Artist profile
Sunday, September 30, 2007
The Seattle-based Cave Singers, recently signed to Matador Records, are celebrating the September 25 release of their debut album, "Invitation Songs." Singer/guitarist Pete Quirk's warbles a type of indie folk that, although mellow, stays in your head while bandmates Derek Fudesco (guitar, bass pedals) and Marty Lund (drums, guitar) spice up the melody with thoughtful contributions that add emotion to each track. Listen to "Seeds of Night." Something about Quirk's singing style brings a hybrid of Ryan Adams and old-school Bob Dylan to mind, mixed with an infectious, easy-to-follow rhythm. Move along to "Helen" with repetitive guitar chords, subtle but effective fading effect in the background, and a consistent rhythm of Quirk's words. The entire album is a step-by-step discovery of musical prowess.
The Cave Singers kicked off a month-long club tour with Black Mountain just yesterday in Denver, CO in support of this debut. Here's the rest of the schedule:
Oct 1 - The Waiting Room in Omaha, NE
Oct 2 - 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, MN
Oct 3 - Empty Bottle in Chicago, IL
Oct 5 - Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, ON
Oct 6 - Pop Montreal Show in Montreal, QC
Oct 8 - Great Scott in Boston, MA
Oct 10 - Mercury Lounge in New York, NY
Oct 11 - Southpaw in Brooklyn, NY
Oct 12 - Johnny Brenda's in Phiadelphia, PA
Oct 13 - Grog Shop at Coventry Yard in Cleveland Heights, OH
Oct 14 - Bluebird in Bloomington, IN
Oct 15 - Headliners in Louisville, KY
Oct 17 - The Opolis in Norman, OK
Oct 18 - Dan's Silverleaf in Denton, TX
Oct 19 - Emo's Inside Stage in Austin, TX
Oct 21 - Modified in Phoenix, AZ
Oct 22 - Casbah in San Diego, CA
Oct 23 - The Echo in Los Angeles, CA
Oct 24 - The Independent in San Francisco, CA
Oct 26 - Doug Fir Lounge in Portland, OR
Oct 27 - Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, WA
For more music and tour updates, check out the band's MySpace page.
Friday, August 31, 2007
If you're not anal-retentive like me and don't have your hundreds of discs in alphabetical order by artist last name or band first name but by category, you could easily file Jessie Baylin in "Soulful Chick Rock." That category would be HUGE in my collection.
I don't know much about this lady aside from the fact that she released her debut album, "You," on iTunes in March and she likes to play golf (random tidbit, I know.) So far, listeners are giving her rave reviews on iTunes which is impressive for a first-time album. She recently finished up a gig opening up for James Morrison and I think it's just a matter of time before people start to hear her name thrown around a lot more often.
Her MySpace is about the only place other than iTunes to catch her work. The stand-out track for me: "Leave Your Mark," a sultry, demanding tune with a subtly addictive melody.
Friday, August 17, 2007
I know, I know. It can be hard to forgive pop stars for their latter-career missteps; in this case, one mister Rod Stewart. After years, and years (and years) of E! True Hollywood Story segments, Behind The Musics, People magazine exposé’s, and a seemingly endless string of notorious marriages/divorces to young blondes, Rod the mod is mostly seen, these days, as aging celebrity tabloid fodder. So yeah, when one squanders their talent/reputation like Rod, it’s easy to see why most folks who grew up in the eighties have a less than favorable impression of the artist.
When you couple the above argument, with his abysmal solo records, over the past twenty odd years (Rod is now having great success cutting “standards” records…gag), it can be very easy to forget that at one time Rod Stewart was the man, both solo, and fronting the raucous, booze heavy, rock & roll outfit the Faces. I was reminded of this last week while driving through North Carolina’s Outer Banks, when whatever radio station the rental car was dialed into, suddenly, and unexpectedly, launched into the Faces raunchy “Stay With Me.” Besides ** “Ooh La La,” “Stay With Me” is probably the bands most well known song, and for good reason. When Rob croaked “I hear you’re a mean old Jezebel, Lets go up stairs and read my tarot cards,” I about had to pull the car over it sounded so good. Rock & Roll.
Since returning to Los Angeles I have been inspired to dig into my copy of the Faces comprehensive box set Five Guys Walk Into A Bar. I was going to say that I recommend this to even the most casual Faces fan, but really, I recommend this to even the most casual fan of seventies, Stones-ish, pub rock, period. Released a few years ago the box does an expert job in wrangling together not only the bands album cuts, but outtakes, alternate versions and ultimately the Faces take on songs that would go on to grace the initial Rod Stewart solo albums.
Alright, I’m going to quit waxing now and listen to the music — I suggest you all do the same. Look for inspired, related Small Faces, and early Rod Stewart solo, posts in the very near future.
** The Faces “Ooh La La” had the great fortune of being used as a cornerstone track in Wes Anderson’s film Rushmore, hence introducing it to a whole new audience. See more Rushmore OST tracks here.
Download:
MP3: The Faces :: Flying
MP3: The Faces :: Stay With Me
MP3: The Faces :: Ooh La La
——-
Amazon: The Faces - Five Guys Walk Into A Bar
Friday, August 03, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Anytime I hear Ghostland Observatory's "Sad Sad City," particularly the opening, I think of roller skating. (I'm a retired elementary school speed skater from the mid-'80s; it's in my blood.) Initially I didn't really get the connection, but upon further inspection I realized it had to be the '70s style sound effects and bouncy drums.
Continue reading "Ghostland Observatory"
I will be the first to admit it: I like uber-feminine, ethereal-esque singers. I think I've confessed this before when discussing the sugary sweet front lady of Lavender Diamond, Becky Stark. Now, thanks to the fantastic marketing/touring campaign of Hollywood's Hotel Cafe, I've stumbled across another low-key lady that I will file alongside a few of my all-time female favorites: Leona Naess, Rachael Yamagata and Liz Pappademas.
Meiko, a small-town Georgia girl turned Hotel Cafe waitress, has an effortless, breathy voice and a way with performing that makes singing seem so simple.
Continue reading "One to Watch: Meiko"
Posted by
Tara on 07/31 at 08:49 PM
Music •
Artist profile •
Permalink
I loved Austinite Nina Singh back in the late '90s when she fronted Kitty Gordon with her ultra-feminine, supersoft voice and uncontrollable energy that she often took out on her drum kit. I kept up with her for a couple three years until my college days (read: consecutive nights out catching live music) turned into true adulthood with morning-after accountability and everything boring.
Since that time, Singh has worked her way through a couple different projects, leading directly to her current gig with Adrian and the Sickness, a three piece, dead-on rock group that, according to their MySpace bio, draws comparisons to The Donnas and AC/DC.
Continue reading "Adrian and the Sickness"
Sometimes, when I'm introduced to a local musician that I haven't discovered for myself yet, I realize just how much I take this live music capital for granted.
I was lucky enough to assist with a photo shoot recently. The subject was the young, beautiful and amazingly soulful Wendy Colonna. I had yet to hear her music, but based on her relaxed nature and happy-go-lucky attitude, I had a good feeling that I'd like whatever she'd created. When the photographer popped in her latest release, a double-disc live set complete with DVD, I was floored. There's such a timeless quality to her voice--a hearty, strong voice that immediately implies she's a wise woman who's lived through some times if you know what I mean.
Continue reading "Wendy Colonna"
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The name itself makes me squirm, mostly because I'm the most papercut-riddled person in Austin I'm pretty sure. Currently I'm nursing two and I'm not exaggerating. How does that happen when I work on a laptop 24/7 from home?
Anyway, who knows where the name came from--maybe he's the most papercut-riddled person in San Francisco. Regardless, it hooked me into listening to the Papercuts', aka Jason Quever, latest project entitled "Can't Go Back."
Continue reading "The Papercuts - Can’t Go Back"
At least that's what his website says. It also says he can pick me, and you for that matter, up with one hand and that he's been 27 years old for ten years now. Even if you don't dig his music, his website is freaking hilarious. His name is Billy Harvey, and he's been around Austin for awhile now. His style is not one that's predictable or consistent throughout his songs, but that's what makes him fun. Listen to "Soft Blade," with its spoken-word feel reminiscent of a softer, gravel-free Tom Waits attached to a melancholy Hawaiian-style slide guitar or lap steel, or "Kaleidoscope Gun," whose intro immediately brings Beck to mind.
Continue reading "Billy Harvey is Scared of Fire"
Friday, June 29, 2007
I just got the sad news—the first band I ever actively saw live (my actual first concert was Conway Twitty and the Mandrell Sisters, but it wasn't by choice) is disbanding. Granted, they've been together for a crazy length of time - like 14 years or so - but I always expected them to be around. Mainly just because I liked them. I know, that's so selfish.
Continue reading "Adieu Carolines Spine"
I've always imagined that growing up in a small town leads to forced creativity, a nothing-else-to-do kind of mentality. Having been raised in a medium-sized city in the upper right corner of Oklahoma, I found escape in crafts that weren't music-related - mostly writing and painting - only because I have no rhythm and absolutely no voice.
Continue reading "Band to Watch: Tammany Hall Machine"
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
She's cute, sassy and one hell of a country artist. She's Austin's own Kelly Willis, whose latest album, "Translated From Love," is garnering quite a buzz around these parts since it's release this past Tuesday.
Continue reading "Kelly Willis—“Translated From Love”"
