So I'm headed to Cornerstone again next week. This year's fest promises to be a different kind of experience - lots of old-school Christian rockers are scheduled to take the main stage, including Petra (with original singer Greg X. Volz), Randy Stonehill and Rez Band. And while I'm curious to see all of those, I only go to Cornerstone for one reason: to catch up with that little pocket of spiritual pop I love so dearly. The one that includes Daniel Amos, the Choir, the Lost Dogs and the 77s, among others.
This year, Mike Roe of the 77s and Derri Daugherty of the Choir are unveiling their new project, Kerosene Halo. It's been a great couple of years for Daugherty lovers - two Choir albums, a solo record, and now this. And Mike Roe, well, he's always been prolific and amazing. So now two of my favorite voices (and guitar players) have joined forces for a record that is, quite frankly, gorgeous.
It's mostly covers, including tunes from Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits, and two from Daniel Amos mastermind Terry Taylor. But just listen to the voices intertwine, the beautiful atmosphere this thing conjures. No, seriously, go listen. You can hear all of Kerosene Halo's debut album for free. I think it's wonderful, and I can't wait to see them play this stuff live.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
First Listen: Rave On Buddy Holly
I've been looking forward to this, and I wasn't disappointed. Nineteen Buddy Holly songs, reinterpreted by musical minds of today and yesterday. Holly's music always sort of toed that line between fluffy fun and manic depression, and these renditions really bring that out. It opens with the Black Keys doing "Dearest," which sounds about like you'd expect it would, but continues with the re-emergence of Fiona Apple, who performs the sweet "Everyday" with Jon Brion. Paul McCartney shouts his way through "It's So Easy," and clearly has a great time in the process.
Some of these are surprising. Cee-Lo Green stays true to the rockabilly roots of "You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)," and his voice works very well in this style. My Morning Jacket turns in a heartbreaking take on "True Love Ways." Kid Rock (!) does a fine job with "Well All Right." And wait until you hear Modest Mouse chew up and spit out "That'll Be the Day."
Some of these versions don't work as well - Julian Casablancas treats "Rave On" like an outtake from his miserable solo album, and Lou Reed murders "Peggy Sue" - but most are heartfelt and lovingly-crafted tributes to a man who died too young, but definitely left his mark on the burgeoning young art form known as rock and roll.
Some of these are surprising. Cee-Lo Green stays true to the rockabilly roots of "You're So Square (Baby I Don't Care)," and his voice works very well in this style. My Morning Jacket turns in a heartbreaking take on "True Love Ways." Kid Rock (!) does a fine job with "Well All Right." And wait until you hear Modest Mouse chew up and spit out "That'll Be the Day."
Some of these versions don't work as well - Julian Casablancas treats "Rave On" like an outtake from his miserable solo album, and Lou Reed murders "Peggy Sue" - but most are heartfelt and lovingly-crafted tributes to a man who died too young, but definitely left his mark on the burgeoning young art form known as rock and roll.
Re-Ignite
Wow, it's been a really long time.
I can't apologize enough for allowing this blog to deteriorate. My last post was in mid-January, when I had just started working for Patch, and I had no idea just how difficult and time-consuming those first few months would be. Ask anyone who knows me - I've pretty much become invisible. But now I think I have more of a handle on it, and I'm ready to start this monster up again.
Here's the thing: I initially started this blog as a supplement to my weekly column, Tuesday Morning 3 A.M., because I had too much music to cover in one place each week. This problem has not gone away. I still buy more music than I can fit into a weekly column, and lately, my thoughts on that music have been bursting out of my skull. I'm finding TM3AM a more difficult slog lately, simply because I have so much to say, and no time to say it all at once. (Does that make sense?)
What I mean is, quicker hits - like these blog posts - will be easier for me, I think, than trying to cover everything I want to say about music in the weekly column. That's the hope, at least. The column isn't going anywhere - look for a dissertation on silly pop music next week, and my thoughts on this year's Cornerstone Festival the week after. But check here more regularly, because my first-listen reactions and thoughts on music news will go here.
Thanks very much for reading, and thanks for your patience with me these past six months. I think we're ready to roll again.
I can't apologize enough for allowing this blog to deteriorate. My last post was in mid-January, when I had just started working for Patch, and I had no idea just how difficult and time-consuming those first few months would be. Ask anyone who knows me - I've pretty much become invisible. But now I think I have more of a handle on it, and I'm ready to start this monster up again.
Here's the thing: I initially started this blog as a supplement to my weekly column, Tuesday Morning 3 A.M., because I had too much music to cover in one place each week. This problem has not gone away. I still buy more music than I can fit into a weekly column, and lately, my thoughts on that music have been bursting out of my skull. I'm finding TM3AM a more difficult slog lately, simply because I have so much to say, and no time to say it all at once. (Does that make sense?)
What I mean is, quicker hits - like these blog posts - will be easier for me, I think, than trying to cover everything I want to say about music in the weekly column. That's the hope, at least. The column isn't going anywhere - look for a dissertation on silly pop music next week, and my thoughts on this year's Cornerstone Festival the week after. But check here more regularly, because my first-listen reactions and thoughts on music news will go here.
Thanks very much for reading, and thanks for your patience with me these past six months. I think we're ready to roll again.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
New Column: Try Not to Try
Well, my new year's resolution is already falling by the wayside. I'm working like a madman to get my patch.com site up and running, and I barely had time to bang out the quick column you'll see on the front page of tm3am.com right now.
But bang it out I did. This week I took a look at the determinedly slight new Decemberists album, and tacked on a pair of quick takes, one of Joy Division wannabes White Lies, and the other of Portland, Maine supergroup Space vs. Speed. As always, click on over to read the column, then head back here to leave me a comment.
But bang it out I did. This week I took a look at the determinedly slight new Decemberists album, and tacked on a pair of quick takes, one of Joy Division wannabes White Lies, and the other of Portland, Maine supergroup Space vs. Speed. As always, click on over to read the column, then head back here to leave me a comment.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
First Listen: Cake, Showroom of Compassion
Showroom of Compassion is arguably 2011's first major new release. It's taken seven years for the band to put it together, and frontman John McCrea promised it would sound very different.
McCrea is a filthy liar.
This album sounds like Cake. If you liked Cake before, with their stinging guitars and chiming horns and McCrea's low-key voice, you will like this. The tempos are slower across the board - "Federal Funding" may be the most laconic opener in the band's history - but the sound is essentially untouched.
There is one standout, and that's "The Winter," which features acoustic piano for the first time on a Cake album. This is one of the finest songs McCrea and company have written, and its mournful singalong will stay with you. But it's the one moment of real evolution on an album that otherwise sounds stuck in the past. I like Cake, and I like this record about as much as any of their others, but there are no new vistas explored here, and I can't fathom why it took so long to complete.
McCrea is a filthy liar.
This album sounds like Cake. If you liked Cake before, with their stinging guitars and chiming horns and McCrea's low-key voice, you will like this. The tempos are slower across the board - "Federal Funding" may be the most laconic opener in the band's history - but the sound is essentially untouched.
There is one standout, and that's "The Winter," which features acoustic piano for the first time on a Cake album. This is one of the finest songs McCrea and company have written, and its mournful singalong will stay with you. But it's the one moment of real evolution on an album that otherwise sounds stuck in the past. I like Cake, and I like this record about as much as any of their others, but there are no new vistas explored here, and I can't fathom why it took so long to complete.
New Column: So This Is the New Year
As long-time readers know, I'm a pretty optimistic guy when it comes to music.
That's putting it mildly, actually. My entire life is based around having things to look forward to. I scour new release calendars and band websites, looking for information on new music. I make up schedules in my head, and grasp at any information I can get - track listings, track times, producers, guest musicians. I want to love everything I hear. Even the albums I know will be crap. I buy them hoping they'll surprise me.
All that's a way of saying that if you're looking for cynicism, or rampant trashing of every album that comes down the pike, you're in the wrong place. Tuesday Morning 3 A.M. is all about loving music, and while I'm not afraid to give honest assessments of terrible records, I would much rather write about the ones I love, and am looking forward to.
So 2011's first column is in that vein. I've come up with 11 reasons to be excited about 2011, from the new Decemberists to Bright Eyes to PJ Harvey to the as-yet-untitled third Quiet Company album. It's going to be a good year, I can just feel it.
Since writing this column, another one has been announced: Okkervil River's I Am Very Far, out on May 10. It just keeps getting better. Click on over to read the column, and then head back here to leave me a comment.
That's putting it mildly, actually. My entire life is based around having things to look forward to. I scour new release calendars and band websites, looking for information on new music. I make up schedules in my head, and grasp at any information I can get - track listings, track times, producers, guest musicians. I want to love everything I hear. Even the albums I know will be crap. I buy them hoping they'll surprise me.
All that's a way of saying that if you're looking for cynicism, or rampant trashing of every album that comes down the pike, you're in the wrong place. Tuesday Morning 3 A.M. is all about loving music, and while I'm not afraid to give honest assessments of terrible records, I would much rather write about the ones I love, and am looking forward to.
So 2011's first column is in that vein. I've come up with 11 reasons to be excited about 2011, from the new Decemberists to Bright Eyes to PJ Harvey to the as-yet-untitled third Quiet Company album. It's going to be a good year, I can just feel it.
Since writing this column, another one has been announced: Okkervil River's I Am Very Far, out on May 10. It just keeps getting better. Click on over to read the column, and then head back here to leave me a comment.
...And We're Back
Hello, everyone, and welcome to 2011. This will be my eleventh year writing Tuesday Morning 3 A.M., and I'm not sure I've ever felt better about it. The fateful Year Ten has come and gone, there's amazing music on the horizon (check out the new column at tm3am.com for proof), and I'm excited to hear it and tell you about it.
I'm determined to make better use of this blog in 2011 than I did in 2010, as well. The last half of last year was a whirlwind, and while the opening weeks of 2011 have been similar, I plan to carve out time for my first-listen reviews, and revive the Reasons to be Cheerful feature. The blog is an important part of this conversation we're having, and I fell off the train big time last year.
I'd love this whole tm3am thing to be a two-way street. If you have thoughts, ideas, reviews of your own, or recommendations, I'd like to hear them. You can leave them in the comments under this blog, or email them to sourcil74@hotmail.com, or connect with me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/asalles). Thanks very much for reading, you don't know what it means to me.
All right, we're ready. Year Eleven. All systems go.
I'm determined to make better use of this blog in 2011 than I did in 2010, as well. The last half of last year was a whirlwind, and while the opening weeks of 2011 have been similar, I plan to carve out time for my first-listen reviews, and revive the Reasons to be Cheerful feature. The blog is an important part of this conversation we're having, and I fell off the train big time last year.
I'd love this whole tm3am thing to be a two-way street. If you have thoughts, ideas, reviews of your own, or recommendations, I'd like to hear them. You can leave them in the comments under this blog, or email them to sourcil74@hotmail.com, or connect with me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/asalles). Thanks very much for reading, you don't know what it means to me.
All right, we're ready. Year Eleven. All systems go.
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