Concert Review: Frightened Rabbit - 1/19/09 at Rock and Roll Hotel

First off, let me say, I'm not very good at taking pictures, apparently. I need some better skills and/or a better camera. Or just get to shows earlier or something. Anyway, I resolve to improve the quality of photos on this blog. This right here is just poor.

So, on with the review.

This is the second time in three months that, on the eve of a massively significant day in our nation's history, a foreigner has driven home the importance of the occasion. Billy Bragg came by the 9:30 club just before Election Day to tell DC how much our votes meant to him and the rest of the world. When Frightened Rabbit came on the last day of the Bush presidency, the significance of the day was not lost on them either. The Scotsmen said there was no other place in the world they would rather be right now than in Washington, DC  for this occasion.

Their enthusiasm showed in their performance too. At least I assume it did, even though I figure these guys are the type to go balls-to-the-wall for all their shows. Most of the songs were from the new album, Midnight Organ Fight, one of the best albums of 2oo8. They played one track from their first album. Check back later for a setlist once I get my shit together.

Anyway, I really like this band, and their show, though not quite as powerful as the recording, was another treat for this very exciting long weekend. Ok, it's late, and I'm starting my Inauguration day trek into the wilderness of Obama-crazy masses in less than two hours. See you in the Obama Era.

Concert Review: Department of Eagles - 1/17/09 at Johnny Brenda's (Philadelphia) **setlist included**

Too bad more people don't know Department of Eagles. Maybe if they did, their tour would've come through the nation's capital. I had to go up to Philadelphia to see the band that earned the highly coveted prize of my #1 album of 2008. That would be In Ear Park (read my review). I love that album. I think it's a masterpiece. I also think their first album, The Cold Nose, was very good too. Apparently even the band members themselves think that one was bad, though.

Fred and Dan, the two official members of the band, were working the merch table at the venue, a nice little spot called Johnny Brenda's that I liked quite a bit. I had an embarassing little chat with each of them where I mumbled something about loving them and wanting to have their babies, or something like that. Anyway, I never know what to say in those situations.

So this show was only the 3rd time they'd played as this band, but for most of the show, I wouldn't have been able to tell that. They were pretty tight. Fred and Dan were joined by the bassist and drummer from Dan's regular band, Grizzly Bear. They're solid pros. Apparently, quite a bit of arrangement was necessary to make those songs from In Ear Park performable live. They didn't manage to arrange my favorite song, "Herringbone," though.

They played most of the rest of the album, along with one track from Cold Nose, "Sailing by Night," as well as two or three new numbers and a cover of JoJo's "Too Little Too Late" as a pretty entertaining encore. Yeah, that JoJo. Both of the new tracks featured some awesome looping of vocals by Dan. He can really sing. He has a raspy, sweet voice that keeps pitch really well. Very faithful to the album. Guitar work was good too. Dan even broke out the banjo for one song, "Balmy." I'd have liked some more of the electronic effects worked in there. Still, it was a darn good show. Totally worth the trip.

shameless pepsi ads

There are a lot of people making money off Barack Obama-related merchandise and marketing. Here's one particularly ambitious attempt. There are countless shirts, hats, and pins graced with his name or likeness. I don't particularly like it, but insomuch as it indicates a greater participation in and awareness of politics and government, I'm ok with it.

But there's a line. I walked out of the Metro at Union Station the other day to this sight: 
This is DC's train station, a landmark of the city, and it's plastered with Pepsi ads that blatantly capitalize on the Obama campaign's message of hope for this struggling nation and world. We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis in generations, coming off of eight years of the worst leadership this nation has seen, and we are on the verge of taking our first breath of some badly needed hope... and Pepsi has to stick its ugly corporate logo on it and cheapen the whole damned thing.

There's no "O" in "we" so Pepsi had to make a slight modification. Disgusting.

song of the day - 1.8.09: frightened rabbit - the twist

"Song of the day" is back in full effect after a month of slacking! Ok, it wasn't all slacking. A lot of that month I spent working on my year-end top albums list and year-end compilation. While I was working on those, I came across a band I can't stop listening to these days: Frightened Rabbit.

I saw them on a top album list on eMusic, and the blurb said the album, The Midnight Organ Fight, was produced by the same guy who produced Boxer by the National. That was enough for me. I downloaded the album, and it's been on pretty constant repeat for the past month (along with Jay Reatard's 2008 Matador Singles). This album is a "go-to," to steal a term from roommate Ed. The one your fingers will navigate you to on your iPod without even thinking. It also ended up at #5 on my top albums list of 2008.

Today's song, "The Twist," is a good example of what's so awesome about this band. First of all, it's helpful to know that the whole album is basically the dude's reaction to a break up (as so many great albums seem to be). The genius of this album is the simple, catchy rock hooks, the singer's Scottish whimper of a singing voice, and the incredibly clever lyrics. He has a way with words, for sure. He's one of those song-writers that can really make you feel what he's feeling with his words. He uses lewd language and profanity really effectively too. He doesn't hold back. Here's a sample from this track:

Lets pretend I'm attractive and then
You won't mind, you can twist for a while
It's the night, I can be who you like
And I'll quietly leave before it gets light

So twist and whisper the wrong name
I don't care nor do my ears
Twist yourself around me
I need company, I need human heat
I need human heat

Oh, and guess what. DC folks are in luck. Frightened Rabbit is playing at the Rock & Roll Hotel on 1/19 for a mere $12! I will see you there.

song of the day - 1.7.09: hallelujah

As I eagerly await the new American Idol season (yeah, I said it!), I've been reflecting on the highlights of last season. Besides lamenting the defeat of David Archuleta at the hands of the much less talented emo-comb-over-boy David Cook, the most memorable moment for me was when the goofy, dreadlocked Jason Castro sang a passable version of one of my favorite songs of all time, Hallelujah.

The song, originally written by the greatest Canadian ever, Leonard Cohen, has been covered by pretty much anyone who can carry a tune, from Imogen Heap to Bob Dylan (ok, Dylan can't really carry a tune, but you know what I mean). It was used in Shrek, Scrubs, Dateline, Third Watch, Basquiat, Without a Trace, and a whole bunch of other TV shows and movies, especially when someone has died.

Apparently Cohen wrote over 80 verses, most of which he scrapped, but about 15 of which are mixed and matched by the various cover artists in their attempts to bask in the light of someone else's masterpiece. Only a few of the verses are Biblical references. Other verses imply a more sexual meaning. Apparently, Jeff Buckley described his version as an homage to "the hallelujah of the orgasm."

There's plenty of argument over who did the best cover of this song. I say it's Jeff Buckley. His version really is something of a spiritual experience. It's so moving and beautiful, I dare you to listen to it and not get goosebumps. Try it! John Cale did a great version too, and some say his is the version that everyone else bases their covers on, not Cohen's. I can see that. Rufus Wainwright does a great cover too. You can judge for yourself. I've posted 15 versions of Hallelujah here, and I dare you to listen to them all back to back. Ok don't, and definitely don't start with U2's version, because it's horrible.

2009 releases i'm excited about

animal collective (jan 13 - cover art above)

andrew bird (jan 27)

franz ferdinand (jan 27)

mos def (feb 9)

built to spill (spring)

doves (april)

eminem (spring)

mf doom and ghostface (?)

muse (?)

postal service (?)

wilco (spring)

amy winehouse (i'll believe it when i see it.)

Concert Review: Gogol Bordello - 1/2/09 at the 9:30 club (Setlist)

Showmanship. There's still a place for showmanship. Gogol Bordello shows are the place. Friday night, they made good on my expectations of a crazy-awesome show, and I have the bruises and sweat-stains to prove it. The Gypsy punk band from various parts of Eastern Europe by way of the Lower East Side have a reputation for being one of the best live acts around. 

Frontman Eugene Hutz is the one that makes sure the reputation is upheld. He must have endless supplies of energy or cocaine, because it seems unfathomable that a man can be that much of a spaz on a nightly basis. Spaz in a good way, of course. He jumps around with his shirt off and bellows his songs in a voice that I've seen best described as, "somewhere between that of Borat and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog." The fiddle and accordion make up the rest of the vital parts of the band's crazy Eastern European Gypsy style, and the guys playing them were quite the virtuosos. Then there are the two identically dressed hot young girls that come on for to bang on drums and cymbals and dance and sing backup and look hot, which they do very well. 

The front of the crowd is not the place to be if you're not into getting jostled around and shoved a little. There wasn't any out-and-out circle-pit action, but it was close to that level of mayhem. Fantastic show. Definitely go see them at some point in your life, even if you don't care for the music.