Brian Jonestown Massacre hits Metro
I’m not sure what the Dandy Warhols are up to, but Brian Jonestown Massacre is still kicking. Anton Newcombe and his latest supporting cast play Metro Sunday.
Dennis Hopper R.I.P.
We’ll miss you Dennis Hopper.
Wavves plans album release in August
Wavves (Nathan Williams) plans a new album, King of the Beach, in early August.
LCD plays Metro (one last time?)
James Murphy and LCD Soundsystem play a sold-out show at Metro tonight, a final Chicago stop before Pitchfork in July. I saw his last two shows at Metro and they were unbelievable.
Since he’s said that this is it for LCD, this may be the last chance to see him at a smaller venue here. There’s an after party tonight at Smart Bar.
Beach Fossils, Kurt Vile lead new releases
It’s not a blockbuster day for releases, but there are a couple of new ones worth checking out.
Beach Fossils release their self-titled debut and Kurt Vile has followed last year’s great Childish Prodigy with an EP, Square Shells. (If you hurry, you can download the Kurt Vile EP for free at Matador now.)
Best bet: Besnard Lakes at Pritzker Pavilion
The Besnard Lakes kicks off the first in a series of free concerts Monday nights at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
The Montreal band made one of the best albums this year, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night. If that isn’t enough to entice you, the Ponys open.
Dead Weather plays free show in West Loop
The Dead Weather, Jack White’s collaboration with the Kills’ Allison Mosshart, is playing a free show in the West Loop tonight. That’s all we know at this point because it’s a teaser promotional event for Microsoft’s new Kin phone. So you have to go to this Facebook page later today to find more details.
All it says at this point is that there’s a show in the West Loop from 8 to 10:30 tonight (21 and over). There aren’t a lot of live music venues in the West Loop. Bottom Lounge has bands booked tonight. So your guess is as good as mine.
Update: The show is at Marquardt Trucking Co. on Aberdeen between West Monroe and Madison at 8 p.m. The first people there get in. No word on capacity.
Best bet: Dengue Fever at Empty Bottle
How could this show disappoint? Dengue Fever is an indie band from Los Angeles that plays music inspired by ’60s pop from Cambodia. Very cool.
Dengue Fever headlines Empty Bottle tonight.
Why’s Josiah Wolf drops by Schubas
If you like the band Why? you should check out multi-instrumentalist Josiah Wolf’s solo act at Schubas Friday. Wolf released his debut solo album Jet Lag earlier this year.
The video below is a fan job made with public domain footage.
The National is big … and not just in France
The National’s High Violet debuted at No. 3 on Billboard. Seeing one of my favorite bands become super popular is a little bittersweet. Of course I want to see these guys become very successful and be paid well for their excellent work.
But that sudden rise to fame is also cause for concern. Will the National be the same band? Will it sign on to a major label? We’ll have to see.
In the meantime, congrats to the National. It sold more than 50,000 copies of its new album in the first week.
Afraid of Everyone – The National
Jayhawks videos unearthed
The Jayhawks’ first album was just reissued and a pair of very early videos (from a gig at a pig roast) were unearthed, too.
Stones’ ‘Exile,’ Jayhawks reissued Tuesday
I don’t often preview reissues but there are a pair of special ones out Tuesday.
First, if you don’t own the Rolling Stones’ Exile On Main Street in some format, please take a minute to lower your head in shame. Not only is Exile the best thing the Stones ever did, it’s one of the best albums ever made (my No. 2 behind the Clash’s London Calling).
The other release is the long overdue reissue of the Jayhawks’ first album from 1986. Only 2000 vinyl copies were made of the original. The Jayhawks was one of the greatest alt-country bands, which morphed into an equally excellent pop band.
LCD, Black Keys head new releases
There are two highly anticipated albums out Tuesday by LCD Soundsystem and the Black Keys.
James Murphy is supposedly calling it quits for LCD after the release and subsequent tour for This Is Happening. The Black Keys album, Brothers, has been hyped to death but it sounds great.
Also, Band of Horses puts out its first album in more than two years, Infinite Arms. And Club 8 releases The People’s Record.
Dio R.I.P.
When the other members of Black Sabbath booted Ozzy in 1979, Ronnie James Dio stepped in. The album Heaven and Hell (the name the Dio-led Sabbath adopted for a reunion years later) remains the most memorable output. Having done the stints with Sabbath and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, he had a successful run with his own band, simply known as Dio.
The guy had one of the most distinctive voices of all the ’80s metal bands. When he sang Children of the Sea or Rainbow in the Dark … oh, man. And he allegedly was the dude who started the devil’s horn hand gesture. He died Sunday at age 67.
Happy birthday Punks!
My little blog is a year old today. In my first half month last May, I got 229 clicks, a number I easily passed my first day this month. My very first post was a take on Wilco’s then just-leaked album.
So here’s my take on 2010: We’re only a few months into this year but there are a number of strong albums already. While it’s a little early to declare best-of lists, my two favorite albums so far this year are Massive Attack’s Heligoland and Besnard Lakes’ The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night.
The list of my other top albums is pretty lengthy. I like releases by the National, the Hold Steady, Beach House, Titus Andronicus, Surfer Blood, Los Campesinos!, the Soft Pack, Golden Triangle, Liars, Caribou, Shearwater, Drive-By Truckers, Yeasayer and Charlotte Gainsbourg. I’m sure I’m forgetting at least a couple of others.
And This Is What We Call Progress – The Besnard Lakes
Girl I Love You (She is Danger Remix) – Massive Attack
A More Perfect Union – Titus Andronicus
New video: Club 8′s ‘Western Hospitality’
Club 8′s extremely catchy single, Western Hospitality, now has a video. Take a gander below.
Yo La Tengo opens for Eleventh Dream Day
Yep. You read that headline right. For those in on the joke, a number of them acted quickly and snapped up tickets to this Sunday’s sold-out Eleventh Dream Day show at the Hideout.
Yo La Tengo opens as its alter ego the Condo Fucks. Yo La released an album of garage covers last year called Fuckbook. (In 1990, Yo La recorded an album consisting of mostly covers called Fakebook. Too many inside jokes.)
To build on the gag, a mock history of the band was invented. So the Condo Fucks hail from Connecticut (Straight Outta Connecticut). Check out the short documentary below.
New band spotlight: Lower Dens
Lower Dens is a Baltimore-based fuzzy guitar, chugging rhythm sort of band fronted by Jana Hunter. The band plans its first album, Twin-Hand Movement, on Devandra Banhart’s Gnomonsong label. Hunter was the first artist to release an album on Gnomonsong a few years ago with her solo release Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom.
Lower Dens plays the Hideout June 5.
The National debuts ‘Blood Buzz Ohio’ video
The video for the National’s Blood Buzz Ohio, off of the new album High Violet, is out. It’s a weird video and Matt Berninger looks so uncomfortable at the start of it.
The National’s ‘High Violet’ released Tuesday
The National’s High Violet is Tuesday’s big release, an album we fans have been anticipating for months. It sounds good (NPR is streaming the album if you want to check it out). While I don’t hear a Mr. November on this new one, the National consistently makes great albums. Alligator remains the high-water mark but my guess is the hype around High Violet is going to draw some new listeners.
School of Seven Bells releases ‘Babelonia’
School of Seven Bells released Babelonia, the first song off the album Disconnect From Desire (due out in July).
Babelonia – School of Seven Bells
The new album is the follow to School of Seven Bell’s excellent debut Alpinisms.
Roundup: Hold Steady, Wolf Parade, Black Keys
There’s been a lot of cool music released lately (both songs and full albums). The Black Keys and Wolf Parade each released a pair of tracks to promote upcoming albums. The Hold Steady’s new album, Heaven Is Whenever, came out this week. Interpol, Crystal Castles and (in case you haven’t heard) M.I.A. released new songs. Here’s a grab bag of new stuff.
What Did My Lover Say? (It Always Had to Go This Way) – Wolf Parade
Deerhunter plays new song
Deerhunter recently played a BBC show hosted by former Fall guitarist Marc Riley and performed a new song, Helicopter. Thanks to Covert Curiosity for posting.
The Hold Steady plays Letterman
In case you missed it, the Hold Steady played Letterman recently.
