One of last year’s most underrated albums was The Duke & The King’s Nothing Gold Can Stay. The band’s second album, Long Live The Duke & The King, arrives later this month. You can watch/listen to the first single “Shaky” above. The band is giving away a download of the track here for the price of your e-mail address.

Brute is the collaborative output of Vic Chesnutt and Widespread Panic. Their shared Athens, GA roots allowed for a beautiful concoction. Vic’s lyrics absolutely burst to life out in front of Widespread Panic’s musical prowess.

Their first recording together, Nine High A Pallet (1995) has been almost all I’ve listened to since receiving from a friend while rounding out my Vic Chesnutt discography. It’s that good. It would be over seven years before Chesnutt would again team with Panic under the Brute moniker. The result being 2002’s Co-Balt, we haven’t made it to that release yet. In the meantime, do check out a few choice selections below from Nine High A Pallet.

MP3: Brute – “Westport Ferry”
MP3: Brute – “Let’s Get Down To Business”
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Buy: Brute – Nine High A Pallet

One of the best concerts I saw last year was School of Seven Bells at the High Noon Saloon. I walked in with no expectation and walked out blow away by the School of Seven Bells live show.

The group is on tour in September and October in support of their fantastic new record, Disconnect From Desire, including stops in Chicago (9/17, Lincoln Hall) and Madison (9/18, Majestic Theatre) next month.

Giveaway: We have a pair of tickets to see School of Seven Bells at the Majestic in Madison and a copy of their new record, Disconnect From Desire to giveaway to the Muzzle of Bees faithful. Drop a comment telling us your favorite song of the moment (past or present) and if you’d prefer the concert tickets or the CD. We’ll select two winners at random on Friday. Be sure to leave a valid e-mail address in your comment so we may contact you should you win.

MP3: School Of Seven Bells – “Windstorm”
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Buy: School Of Seven Bells – Disconnect From Desire

We had the supreme pleasure of hosting the Roadside Graves in Milwaukee just a little over a week ago. If you made it out to the Cactus Club, you know what a treat this band is. We had an amazing time with the band, launching water balloons at my neighbors houses, enjoyed a backyard bbq, and Colin even made a little cash.

I’m pleased to share the Aquarium Drunkard Session below with you. These were recorded at Infrasonic Studios in Los Angeles in August 2009, and thought to be lost and gone for good until recently resurfacing to the satisfaction of all. Since the Drunkard has some more Roadside Graves goodness coming your way the very near future, we got the green light to pass these tracks onto you. Enjoy!

Roadside Graves :: Aquarium Drunkard Lost Session (August, 2009)

MP3: Roadside Graves – “My Father Sat Me Down” (Aquarium Drunkard Session, 2009)
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Liv Tyler” (Aquarium Drunkard Session, 2009)
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Ruby” (Aquarium Drunkard Session, 2009)
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Wooden Walls” (Aquarium Drunkard Session, 2009)

Buy: Roadside Graves – You Won’t Be Happy With Me EP

[photo: Tim Griffin]

Welcome to the 49th podcast/download I’m co-hosting with Ryan Schleicher at 91.7 WMSE. We’re back after a little summer vacation ready to fill up your ears with some great music from past and present.

Vic Chesnutt – “(It’s No Secret) Satisfaction” / Lullaby For The Working Class- “Hypnotist (Song For Daniel H)” / Trampled By Turtles – “Victory” / Mel McDaniel – “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On” / Little Wings – “Sing Wide” / Sharon Van Etten – “Love More” / Cotton Jones – “Soft Mountain Shake” / Ugly Casanova – “Here’s To Now” / Call Me Lightning – “The Saints” / Iron & Wine – “Belated Promise Ring” / Arthur Russell – “Goodbye Old Paint” / Twin Sister – “Lady Daydream” / Hurray For The Riff Raff – “Lately In Dm” / First Aid Kit – “Heavy Storm” / Frontier Ruckus – “The Upper Room” / Silver Jews – “San Francisco B.C.”

Download/Listen: Muzzle of Bees + 91.7 WMSE Podcast :: Volume 49
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Subscribe: Muzzle of Bees + 91.7 WMSE Podcast

There’s a handful of records that I’m looking forward to hearing in the coming months. At the top of my wish-list is Future Weather, the forthcoming record from The War On Drugs due October 28th on Secretly Canadian. The release comes over two years since their last (and fantastic) release Wagonwheel Blues.

Here’s hoping the band comes through Wisconsin in support of the record. Take a listen to “Comin’ Through” from Future Weather below:

MP3: The War On Drugs – “Comin’ Through”

Here are the Wisconsin and Illinois shows we recommend you take in this week. Check them out below and let us know which ones you’ll be attending or ones you think should really make our list.

Upcoming Shows:

8/31 – Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound – Chill On The Hill, Humboldt Park (MILWAUKEE)
9/1 – Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin + Telekinesis – Canopy Club (CHAMPAIGN/URBANA)
9/2 – Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin + Telekinesis – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
9/3 – Disco Biscuits – Congress Theater (CHICAGO)
9/4 – Kings Go Forth – Cathedral Square (MILWAUKEE)
9/4 – Asobi Sesku – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
9/4 – Cracker – Cubby Bear North (CHICAGO)
9/4 – North Coast Music Festival – Union Park (CHICAGO)
9/5 – North Coast Music Festival – Union Park (CHICAGO)
9/5 – Crowded House – House of Blues (CHICAGO)
9/5 – Slash – Pabst Theater (MILWAUKEE)
9/5 – Vampire Weekend + Beach House + Dum Dum Girls – Aragon Ballroom (CHICAGO)

Just Announced:

9/23 – +/- (Plus/Minus) – The Frequency (MADISON)
9/29 – Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk – Majestic Theatre (MADISON)
10/10 – Dan Deacon + Lightning Bolt – TBA (CHICAGO)
11/6 – Jay Farrar – Majestic Theatre (MADISON)
11/12 – Frontier Ruckus – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)

+Bookmark our upcoming shows page for all your concert announcements+

A look at the 90-minute documentary, “The Promise: The Making of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town,’” from the upcoming Bruce Springsteen release, The Promise: The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story. The recording sessions of Darkness On The Edge Of Town yielded over 70 songs. On November 16th, 21 of those unreleased songs will be released for the first time amongst a collection of 3 CD’s & 3 DVD’s. If you’re a die hard fan of the Boss, you’re already counting down the days.

Pre-Order: The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story (3 CD/3 DVD)

Sufjan Stevens announced his first full-length record in five years this week. Above is the cover art. Love it. The album is called The Age Of Adz and arrives October 12th. Head over to You Ain’t No Picasso for a download of “I Walked” from the forthcoming record.

Listen to Phosphorescent on World Cafe.

LCD Soundsystem also has a World Cafe session up for listen.

My Old Kentucky Blog offers an MP3 of The Acorn’s “Kindling To Cremation” remixed by Megafaun.

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver joins Kathleen Edwards on “Mercury” in Massachusetts, which has been covered previously by Bon Iver.

Elf Power’s Andrew Rieger reflects on his relationship with the music of the late Vic Chesnutt at Aquarium Drunkard.

The Collect has a beautiful video of the Heartless Bastards‘ Erika Wennerstrom playing a selection of acoustic tracks.

Amazon has “over 1,000 Albums $5 Each Through August.”

Discuss: Drop a comment with anything noteworthy you came across this week.

The weekend is so close. I’ve been looking forward to Saturday night for a long time. Our good friends The Daredevil Christopher Wright are in town opening for Trampled By Turtles at Turner Hall Ballroom. I would highly recommend any fan of The Avett Brothers, Charlie Parr, Megafaun, or Mumford and Sons to find a way to catch these guys on tour. Their new album, Palomino is supremely solid from start to finish. Take a listen/watch to the video for “Wait So Long” above. I spoke to Dave Simonett of Trampled By Turtles about the new album, his favorite sad songs, touring Alaska, and what to do in Duluth, MN. Check it out below and don’t miss their show.

Congrats on Palomino, it’s a very fine record. Can you share a little insight on where/how it was recorded? Did you learn anything during this process that you’ll apply towards future recording sessions?

We recorded Palomino in several different locations, but the bulk of it was recorded at Realphonic Studio in Minneapolis. We also did some tracking at Devil’s Workshop in Minneapolis, Sparta Sound in Sparta, MN and one song was recorded in a hotel room.

I think we learned about the relationship between the song and the room in which it’s being recorded. We tried the same tunes in different places and for whatever reason, they just worked better for us in one place more than another. Environment is such an important part of the recording process.

We do this feature on our website called “Sad Songs & Waltzes” where artists share some of the saddest songs they know by other artists. Got any favorite sad songs?

Sure. A few I love are: “Buckskin Stallion” by Townes Van Zandt, “How to Disappear Completely” by Radiohead, “These Days I Barely Get By” by George Jones, and “When I Go Deaf” by Low.

I was pretty intrigued by your tour of Alaska. I’ve always felt that a lot of groups never made that trek, and I would imagine those people are pretty excited about having bands come through. How was your experience there, what kind of places were you playing and what was the reaction?

Alaska was absolutely fantastic. The people were great, the scenery was amazing, and we got a very warm reception at the shows. We played a couple clubs, a couple bigger halls, and the SE Alaska State Fair.

I follow you guys on twitter. I recently saw that you were working on some new material in studio. Are you already laying down ideas for the next record?

I’m always working on new material. Nothing as specific as a new album quite yet, just trying to get some songs down.

If we rode along on tour with you guys what kind of music would we find you listening too? Do you all share the same musical tastes?

You’d get a pretty wide variety of music in our van on tour. I think all of our musical tastes overlap in certain areas but each one of us definitely has a few records that no one else in the band owns. It’s not unheard of to have Wilco followed immediately by 50 Cent into some traditional Scandinavian instrumental music. We tend to listen to a lot of Minnesota music as well.

Are you guys still calling Duluth, MN home? Where would you recommend visitors check out if they’re making a pass through for the first time?

We’ve spread out a bit around MN in the last few years. I’m in Minneapolis, Ryan’s in St. Paul, Tim’s in Grand Rapids, Dave Carroll is in Duluth, and Erik is in the country outside of Duluth a little ways. Duluth will always be the bands metaphysical home though and it feels nothing short of that every time I go there. It’s one of those places (I found a similar thing in Alaska, actually) that people deeply love. Most of the people I know in Duluth don’t live there because it’s a convenient commute or cause they got a better job offer, or for the weather, but because there is a beautiful community of musicians and artists layered on top of beautiful natural surroundings. It’s also a bit dusty if you know what I mean. Duluth is a great place to write songs. For a first time visitor I’d recommend Pizza Luce, Fitger’s Brewhouse, The Electric Fetus, and to try swimming in the lake

Buy: Trampled By Turtles – Palomino

The 90’s were the age when the soundtrack exploded. It seemed like every movie, no matter the quality of the film, got itself quite the roster of artists to contribute, and of course, cash checks. I’m not sure if it was because I grew up in a small town, but a lot of these soundtracks were my initiation to great artists that were, until that point completely unknown to me. I was introduced to Paul Westerberg, The Cure, Dinosaur Jr., Crowded House, De La Soul, Sonic Youth and many more all because of soundtracks from this decade. Granted, not always the best way to be introduced by a collaboration with Cypress Hill, but it was an introduction nonetheless.

When the Singles Soundtrack landed I was very into the likes of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins. Thus, the influx of new material was a very welcomed addition to my sparse and somewhat sheltered ears. The soundtrack, in the pre-digital era forced you to purchase an entire collection of mostly mediocre songs in order for the one or two gems. That’s where the Singles Soundtrack stood out. From start to finish it was pretty much all diamonds for me.

I still feel that Westerberg’s “Dyslexic Heart” and “Waiting On Somebody” hold up pretty well almost twenty years later. The Smashing Pumpkins closing number of “Drown,” remains one of my favorite songs ever penned by the group. Pearl Jam delivered in a big way with “Breathe” and “State of Love & Trust,” which in my opinion remain two of the best in their catalog. My favorite song though? That goes to Screaming Trees “Nearly Lost You.”

Before closing and opening up this topic in the comments, it’s worth noting some of the other soundtracks from this decade. The Crow Soundtrack was easily my second favorite from the 90’s. You can’t really go wrong with The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, The Jesus And Mary Chain, and the Violent Femmes. If you listen to one song from this post make sure it’s the Violent Femmes “Color Me Once.” Haunting and brilliant. Other soundtracks from the 90’s: Trainspotting, Pulp Fiction, Clueless, Lost Highway, Reality Bites, Judgment Night, and probably a ton more that I can’t recall right now. That’s where you come in.

Discuss: What are your favorite soundtracks? What stood out in the 90’s?

By Alex Schaaf

Alright. Let’s all just take a deep breath. Yes, Sufjan Stevens is rumored to be working with The National on a new album, the long-awaited follow-up to 2005’s Illinois. Yes, the past few years have seen Sufjan dabbling in orchestral pieces, production for other bands, and a short workshop tour that saw the debut of several new, long-form songs that focused on electrifying guitar work and more beat-heavy compositions. And yes, he did happen to drop a collection of new songs on the world last week with nary a warning.

But let’s just calm down here: this album, though consisting of 60 minutes of music, is clearly stated to be an EP, signifying that Sufjan doesn’t wish for the listener to take this release as serious as, say, his soon-to-come (hopefully) LP. As I was starting the download of All Delighted People, therefore, I was expecting maybe one or two new songs, with a few castoffs from previous studio sessions, maybe a remix or two.

What I got, however, was something different: I got 60 minutes of brilliant, if not brand new and redefining music. This is still the Sufjan we know; there are still quiet acoustic ballads decrying the loss of past love, there are still grand orchestral flourishes, there are still group chorus sing-a-longs. We’ve seen long pieces from Sufjan before, we’ve seen multiple versions of the same song existing on one album, and we’ve even heard the title track before, during his workshop tour of late 2009.

However, there is much on All Delighted People that is eye-opening and intriguing. Sufjan seems to be much more willing to stretch his voice past the normal hushed tone he has adopted in the past – the title track sees Sufjan using more melismas than Beyonce (give or take). Has he been listening to a little Joanna Newsom lately? Perhaps. But beyond the new vocal style, there are electronic drums, there are more fleshed-out string sections, there are fewer exclamation marks, there is a 17 minute long song. A 17-minute song. And it’s actually good.

“Djohariah,” the final track on this new EP, is closest to what I was expecting based on his 2009 tour. A freakishly long, electric guitar-heavy song that features a long build-up jam, a quiet vocal breakdown, and a big beat-laden ending: it’s all there. Sufjan manages to use the same four chords throughout the entire song, more or less, and yet it doesn’t seem repetitive, it always seems to be building; it always seems to be going. This may be the first song over 10 minutes that I actually listen to more than the shorter songs on the album. Between this and the 11-minute title track (and its 8 minute cousin, the “Classic Rock Version”), I’ve spent more of my last 5 days listening to Sufjan than I have eating. Or something like that.

Anyways, I don’t mean to spout hyperbole over and over. This EP isn’t better than Illinois, it’s not the greatest release of the decade, it’s merely a satisfying reminder that Sufjan is still around, and that he’s still at work. This isn’t a perfect collection of songs, this EP isn’t going to save the world. But Sufjan’s next full-length? It just might.

Update: Sufjan Stevens will release his first full-length record in five years, The Age Of Adz (check the album art) on October 12th on Asthmatic Kitty Records.

Listen/Download:

(via Dead Oceans)

Cotton Jones released their new album, Tall Hours In The Glowstream on Suicide Squeeze. It is fantastic, you should really pick it up.

MP3: Cotton Jones – “Glorylight and Christie”
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Buy: Cotton Jones – Tall Hours In The Glowstream [only $6.99 digitally]

Elsewhere:

Must Hear: All Tiny Creatures – “An Iris” (Feat. Justin Vernon)

Ryan’s Smashing Life offers a live show download from Explosions in the Sky from 2002

Album Rumors: Can we expect a new Waits album soon?

Captain’s Dead: Download REM at the pink pop festival, 5.15.89, holland

Mavis Staples and Jeff Tweedy cover Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Wrote A Song For Everyone”

By Jon Stone | @jwstone

In the mid 90s a little-known band called that dog. was touring as a Geffen label-mate with Weezer. I first saw them in that context and became, quite possibly, their biggest fan. They were eclectic and raw, especially on their eponymous release, but they also wrote beautiful pop songs with with soaring (if occasionally intentionally dissonant) three-part female vocal harmonies. They managed to mix dirty, post-punk guitars with bright pop melodies in ways that allowed a little more success with each subsequent release — and just as they were at the height of that success, they vanished.

I have this bad habit of trying to find new substitutes for my old favorites. So, as I begin this review of Land of Talk’s new record Cloak and Cipher (which dropped yesterday) it is with the admission that when I heard the song “The Hate I Won’t Commit,” my favorite on the album, I thought: that dog! But, Land of Talk deserves more than to just be a nostalgic place-holder, especially for a band that up and left me hanging. A lot more.

Here are a few other admissions: I’m not really that into this year’s chillwave/dream pop/sun-bleached (whatever you want to call them) releases from the likes of Beach House and Best Coast, and (to further alienate myself from popular culture at large) after seeing Sleigh Bells at Pitchfork, I’m still scratching my head over their seemingly universal appeal. Really? A dude playing guitar riffs over canned beats and karaoke vocals? I digress. Land of Talk, however, seems related genre-wise to these other bands. So while thinking about reviewing Cloak and Cipher, I’ve been hung up on the implicit question I’ve been mulling over above: How can my love for Land of Talk’s new release be justified against my not being blown over by Beach House and Best Coast?

So again (anticipating the flames), all I’m saying is that I’m not that into them and not that they’re not good. Indeed, Beach House and Best Coast have managed on their records to do one thing very well. I understand their appeal. (To illustrate — I just gave my wife a first sample of both bands and she said in perfect unironic seriousness –”It sounds like I’m at the Gap.” Precisely.) But I think they suffer from the She & Him syndrome: decent songs, especially on their own, but fill an album with them and you’re left without much sonic variety. Land of Talk offer that variety on Cloak and Cipher. We hear it in the instrumentation, in the dynamics, and, perhaps where it matters most, in the songwriting. It takes a few songs to build on Cloak and Cipher, but it starts in earnest four tracks in on “Swift Coin,” builds on the amazingly titled “Color Me Badd,” and by the time you get to that watershed track I mention above (“The Hate I Won’t Commit”), its clear that this is a band capable of making all kinds of noises, all of them good.

I don’t think it’s a mistake that a lot of it reminds me of my favorite female-led 90s records. I hear Kim and Kelly Deal’s influence on Cloak and Cipher and something else elusive… maybe Sonic Youth or My Bloody Valentine. Land of Talk also move in and out of territory covered by Beach House and Best Coast, but do it with more veracity and vigor. Most of all, this is a band that nurtures listener interest. I listen and want to know more: I get on the internet and read about them. I learn that Elizabeth Powell who leads the band is a member of Broken Social Scene (evidence of this crystallizes on Cloak and Cipher’s “Handburg, Noon” which sounds like it could have been on a BSS or Stars record). Not surprisingly, I also learn that members of Stars and Arcade Fire make appearances on the record. Also, Powell recently recovered from vocal-chord surgery, but you’d never know it. Her voice is clean and makes for a lovely contrast to the often crunchy guitars and rhythms.

To sum up, I like Land of Talk. I think they are better than Beach House or Best Coast because of reasons I mention above, but also because I’m on a bit of a search. I’m tired of bands that seem like fads. I want to invest. And I want records that give me a reason to invest. I want some kind of indication in what I hear of that potential equity. Cloak and Cipher is a small record, but I hear on it a band with that potential — with that spark. Most importantly, I hear a band unlikely to vanish after a few years of fad success.

MySpace: Land of Talk
MP3: Land Of Talk – “Quarry Hymns”
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Buy: Land of Talk – Cloak and Cipher (only $5.99 digital Amazon download!)

By Jeff Kollath

Nostalgia is one hell of a word. It basically means a “yearning for the past,” which in and of itself can be an unpleasant. Things are never what they used to be, and nostalgia pretty much assumes that the past was better than today. When it comes to bands, however, nostalgia can be a very good thing – a moneymaker. One hit wonders, classic rock stalwarts, and hair metal bands can all have lengthy careers, playing the county and state fair circuits. Some even book weeklong Caribbean cruises so fans can have access to the bass player from Styx.

One band unfairly stuck flush in the middle of a nostalgia trip is the Black Crowes. Breaking big at the height of the hair metal early 90s, the Black Crowes were a band with a metal look, but a Rolling Stones sound – brash, Southern, raucous, but with a soul sensibility vacant in the hedonistic music of their contemporaries. “Hard to Handle” and “She Talks to Angels” were EVERYWHERE in 1990-91; “Remedy” was EVERYWHERE in 1992-93. They had videos on MTV; they had controversy that kept them in the press (getting kicked off the ZZ Top tour, for example); and they had the sibling rivalry that provided the creative fire. Now, some twenty years later, they still are out on the road playing the three songs mentioned above, but also doing so much more that gets swept under the rug. Therein lies the conundrum for the Black Crowes.

Sunday night in Columbus, the Black Crowes burned down the LC Pavilion. A two-set, three-hour journey from the early days to the present and all points in the between, the band stretched beyond anyplace I’ve ever seen them go before. Billed as their twentieth anniversary, “farewell tour,” the band is doing a mix of two-hour, one-set shows and three-hour, two-set shows, with an acoustic set paying homage to their new record, Croweology. While the record is a bit of a disappointment (mainly a rework of their most popular tracks), the acoustic treatment is great live, with old songs like “Jealous Again” and “My Morning Song” finding a new energy. The acoustic set also gives the band a chance to explore the quieter regions of its catalog, as downbeat tracks like the heart-wrenching “Wyoming and Me” and Dillard and Clark’s obscure “Polly” were perfect outdoor Sunday evening listening. The interplay between guitarists Rich Robinson and Luther Dickinson was a sight/sound to behold. It was entertaining to keep track of the number of guitars each used – at one point, Robinson had used FIVE different guitars on FOUR songs! The final six songs of the electric set were perhaps the best single hour of music I’ve seen the Crowes perform in the fifteen odd years I’ve been seeing them live. After a countrified version of the Velvet Underground’s “Oh, Sweet Nuthin,” the band played “How Much For Your Wings” and “Bring On, Bring On,” both of which the band stretched far beyond their original five-minute length and built towards the pinnacle of the set, “Thorn In My Pride.” Another old warhorse, the band has taken this song and made it the freeform centerpiece of nearly every show they play it. The track showcases the band’s true improvisational prowess, and how far the band has come in the past two decades.

Does this sound like nostalgia act to you? It sure doesn’t to me, but therein lies the aforementioned Black Crowes Conundrum. Here is a band that is currently playing better than it ever has with the best personnel it has ever had. Chris Robinson’s voice is as good as it was twenty years, and in some ways, maturity (both the aged and spiritual kind) has made it better. He and his brother Rich continue to crank out excellent songs, surpassing much of what they did in the late 90s/early 00s. While some long for former lead guitarist Marc Ford, current guitarist Dickinson has added so much to the band, bringing a diversity of sounds and techniques to the band that Ford simply could not. Not only have the Black Crowes added some of the country blues sensibilities of Dickinson’s North Mississippi All Stars, but his ability to play soul, R&B, and funk, pushed the Robinsons to write “I Ain’t Hiding,” a splendid dance-rock track from last year’s “Before the Frost…” and to bring the soulful “Ozone Mama” out of retirement. This is a band that is now PUSHING itself, but they still cannot escape their early, overplayed hits. The regular show ended without “Hard to Handle” or “Remedy,” but the encore gave us both, with the Crowes throwing the masses the nugget of nostalgia that so many desired. It was a fitting end for a show on the “farewell tour,” but for me, it left me a little cold knowing what else the band has in its repertoire.

Acoustic Set: Welcome to the Goodtimes / Jealous Again / Ballad in Urgency / Wiser Time / Garden Gate / Polly / Cold Boy Smile / Downtown Money Waster / Wyoming and Me / My Morning Song
Electric Set: Blackberry / I Ain’t Hiding / Ozone Mama / Oh Sweet Nuthin’ / How Much For Your Wings? / Bring On, Bring On / Thorn’s Progress > Thorn In My Pride / (Only) Halfway to Everywhere
Encore: Hard to Handle / Remedy

Discuss: Have you seen the Black Crowes on this tour? Drop a comment and let us know what you’ve thought of the shows!

Buy: The Black Crowes – Croweology

I realize that we’re well beyond the halfway point of 2010, and that other blogs have already chimed in with the record’s they’re loving this year, but I was thinking about my favorite albums of the year today and decided to put them out here for everyone to see. There’s plenty of year left, so it will be interesting to see which albums stick with me until the end of December. So here goes, in no particular order, my favorite releases (thus far) from 2010.

Frontier Ruckus | Deadmalls and Nightfalls (buy)
Video: Frontier Ruckus – “How Could I Abandon?”

Strand of Oaks | Pope Killdragon (buy)
MP3: Strand of Oaks – “Bonfire”

Breathe Owl Breathe | Magic Central (buy)
MP3: Breathe Owl Breathe – “Own Stunts”

Titus Andronicus | The Monitor (buy)
MP3: Titus Andronicus – “Four Score And Seven” (Part One)
MP3: Titus Andronicus – “Four Score And Seven” (Part Two)

The National | High Violet (buy)
MP3: The National – “Bloodbuzz Ohio”

Juniper Tar | The Howl Street EP (buy)
MP3: Juniper Tar – “Birds In Trees”

Arcade Fire | The Suburbs (buy)
Video: Arcade Fire: “Ready to Start”

Sam Quinn | The Fake That Sunk A Thousand Ships (buy)
MP3: Sam Quinn – “Suite Motown”
MP3: Sam Quinn – “Gun”

Phosphorescent | Here’s To Taking It Easy (buy)
MP3: Phosphorescent – “The Mermaid Parade”
MP3: Phosphorescent – “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)”

Conrad Plymouth | Conrad Plymouth EP (buy)
Free Download: Conrad Plymouth EP

Delta Spirit | History From Below (buy)
Video: Delta Spirit – “White Table”

Damien Jurado | St. Bartlett (buy)
MP3: Damien Jurado – “Arkansas”

Broken Social Scene | Forgiveness Rock Record (buy)
Video: Broken Social Scene – “Love Sick”

Nathaniel Rateliff | In Memory Of Loss (buy)
Video: Nathaniel Rateliff – “Shroud”

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & The Cairo Gang | The Wonder Show of the World (buy)
Video: Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – “The Sounds Are Always Begging”

The Tallest Man On Earth | The Wild Hunt (buy)
MP3: The Tallest Man On Earth – “Burden of Tomorrow”
MP3: The Tallest Man On Earth – “King of Spain”

Roadside Graves | You Won’t Be Happy With Me (buy)
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Liv Tyler”

Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore | Dear Companion (buy)
MP3: Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore – “Something, Somewhere, Sometime”

Common Loon | The Long Dream Of Birds (buy)
MP3: Common Loon – “Dinosaur vs. Early Man”

Discuss: What are your favorite releases of 2010? What’s yet to be released that you’re anticipating? How does this year’s releases stack up against 2009?

Here are the Wisconsin and Illinois shows we recommend you take in this week. Check them out below and let us know which ones you’ll be attending or ones you think should really make our list.

Upcoming Shows:

8/23 – Roadside Graves – Showboat Saloon (WISCONSIN DELLS)
8/23 – Big Head Todd & The Monsters – Capitol Theater (MADISON)
8/24 – Lou Barlow + Wye Oak – The Frequency (MADISON)
8/24 – The Wooden Birds – Schubas (CHICAGO)
8/24 – Wye Oak – The Frequency (MADISON)
8/25 – Dave Alvin And The Guilty Women – Shank Hall (MILWAUKEE)
8/25 – David Gray + Ray LaMontagne – Millennium Park (CHICAGO)
8/26 – Trampled By Turtles – High Dive (CHAMPAIGN)
8/26 – Wye Oak + Lou Barlow – Schubas Tavern (CHICAGO)
8/27 – Twin Sister – Canopy Club (CHAMPAIGN)
8/27 – Tapes ‘N Tapes – The Rave Bar (MILWAUKEE)
8/27 – Fruit Bats – Old Town School Of Folk Music (CHICAGO)
8/28 – Mighty Mighty Bosstones + Flatliners + The Bottle Rockets – The Rave (MILWAUKEE)
8/28 -The Rural Alberta Advantage – Schubas (CHICAGO)
8/28 -Trampled By Turtles + The Daredevil Christopher Wright – Turner Hall (MILWAUKEE)

Just Announced:

9/29 – Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk – Majestic Theatre (MADISON)
10/11 – Miike Snow – Riviera Theatre (CHICAGO)
10/13 – Iron & Wine – Pabst Theater (MILWAUKEE)
10/16 – Joe Pug – Metro (CHICAGO)
10/27 – Tristan Prettyman – Shank Hall (MILWAUKEE)
10/29 – The Morning Benders – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
10/29 – Woven Bones – The Frequency (MADISON)
10/30 – Gogol Bordello- Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
11/26 – John Mellencamp – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)
11/27 – John Mellencamp – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)

+Bookmark our upcoming shows page for all your concert announcements+

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Ten Atoms/Conrad Plymouth vinyl release party last night. We had a blast and hope you enjoy the record. Keep the good times going tonight at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee with the Roadside Graves and Jeremiah Nelson. $10, show starts at 10pm.

MP3: Roadside Graves – “Far and Wide”
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Liv Tyler”
MP3: Roadside Graves – “Ruby”
Video: Jeremiah Nelson – “Skin To Touch”

I have started a label with Kyle Matteson called Ten Atoms (follow us on Twitter). We are thrilled to be releasing a limited edition, 300 copy, 4-song vinyl EP from Conrad Plymouth. In this digital age why bother, right? I enjoy the portability of music as much as the next person. It’s convenient and easy, but has relegated art to background music on computer speakers. Music deserves more. It warrants the attention of holding a physical product in your hands, soaking up the great big album art, reading the lyrics and of course the physical act of turning it over to Side B.

The music of Conrad Plymouth cuts to the bone of what it feels like to call this part of the Midwest home. There are stories in these songs.

I remember the first time I met Christopher Porterfield. I remember where we sat and him sending me home with a CD of songs he’d recorded. I never told him, but I listened to that disc a lot. Then I heard him play a studio session 91.7 WMSE. They posted that session online and I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve played it over a hundred times. “Fergus Falls” instantly became one of my favorite songs. I’m not talking about just a fleeting favorite either. I never tire of it. I still get chills when I hear it live. Over time each of the songs appearing on this special four song collection have become favorites.

I cannot think of anything more worthy of being the first release on our label.

Purchase: Conrad Plymouth 10″ Clear Vinyl (Limited Edition, 300 copies only)