Fly Like an Eagle...

...into the past. My first visit to the Eagles Club in South Minneapolis happened last night in honor of my friend Jody's birthday. The Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 34 has risen to local fame this past year, due largely in part to it being the new regular home of the Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs. ("What is an aerie?", you might ask. So glad you asked.) We quickly learned that this is still an active club. The main area was filled with folks my parents' age, two-stepping and twirling to The Alphalfa Males. The wood paneling behind the bar held glass dioramas containing huge stuffed bald eagles. Jody and her friends rented the lovely little hall in the back corner. Our first discovery was the huge calendar sale hidden in the corner. 11-month calendars for only $1! December is too busy anyway. Who needs it? The selection's standout? Ferret Frenzy 2007, with photos of ferrets dressed as characters from all of your favorite sitcoms: Gilligan's Island, Baywatch, The Brady Bunch, Miami Vice... And I can't believe we were in the room for 2 hours before someone thought to peek behind the red velvet-curtained boxes on the walls and pull the chains: more eagle dioramas, spotlit. Oh yeah.

Oh the Irony!

So it's all over the music press, or at least the music blogosphere, that Koopa is the first unsigned band to break into the UK Top 40, debuting at #31 with Blag, Steal, & Borrow. The UK charts decided to acknowledge the ubiquity of independent music and digital distribution by changing the rules this year to allow digital single sales to count towards a chart position even if there is no physical version. ...and I decided to acknowledge the same by buying my first MP3 Player. No, I'm not a Luddite. I'm just cheap.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

I'm having a Shinsgasm! The Shins will be opening their Wincing the Night Away tour at First Ave on Feb. 8, and I will be there. (Thanks, Jon) I don't care if it's not cool to like them anymore- Garden State be damned. I suppose if I was a truly hardcore I would have downloaded all the tracks by now. But to me The Shins are such a whole-disc kind of band, so I'm waiting until the 23rd to buy the CD. But I have been listening to all the leaks and reading anything about the new release I can get my hands on.

Here are tidbits from the press junket thus far:

Don DeLillo's white Noise is "one of the best-written novels" James Mercer has ever read. Drowned in Sound, Jan. 15.

Part of the insomnia James Mercer writes about on the new disc was caused by living next door to a crack house. This is also where James Mercer is compared to Woody Allen. The Guardian, Jan. 5.

James Mercer will be singing backup on 3 of the new Modest Mouse tracks due out in March. Billboard, Jan. 5.

Eric Johnson from the Fruit Bats has joined the Shins. Pitchfork, Jan. 2

The cover art for Wincing the Night away, suggesting "diatoms," was designed by James Mercer's brother Robert. The Stranger, Dec. 5.

"Sea legs" uses the sounds of bottlecaps on the amp and a guitar pick on teeth. Officious Business: The Shins Go Hollywood with John Krasinski, Filter, Holiday 2006.

James Mercer writes the melody for a song first, then comes up with lyrics using "'some kind of imagery provoked by the music,'" usually from his personal life. He is living in the same house that Elliott Smith lived in when he recorderd Roman Candle. Great Expectations, Magnet, Nov/Dec. 2006.

The Kinks, 'Only You' by the Platters, 'Please Please Please' by James Brown and The Zombies and a Hawaiian band were all heard at James Mercer's wedding, Drowned in Sound, Nov. 22.

Other notable Shins press:
Shinning the Mainstream. The Sun, Jan. 12.
The Shins: Airy Pop Hits It Big NPR, Jan. 12

Headcase

Did you know that Pete Townsend is on record with at the O.E.D. as the earliest known user of the word headcase? Read all about it in Cyber-Neologoliferation.

Are you an amateur etymologist yourself? Well, here's your chance for fame and fortune...

Christmas with the Devil's Music

I know it's a little late, but since I'm not posting the MP3s for these songs it doesn't really matter anyway! I present to you Christmas with the Devil's Music. My selection criteria, to throw in a little goofy library lingo, were: no crooners, no meaningful songs or renditions, and no overplayed versions(well...forgive me for throwing in Bruce, but it's so good!) The likelihood of inclusion increased significantly if the song was funny, up-tempo, or, better yet, both.

1. Jingle Bells (Greetings from Esquivel)—Esquivel
2. The Little Drummer Boy—The Dandy Warhols
3. Christmas in Hollis—Run D.M.C
4. Step Into Christmas—Elton John
5. Christmas with the Devil—Spinal Tap
6. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)—The Ramones
7. Merry Xmas Everybody—Slade
8. Father Christmas—The Kinks
9. Christmas at the Zoo —The Flaming Lips
10. Christmas Smorgasbord—The Swedish Chef
11. The Christmas Song—The Raveonettes
12. Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town—Bruce
13. Christmas Reindeer—The Knife
14. Christmas Wrapping—The Waitresses

Strange Array

Here is the strange array of 2006 discs that captured the most of my attention this year (but there are so many I haven't heard yet!)

The Alarmists - A Detail of Soldiers
Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country
The Cherry Tempo - The Cherry Tempo
The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America
Chris Koza - Patterns
Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat
The Long Blondes - Someone to Drive You Home
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That
Spank Rock - Yo Yo Yo
Zero 7 - The Garden

Great or Grating?

My band-packed funfest continued Friday when we headed over to the Nomad to catch a little of Coach Said Not To's set. We were early, so we caught opener Sleeping in the Aviary. They started off too frenetic for my taste, but I warmed up some to their sound, which brought to mind Tapes 'n Tapes. Their cover of The Exciters' Tell Him was a clever match to the aggresive vox style. But wow did one of his former girlfriends do a number on the lead singer...every song screamed it. Hmm...I'm guessing he just might have been too intense for her!

I had high hopes for Coach Said Not To. I'd heard good things, and I'm always ready to get behind a band fronted by females. Of the 4 or 5 songs we caught, I really liked their sound. It had an ambient, sexy quality that reminded me of Zero 7, though faster and not nearly as electronic. Unfortunately, the lead vocal for all but one of those songs had a voice and a pretentious phrasing that I found grating. If I had known before the show that their latest release was entitled Words That I Employ, I wouldn't have been as surprised. But one of the songs was sung by the bassist, who had a gorgeous, full voice. Maybe she sings lead more than I heard, but if not she should!

Workin' Hard

Got to see another great show Black Friday. Mark Mallman and The Alarmists played a doubleheader at the 400. A friend and I were at the early show, and it felt like walking into a family reunion. I'm assuming it was the Alarmists' family, since the large gang of aunt- and uncle-looking adults left after their set. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Their presence spiked the average age up from sixteen to right about my and my friend's age.

With all the great things I heard about the Alarmists, two things surprised me. One, they didn't look old enough to get into the second show! Two, for how young they appeared, they sounded incredibly tight. But watching them on stage made it apparent how that could be; they are serious and work hard. In tone and simplicity they remind me of Spoon, especially on New Romans and Some Things Never Stop, and the similarity of Eric Lovold's voice to Jeff Tweedy is pretty obvious, especially on Coming to Meet Me. I just read on their website that they are going to start recording their follow-up to A Detail of Soldiers on December 1. I can't wait to hear it.

Like the Alarmists, Mark Mallman sounds great and works hard. But where The Alarmists are economical, Mark Mallman is all about the drama. Through the course of the set, my friend and I compared him to Billy Joel on acid, Rush, Meatloaf, and Alice Cooper, and I'm sure if he'd played longer, we would have come up with a few more. He is undeniably clever and truly entertaining. I would be unlikely to listen to a CD of his at home, but Mark Mallman is not meant to be listened to in the solitude of your own home. You must have him in the room, and be surrounded by friends and booze. I was surprised to learn Mark Mallman is backed by half of The Melismatics, and that that half is married to each other!

(Photos courtesy of Tay-lo.)

Light It Up

I love Faux Jean! They rock, but they're not afraid of a disco, or even a hoedown.

Friday the 17th was their CD release show for Light It Up, Burn It Down. I was sure that it wouldn't measure up to Dead Lover (Drunk and Stoned being one of my favorite songs ever). But no! Though it's not quite as good as Dead Lover over all, there are some great songs that sounded great live, especially Dirty Dogs and Get With That. Like Dead Lover, Light It Up is highly danceable with lyrics that are clever and a little dark. Corinne Caouette really makes the live show. She loves the music and it shows. You wonder if she's forgotten about the crowd, in a good way. The extended-play, Dead-Lover-packed encore was like an extra bonus free show thrown in, and made more complete with a blazin' cover of Jive Talkin'!

The Owls and First Communion After Party opened. I enjoyed The Owls, and their ability to trade instruments nearly every song impressed me. Their sound reminded me of a slightly shinier (less drug-addled?) Velvet Underground. I think I would have been more into them if I hadn't been anticipating the dance beats of Faux Jean. First Communion After Party had an intriguing psychedelic sound also, come to think of it, reminding me of the Velvet Underground in a slightly different way (more drug-addled?), but they need to come up with a way to end their songs. ...and figure out what to do with the chick with no rhythm standing on the side of the stage!

They Can Make Me Like Them

I am now officially a Hold Steady fan. I saw them at Grand Old Day a couple years ago after Separation Sunday came out. Really liked the music, but Craig Finn's speak-singing drove me nuts.

But...after a couple Boys and Girls in America reviews that said Craig Finn actually sings, I decided to give the new one a listen. I love it! Well, except for Chillout Tent... But I can even handle the lapse back into speak-singing on Same Kooks.

Luckily, a friend of mine became a hard-core fan with Separation Sunday and was up for hearing them at First Ave last night. The show was great. They played all of the the ones I liked, and didn't play Chillout Tent (though it would have been cool to see Dave Pirner come out on stage...) I'm not an "I have to be in the front row" person, but this is one show that I really wished I had been. The first 3 rows had to feel like they were the only ones in the room many times, when Mr. Finn leaned in and sang lovingly into their eyes!

Random facts: the keyboard guy is a dead ringer for a young (everyone's favorite comedian)Gallagher and Mrs. Finn's (mom's) favorite song off the new disc is Southtown Girls.

Word of the Day: Busking

Something the Moral Majority should be pontificating about, perhaps? NO! Busking is just playing music or performing entertainment in a public place, usually while soliciting money. The Brits use it more commonly.

I came across the word in an article about those cuties Old Crow Medicine Show in the Sept/Oct 2006 No Depression. Marty Stuart is exclaiming " 'I missed them between the two Opry shows that night-- and then learned that they were out busking in front of the Ryman, after their encore!' "

Here's what Wikipedia has to say about busking.

Musical Enlightenment

Sunny and mid-60s in St. Paul. A perfect day to lay on the grass, drink beer, and listen to great some great music at Summit's Big Brew. I got there just in time to hear Tapes 'n Tapes. They sounded fine, but I was expecting them to sound somehow bigger. The last time I heard was them was last December at the 400 Bar, pre-Pitchfork hype. The 400 seemed way too small for them then, and I thought with all of the outdoor festivals they've played since then, they would sound huge.

Next up: The Suburbs. The only stuff I knew was what was played on Minneapolis radio in the 80s: "Life is Like" and "Love is the Law. " I didn't particularly like it. I was mystified as to why they were considered so important to 80s Minneapolis scene, since they sounded so pop-lite. They played some of their early punky stuff Saturday, and now I understand! Girl Ache was a highlight for me.

I have a terrible habit of not paying attention to musicians with boring names and do not have an big appreciation for singer/songwriters, so Richard Thompson's set seemed like the perfect time to stand in the ridiculously long beer line. I wish I had paid closer attention. It was amazing how much one man playing an acoustic guitar could fill the place. And his lyrics were clever, Hots for the Smarts being one example I remember.

Soul Asylum was up next. I was curious about them, but not particulary excited as I always associate them with Runaway Train, a song I really don't like. They were awesome live. Again, now I understand the hype. I never realized how many of their songs I loved but didn't know it was them. Exhibit A: Somebody to Shove.

Things turned strange when my favorite band in the lineup entered the stage. My coworker and fellow Cake fan had told me about how he couldn't decide if he loved or hated them like, saying that he had seen at least two shows where John McCrea was a total asshole. I had only seen them once live at First Ave and they were awesome. I didn't understand what he was talking about. Again, now I know. I'm not sure if McCrea was drunk or just liked to stir up the crowd, but he was undoubtedly an asshole. Accusing fans of stealing his music and not knowing Buck Owens' music, berating them for calling out song names, whining about why in America they can't get a disco ball to work. Their set was entertaining in a totally different way than I expected, though if they hadn't played "Going the Distance" and "Never There" I might have felt differently.

Perhaps now that you've read a Big Brew review in English, you'd like to read one in French!

Muzak!

I've been slowly and not very comprehensively working through the giant stack of un- or little-read New Yorkers in my apartment. I don't think The New Yorker has been as good as it was even a couple years ago, so I'm not feeling quite as guilty as I might have. At any rate, I just got done reading the April 10, 2006 article about Muzak. You may be surprised to know the company still exists and you probably heard Muzak today if you left the house.

For me, and most people I imagine, Muzak equals already overplayed pop songs, instrumentalized. The word automatically invokes an image of a 17-year old me at my part-time hardware store job, ringing up a toilet plunger and wasp spray as an instrumental "Papa Don't Preach" floats in the background.

Now Muzak "audio architects" create "audio brands" for many of the businesses you patronize. You may even hear it while you work if your employer is a corporate HQ. Anyone who's been to a mall knows at least some stores put thought into what music is playing. (Ambercrombie and Fitch's soundtrack is "Over 21? Keep out!") But way more do than you might have thought. Muzak even has a competitor, D.M.X.

Be afraid, be very afraid.