When Girls released their new album Father, Son, Holy Ghost earlier this month I was on the fence. I was somewhat of a fan of the band’s previous output, but wouldn’t consider myself a full-fledged true believer. That changed whenever the album hit the internet. The first two tracks, “Honey Bunny” and “Alex” set the stage for one of the year’s most interesting releases. It converted me.

While I wasn’t able to catch the band personally, Ed Oliver brought photos from last night’s show at the Majestic Theatre in Madison, including bonus shots of NOBUNNY.

MP3: Girls – “Vomit”
Video: Girls – “Honey Bunny”
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Buy: Girls – Father, Son, Holy Ghost

(Sad Songs & Waltzes is a recurring feature on Muzzle of Bees, where artists share their favorite sad songs. Previous contributors include Megafaun, Delta Spirit, Damien Jurado, Conrad Plymouth, Frontier Ruckus, and Roadside Graves.)

The Moondoggies come to Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee tonight supporting Dawes. We’ve been quite fond of their album, Tidelands, and look forward to seeing them live for the first time. I got in touch with Kevin Murphy who offered four of his favorite sad songs for our continuing exploration into the favorite sad songs from our favorite artists.

Camper Van Beethoven – “Sad Lovers Waltz” (listen)
Camper Van Beethoven has written many songs that hold sentimental significance to me. Any opportunity to turn people on to them I’ll take.

Tom Waits – “Looks Like I’m Up Shit Creek Again” (listen)
It was a tossup between this and “Ponchos Lament, “also from The Early Years Vol. 1. Sad songs are something he does well, and I’m a sucker for them.

The Journeymen – “500 Miles” (listen)
I’m on tour right now so it’s an appropriate song. Not that I don’t enjoy it, but sometimes the mind wanders to home.

Dave Van Ronk – “He Was a Friend of Mine” (listen)
One of a hundred people to play this song; I like his throaty bellow.

MP3: Moondoggies – “It’s A Shame, It’s a Pity”
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Buy: Moondoggies – Tidelands

[Drive-By Truckers play the Pabst Theater tonight for a special Farm Aid Eve performance]

By Jeff Kollath

While The National received their well-deserved accolades for playing at the Obama rally on campus and near-sold out show at the Orpheum Theater on Tuesday, another band also played two shows in Madison. Flying under the radar was Drive-By Truckers, who snuck into town on Monday afternoon, allowing band members to visit family and friends, and relax on a rare day off on this jam-packed four week tour. For a band as well-received and well-liked as DBT, there was very little buzz about the band’s first trip to Madison since 2007, their show at the Majestic Theater subsumed by The National and Obama, and devastating one-two punch for other goings on if there ever was one.

Taking on two shows in one day is not easy, but DBT front man Patterson Hood proved up to the task, honored to perform a short, but incredibly heartfelt and genuine acoustic show at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Joining Hood were keyboardist Jay Gonzalez (on accordion, no less), and special guest Kelly Hogan, played six songs in “Faces in the Sand,” the museum’s Iraq/Afghanistan exhibit, to a crowd of nearly 100. The crowd spanned from babies to senior citizens, Vietnam Veterans to Iraq/Afghanistan Veterans, and all were moved by the songs and the stories behind them. Much of the show revolved around the memory of Sgt. Mark Maida, a Madison native killed in Iraq in May 2005, and the inspiration for “The Home Front.” Mark’s memory continues to live on through the philanthropy of his family and their willingness to share their story of loss. The power of the event did not pass by Hood and Company as they too had to choke back emotion on several occasions. The show ended with Hood and Hogan’s beautiful harmonies on “Angels & Fuselage,” requested by Chris Maida, a Marine veteran, who, along with his brother, found a special, shared meaning to the song while the mobilized for the war in Iraq. It was clear that as the crowd filed out, they all felt they had seen something special.

The evening show at the Majestic  built upon the afternoon’s proceedings, opening with an intense “That Man I Shot.” Moving through a setlist covering songs from the previous two records, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark and The Big To-Do, the early part of the show culminated in Eddie Hinton’s “Everybody Needs Love” and a sparkling version of “Delta Dawn,” a cover of Tanya Tucker/Helen Reddy’s early 70s homage to an aged, jilted southern belle. Kelly Hogan’s vocals and John Neff’s pedal steel work sparkled as the rest of the band filled in admirably behind this country classic. After Hogan left the stage, Hood introduced “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” which was part of the set at the Veterans Museum. Hood forgot a verse during the early set, but he headed back to the bus, figured it out, and delivered a fantastic version that he again dedicated to his Great Uncle George, a WWII veteran. The remainder of the set was standard Rock Show material, ending with a driving and exceedingly crunchy version of “Hell No, I Ain’t Happy.” Following the usual encore suspects “Marry Me,” “Let There Be Rock,” and “Shut Up and Get on the Plane”, Kelly Hogan again hit the stage to sing backup on “Angels & Fuselage,” another holdover from the afternoon set. Dedicated to Mark and Chris Maida, and “the late, great Otis Redding,” this full band version was a sonic coup de gras, with feedback-drenched guitars and spacy keyboard loops. The band left the stage one-by-one without a word, just a wave goodbye, leaving drummer Brad Morgan by himself, pounding on a giant bass drum and the sound swirled around him.

AFTERNOON SET: The Home Front / That Man I Shot / Old Timer’s Disease / The Sands of Iwo Jima / Ray’s Automatic Weapon / Angels & Fuselage

EVENING SET: That Man I Shot / Three Dimes Down / The Fourth Night of Drinking / Get Downtown / (It’s Gonna Be) I Told You So / This Fucking Job / Birthday Day / Daddy Needs A Drink / A Ghost to Most / Everybody Needs Love / Delta Dawn (with Kelly Hogan) / The Sands of Iwo Jima /  Panties in Your Purse / Santa Fe / Women Without Whiskey / Lookout Mountain / Zip City / Sink Hole / Self-Destructive Zones / Hell No, I Ain’t Happy; ENCORE: Marry Me / Let There Be Rock / Shut Up and Get on the Plane / Angels & Fuselage (with Kelly Hogan)

Download: Drive-By Truckers, September 28, 2010 – Madison
Previously: Drive-By Truckers – 9:30 Club, Washington DC
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Buy: Drive-By Truckers – Big To-Do

Last night was a busy night for live music in Madison and Milwaukee. Ed Oliver headed out to the sold out Matt & Kim show at the Majestic Theatre and brought back some great photos (more here). Per usual it was a hot and sweaty affair.

Discuss: Did you make last night’s show at the Majestic? Did anyone catch Built to Spill at the High Noon or the triple bill of Rogue Wave, Midlake & Peter Wolf Crier at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee. Drop a comment and let us know what you thought of whatever show you saw last night.

MP3: Matt & Kim – “Yeah Yea”
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Buy: Matt & Kim – Grand

On Tuesday, September 28, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison will host Patterson Hood of Drive-By Truckers for a special acoustic performance in its galleries. Hood has long been a supporter of American soldiers and veterans, having written such songs as “The Sands of Iwo Jima” and “The Home Front,” which was inspired by the 2005 passing of Madison native Sgt. Mark Maida. Sgt. Maida’s personal effects can be seen in “Faces in the Sand,” an exhibit honoring Wisconsin’s men and women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The concert will start promptly at 3:30 (do not be late – you will miss the show) and is FREE. Space is limited, so arrive early (no advance reservations).

Drive-By Truckers will be performing in the evening on September 28 at the Majestic Theater in Madison. The show starts at 8:30pm with support from Henry Clay People. Purchase your tickets here. The band will also be in Milwaukee at the Pabst Theater on Friday, October 1 for a very special Farm Aid Eve performance.

Buy: Patterson Hood – Murdering Oscar (And Other Love Songs)

Muzzle of Bees is presenting both of Backyard Tire Fire’s Wisconsin shows this week. It kicks off tonight at the Majestic Theatre in Madison where they’re joined by Rev. Payton’s Big Damn Band and Juniper Tar. Tomorrow night they’re at Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee with Mark Olson of The Jayhawks fame. We caught up with Ed Anderson of Backyard Tire Fire for a quick chat before they hit the state line.

You released Good To Be in February of this year. What can you tell me about the recording process and how you met up and worked with Steve Berlin of Los Lobos on the album. Were you guys fans/familiar with Los Lobos work prior to touring with the band?

We had a blast making this record out in Portland, OR. We stayed in a former-brothel above the oldest bar in town called the White Eagle. Each morning we’d wake and walk to the studio, work all day, and return to the White Eagle for a case of Rainer beer. By the end of the two weeks they knew us pretty well and would let us listen to mixes from the day after the bar cleared out.

We met Steve when we opened for Lobos a couple of years ago. He caught most of our set, dug it, and reached out to our manager about producing us. He’s has amazing ears. Hears things in places most people don’t. One of the easiest people to work with as well. Great guy. We were/are HUGE fans of Lobos so this whole experience has been unreal.

Backyard Tire Fire is on the road a lot. Let’s talk about when you’re not on the road. Where’s home for you and what are some of your favorite hangouts in your city?

Bloomington, IL. About 2 hours south of the great city of Chicago. Favorite hangouts? I play every Wednesday went we’re not touring at a place called Six Strings. The coolest dive bar in town has to be Diggers. Love walking down to Mugsy’s to watch baseball, eat wings, and drink lots of cold beer. A few investors are opening the old movie theater downtown as a nationally touring venue. Really hoping the Castle Theater turns into a favorite!

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?

“Crossing Muddy Waters” by John Hiatt. We had to follow Mr. Hiatt at the WXRT Cubs home opener morning celebration that was broadcast live earlier this year. His voice at 7am was frighteningly strong. He’s one of the best writers going.

So, you guys are doing an acoustic set in Milwaukee. That’s a different thing for you guys. What’s your plan and what can we expect?

We did an entire acoustic set opening for Los Lobos before, as well as several other acoustic type shows. I play tons of solo acoustic stuff and in a county string band called the Lonesome Whippoorwills, so it won’t feel too unusual. I’m sure we’ll still play lots of stuff off of the new record. The band sounds great when we strip it town and scale it back. I can’t wait to hear Mark Olson!

Speaking of Milwaukee, it’s a city known for it’s beer with plenty of local and national breweries representing. What’s your go to beverage of choice?

Budweiser.

Giveaway: We have two (2) pairs of tickets for both the Madison and Milwaukee shows to giveaway. Drop a comment with an underrated album in your collection that people need to know about and we’ll select a couple of winners at random.

Video: Backyard Tire Fire – “Good To Be”
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Buy: Backyard Tire Fire – Good to Be