Tonight in Madison: Strictly Discs Customer Appreciation event - free beer, tequila, wine and 10% off everything in the store from 4-9.

Daytrotter offers sessions with MoB favorites the Bowerbirds and The Cave Singers. Don’t miss our 5 Questions with the Bowerbirds here.

Gorilla vs. Bear leads to a two-track stream of Jonny Greenwood’s original score for Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming film, There Will Be Blood. I caught the preview for the film prior to seeing No Country For Old Men this week, and have to agree that it looks pretty sweet. By the way, go see No Country For Old Men.

I missed the Neil Young train when he came through Chicago for a two night stint. Frank at Chromewaves caught him in Toronto and follows that up by offering an MP3 of the Great Lake Swimmers take on Neil Young’s “Don’t Cry No Tears.”

The Drunkard offers two tracks from the surprisingly beautiful collaboration of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s Raising Sand.

Don’t miss: Muzzle of Bees: Best Concerts of 2007

New Upcoming Shows:

12/6 - Bettye Lavette - High Noon Saloon, Madison
12/18 - Marla Hansen - Cafe Montmartre, Madison
1/5 - Black Eyed Snakes/Decibully/Scag 48 - High Noon Saloon, Madison
1/18 - The Walkmen/White Rabbits - Turner Hall, Milwaukee
1/25 - Dan Deacon - Lakeshore Theater, Chicago
1/27 - Editors/Hot Hot Heat/Louis XIV - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
1/29 - Editors/Hot Hot Heat/Louis XIV - Majestic Theatre, Madison
2/6 - Tim Finn - Turner Hall, Milwaukee
3/2 - The Black Lips/Quintron & Miss Pussycat - Turner Hall, Milwaukee
3/14 - Magnetic Fields - Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago (2 shows)
3/15 - Magnetic Fields - Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago (2 shows)
3/16 - Magnetic Fields - Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago (2 shows)

+Remember to bookmark our shows page for all your Wisconsin concert announcements+

Look familiar? The cover for Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago “reflects the cold winter months Bon Iver spent recording the album in rural Wisconsin.” Cold winter is on its way, but luckily Jajaguwar has announced the official release date for the album, which can be in your frosty hands on February 19th, 2008.

While we are putting our finishing touches on our best albums of 2007, I can tell you right now that For Emma, Forever Ago will be in the top 5.

How are things on the East Coast? Check him out if you can:

11/29/07 Montreal, Quebec - Cabaret Music Hall
11/30/07 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
12/01/07 Providence, RI - AS 220
12/02/07 Boston, MA - Paradise
12/03/07 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse
12/05/07 Vienna, VA - Jammin’ Java
12/06/07 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s
12/07/07 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

MoB: Homegrown: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
MoB: 5 Questions with Bon Iver
MoB: Review: Madison Pop Fest

Myspace: Bon Iver
MP3: Bon Iver - Skinny Love

A couple days ago a friend and co-worker, when prompted by my inquisition, responded that he was listening to Anodyne, the fourth and final album from Uncle Tupelo. Long overdue for a round with my ears, the album was a welcome trip down memory lane, reminding me just how important Uncle Tupelo (and their resulting branches) are.

Most good things eventually come to an end and the marriage/power struggle of Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar reached the boiling point plenty of times leading up to their last show at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis on May 1, 1994. Now, thanks to YouTube, we’re able to transport ourselves inside that venue, on that night, as the band plays what would be their second to last song, only to be joined by the Bottle Rockets for an encore performance of the Skynyrd’s “Gimme Three Steps.” It took a couple seconds for my eyes to adjust to a long-haired, bass playing Jeff Tweedy, but once he flubs sings his part, it’s recognizable to say the least.

Enjoying Anodyne again was a pleasure, though still far from unseating Still Feel Gone as my all-time favorite album and first exposure to the band. The opening track “Gun” remains my favorite Tupelo track, which is directly associated with repeated plays in a dark basement in the aftermath of some drunk stranger’s house party in college. No house party before or since had played such and important and memorable role in expanding my musical palette. I can clearly remember walking to Atomic Records the following day and picking up Still Feel Gone based on the opening track (”Gun”) and that it was the only album they had. What a course those two days would lead me on.

I’ve seen Jeff Tweedy play solo a handful of times, but watching him play “Gun” always brings a big smile across my face. Though I always resist the temptation to scream it out as a request like so many others at his live shows, it’s always the one song I hope to hear going into his solo performances.

Anybody ever catch Uncle Tupelo live? Favorite albums or songs? Leave ‘em in the comments.

Myspace: Uncle Tupelo
++
Download: eMusic
Buy: Strictly Discs

Driven by this, wrangled in here, and travel plans arranged because of this, we’ve reacquainted ourselves with the R.E.M. catalog, specifically with the 1996 release New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

Hi-Fi was the come down record from the soaring heights and new direction displayed on Monster. It was the representation of a band on the run, evident from many of the tracks recorded during sound checks over the course of the Monster tour. Critics of the album, many as there are, often cite the resulting lack of cohesion as one of their main reservations. The combination of sound checked recordings and studio work does allow for some critique because the album starts off brilliantly before somewhat meandering through the second half until the album closes with “Electrolite.”

It’s through that lost middle section that I’ve always found my favorites on the album. The earnestness in Stipe’s vocals on “Leave” splashed against a frantic and continuous siren sounding guitar, has always been my favorite track on the album. “Departure,” another favorite, follows behind only slightly overshadowed by the previous track making it one of the best back-to-back combinations in their body of work as far as I’m concerned. The instrumental and island vibe sound of “Zither” snakes its way to the fast paced “So Fast, So Numb.” The album closes in typical R.E.M. fashion with a reflective and thought provoking number.

My affection for New Adventures in Hi-Fi comes at a cost. After its release my undying appreciation for anything and everything the band released withered for no reason that I can identify today. Where Monster brought new direction and exposed me to new genres and artists that I’d never sought out before, Hi-Fi was a nice, long, drawn-out goodbye to a band that had for all intents and purposes meant the world to me before setting me free to explore a whole new world of musical discoveries. It’s possible that I knew this at the time and why I held the record so dearly, holding on for one more album when everyone else seemed to get off the R.E.M. train at the Monster stop.

This would be the last time that drummer Bill Berry would record an album with the group, and what a wonderful record to call your last.

Myspace: R.E.M.
Video: R.E.M. - “Bittersweet Me”
Video: R.E.M. - “E-Bow The Letter”

What started out as a post about Michael Stipe appearing with Bruce Springsteen for a great take on the 10,000 Maniacs “Because The Night” turned into something much more as we continued to uncover other collaborations including ones with Thom Yorke, Eddie Vedder, U2, Coldplay, and Natalie Merchant.

Bruce Springsteen w/ Michael Stipe - “Because The Night”:

Radiohead - “Lucky” (with Michael Stipe):

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE REST OF THE VIDEOS –> (more…)

Pitchfork reviewed the Pale Young Gentlemen self-titled release today. The band found themselves at #27 on the Best Albums of 2007 according to Metacritic.

Despite the respectable score, Pitchfork does their typical tear down before building up in the opening paragraph:

…prepared to dismiss the blog-approved, self-released album from Pale Young Gentlemen on principle. Oh, if only it were 2005 again for these guys! Their penny orchestra sound is just enough off the beaten path to raise notice and the cutesy DIY details can fill out the rest (there’s a song called “Clap Your Hands” and anyone who received this record by mail now has the drummer’s address). But if people are really willing to stem the process of thrusting embryonic bands into unjustified shitstorms of press, more power to Pale Young Gentlemen, as their eponymous debut is a lean 30 minutes that’s better served as a springboard to something greater, equally balanced promise and “not there yet.”

MoB: 5 Questions w/Pale Young Gentlemen
Myspace: Pale Young Gentlemen

2007 provided a bunch of memorable nights of live music here in Madison, nearby in Milwaukee, south to Chicago, and at various festivals and cities across the US. Below you’ll find my 25 favorite concerts of 2007. Inevitably, there are probably ones I forgot about, didn’t attend, or straight up didn’t know about. That being said, the 25 shows listed below represent some of the best times had this year.

1. The Rosebuds - South By Southwest, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
2. Daft Punk - Lollapalooza, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
3. Arcade Fire/The National - Radio City Music Hall, NY (Muzzle of Bees Review)
4. LCD Soundsystem/YACHT - Metro, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
5. Bon Iver - Madison Pop Fest, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
6. Beirut - Portage Theater, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
7. Girl Talk - Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
8. Grizzly Bear - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)
9. Hot Chip - Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester,TN (Muzzle of Bees Review)
10. The Hold Steady - Lollapalooza, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
11. Ryan Adams - Barrymore Theatre, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
12. Great Lake Swimmers/Sean Hayes - Schuba’s, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
13. Flaming Lips - Willow Island, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
14. The Hold Steady - Orpheum Stage Door, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
15. Neko Case - Barrymore Theatre, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
16. The National - High Noon Saloon, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
17. Wilco - Overture Hall, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
18. Dan Deacon - Pitchfork Music Festival, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Review)
19. The National/St. Vincent - Pabst Theater, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)
20. Pearl Jam - Lollapalooza, Chicago (Muzzle of Bees Photos)
21. Lucero/Catfish Haven - Otto’s, DeKalb (Muzzle of Bees Review)
22. Spank Rock - South By Southwest, Austin (Muzzle of Bees Review)
23. The Apples In Stereo - High Noon Saloon, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
24. Architecture In Helsinki/Glass Candy - High Noon, Madison (Muzzle of Bees Review)
25. Spoon - Summerfest, Milwaukee (Muzzle of Bees Review)

That’s our list kids. What did we leave out? What did we miss? Leave your favorites, memories and thoughts in the comments!

+Remember to bookmark our shows page for all your Wisconsin concert announcements+

Here are the Wisconsin 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.

11/27 - Over The Rhine - Majestic Theatre, Madison
11/30 - Two Cow Garage/The Drams/Glossary- Club Garibaldi, Milwaukee

+Remember to bookmark our shows page for all your Wisconsin concert announcements+

Mark your calendars for Friday, November 30th for the 2nd Annual Strictly Discs Customer Appreciation/Happy Hour Event. Stop by for fine tequila, cold Great Dane beer and best of all 10% off everything in store. This is a great opportunity to have some drinks, meet some Madison music lovers, and possibly pick up one of the many great 2007 releases.

Also, did you know you can order music from Strictly Discs online? No longer exclusive to Madison, now everyone everywhere can take advantage of their offer of 10% off your first online purchase.

We’ve been spinning Spokane’s Little Hours around the MoB HQ these past couple of nights.

Their Jagjaguwar release embodies delicate folk instruments behind hushed vocals. Go ahead and prepare yourself for winter by taking in the lonesome imagery embodied within the first single “Thankless Marriage,” available below in MP3 and Video format.

Myspace: Spokane
MP3: Spokane - “Thankless Marriage”
Video: Spokane - “Thankless Marriage”