Dear !!!,

Notes from !!!, live at the Metro in Chicago, May 23, 3007

Dear !!!,

You put on a fantastic, amazingly energetic live show. I expected no less and you delivered. Band chemistry is terrific, especially once you brought out your unnamed female vocalist/party-starter.

My only negative comment? Play for more than an hour next time.

Sincerely,
Grant

the Going Home Edition

For my last Music is My Girlfriend before my return trip home (I will miss 2 shows), I decided to be so very creative and do a "going-home" theme. This featured mostly songs with the word "home" in the title, but also roadtrip songs and place-name songs. It went well, but was pretty mellow and depressing (based on the songs I played). I was tired and not much was happening in the way of studio visitors, so it worked. Thanks to Kellan for hanging out, and also Josh and Andrew for stopping by upon returning from their homefront (the frontrange). Tom was able to call-in and listen from back in Indiana, so many thanks to him as well.

Artist / Song / Album

Roger Miller / Whistle-stop
Clarence "Frogman" Henry / Ain't Got No Home
Dinosaur Jr. / Going Home / Where You Been *request from Gwen
Old 97s / Streets of Where I'm From / Too Far to Care
Wilco / Via Chicago / Kicking Television
Bob Dylan / Subterranean Homesick Blues / Bootleg Series
Radiohead / Subterranean Homesick Alien / OK Computer
Yo La Tengo / Feel Like Going Home / I Am Not Afraid of You...
Arlo Guthrie / I'm Going Home / Alice's Restuarant
Of Montreal / On the Drive Home / The Bird Who Continues to Eat the Rabbit's Flower
Elvis Costello / Radio Radio *request from Tom
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah / In This Home on Ice / self-titled
Franz Ferdinand / Come On Home
Modest Mouse / A life of Artic Sounds / Building Nothing out of Something
Britt Daniels / Bring It Home to Me / Bridging the Distance Comp
Willie Nelson / Homeward Bound / Live and Kickin
Promise Ring / My Life is at Home / Wood/Water
Muddy Waters / I Feel Like Going Home
Rosie Thomas / Much Farther to Go / These Friends of Mine
Sufjan Stevens / Chicago / Feel the Illinoise
Gang of Four / At Home He's A Tourist / Return the Gift
Bloc Party / Price of Gas (Automato remix) / Silent Alarm remixed
LCD Soundsystem / Daft Punk is Playing at My House / self-titled
Patti Smith / Midnight Rider / Twelve
Belle + Sebastian / I Love my Car / Push Barman to Open Old Wounds
Medeski, Martin + Wood / Bubblehouse / Last Chance to Dance Trance
Jonathon Richman / Roadrunner (once) / Best of...
Detriot Cobras / Green Light / Tied + True
Velvet Underground / Train Round the Bend / Loaded
Charlie Rich / Feel Like Going Home

In other radio news, I am filling in tonight at the usual time - 10:30pm Colorado time. Tune in if you can.

Bored with the Usual

Having already done one show with new music/indie rock on Monday, May 7th, I decided to do more of an electronic/dance/techno themed show for Music is My Girlfriend that evening. Here's the playlist:

Artist / Song / Album

LCD Soundsystem / Someone Great / Sound of Silver
Junior Boys / In the Morning (Hot Chip remix) / Dead Horse EP
Mylo / In My Arms / Destroy Rock & Roll
Bassnectar / Verbing the Noun / Underground Communication
Cut Chemist / What's the Altitude? / The Audience is Listening
Timo Maas / Shifter / Loud
Daft Punk / Aerodynamic / Discovery
Joakim / Rocket Pearl / Monsters and Silly Songs
Joakim / Drumtrax / Monsters and Silly Songs
Spank Rock / Girlfriend is Better / Fabriclive 33
Thivery Corp / The Heart's A Lonely Hunter (ft. David Byrne) / Cosmic Game
Weezer / Tired of Sex / Pinkerton *request by Katie
Walkmen / Red River / Spiderman 3 Soundtrack
Justice / Phantom / Ed Rec V2
Nortec Collective / Casino Soul / Tijuana Sessions V 1
DJ logic / 9th Ward Blues / Zen of Logic
Nina Simone / Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter / Remixed & Reimagined
Brazilian Girls / Pussy / Brazilian Girls
Spank Rock / Track 5 / Fabriclive 33
DJ Shadow / You Can't Go Home Again / single
Royksopp / Remind Me / Melody AM
Freeform 5 / No More Conversations (Mylo remix)
Spank Rock / Track 6 / Fabriclive 33
Muscles / Chocolate Raspberry Lemon Lime
Spank Rock / Track 14 / Fabriclive 33

Thanks to Tom for attempting to tune in and mistaking my voice for someone else. Luckily, he was able to tune in again last night and make a request. Woot.

The Muscles track near the end of the playlist was the pair to "Ice Cream" played earlier in the day (see Morning Mix playlist below).

Morning Mix 5/7/07 Playlist

Just over a week ago I filled in for Erin Roberts, our station's new program director. I was rather excited when she asked me to fill in for her, as she has an awesome show and a 10am time slot. I decided to do mini two-song sets for the show. The sets were paired based on some sort of similarity (such as new/old from same artist, the bands are touring together, both bands released comeback albums, etc.). Here's the playlist:

Artist / Song / Album

The National / Fake Empire / Boxer
The National / Slow Show / Boxer
Feist / 1 2 3 4 / The Reminder
Feist / So Sorry / Live 4.15.07
Sufjan Stevens / Chicago / Illinoise
Sufjan Stevens / Free Man in Paris / Joni Mitchell Tribute Album
Arcade Fire / Keep the Car Running / Neon Bible
Electrelane / To the East / No Shouts, No Calls
TEd Leo + RX / Biomusicology / Tyranny of Distance
Decemberists / Sporting Life / Picaresque
Modest Mouse / Paper Thin Walls / Moon + Antarctica
Modest Mouse / Dashboard / We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank
Peter Bjorn + John / Young Folks / Writer's Block
Peter Bjorn + John / Let's Call It Off (Girl Talk remix)
Patrick Wolf / Land's End / Wind in the Wires
Patrick Wolf / Overture / The Magic Position
White Stripes / Icky Thump / Icky Thump
White Stripes / Death Letter / De Stijl
Dinosaur Jr. / We're Not Alone / Beyond
Stooges / My Idea of Fun / The Weirdness
Beirut / Postcards from Italy / Gulag Orkestar
Beirut / Elephant Gun / Lon Gisland EP
The Blow / Parentheses / Paper Television
YACHT / See a Penny (Pick it Up)
Muscles / Ice Cream

Dear Martin Sexton,

Notes from Martin Sexton, live at Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO, April 26, 2007

Dear Martin Sexton,

You, sir, have an amazing voice and are surely a talented musician. Perhaps, then, you should rethink this band you currently have touring with you. The highlights of the evening all occurred when the band took a break and your voice could stand alone with your guitar. Sadly though, these moments were few and far between. Work on this.

Another note of concern... you received the greatest crowd response upon playing cover songs. After releasing seven albums, wouldn't you think you would have a couple massive crowd pleasers? Sure, "Folsom Prison Blues" is an unbeatable track, especially when played jugband-style (also the only point of the show in which your band complemented your voice/songs). But Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles"? A great song, but it shouldn't be a true concert highlight at the expense of your own compositions. Maybe its just me, but I don't totally dig your songwriting. This is purely my taste, but your lyrics are far too simplistic and obtuse while lacking in wit and irreverence.

Finally, you strangely resemble Jack Black both while and while not singing. This is unfortunate for you and distracting for the audience. Sorry.

Dear Ratatat,

Notes from Ratatat, live @ Bluebird theatre in Denver, March 23, 2007

Dear Ratatat,

To put it simply, get a drummer and your live show won't suck. Yes, your beats are great and interesting, but they are hardly unplayable. How nice would it be to replace that idiot "sitting" behind the keyboards? I distinctly remember him falling off his stool only 2 songs into your set. Wouldn't you rather hire a stellar drummer that would make your show a "must-see" instead of an "only-go-if-you-live-nearby-and-tickets-are-cheap"?

Yes, a drummer would make your show unbeatable rather than a stale recreation of your album. Might I also make another suggestion? Mike Stroud, please cut the guitar god poses. You are a worthy guitar player, but not outstanding. The Townsend-esque windmills and gymnastic bridges are a tad overkill for your repetitive chords and licks. Please rethink your stage presence.

As for bassist Evan Mast: carry on.

Yours Truly,
A Concerned Fan

New Music Monday

Playlist from April 30, 2007

Artist / Song / Album

Shaky Hands / Why & How Come
Roger Miller / Whistle-Stop
Vietnam / Priest, Poet & the Pig / Vietnam
Beirut / Elephant Gun / Lon Gisland
White Stripes / Icky Thump / Icky Thump
Patrick Wolf / Bluebells / Magic Position
Papercuts / John Brown
Voxtrot / Kid Gloves
Sufjan Stevens / Free Man in Paris / Jonie Mitchell Tribute
The National / Fake Empire / The Boxer
Feist / I Feel It All / The Reminder
Electrelane / To The East / No Shouts, No Calls
The Blow / Hey Boy / Poor Aim: Love Songs
Low / Breaker / Drums + Guns
Peter Bjorn & John / Let's Call It Off (Girl Talk remix)
TV on the Radio / Wolf Like Me / Live @ Amoeba Music
Ghosthustler / Parking Lot Nights
LCD Soundsystem / All My Friends (AMIGAMAN remix)
The Rosebuds / Get Up Get Out / Night of the Furies
Busdriver / The Trogolodyte Wins
Feist / Mushaboom / Live 4/15/07
Black Moth Super Rainbow / Sun Lips
Muscles / Ice Cream
Joakim / Drumtrax / Monsters + Silly Songs
Mandrew / Hotwax / The Wonderful World of Mandrew
Tokyo Police Club / Citizens of Tomorrow
Primus / Southbound Pacyderm / Tales from the Punchbowl *request from Dave
Jose Gonzalez / Heartbeats / Veneer *request from Kellan & Kristen
The Knife / Heartbeats / Deep Cuts
Tegan & Sara / Walking With A Ghost (Miami Horror remix)

Things went swimmingly, and I was able to play an entire set of new music up until the last couple requests as the show was ending. I'll be filling in for our Program Director Erin on Monday morning (5/7/07) at 10am Colorado time. She has an awesome show playing similiar music as I do, so I'm trying to plan this one out to live up to her standards.

Since this was all new music, I'll leave you with some recommendations. Buy or Download or just check out these albums:
Lon Gisland EP by Beirut
Sound of Silver by LCD Soundsystem
The Reminder by Feist
Boxer by the National
The Magic Position by Patrick Wolf

Chasing Seafoam Dreams Around Another Dirty Old Town

Thoughts from Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Live @ the Gothic, Denver 4/22/07

The short version:
Should you have any passing interest in Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, I implore you to attend their live show.

The slightly longer version:
Rarely does one get the chance (at least in the "all things new" world of indie rock) to see a veteran like Ted Leo in an intimate venue like the Gothic Theatre. Such an event, as I learned Sunday night, is something to be treasured. Ted Leo absolutely controlled the stage on this evening, keeping the audience enthralled with a wide selection of songs from his Pharmacists back catalogue and their new album, "Living with the Living". If concert goers were not already excited to see the D.C. based band, the opening onslaught of "Sons of Cain", "Me and Mia", and "Dial Up" was enough to stoke anyone's interest.

As the night wore on with stellar rendition after stellar rendition, Ted Leo faught through snapping strings and Kristen's disapproval of what looked like white Keds, but were in reality a pair of hipster approved Vans. I don't think I've ever seen anyone with a better crowd relationship, as Mr. Leo kept us smiling and laughing while he caught his breath in between songs. When a drunken man up front kept screaming "Ted Leoooooo!" at the top of his lungs, Ted politely asked the man's name. "Steve," he replied. "What's your full name?" As the man barked out "Steven O'Neil," Ted got down in the man's face and screamed into the mic, "Steven O'Neillllllll!"

Pitchfork recently posted photos and a brief review of Ted Leo's concert at the Metro in Chicago. My impressions of their live show are rather similar, except I had no interest in seeing an end to the show. Paul Thompson, on the other hand, found the energetic act satisfying albiet a bit tiresome, as "the set's 10 p.m. endtime couldn't have come soon enough."

My favorite conversation of the night:
Me: (on Ted Leo's clothing) "It takes balls to wear pearly white pants during your set"
Kellan: (3 minutes later) "If you're going to be a drummer, you'll need to be flawless"
Me: "Ball-less?!"
Kellan: "Flawless"
Me: "Jaw-less?!"
Kellan: "Flawless"
Me: "Oh, flawless... I know."

tedleo.com
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