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Richard Buckner / Anders Parker

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Even though I just saw Richard Buckner this past November in Phoenix, I’m really excited to see him again tonight in Tucson with Anders Parker, whom I saw open for Jay Farrar not too long ago in Los Angeles.

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This will be at least the fourth time seeing Buckner, and I really wouldn’t pass up a chance to see him at any time. I remember the first time, probably about eight years ago, at Balboa Cafe in Tempe with my brother; Buckner opened for Alejandro Escovedo. I was floored by Buckner. I’ve never seen one man and a guitar command that sort of presence at a show. “Husky” seems to be the most-used adjective to describe his voice, and rightfully so. (I thought “husky” was only used to describe big-boy jeans.) It’s not exactly flattering, but it’s fitting.

His songs are the stuff of drunken loneliness, open country and empty yearning. I distinctly remember in October 2000, having accepted my first sportswriting gig in Lubbock, Texas, listening to his debut “Bloomed” as I drove into Texas wondering what the hell I was exactly doing. The album was recorded in Lubbock, and I thought I’d develop some closeness to the music because of it. Like when he sings, “He didn’t know much misery / But there was plenty of time to learn.” That borders on cheesy, I know, but the album pulled me through some serious homesickness (if you lived in Lubbock you’d understand)

That said, I’d recommend anything he’s put out, especially “Bloomed” and his latest, “Dents and Shells” (on Merge … you know, home of the Arcade Fire).

I have too many songs I’d want to include here, so I’ve recorded his KCRW appearance from last year (split into two MP3s, before and after the Nic Harcourt interview).

As for Anders Parker, I’m still new to his music. But I’m liking his newest, “Tell it to the Dust,” quite a bit.

Richard Buckner: Live on KCRW (Part I)
Richard Buckner: Live on KCRW (Part II)
Richard Buckner: Ariel Ramirez (from Devotion+Doubt; yes the song on that VW Touareg commercial)
Richard Buckner: Up North (from Bloomed)
Anders Parker: Tell it to the Dust (from Tell it to the Dust)

remix, vinyl

Digable Planets remixes

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Chris at gorillavsbear.net has me all geeked out about Digable after reading his review of Lollapallooza in Chicago this weekend. I was gonna save these gems for a future date, but I couldn’t hold out any longer. These are from the vinyl stash: A 9th Wonder (Slicker this Year) Mad Slicker Remixes promo 12″ and a Dial 7 12″.

Digable Planets: 9th Wonder (Amina remix)
Digable Planets: 9th Wonder (Dania remix)
Digable Planets: 9th Wonder (Accapella)
Digable Planets: Dedication

sports, vinyl

Super Bowl Shuffle

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It’s almost August, which means NFL teams are reporting to training camp, which means it’s never too early to start thinking about the Super Bowl. It’s like spring training, when every team thinks they have a shot. Only I’m a Bears fan and I KNOW they don’t stand a chance.

Ah, but memories. We can always milk the 1985 domination. Payton, McMahon, the Fridge. What about those linebackers? Singletary, Wilson, Marshall. Then there’s Super Bowl MVP Richard Dent. That team should have turned into a dynasty. Alas …

Yes, I’ve digitized my 12-inch vinyl of the Super Bowl Shuffle, which was in vogue long before the Ickey Shuffle. I could never decide whose verse I liked the most, but what I really could never figure out is how backup QB Steve Fuller ever got on the song.

Anyway, be sure to check out the pure cheesiness of the “Extended Vocal Mix.”

Well, without further ado, we present the Chicago Bears Shufflin’ Crew:

Vocal Mix
Extended Vocal Mix
Instrumental

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This and that

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It’s possible (no, likely) I’m way behind on this, but I was stunned out of my nap-induced stupor today by an M&M’s commercial that featured Iron and Wine’s cover of Postal Service’s Such Great Heights. First, Shins on a McDonald’s ad, then Modest Mouse on a Nissan ad and now this? I’m not crying sellout or anything; it’s just … weird. …

More on the INXS “Rock Star” front. Billboard story reports that ratings are — shock! — low; I think only Dodge watches it (for his loyalty, he may be nominated the band’s next singer). But: “The week of the show’s premiere, sales of “The Best of INXS” nearly tripled to more than 5,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.” Yes, of course. Then guitarist Tim Farriss, defending the band’s decision to find a singer via reality TV says: “In all seriousness, what were we supposed to do? Put an ad in the paper?” Is that a rhetorical question? Clay Aiken is available.

Tomorrow (nay, late tonight) I have an NFL/Chicago Bears-inspired post. You won’t be sorry. Check back.

Also, I’ll be getting all alt-country on you in preparation for the Richard Buckner/Anders Parker show in Tucson, which will include a required trip to PDQ Records, literally a warehouse full of vinyl in no particular order. It’s maddening and marvelous.

arizona

Seven Storey Mountain

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Seven Storey Mountain is, by far, one of my favorite bands from Arizona. The best compliment I can pay is that they don’t sound like a local band, if that makes sense.

The band has undergone plenty of turnover, but the one constant is singer/songwriter/guitarist Lance Lammers, the brains of the operation. Seven Storey Mountain (which, for a short time, truncated its name to Seven Storey) has made several appearances on Deep Elm’s Emo Diaries collections. But I’m hesitant to label it “emo.” If emo is about baring your soul and getting in touch with feelings, Lammers is more about relieving the burdens of emotions in sonic thrusts. It’s relationships and reality gone awry, then examining the wreckage. Catharsis defined.

The band’s first LP, Leper Ethics, released on Art Monk Construction, is engaging and introspective. Deep Elm released the follow-ups, “Based on a True Story” (an EP) and “Dividing By Zero.” (All available through Stinkweeds.)

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A new LP is due for release this year, and Lammers has posted four demos at the band’s spot on My Space. There are MP3s at the band’s Web site, and I have a few of my favorites to add (all recommended, including the scathing “Politician.”)

Seven Storey Mountain: Last Time (from Leper Ethics)
Seven Storey Mountain: Politician (from Based on a True Story)
Seven Storey Mountain: Halfway (from Dividing By Zero)

live

Concerts and more concerts

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Upcoming shows I plan on attending (or at least hope I will):

vinyl

Let it rain

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In this wonderfully oppressive hot state of Arizona, temperatures have reached 115 recently. Our annual monsoons — thunder and lightning storms galore — have arrived (sort of) to “cool down” things to a mild 104. It sprinkled a bit tonight, and so rain is the theme of these two songs, plucked from my 45 collection.

As I’ve said before, my dad passed on to me a beautiful Wurlitzer jukebox to me, along with about 250 45s. We lugged this thing from Chicago to Phoenix when we moved when I was about 8. For the better part of our time in Phoenix, though, the jukebox was nothing more than a household decoration: “Oh, cool, a jukebox. Does it work?” “Uh, no.” Well, I paid a pro to get it working and I cleaned and covered all the 45s and I’m working on cataloging them into the computer.

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Shopping for records is fun, but sorting through all these 45s and playing them and pulling out some 40-year-old pop gem is the best. The catalog is loaded with some Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Kinks, Sly and the Family Stone (I’ve added from my own collection, including a stash of James Brown singles and more modern indie/hip-hop tunes).

What’s interesting about the records is the generation gap they present. That’s why I want to mix it up: Righteous Brothers with Whodini in the same jukebox. That said, I’ve come to gain a valuable appreciation for the music my parents enjoyed.

Anyway, let’s get to the differing opinions on rain: Eddie Rabbitt loved it; the Carpenters were saddened by it (maybe they were my parents’ version of emo?: “What I’ve got they used to call the blues / Nothing is really wrong / Feeling like I don’t belong.”) I used to really love this Eddie Rabbitt song as a kid and I was thrilled to find it on 45.

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covers

Comfortably numb

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I won’t let a little root canal this morning keep me from posting today. I’ll spare you all the details, but it wasn’t as bad as I was fearing. A few shots of novocaine go a long way. I will say, I had some perverse attraction to keeping my eyes open during the whole procedure. My mouth was kept open by this rubber wedge — something akin to a doorstop — and I could see each instrument, and I had an idea what the endodontist was doing with it, but I really couldn’t feel much. The tooth is a little sore now, but I have prescription pain killer to keep it at bay.

Alas, I’m thinking an easy post here. I’ve been on a Mike Doughty kick (see a few posts below) of late, and that’s made me pull out the Soul Coughing, which has made me pull out this excellent cover of Blue-Eyed Devil by Low. It’s on a box set called A Lifetime of Temporary Relief, (a three-CD+DVD compliation which I gave to my brother for Christmas and have since borrowed and haven’t returned. Sorry, B); buy it for $33 at Stinkweeds (as opposed to $56 at Amazon). I’ve been listening to Low quite a bit lately, especially after a poignant NPR interview and then singer Alan Sparhawk’s announcement on the band’s message board that the group canceled touring because “I have not been very mentally stable for the last while.”

In the future, I’m sure I’ll put up some original Low stuff. But I’ve been loving these covers (and the originals, too).

Soul Coughing: Blue-Eyed Devil
Low: Blue-Eyed Devil
Bob Dylan: Blowin’ in the Wind
Low: Blowin’ in the Wind

remix, vinyl

Bloc Party — fine vinyl find

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Went record shopping Wednesday night at Zia, a splendid used CD/record chain in Arizona where I spend much time and money. Digging through the vinyl, my ever-observant wife spotted Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm used for $8.99. (That was almost as great as finding Neil Young’s Decade — six sides! — for $1.99.) Anyway, the Bloc Party 12″ contained three records, including one — The Dim Mak “Dimmakified” 12″ — with two remixes apiece of Positive Tension and Price of Gas.

Not sure if I’m behind the curve on these, but I thought I’d share all the same. I especially enjoy the Jason Clark mix of Positive Tension and the Jus Ske mix of Price of Gas (that bassline … dang).

Bloc Party: Positive Tension — Jason Clark remix
Bloc Party: Positive Tension — Johnny Whitney remix
Bloc Party: Price of Gas — Automato remix
Bloc Party: Price of Gas — Jus Ske remix

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I kick it root down

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I’m off to the endodontist tomorrow for my first (and hopefully my last) root canal. Let this be a lesson: Don’t put off going to the dentist. And brush. And floss. And you’ll be happy, like Little Toothy over there.

The good news is I can listen to my iPod. The bad news is I doubt I’ll be able to hear anything with whatever god-awful drilling instruments they’ll be inserting into my teeth. But the worst part about the whole ordeal is I don’t even get to go under with gas. Only novocaine.

Oh, well. Enough about the torture. Here are some dental-inspired tracks. The Poison track, recorded from vinyl, comes from the album Open Up and Say … Ahhh. Naturally.

Poison — Every Rose Has its Thorn
Roots with Roy Ayers — Proceed
Beastie Boys — Root Down