(part 635 2/3 in a 1001 part series)
Recently saw a phenomenal concert from Grizzly Bear, playing much of the music off their latest album, Veckatimest… including this song “Two Weeks.” The video is pretty great as well:
Category: helloMike
Reblogging: Fiona Apple Plays Piano Bar Tune And It’s Good!
Wrote another piece for the NPR jazz blog, A Blog Supreme today (well I wrote a few weeks back, but finally published for the fans).
This week, a look at Fiona Apple’s glorious cover the Cy Coleman-by way of- Frank Sinatra standard “Why Try To Change Me Now.” Read that piece here.
Reblogging: Paul Simon, The Roots and Talk Show Team Ups
I have a new post on the All Songs Considered blog about Paul Simon’s recent performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon alongside The Roots and Antibalas. Read that post here.
Or just watch the video if you want below:
Great Hip Hop Video
I admittedly don’t know that much about hip hop, so when I first found this video of “Let The Beat Build” I didn’t know it was originally by Lil’ Wayne (from his 2008 album Tha Carter III). That said, this video is really fantastic.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PglfNDepTyQ[/youtube]
I really love the steadicam work on this video… especially as it elegantly glides through the shot, allowing the camera to reveal each new instrument as they’re introduced in the music. It says that this was recorded and shot all in one take which makes it all that more impressive. Plus the song is admirable for having great hooks played on real live instruments. I don’t know who Nyle is, but based on this track, I’d definitely listen again.
Three Reasons I Should’ve Tried Harder To See The National This Weekend
Since the release of Boxer, The National’s brilliant record from 2007, the band has become one of my favorite bands. So when the band’s two nights (Sunday and Monday, May 24 and 25th) at Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club sold out in less than 3 minutes, I was a little miffed I couldn’t see them without scalping or pulling some strings. The band even lined up a late show on Sunday as well but that was hard to come by as well.
Turns out the band has been debuting some new songs during their recent tour, which makes me even more pissed at myself for not trying harder to get tickets for these shows. From some videos I’ve found around the web, their new stuff looks to be just as great as the music from Boxer and Alligator, not to mention the phenomenal track from this year’s Dark Was The Night compilation “So Far Around The Bend.”
Watch “Vanderlylle Cry Baby” live from Toronto:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TojO3l9CL4[/youtube]
Watch “Runaway” live from Toronto: (or an in-studio performance here.)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMBT11ZmcwI[/youtube]
Watch “Blood Buzz Ohio” live from Montreal:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8qgRgyS9d0[/youtube]
Man, so freaking good. Maybe next time.
Reblogging: Mehldau Goes Grunge
So I am now one of many NPR Music dudes now writing for NPR’s new jazz blog A Blog Supreme. As such, here is my first post, about a recent show in San Francisco where pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Matt Chamberlain performed music from the grunge era. Read on here.
Reblogging: ‘Soft Bulletin’ on NPR’s All Songs Blog
No, this is not becoming a Flaming Lips fan blog, but, I did do a blog entry over at the All Songs Considered Blog today in honor of the tenth anniversary of their amazing record The Soft Bulletin.
Hard to believe this album came out ten years ago this summer. [ENTER I’M FEELING OLD JOKE HERE]
This Is What A Dan Deacon Dance Party Looks Like
So last night, this happened:
That’s right. Dan Deacon at the 9:30 Club put on an epic and extremely bonkers set of electro freak dance party music. NPR webcast the show, though I do wonder how much of what went on translates for a listener. Make sure to check out the amazing shots the NPR photographer took… you can even find me in a crowd shot (it’s like a sweaty hipster Where’s Waldo.)
Deacon performed on stage with this 15 person band playing songs of Spiderman of the Rings and Bromst… a full on melee of synths and percussion and hard driving dance grooves. Deacon also coaxed the crowd through a slew of dance contests and audience participation and sing alongs… all of which the crowd happily went berserk over, especially during songs like “Wham City” and “Crystal Cat.”
The show also featured some of the most hilarious (and awesomely terrible) pre-show music I’ve heard in a long time:
“Another Night” by Real McCoy ; “Bulls on Parade” by Rage Against the Machine ; “Kissed By A Rose” by Seal ; “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes ; “Only Time” by Enya; “No Rain” by Blind Melon
It was like reliving early ’90s Bar Mitzvah parties and middle school mixers, but it left no doubt that Deacon himself was programming the music himself, showing a great sense of humor in the process.
All in all, the show was insanely fun and a total blast.
Papercuts @ Iota
It’s fair to say that Papercuts’ new You Can Have What You Want has been one of my favourite albums this year. Last night finally got to see Jason Quever and his band live, at Iota, a cool cafe and bar in Virgina.
Here are a couple shots from the night, from my iPhone:
Compare and Contrast: “The Elevation” vs. “Californication”
Surely the similarities here have been pointed out in the past. But it just struck me today how nearly identical the guitar parts and the general tone are in both of these songs. Interesting…
“The Elevation” by Television from Marquee Moon
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE7uXtXXFtM[/youtube]
“Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers from Californication
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yoTBeDIi64[/youtube]