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Music Blog: March 2008
Sunday, March 30 R.E.M. Wake
Among the new releases out this week, the biggest is perhaps R.E.M.'s Accelerate. Recent years have seen them resting, some would say sleeping, on their laurels a bit, with a series of releases that, while strong in spots, simply were not up to the bar the band had set for themselves. Excitement has been building for the new one, though, based largely on positive early critical returns and whispers of more energy, shorter songs, and a greater emphasis on guitars than we've heard from them in the past few years. It's no stretch, then, to anticipate the best effort of the post-Bill Berry from the (now) trio, and we'll get to it in earnest tonight on In House. R.E.M. begins their first tour in three years May 23rd in Vancouver, BC, with still no Portland date announced despite that six day gap between opening night and May 29th in Los Angeles.
Video: REM- "Living Well is the Best Revenge" (Live in a moving car, courtesy of La Blogotheque)
Video: A recent special announcement from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe
Also out this week is the fifth full-length from the Akron, OH-based duo The Black Keys. After having already accomplished more with their sound than anyone would have thought possible for a Led Zeppelin/Junior Kimbrough-influenced guitar and drums duo, the Keys take another step outside of their original lines on Attack & Release with the added presence of producer Danger Mouse, whose credits also inlcude Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz. It was Danger Mouse, in fact, who approached the duo about writing up some material for an Ike Turner album he was working on before Turner's death last year. It's that same material that forms the core of the new release, which at times exhibits the retro soul-heavy elements Danger Mouse has become known for, although the band can still turn it up loud and gritty like their Thickfreakness days. The Black Keys play the Crystal Ballroom this coming Friday, April 4th.
Speaking of shows, plenty of those in the week ahead, too. Jeffrey Lewis returns to town with his band the Jitters, playing the Doug Fir Lounge on Wednesday night on a bill that includes The Cribs and Ra Ra Riot. 12 Crass Songs, Lewis' latest, features his anti-folk takes on songs by the British anarch-punk band Crass. Also Wednesday, an outstanding bill at Holocene sees The Ruby Suns, Loch Lomond and Le Loup sharing the same stage. Elsewhere this week, the American Music Club plays the Doug Fir Lounge on Friday night along with Carla Bozulich and Ghost to Falco. The AMC's latest, The Golden Age, is their second album since Mark Eitzel and company revived the band. Also on the way: Tom Brosseau, Holcombe Waller & the Healers, and The Golden Bears at the Doug Fir Lounge (Thursday), Karl Blau at The Artistery (Friday), and Rachel Taylor Brown's CD release show at Mississippi Studios (Saturday), among many others.
The thread's open, use as you see fit.....
Saturday, March 29 Dimes Rollin'
Among other things on a busy night tonight, it's an in-studio visit with The Dimes. The Portland quartet visits with opbmusic's David Christensen and plays songs from their latest, The Silent Generation, an album for which the band's frontman and chief songwriter Johnny Clay found lyrical fodder and inspiration in Despression-era newspapers. Titles like "New York 1930," "Chicago 1929," and "Battle of San Jacinto" offer an idea of the historical template at work, while the band's breezy pop often betrays the much graver subjects at hand. Clay sees a darkness, you might say, but tales of murder, rioting, war, lost love and permanent insomnia have never sounded so uplifting.
Also tonight, music from Jim White, a man who draws largely on his own life experiences for the stories his songs tell. That's not necessarily a novel idea as songwriters go, but when you've spent time at one point or another in your life as a Pentacostal, a New York City taxi-cab driver, a pro surfer, a fashion model, a photographer, a film-maker and, lately, a musician like White has, you're bound to pick up some interesting character ideas along the way. His fourth and latest album, Transnormal Skiperoo, is full of the kinds of subjects we've come to expect from White and his mystical-southern-Renaissance-man's songs: namely, plenty of Heaven (and religion), crazy men and searching drifters, and highways and child-like wonder, not to mention contributions from Olabelle, Laura Veirs, Tucker Martine, and Joe Pernice, among others. White plays Lola's Room in Portland tonight.
Finally tonight, the legendary Los Angeles punk band X return to Portland as part of their "13 x 31 Anniversary Tour." The band's original quartet-- John Doe, Exene, Billy Zoom, and DJ Bonebrake-- are reunited for the tour, which passes through Portland's Crystal Ballroom tonight. It's the second touring stint in recent years for the previously long defunct band, most of whom also participated in the comeback release for side project The Knitters back in 2005, called The Modern Sounds of the Knitters. One wonders if a new X recording can be far behind.
We'll also hear new music from Gnarls Barkley, The Raconteurs, Kathleen Haskard, Laura Cantrell, and more.
The thread is open. What's on your minds? Who saw Springsteen?
Friday, March 28 Your Musical Friday
No excuses for staying in tonight-- even if it is raining sunny snowing raining whatever. Just don't try to get it all in, SXSW-style, 'cause it ain't happening. Better that you pick one you like, be happy with that choice, and enjoy where you are.
Past opbmusic in-studio guest José González returns to Portland tonight, playing the Aladdin Theater with Mia Doi Todd. In case you missed it, González was the rare worthwhile musical guest on The Tonight Show the other night, and shook Joe Torre's hand in the process...
Not playing in Portland tonight, but a quick aside: as chance would have it another past opbmusic in-studio guest, Langhorne Slim, played the Letterman show on the same night and killed it-- even Dave seemed impressed. Slim and his band, as you may recall, played several shows in the area in January as part of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour, and after catching him live a few times and hanging out with him a bit, it was with a real sense of pride that we watched his national TV debut. Slim's a real entertainer and a nice guy, and he certainly deserves the spotlight.
Back to the Rose City tonight, former Hüsker Dü and Sügar, er, Sugar frontman Bob Mould plays the Doug Fir Lounge. His latest, District Line brings the rock back once again with plenty of guitars and Fugazi's Brendan Canty keeping beats. Elsewhere, Irish band BellX1 plays Dante's with The Submarines. Once upon a time the rest of the band fronted by Damien Rice, Juniper, BellX1 have soldiered on since his departure. Their 2006 album Flock finally got a U.S. release earlier this year on yep roc. Finally, hometown heroes Weinland play their last Portland show until the first week in May tonight at Mississippi Studios. In case you don't know, the band released the very fine La Lamentor earlier this month on Badman and begin a western states tour April 12th in Spokane. Mississippi's cozy space seems an ideal venue to hear their intimate, intricate, intense creations.
MP3: Bob Mould, from District Line- "The Silence Between Us"
MP3: BellX1, from Flock- "Rocky Took a Lover"
MP3: Weinland, from La Lamentor- "Sick as a Gun"
Oh yeah, a lot of talk about this Springsteen upstart today, too. Apparently he's playing with his band at the Rose Garden-- good luck filling that one, man, place is super huge! In all seriousness, though, it doesn't appear to be sold out as of yet, but if you're going congratulations on being in the money. "Born to Run" probably sounds even better whilst eating caviar and wearing cashmere. Unless you've been scrapping and saving for months from your three menial jobs, in which case we all-- and no doubt, The Boss himself-- salute you! That's so rock & roll.
Go forth and listen, then...
Sunday, March 23 A Staggeringly Busy Week of Breathtaking Musical Genius
Even by Portland standards, the wealth of live offerings in the week ahead is rather mind-blowing. From all-the-rage upstarts to grizzled legends, much-adored locals to the internationally famous-- there's a bit of everything to be had. Still, it's not that difficult to pick a highlight, and for one reason: The Boss is coming to town. Bruce Springsteen and his E-Street Band hit the Rose Garden on Friday night and, assuming you can manage to fork over the big cash for the tickets, it should be quite a scene. The band is fresh off of the release of Magic just last year, their second effort in recent years after an extended hiatus. There's little more that can be said about this (unless you count the fact that this means Max Weinberg will be there, too)-- it's Springsteen and his band on tour exactly 35 years after the debut release, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.
Wait, there's so much more!
At the opposite end of the career spectrum is the Swede Jens Lekman, who returns to Portland tomorrow (Monday) night at Berbati's Pan. That's not to say he's new to the musician thing, however. His prolific rate of production is matched only by his self-depricating wit (and, perhaps, Ryan Adams), and he has scores of recordings and odds and ends to his credit. It was really just last year that "the people" finally "got it," however, with the release of his Night Falls Over Kortedala, and for good reason. It's a fine collection full of the stuff he's always been good for: namely, that aforementioned wit and self-deprication, as well as a knack for telling the kinds of stories that make Americans wonder, "Is that a true story? He's from Scandinavia, so I guess it could be, but....weird....."
MP3s: Jens Lekman- "The Opposite of Hallelujah" and "Black Cab"
On the new release side of things this week, for a change there's something coming out that we have nothing from which to preview. The Raconteurs (Jack White, Brendan Benson, and those other two dudes) announced just last week that they'd be releasing a new album this week. Thus, Consolers of the Lonely (which, let's hope, isn't as close to "Owner of a Lonely Heart" as it sounds) arrives Tuesday with no build-up, no reviews, no previews and, rarest of all, no leaks. Again.....weird....(but that's mostly just that Yes vid).
So much happening this week, we can't possibly list all of it here (we'll try to keep track for you as the week goes on, so check back often). But a few highlights we haven't mentioned yet: Bon Iver/Phosphorescent/White Hinterland at Holocene (Monday); Carbon Silicon/Matt Pond PA at Lola's Room (Monday); Vampire Weekend/Yacht at the Doug Fir Lounge (Tuesday); Nada Surf/Sea Wolf/ The Little Ones at the Crystal Ballroom (Wednesday); Jose Gonzalez/Mia Doi Todd at the Aladdin Theater (Friday); Bob Mould/Saturna at the Doug Fir Lounge (Friday); Jim White at Lola's Room (Saturday); and X at the Crystal Ballroom (Saturday).
This thread's an open one-- why not tell us all about the shows you're going to this week and why?
Saturday, March 22 Guitar King
While it was the guitar the gave her a start as a working musician, Kaki King has shown a tendency over her rather brief but impressive body of work for adventure-- keeping us guessing in the process. Her latest, Dreaming of Revenge, though still featuring her dexterous fingers as centerpiece, is perhaps her most complete sounding (and pop leaning) record yet, with its increased vocal presence and wider range of instrumentation helping to make this less of a "musician's album." Songs like "Pull Me Out Alive" and the beautiful stunner "2 O'Clock" do an excellent job of combining the technical proficiency of her past catalog with a new, less experimental direction that finds King's vocals to be surprisingly strong. Still, the instrumentals, which make up half of the fourteen new tracks, remind us why we've always been amazed by her-- the looped instrumental opener "Bone Chaos in the Castle" is a shining example and one of her best yet. Kaki King plays the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland tonight along with local opener Matt Sheehy.
MP3: Kaki King, from Dreaming of Revenge- "2 O'Clock"
Also tonight, the Champaign, Illinois-based band Headlights highlights an outstanding triple bill at Towne Lounge, also featuring Evangelicals and Southerly. The trio recently released their sophomore full-length, Some Racing, Some Stopping on the Polyvinyl label, and its vintage indie-pop hooks and male/female traded vocals bring to mind the likes of Velocity Girl, among others.
MP3: Headlights, from Some Racing, Some Stopping- "Cherry Tulips"
Oklahoma's Evangelicals, meanwhile, also have a recent release: The Evening Descends is the follow-up to 2006's So Gone, and it does nothing to dispel the comparisons (in a good way) to fellow sooners the Flaming Lips. Apparently, Bible Belt culture and college football can sometimes, in the right indiviudals, produce psyched-out fuzz-pop. Who knew?
MP3: Evangelicals, from The Evening Descends- "Skeleton Man"
Questions? Comments? Requests? What's on your minds?
Sunday, March 16 Sonic Stomp
The Portland duo Hillstomp join us in-studio tonight for a high-energy set of their anything but ordinary take on the blues. Following two studio recordings, the band attempted to capture the raucous energy of their live shows on the latest, After Two But Before Five. David Christensen talks to Hillstomp about recently becoming full-time musicians, their "improvised percussion," and their upcoming run of shows in the area as part of the McMenamin's Great Northwest Music Tour.
Plus, plenty to highlight this week, including upcoming performances from Beach House (Monday, Holocene), Steve Earle and Allison Moorer (Wednesday, Aladdin Theater), Jason Collett (Thursday, Fez Ballroom), Point Juncture, WA (Thursday, Mississippi Studios), Grand Archives (Friday, Dante's), Black Moth Super Rainbow and Dengue Fever (Friday, Wonder Ballroom), Justin Townes Earle (Friday, Doug Fir Lounge), Richard Julian (Friday, Mississippi Studios), Kaki King (Saturday, Doug Fir Lounge), and Headlights, Evangelicals and Southerly (Saturday, Towne Lounge), among many others.
Also this week, new releases from DeVotchka (A Mad & Faithful Telling), Daniel Lanois (Here Is What Is), Destroyer (Trouble in Dreams), She & Him (Volume One), Sera Cahoone (Only As the Day Is Long), and more.
Questions? Comments? Requests? What's on your minds?
Saturday, March 15 Flowers & Violins
It's an in-studio visit tonight from Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, who joins opbmusic's David Christensen for an interview and performance of songs from her new album Asking For Flowers. Edwards has built a reputation over the course of three releases based on honest, tell-it-like-it-is songwriting, and a no-frills delivery that often manages to sound at once tough and vulnerable. It's that earthy fortitude that sets her apart from so many others in her genre, and she's unafraid to pair a well-placed expletive or an uncomfortable truth with a gorgeous melody- whether she's talking about the guy that's failing her, or, in the case of one of her new songs, the country. Her latest takes that further still, revealing a playful side that nevertheless explores the depths of an uneven relationship -- in this case through contrasts and comparisons (Fogerty/Elvis in the '70's; Ford Tempo/Mazerati; etc.) in the cheeky "I Make the Dough, You Get the Glory." She even manages to work a hockey reference into the chorus, big fan that she is, by dropping in a Wayne Gretzky/Marty McSorley comparison. Edwards talks about balancing the creative and touring sides of her profession, the personal nature of much of her songwriting, and her musical beginnings studying the classical violin.
Also tonight, Bettye LaVette, Marcia Ball, and Shemekia Copeland begin a three night run at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. They're billing the triumverate's trio of shows as "Women in Blues," and it's technically part of the Oregon Symphony's Pop Series even though the symphony won't be part of the performance-- and with pipes like these ladies have, who needs a backing symphony? Also on In House tonight, we'll hear new music from DeVotchka, Bon Iver, She & Him, and local blues duo Hillstomp, who join us in-studio on tomorrow night's show.
Comments? Questions? Requests? What's on your minds?
Thursday, March 13 Mid Week Misc.
Greetings from Austin.....or the Austin of the Great Northwest, at least. I'm sadly not one of those partaking of the musical pig-out down Texas way this week-- but if you're reading this, chances are you're not, either, so at least we're in it together. Luckily, there's plenty of action around the internets to allow us to experience SXSW vicariously, albeit without the overpriced hotel rooms, greasy fast food, packed and sweaty venues, and five days with no sleep (I know, I'm saying that like those are bad things). We here at opbmusic are simply not able to help you out with your SXSW experience in regards to those particular areas. But the music? We can do that.
Regular listeners here will no doubt recognize Yeasayer's "2080" as the somewhat overplayed but still gloriously brilliant initial foray we made into the band's All Hour Cymbals debut out late in 2007. A Talking Heads-leaning, anthemic wonder of a tune, it breaks in talking about lost sleep over "the times we're living in" and breaks out with a chorus of children (the future, as Whitney Houston once told us). It feels hopeful and righteous and a bit indignant-- not necessarily political, but the ultimate campaign theme song, nonetheless. "It's a new year/ I'm glad to be here/ It's a fresh spring/ So let's sing..." Now, courtesy of the wonderful La Blogotheque, comes this post-gig performance of the song from an elevator-less Paris flat, 3am neighbors be damned. Good to know those weren't studio tricks we were hearing. Give it a watch and listen and compare it to the original here.
And let the real backlash begin! In case you missed it whilst listening to the radio last Saturday night, upstarts Vampire Weekend, they of the 45 day old debut full-length, played Saturday Night Live. Despite your own opinion of the program's quality or lack thereof these days, the SNL stage is still the scene of Elvis Costello's "Radio, Radio" declaration, Nirvana's french kiss,(<---"oxford comma") and Sinead's rip heard 'round the world, and as such still commands a prestige that all of the Christina Aguileras in the world can't take away. The appearance, as you might guess, cemented VW's place as the golden boy indie band of early '08, a distinction that launched the predictable reaction (yawn-- and not just the musical kind, oh by the way) almost from the beginning. Personally, I think they've made a fresh-sounding and enjoyable record-- nothing groundbreaking, perhaps, but certainly a great listen. I thought that eight months ago when I was listening to it as a self-released CD-R, and I think that now. And you, what's your take? Need further evidence? Here's their performance of "M79" from SNL. Want more still? See them live on March 25th at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland.
Finally, how about some nice parting gifts to take home for your troubles? As in, some free music...
►MP3: DeVotchka, from A Mad & Faithful Telling (due 3/18)- "Along the Way"
►MP3: Joseph Arthur, from the Could We Survive EP (due 3/18)- "Rages of Babylon"
►MP3: The French Kicks, from Swimming (due 4/1)- "Abandon"
►MP3: Colin Meloy, from Colin Meloy Sings Live (due 4/8)- "We Both Go Down Together"
►MP3: The Breeders, from Mountain Battles (due 4/8)- "Bang On"
►MP3: Jim Noir, from Jim Noir (due 4/8)- "Don't You Worry (I'll Be Fine)"
►MP3: Foals, from Antidotes- "Balloons"
►MP3: American Music Club, from The Golden Age- "All the Lost Souls Welcome You to San Francisco"
AND, don't miss our in-studio session with Canadian songstress Kathleen Edwards on Saturday night's In House (9p., FM/AM/online/HD). Edwards chats with opbmusic's David Christensen and plays songs from her new album, Asking for Flowers. Let me also take the opporunity to note that she's young, talented, red-headed, Canadian, and....I'll stop there. Just don't miss it.
As you were.
The thread is open...
Sunday, March 9 Northwest By South By Southwest
Our weekly look ahead is altered a bit this week by the presence of the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin, TX. True, it's a long way to Austin, but the line-up is so mammoth, it more or less shuts down the touring circuit for cities all over the country-- Portland this week is no exception. With that in mind, we'll turn some of our attention to Austin, including some of the better lesser known acts we found scouring the festival's MP3-rich website-- the diamonds in the SXSW rough, if you will. Chances are you've heard of the likes of R.E.M., Spoon, and Nada Surf, all of whom are playing this year's fest-- but what about Black Joe Lewis? Or The Delta Spirit? Or Doug Burr? Those seem less likely, and we think you should hear them.
►MP3: Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears- "Gunpowder"
►MP3: The Delta Spirit- "Trashcan"
►MP3: Doug Burr- "In the Garden"
►MP3: Hymns- "I Can't Be What U Want"
►MP3: Black Tie Dynasty- "Tender"
►MP3: Emmy the Great- "Easter Parade"
►MP3: Lemurs- "My Definition"
►MP3: Phosphorescent- "A Picture of Our Torn Up Praise"
►MP3: The Strugglers- "Morningside Heights"
There are several Portland and northwest-based acts making the trek to Austin, too-- by no means an exhaustive list, but here are a few:
►MP3: A Weather- "Spiders, Snakes"
►MP3: Blitzen Trapper- "Wild Mountain Nation"
►MP3: The Builders & the Butchers- "Bottom of the Lake"
►MP3: Laura Gibson- "Hands in Pockets"
►MP3: Old Time Relijun- "Tightest Cage"
►MP3: The Helio Sequence- "Keep Your Eyes Ahead"
►MP3: Castanets- "This Is the Early Game"
►MP3: Carolyn Mark- "The 1 That Got Away (With It)"
►MP3: Sera Cahoone- "Only As the Day Is Long"
►MP3: Kate Tucker & the Sons of Sweden- "Faster Than Cars Drive"
►MP3: Throw Me the Statue- "About to Walk"
►MP3: Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands- "Cody's Dream"
►MP3: The Choir Practice- "Red Fox"
►MP3: No Kids- "For Halloween"
Scores more for the taking, known and unknown, at the SXSW website.
Want to discuss something you heard here or suggest another hidden gem? The thread is open.....
Saturday, March 8 Lost One Found
We feature a visit tonight with the Seattle-based singer-songwriter Barton Carroll, who joined us recently at Mississippi Studios in Portland with steel guitarist Darren Loucas. Carroll's new release The Lost One in many ways mirrors his own personality, as he peppers what is largely a collection of the loved and lost with elements of dark humor and self-deprication. Just when you think you've got his sound pegged, he offers up an intense stunner like "Small Thing," in the process tackling an unpleasant subject with the delicate indignation it requires. Our wide ranging conversation with Carroll covers everything from John Denver to Peter Lorre to the Sound of Music, and he also turns in one of the more surprising covers we've heard.
Also tonight, we look forward to the debut of the new Clash documentary The Clash Live: Revolution Rock, which debuts tonight on OPB-TV. Plus new music from Don Cavalli, No Kids, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, The Ruby Suns, and more.
What's on your minds?
Wednesday, March 5 Mid Week Misc
•First things first, that interesting bill tonight at the Doug Fir got perhaps a bit less so this week when Pela's Billy McCarthy sliced up his hand in a freak accident involving an unintended stage dive and a curiously placed broken pint glass (I smell conspiracy). The mishap forced the band to cancel all of their dates until at least Sasquatch, and also throws a major wrench into their playoff chances. Still on the bill tonight: Liam Finn (this guy's kid) and Tulsa (from Boston, obviously).
MP3: Pela- "Lost to the Lonesome"
•Just cresting the wave of he and his Jicks' new release, Real Emotional Trash (out yesterday) and a homebase show at Satyricon (last night), Stephen Malkmus discusses what else but Scrabble tips with The Guardian. He also destroys his competition in the process-- people have no doubt already begun clamoring for a Malkmus/Colin Meloy Scrabble showdown on stage at the Crystal Ballroom, also offered via pay-per-view. Seriously, this is a no-brainer. Can we make this happen? The former Pavement maestro also recently threw fuel to the fire for a possible Pavement reunion (via Stereogum, who themselves got it somewhere else). >>>UPDATE<<< Malkmus & Co. on La Blogotheque performing, among other things, vintage R.E.M. Oh my.
MP3: Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks- "Baltimore"
•A couple of vids to close it: First, in case you missed it because you were either A) out at the totally awesome opbmusic-sponsored CD release show for Weinland's La Lamentor; or B) listening to In House on the radio, here's the version of "Hate It Here" Wilco brought to last weekend's Saturday Night Live:
Finally, as we look forward to Friday night's Helio Sequence show at the Crystal Ballroom (also including The Shaky Hands and Pseudosix), here's the new video for "Keep Your Eyes Ahead," the title track from their latest.
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Sunday, March 2 In Like a Lion
Where to begin, where to begin? There's plenty in store (and in stores) this week, beginning with the new release from Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Real Emotional Trash. The quartet's current lineup has been in place for a while now and it shows with a batch of songs that suggest a more full band, collaborative process than was found on Malkmus' first three post-Pavement efforts. Drummer Janet Weiss (late of Sleater-Kinney, current Quasi) makes some particularly welcome contributions, and not all of them on skins-- she chimes in with a backing vocal here and there, too. To add fuel to the fire, Malkmus & his Jicks play a (not so secret) "secret show" on Tuesday at Satyricon in Portland. Admission happens to be free, but to get in you're going to need one of those coveted wristbands, which they'll be dishing out for as long as they last between 5 and 7 that evening at Music Millenium, as well as at the doors at show time.
Also this week, the Helio Sequence returns home fresh off a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live for a Friday night show at the Crystal Ballroom. In case you haven't noticed, the duo's recent Keep Your Eyes Ahead release has been blowing up lately, which makes sense because it's an oustanding listen. Joining them on the bill will be a couple of other Portland favorites in The Shaky Hands and Pseudosix. Oh, but that's not all! There will be plenty of other shows in the area clamoring for your Friday night attention, and the decision won't be an easy one: The Raveonettes play at the Doug Fir with Be Your Own Pet, The Atlas Sound is at Holocene, System & Station and Swim Swam Swum are at Kelly's Olympian, Little Beirut plays a CD release show for their new album High Dive at Berbati's Pan, and Mississippi Studios hosts a free Neil Young tribute featuring Dolorean, Matt Sheehy and Mbilly.
Elsewhere Friday, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down play a bill at the Someday Lounge, along with Xiu Xiu and Dragging an Ox Through Water. We Brave Bee Stings & All is the full-length debut from 23-year old Virginia native Thao Nguyen and her band, and it's been garnering considerable praise since its release on kill rock stars in January, including significant play right here at opbmusic. Her folky compositions are at once playful and intense, with a voice that seems made to match.
Plus, we'll hear from new releases out this week from Kaki King, Kathleen Edwards, and Whiskeytown, among others.
What's on your minds?
