scott Walker – Lady Came from Baltimore (mp3) (buy)

Posted every Thursday, On Sale Soon is a weekly series of the tickets going on sale that weekend.

Where to get tickets: The Independent, Great American Music Hall, Slim’s, Fillmore, Shoreline, and other Livenation venues, the Warfield. Another Planet booked venues like Greek Theatre @ Berkeley, Palace of Fine Arts, etc. Bimbo’s.

On sale Friday May 1:
6/6 Erykah Badu @ the Warfield
6/26 Wilco @ Mountain Winery

7/1 Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head @ Cafe du Nord

8/1 stellastarr* @ Great American

Pre sale Friday May 1:
8/2 Sonic Youth @ Fox Theater (password = eternal)

8/19 Aerosmith, ZZ Top @ Sleep Train Pavilion

On sale Saturday May 2:
9/17 P!NK, The Ting Tings @ HP Pavilion

On sale Sunday May 3:
6/11 Nikka Costa @ The Independent
6/17 Gene Ween @ Rickshaw Stop
6/18 Jimmy Herring Band @ the Grand
6/18 Todd Rundgren @ Slim’s
6/25 Papercuts, Port O’Brien @ The Independent
6/27 Cursive @ Great American
6/29 VNV Nation, War Tapes, SAM @ the Grand

7/2 The Tallest Man on Earth @ The Independent
7/7 Duran Duran @ the Fillmore
7/10 Cracker @ The Independent
7/31 Stan Ridgway & the Voodoo Band @ Great American

Double check all information as venues and promoters often change on-sale times and days up until the last minute.

kids playing soccer in Zululand, not too far from Ladysmith

Coming out of my adult education Spanish class with little more knowledge of the language than when I entered, I walked through the chilly air to my car, got in and sat down. I just stared ahead for a few minutes, keys still in my hand. It had been a long day. When I finally started the car I heard the unmistakable voices of Ladysmith Black Mambazo (wikipedia), but I didn’t know this song. And it was great. Light, almost playful but beautiful and yearning. I knew it was the world show hosted by Decca, so I looked up her playlist when I got home and bought the song from iTunes that night–one of the few times I’ve bought a song from iTunes.

With beautiful sonorities, the rich, slow voices in isicathamiya style set the stage, but it’s the middle section, with the doo-wop like playful falling bassline that I really love.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo – How Long (mp3)

You can buy Long Walk to Freedom from which this recording game from or Shaka Zulu which has the original, a more succinct and faster version of the song. The group still tours, though you recently missed their Bay Area performances. They’re headed to Asia next and then to Australia and the UK after that.

cred: ipickmynose

I’m on the air doing my radio show, which is called “I Once Was Canadian”, on KZSU 90.1FM.

You can listen in each week to hear me Tuesdays from 3-6pm. Listen in!

During either show you can listen online or at 90.1 FM. You can also follow along with my playlist online.

Update Here’s the show and playlist:

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [first hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [second hour] (mp3)

KZSU – I once was Canadian 4.28.09 [third hour] (mp3)

• Cat Power – Cross Bones Style
  —
• Les Savy Fav – Precision Auto
• Superchunk – The Question Is How Fast
• Sebadoh – Not a Friend
• Seam – Rafael
  —
• Mates of State – Proofs
• Low – Dinosaur Act
• Matt Pond PA – Red Ankles
• Magnetic Fields – Strange Powers
  —
• Sigur Ros – Gobbledigook
• Amadou & Mariam – Ce N’est Pas Bon
• Beirut – La Llorona
• Lily Allen – Never Gonna Happen
• Yeasayer – Tightrope
• Animal Collective – My Girls
  —
• Andrew Bird – Effigy
• Anni Rossi – Wheelpushers
• Songs For Moms – 1906
• Magnolia Electric Company – Hammer Down
  —
• Great Lake Swimmers – Concrete Heart
• Basia Bulat – I Was a Daughter
• Bonnie Prince Billy – There Is Something I Have To Say
• The Deep Dark Woods – Farewell
  —
• Adem – These Are Your Friends
• Joel P. West – Bark and Feathers
• Damien Jurado and Gathered in Song – Airshow Disaster
• the National – Secret Meeting
  —
• the Vogues – Five O’Clock World
• The Crystals – Uptown
• Gran Prix’s – You Drive Me Crazy
• the Ad Libs – He Ain’t No Angel
  —
• Curtis Lee Pretty – Little Angel Eyes
• Ben E. King – So Much Love
• David Ruffin – Anything You Ask For
• Candie Payne – All I Want to Hear
  —
• John Vanderslice – Too Much Time
• Mason Proper – Fog
• Bishop Allen – The Ancient Commonsense Of Things
  —
• the Mountain Goats – Golden Boy

Damien Jurado at the Independent, September 2008

I had a couple friends who are otherwise quite knowledgeable about music tell me recently that they didn’t know Damien Jurado’s (myspace) music. I didn’t realize this was possible. He’s an amazing songwriter with a knack for including all the right details in his narratives. You probably know all about his stuff, but if you don’t, here’s a primer.

A few years back, back before the rapid-fire consumption of music that you see today, and when I only had enough money to buy one album (or fewer) a month, I tended to give more time to each artist and album and sometimes they grew on me if I didn’t initially like them. Jurado is one of those artists that benefits from time to mull over, I believe.

Definitely start with “Ohio”. An amazing song. Pretty standard fingerpicked songwriter +harmonica song, but a timeless melody and absolutely top rate, crushing lyrics. While his early albums aren’t all just like this, he did have more standard songwriter material plus some indie folk-pop on them.
Damien Jurado – Ohio (mp3) (buy)

A super dark song. Very simple and stunning (and a previous lost vinyl gem):
Damien Jurado – the Killer (mp3) (buy)

His last few albums have been pretty subdued folk + strings stuff. Some really gorgeous songs like this one:
Damien Jurado – Hoquiam (mp3) (buy)

In between his early folk songwriter stuff and his more recent ‘gorgeous folk’ material, there was a couple albums of other stuff. ‘Ghost of David’ is an odd hodge podge of an album, ranging wildly from distorted, tense, deeply depressing rockers to folk songwriter fair to traditional songs and songs with some sound collage elements. (The David here is Bazan, btw).
Damien Jurado – Ghost of David (mp3) (buy)

Where Shall You Take Me? is possibly his most stylistically consistent album. It’s sort of Middle American stories within sparse, tumbleweed-blowing-across-the-road songs.
Damien Jurado – Omaha (mp3) (buy)

He doesn’t write all slow and depressing songs. Particularly Water Ave S. (early period) and I Break Chairs (middle period) are more rock oriented. I like some of that stuff too:
Damien Jurado – Yuma, Arizona (mp3) (buy)

His tour comes through town next week at the Bottom of the Hill with Portland folk artist Laura Gibson, who I enjoyed seeing during Noise Pop this year.

5/5 Damien Jurado, Laura Gibson @ Bottom of the Hill, 9:30pm, $10, a/a

Current tour dates:
4/28/09 Denton, TX – Dan’s Silverleaf
4/29/09 Austin, TX – Cactus Cafe
5/1/09 Tucson, AZ – Club Congress
5/2/09 San Diego, CA – Casbah
5/3/09 Los Angeles, CA – Spaceland
5/4/09 Santa Barbara, CA – Muddy Waters
5/5/09 San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill
5/7/09 Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
5/8/09 Seattle, WA – Crocodile Cafe