I have a friend who somehow has mustered the discipline to intentionally not listen to Bloodbuzz Ohio, the newly released song by The National from the band’s highly anticipated album High Violet (is it May 11 yet?). Something about preserving the moment to absorb the album in its entirety.
Forget that.
I’ve had the song on repeat since its release, only validating my assumptions it will be my favorite album of the year – after all, the band has a streak to uphold following 2005 and 2007.
The song structure of Bloodbuzz Ohio reminds me a lot of Boxer favorite Apartment Story – drummer Bryan Devendorf setting a workmanlike tempo with Matt Berninger singing ever-so-slightly behind the beat, an odd contrast that somehow always pulls together perfectly.
There were hints of a Far reunion last year, and now — at long last — we have tangible evidence in the form of cover art for the forthcoming album, At Night We Live.
According to the band’s site, the album is due out May 25 (on Vagrant) and it would serve as the never-thought-this-was-coming-out follow-up to 1998’s amazing Water & Solutions.
A cover of Ginuwine’s Pony notwithstanding, I’m eagerly awaiting new material. The closest we’ve got is an acoustic/live version of a track below (along with the Pony cover).
UPDATE: If you sign up for the band’s mailing list at its Web site, you’ll be directed to a page to stream the new single, Deafening.
Fear not: They brought the fog machine. This has me pumped for the band’s May 14 show at Sail Inn in Tempe. Just don’t expect me to be flailing my arms and pumping my fists like the doofus behind drummer Kevin Laing’s right shoulder. Trust me, you can’t miss him.
The band will be fully plugged in for its April 19 show at the Clubhouse in Tempe. Buy tickets. Speaking of, The Middle East is now listed as the opener, dashing my dreams of a combined Japandroids/FR bill on a busy night in the Valley.
As a member of the Living Legends collective and a longtime solo artist, Murs is as prolific as any rapper out there – sometimes to a fault (I’m afraid he’s showing some Ryan Adams-like tendencies). But for my money, some of his best work has come in the company of producer 9th Wonder, who played just a small part on Murs’ major-label debut Murs for President in 2008.
Now the duo is back with Fornever, their third collaborative proper album (due out March 30), following up the 2006 favoriteMurray’s Revenge and 2004’s Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. (Hopefully, you also grabbed the free Sweet Lord mixtape when you had the chance two years ago.)
Check out the first single, The Problem Is, and a making-of look at the soon-to-be-released video.
Thanks to NPR Music, I can have a beer and a taco at home and at least pretend I’m at SXSW, an event I’ve never been to and one I’m afraid my job will keep me from forever.
But don’t cry for me. NPR put on a wonderful showcase in Austin on Wednesday and already had audio downloads of sets by The Walkmen, Broken Bells and others available via its Web site by night’s end. (Spoon was playing as I was writing this, but I’m guessing a stream and/or download will be available here later.) You can also subscribe to the NPR Live Concerts podcast and get all this.
I’m quite appreciative of the downloadable set from The Walkmen, who were accompanied by a horn section and played a tight nine-song set that included new songs; a few choice cuts from You & Me; All Hands and the Cook; and, of course, The Rat – a song that probably gets old only to them.
If this new video for Workin’ Hard is any indication, I have to see Retribution Gospel Choir live very soon.
I’ve seen Alan Sparhawk perform live with Low – and this is nothing like that at all. Who is this mutton chopped, shirtless rock star? He’s playing the guitar with his teeth, for crying out loud! But seriously, I love this song, a blue-collar rocker that’s probably my favorite off RGC’s new album, 2. (By the way, Sub Pop’s catalog is now on eMusic. REJOICE!)
It was only a month ago that I posted a new remix by DJ Z-Trip, a reworking of The Dead Weather’s Treat Me Like Your Mother. Well, I’ve already got another remix to share – but it might be the last one for a while from our DJ hero.
Just a day after I received Z-Trip’s remix of the ’70s disco hit Le Freak by Chic, the former Phoenix-based turntable titan broke his clavicle in a snowboarding wreck. Not sure how a busted collarbone will affect his work or how long it will sideline him, but as he said: “Super thankful it wasn’t the wrist!” I mean, he’s still able to tweet, so that’s good news.
This post is dedicated to the good folks at The Main Ingredient, a new-ish cafe/ale house in downtown Phoenix.
It’s no coincidence the eatery – owned by Matt and Courtney Diamond – shares the same name as second (and final) full-length by influential hip-hop duo Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth. It crossed my mind when I first heard the name of the place, but I didn’t connect the dots until I saw Matt Diamond wearing a Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth T-shirt when I ate there a few weeks ago. My compliment on the shirt earned me a drink on the house. (Apparently, I was only the second person – the other being a friend of his – to identify the inspiration behind the restaurant’s name. Countless years of hip-hop listening finally pay off!)
Clearly, Diamond is a hip-hop fan and it’s evident in the house music – an endless stream of songs from hip-hop’s golden age. But I really had to give it up to him when I heard a song by Supermarket, a Tempe-based group from the ’90s that I blogged about almost five years ago. That one took me back.
And about the only thing better than the music is the reasonably priced food (PDF of the menu), some of which even has a hip-hop theme, like the Charli 2na sandwich, and a bar that features an impressive wine and beer list (eight microbrews on tap). My wife and I split the The Red Goat salad and the RB & C sandwich.
Looking forward to the eats – and beats – of my second trip. In the meantime, here’s the titular song from the 1994 album that inspired the restaurant’s namesake.
