Day 30 - The Candles

Let's call day 30 a gift from the official scorer. The Candles are a New York based band centered around the melodic songwriting of Josh Lattanzi, who has sharpened his skills through gigs with the Lemonheads, Ben Kweller and Albert Hammond Jr. Fans of Teenage Fanclub, Crowded House, Dawes and "Into Your Arms" era Lemonheads should take notice. This has Feeney written all over it.

The Candles - "Here or Gone"
The Candles - "Anywhere Tonight"

Day 29 - The Shins Cover Squeeze

Levi's has put together a series of cover songs by current indie, pop and rap artists (plus whatever category that dreck offered up by Jason Mraz is) paying tribute to their inspirations. This Shins cover brought to mind three thoughts:

1. Chris Difford and Glenn Tillbrook sure could write a pop song.

2. It's time for a Squeeze reissue campaign. Or at least a box set.

3. Broken Bells could have used more pop smarts and hooks like James Mercer (and Squeeze) exhibit here, rather than the studio bells and whistles they served up on their debut disc.

The Shins - "Goodbye Girl"

Squeeze -"Goodbye Girl"

Day 28 - Weezer, The World Cup And Rod Stewart

USA! USA! USA!

Weezer today released "Represent", their "unofficial theme song for U.S. Men's National Team" as they prepare to begin their World Cup 2010 quest with an opening round match against heavy favorite England tomorrow afternoon. The good news is the song is available for free download from itunes, the bad news is that it's a bit of lukewarm alt-schlock.

_

I prefer my World Cup schlock all-out, as only Rod Stewart can provide, courtesy of this 1978 disaster.

USA! USA! USA!

Weezer - "Represent"

Day 27 - Go See The Trashcan Sinatras This Sunday, 6/13 at World Cafe Live!

Besides being blessed with one of the all-time perfect band names, the Trashcan Sinatras also have one of the great Brit-pop vocalists in Francis Reader, whose early choirboy vocals have morphed into a lower register, beatific purr over the years. They have also unknowingly provided (along with fellow Scots Aztec Camera) the soundtrack as the go-to album in my house for many "special" moments. Thank you Trashcans.

The unstoppable one-two opening of "Obscurity Knocks" and "Maybe I Should Drive" on their 1990 debut Cake trumpeted a band destined for years of gold albums, decadent limo rides, fashion models and empty record company promises. With only five records in 20 years, it seems only the empty promises were delivered. But they have returned (six years after 2004's mostly terrific Weightlifting) with the gorgeously sketched In The Music, which manages the deft trick of often sounding sunny and downbeat at the same time.

The hallmark irresistible refrains from earlier records remain in such standouts as the love-affirming valentine "Morning Rain", whose sentiments couldn't be clearer ("And the finest thing that I've ever done / Was say "I do"/ And have it whispered in return"), and the Cake-like folk bounce of the hit-in-waiting "Prisons". But my favorite track is the lovely and heartbreaking closer "I Wish You'd Met Her", a lump-in-the-throater for a lost but constantly remembered love. This is grown-up pop music for music lovers who have found their way to Coldplay, Travis, Keane, Crowded House and The Smiths but somehow missed one the most expert practitioners of Brit-folk-pop. Given In The Music's long gestation period (these songs were recorded mostly in 2007 and 2008), The Trashcan Sinatras seem destined to remain great for only the devoted few.

What can you do to change this? Call up your local AAA radio station and tell them to play the first single, "People". Harass Alexandra Patsavas, who has placed scores of Trashcan Sinatras-sounding songs in just about every relationship drama on TV, and tell her to start using the real thing. And lastly, go see them when they come to your town. And if your town is Philadelphia, then go see them Sunday night at World Cafe Live. Maybe you'll have your own "special" moment.

Traschcan Sinatras - People
Traschcan Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks

Day 26 - More Mumford And Sons Rare Stuff!

Mumford And Sons have somehow convinced a young indie folk crowd weaned on David Gray, Coldplay and Damien Rice that banjos are hip. Their recent Philly show at the TLA was a crowd pleasing mix of old-time folk, CSN-style harmonies, audience sing-alongs and tried and true showmanship. I'm betting their best days are ahead. Who ever thought the Too-Rye-Ay Dexy's look would ever come back in vogue?

And is it me, or does Marcus Mumford look like Kyle Chandler, who plays coach Eric Taylor on the brilliant Friday Night Lights?

Mumford And Sons - "But My Heart Told My Head" (from The Cave And The Open Sea EP)
Mumford And Sons - "Untitled" (unreleased song from Toad session)
Mumford And Sons - "Sister" (new version)
Mumford And Sons - "I Gave You All" (from Live @ WOXY Lunge Act)

Mumford And Sons - "Dance, Dance, Dance" (Neil Young cover)
Mumford And Sons - "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight" (Beatles cover)
Mumford And Sons - "Cousins" (Vampire Weekend cover)

Day 25 - Mumford And Sons First 2 EP Rarities!

Current indie folk darlings recorded two now impossible to find 10" EPs for the tiny British label Chess Club in 2008 - the Chess Club EP and the Love Your Ground EP. To celebrate Day 25 of our streak, we offer the songs not found on Sigh No More. Great stuff.

Mumford & Sons - "Liar" (Chess Club EP)
Mumford & Sons - "Awake My Soul" (Chess Club EP - short version)

Mumford & Sons - "Feel The Tide" (Love Your Ground EP)
Mumford & Sons - "Hold On To What You Believe" (Love Your Ground EP)
Mumford & Sons - "The Banjolin Song" (Love Your Ground EP)

Day 24 - Kansas City Star

I heard this song for the very first time today. It was recorded 45 years ago, several years before my partner was born. Maybe Roger Miller was Nostradamus.

Roger Miller - Kansas City Star
Roger Miller - King of The Road

Day 23 - The Henry Clay People

“We want our music to be accessible, but still mean something. That’s the spirit of this band—nothing we’re doing is rocket science, but we’re playing the music we love. And if some people recognize that, great. Rock ’n’ roll is rock ’n’ roll.”

The above quote is from Joey Siara, who along with his brother Andy are the driving forces behind The Henry Clay People, the L.A. based band that sounds like (and is) a band that has slogged out a couple hundred clubs gigs over the last few years. For some reason, these guys seem to open up for every third band that comes through town. Their performances are sloppy, scuzzy, loose-limbed affairs peppered with shouted vocals and greasy, jagged guitars that feel like the bastard spawn from the ill-fated 1989 Tom Petty and The Replacements tour. They have a new album out this week, Somewhere on the Golden Coast, that (based on the three songs I've heard) is a huge leap forward for the band. I can't wait to hear the rest of it.

For those who need more guitar (but not more guitar wankery), The Henry Clay People deliver - simply, directly and without fuss. As the song says, these guys prefer the slow burn.

The Henry Clay People - "End of An Empire" (Live at Savvy Saloon - Indianapolis, IN)
The Henry CLay People - "Slow Burn"

Day 22 - Roky Erickson with Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil

Roky Erickson's back-story is well documented - teenage success, life long struggles with mental illness, stays in various public facilities (most notably the Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane), peer accolades, a multitude of official and unofficial releases (with varying quality control) and then in 2001, his brother being awarded custody as Roky's sole guardian.

It seemed he'd be trotted out every so often as a curio in Texas, greeted with rapturous praise as well as examined as a cautionary tale of wasted possibilities. Stories of erratic, troubling behavior seemed to relegate Erickson to the lost-in-the-margins mad genius bin. But the visage that graces the cover of his new collaboration with Okkervil River is less mad genius, and more iconic myth maker, similar in feel to Johnny Cash's American Recordings phase. And that would make Will Sheff Roky Erickson's Rick Rubin.

True Love Cast Out All Evil is an impassioned valentine to faith, perseverance and family. Some of it can be rough listening - especially the opening and closing numbers ("Devotional Number One" and "God is Everywhere" that are older, rudimentary recordings left untouched - complete with tape hiss, clattering backgrounds and often inaudible lyrics. This framework works well as this story is not often a pretty one.

Erickson's voice is a roadmap of pain and grace, from the hymn-like title track and devastating bleak "Goodbye Sweet Dream", to the rootsy Byrds-ian rush of "Bring Back the Past" and the anguished plea of "Please Judge". Erickson's Texas-ness also shines through as your hear echoes of Townes, Doug Sahm, Willie and the Lubbock mafia all through the disc. A gold star for Will Sheff for a fantastic job of letting the (mostly decades-old) songs breathe in 2010 air, and keeping the focus on Erickson and this most surprising but successful return.

Roky Erickson with Okkervil River - "Bring Back The Past"
Roky Erickson with Okkervil River - "Please Judge"

Day 21 - Someone Still Love You Boris Yeltsin

Bad band name, great song.

Someone Still Love You Boris Yeltsin - "Sink/Let It Sway"

Day 20 - Keeping The Streak Alive

In keeping with recent baseball posts, here's a ninth inning bunt to keep the hitting streak alive. One of my favorite covers I've heard this year, Robert Earl Keen via Todd Snider.

Todd Snider - "Corpus Christi Bay"

Robert Earl Keen - "Corpus Christi Bay"

.

"He said he finally gave up drinkin'.

Then he ordered me a beer"

Day 19 - Detroit Rob City (28 Up, 28 Down)

Two perfect games in a week? Three perfect games in a month? Well, yes and no. Unfortunately for Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers, umpire Jim Joyce blew an incredibly easy call with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to cost Galarraga a perfect game. And cost center fielder Austin Jackson his Willie Mays moment.



Much outrage will ensue, but that's baseball. Joyce immediately after the game admitted he got the call wrong, and to his credit Galarraga is handling the whole incident like a gentleman. But it is time for instant replay in baseball, using something similar to the challenge system currently used by the NFL.

Mumford And Sons - Little Lion Man

Day 18 - The Futureheads - "Heartbeat Song"

[Editor's note: At the request of The Futureheads' record label, "Heartbeat Song" has been replaced in this post by "Struck Dumb," the only mp3 currently available from the album]

To celebrate the new Futureheads cd, The Chaos, out today, here's a heartbeat playlist. The Futureheads "Heartbeat Song" takes a well-worn lyrical road of a mis-matched pair that still want to make beautiful music together, all set to a propulsive beat cut with '77 Weller spiky guitar and hard-earned harmonies, topped with an insta-smash chorus. Bonus points - song clocks in in a courteous 2:30.

The Futureheads - "Struck Dumb"
Roman Candle - "A Heartbeat"
Buddy Holly - "Heartbeat"

Scott Kempner - "Heartbeat of Time"
DeFranco Family - "Heartbeat (It's A Lovebeat)"

Day 17 - Corin Raymond Brings Music Back Home Again

If John Prine's debut holds a special place in your heart, you may fall head over heels in love with Corin Raymond's "There Will Always Be A Small Time". There's the self-deprecating sense of humor, wordplay that seems so simple until you try it and aw-shucks phrasing that tugs at the heart and burrows into the soul. The Toronto-based songwriter writes simple, direct songs that make a pure, straight connection from artist to listener.

"There Will Always Be A Small Time" celebrates shared moments in small rooms, a million stars of varying brightness shining "when the nine-to-fivers go to bed". Raymond sees a rising star ("Nearly everywhere I go I hear you on the radio") and while sending well wishes, also leaves out the welcome mat for a return "now and then". He's ready for his big break (should it come), but if it doesn't come he can still play the local every Thursday night. It's a woe-is-me tale without the woe, just the belief that the song will always endure, no matter when and where it is sung.

"Music's come back home again
Nowadays we're playing in the parlors
Like the way they used to do
Oh the big times they are a-changing fast
The only thing that's gonna last
Is that folks like us sing songs for folks like you"

Hat tip and thanks to the wonderful songs:illinois blog for the illumination.

Corin Raymond - There Will Always Be A Small Time

Corin Raymond - Blue Mermaid Dress

.

Corin Raymond's cd seems to be only available at cdbaby as far as I can tell.

Day 16 - The Baseball Project - 30 Doc

Teenage Kicks salutes Roy Halladay, who last night threw the 20th perfect in major league history. Even goofy mascot Billy the Marlin is excited (check out the video at 0:19), and his team just lost 1-0.

Teenage Kicks also wishes the Phillies a speedy recovery from their monstrous hitting malaise.

The Baseball Project - 30 Doc

Day 15 - Miles Nielsen's "Gravity Girl"

Sometimes the inbox brings a totally unexpected, left-field treat. Today it's Miles Nielsen's "Gravity Girl", that stakes its claim to the melody-drenched americana the Bodeans perfected on their still-classic debut. Miles Nielsen also happens to be the son of Rick Nielsen, grand poobah of the still-great power pop masters Cheap Trick. I like Nielsen's own description of his music, which he calls " Beatle-esque Cosmic Americana". In an alternate universe, this would be the feel good hit of the summer, a stunner of a pop song.

"Gravity Girl" is taken from Miles Nielsen's debut cd, Miles, available at CD Baby, itunes and amazon.com.

Miles Nielsen - "Gravity Girl"

Day 14 - Six Degrees of Black Sabbath

Ever wanted to find the connection from Yanni to Slayer (11 steps), from Michael Jackson to Joe Jackson (4 steps), Black Sabbath to Black Crowes (6 steps), Abba to Frank Zappa (12 steps) of from Bruce Springsteen to The Hold Steady (16 steps!)?

Or how about grizzled roots rockers Bodeans to indie hipsters Broken Bells (12 steps, including Noodle)?

Check out this new parlor game, Six Degrees of Black Sabbath, that should be reason # 2 that we are all thankful for the internet.

Broken Bells - Vaporize

Bodeans - Say Goodbye

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Day 13 - "Thirteen"

This one knocked me out today on the ipod today - Beth Orton and Sam Amidon pay heartfelt, off-the-cuff tribute to Alex Chilton with this gorgeous cover.

I found this at the Radio Free Song Club - a writers' workshop (on deadline!) for new, original songs from Freedy Johnston, Peter Holsapple, Freakwater, Laura Cantrell, Dave Schramm and a handful of others. There are some gems... and the price is right.

And god bless Alex Chilton.

Beth Orton & Sam Amidon - "Thirteen"
Big Star - "Thirteen"
Elliott Smith - "Thirteen"
Wilco - "Thirteen"
Evan Dando - "Thirteen"
Mary Lou Lord - "Thirteen"
The Resentments - "Thirteen"

Day 12 - Two New Arcade Fire Songs

Pitchfork reported earlier today that two new Arcade Fire songs had leaked, and now it already seems like old news. The first song "Suburbs" has a Waterboys' Fisherman's Blues vibe with a Bowie-ish falsetto chorus. After two listens, I think I like it.

The second song ("Month May") gets your pulse racing in a whoosh of feedback, a curt 1-2-3-4 into a fuzzed rush of punk energy. After two listens, I'm sure I love it. But some of the lyrics make me think this may be relegated to a b-side.

"Gonna make a record in the month of May,
In the month of May, in the month of May
Gonna make a record in the month of May
When the violent wind blows the wires away"

"Teenage Kicks was asked to remove the links to the two new Arcade Fire songs, which we have done on 6/11/10."

This One Hurts: De-Face The Music

Say it ain't so...

Brutal

I'm ok with Matlock on bass - since it can't be Ronnie Lane, does it really matter who's playing bass? But despite his abysmal track record over the last 30 years, it's got to be Rod if you're going to call it The Faces.

The Faces with Rod Stewart were maybe the rock-and-roll-iest of all rock bands, and Rod Stewart belongs near the top of any list of rock's greatest front men. Mick Hucknall would be a little further down that list.

Thanks Woody, Kenney and Mac - you've done the heretofore unthinkable - you've made Rod Stewart look like the sensible one.