TVD Shuffle Bored | March 21, 2008

Good Friday fodder:
Radiohead - Nude (Mp3)
KISS - Black Diamond (Mp3)
The Auteurs - Lenny Valentino (Mp3)
Stereophonics - Last Of The Big Time Drinkers (Mp3)
The Faces - Devotion (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Aztec Camera "High Land, Hard Rain"

...reminds me that the smallest, most innocuous of events--in this case, a rainy afternoon, mid-Fall trip to another record store (Record World in Seaview Square Mall--where yours truly would ultimately find employment)...could pay the largest dividends many years on. So, you parents out there, pull your kids away from Guitar Hero for one afternoon and take them to an honest-to-goodness, brick-and-mortar record store. Many years down the line they might find themselves eternally grateful--and who knows--they may even blog about it some day...

Aztec Camera - Back On Board (Mp3)
Aztec Camera - Down The Dip (Mp3)
Aztec Camera - Haywire (Mp3)
Aztec Camera - Orchid Girl (Mp3)
Aztec Camera - We Could Send Letters (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Pretenders "Pretenders"

Talking with Ms. TVD last night, I was reminded that my dad once toured with the Ringling Brothers Circus -- not as a performer but as someone hired to film the goings-on from the performances to the backstage stuff. She was kinda surprised to hear that and I guess I hadn't thought about it in quite a while. But often when I was a kid, the rough, uncut footage would come out and dad would narrate through the soundless portions. I had seen the footage pretty darn often and became pretty disinterested when he'd roll through the nostalgia AGAIN after setting up the projector and the slide screen for the umpteenth time.

So, it was in June 1980 when my folks thought they'd throw me a surprise birthday party. Of course I didn't know that at the time and I'm sure I jumped at the offer to again hit the Two Guys for a record (that Pretenders LP up there...) and other stops along the way to keep me out of the house while the invited classmates and friends came over. Standard stuff - I'm out on a mini-shopping birthday spree, distracted and return to the house and everyone whoops and hollers. Pretty surprising and a rather cool memory until my dad thought the timing would be juuust right to break out the circus footage AGAIN. Kinda mortified in a 13-year old way.

Twenty-seven years on from that, I reconnected with a friend who was actually at that surprise birthday party and, as we were reminiscing about this and that, the party came up and he's all about "the awesomely cool circus footage" he recalls from that day. And now--who knew?--I'm all about it too.

Pretenders - Kid (Mp3)
Pretenders - Mystery Achievement (Mp3)
Pretenders - Precious (Mp3)
Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing (Mp3)
Pretenders - The Wait (Mp3)

Metallica to take part in 'Record Store Day'

Metal giants announce intimate signing session
Metallica will celebrate this year’s 'Record Store Day' with an intimate signing session on April 19. The band will appear at Rasputin Music Store in Mountain View, California, to mark the day, which celebrates independent record stores. Approximately 400 wristbands will be issued for the event - queuing can begin at 8am, and the store will open at 10am.

Speaking on their official website Metallica.com the band said: "Come on down to the store, say 'Hi,' bring some stuff for us to sign, and in the spirit of supporting your local independent record store maybe you'll want to do a little shopping while you're there." (Via NME)

TVD's Daily Wax | The Cars "Candy-O"

I was 11 and obsessed with "Let's Go." Played it over and over again. Finally, I get my hands on the LP and I'm standing in the kitchen with my dad after dinner, just having returned from Two Guys with the record. My mom's looking at the cover like, "Reallly?" with one eyebrow raised. My dad says, "Honey, it's a VARGAS." Nothing ever mentioned again.

The Cars - Candy-O (Mp3)
The Cars - Dangerous Type (Mp3)
The Cars - Double Life (Mp3)
The Cars - It's All I Can Do (Mp3)
The Cars - Let's Go (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | The Beatles "The White Album"

Any comics geek over say 30, will tell you there's something to the smell of the comic's pages themselves--the ink on the paper that takes you right back to the proverbial simpler time and place. We all do it--crack open a comic and with one whiff you're twelve and it's 7am some Saturday morning and before there's any stirring in the house, you've already been to the Negative Zone with the Fantastic Four or fighting the Hellfire Club alongside the X-Men. It's pretty amazing stuff the memory bookmarks in seemingly innocuous ways.

As a kid I collected not only records but comics too and poured over every page. The records stayed forever hip...but the comics? Well, not so much. By about 16 or 17 they had run their course with me (and honestly themselves!) but records were ever present. Scratch that - MUSIC was ever present and the medium was vinyl. So, I was about 16 or 17 when my dad gave me a lift to some comics store (I truly forget where) and I traded all of my comics in for about...75 bucks, I'm thinking. Not much--but I had moved on, casting my lot with the teen years that certainly wouldn't include any more trips to the Negative Zone or what have you. In the meantime though, I lugged my records around with me for YEARS--to college and maybe about ten residences thereafter.

But a funny thing happened around 2000 or so...ebay. Why, all of these comics I came to truly miss over the years could be had for a song, along with some of those records that were "borrowed" and went missing forever. I started to recollect everything I owned as a kid...it became an addiction and one that's certainly in its advanced Winehouse-like stages to this day WITH a rather nice ebay score, thank you. But I have a confession...I can't honestly say whether this addiction is fueled by the comics themselves or the memories that reignite. These really are placeholders and bookmarks of some very wonderful times I'd have forgotten if it wasn't for their (re)purchase.

And the same is true with the vinyl--placeholders and bookmarks. Little triggers set off the synapses and there I am, recalling the place and time of their arrival in my consciousness, be them gifts or personal purchases. And as some long-time readers might recall, my dad--that wonderful guy--spent more time than any other, giving me lifts to the record store most every week--at first for 45's (which are LONG gone) and then later LP's. And when I flip through the stacks, pull them out of their sleeves, drop the needle...I'm almost there again with my dad, riding shotgun, and tearing off the plastic on a new purchase right there in the car.

My dad would have been 78 this Friday and to remember him ever so fondly, this week we'll ride shotgun with some of my memories of hitting the record stores in Neptune, NJ with him. And of course, they'll be some fine music along the way.

This Beatles 'White Album' was purchased with KISS' 'Hotter than Hell' -- a coup it seemed, cuz well, the back of the KISS LP actually had a bit of nudity. But where WAS my brain that I'd want to purchase the 'White Album' along with 'Hotter Than Hell?' Well, I guess it was in the head of a 10 year old, downstairs in his play room--dad's in the garage tinkering, mom's up in the kitchen drinking coffee and screaming for me to lower the volume, on a sunny, early summer afternoon I fucking miss like you have no idea.

The Beatles - Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me and My Monkey (Mp3)
The Beatles - Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Mp3)
The Beatles - I'm So Tired (Mp3)
The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Mp3)
The Beatles - Yer Blues (Mp3)

TVD's Weekend Shots

Long-time friend Shamus DJ's your Weekend Shots all the way from:

"Aloha From sunny Honolulu. First of all a big,"thank you" to Jon for letting me guest DJ. I thought that I would mix this just as Jon and I would waaay back when on our radio show: just songs that I thought were great and that sounded good one after the other. Starting out is the super-cool Supergrass with an acoustic version of their mighty debut single, and we end with another debut single from The Field Mice. In between are pop odds and ends.

All these tunes are sourced from yours truly's 7" singles- a format I still love and hunt for everywhere I go in the world, so if you hear some scratches... Finally, if you all have any feedback or questions about the bands or songs please throw them in the comments section and we'll get them answered. Until next time, --Shamus"

Supergrass - Caught by the Fuzz (Mp3)
East River Pipe - Axl or Iggy (Mp3)
The Moles - What's the New Maryjane (Mp3)
Black Tamburine - By Tomorrow (Mp3)
Sugarplastic - Liar Over Winchester (Mp3)
The Harvest Ministers - You do my World a World of Good (Mp3)
Wire - Ourdoor Miner (Mp3)
The Delgados - Everybody Come Down (Mp3)
The Field Mice - Sensitive (Mp3)

Ten songs and a dream? TVD's looking for guest DJs each and every Friday. What's spinning on YOUR turntable?

TVD Shuffle Bored | March 14, 2008

......hello? Is this thing on...? *check...check* Ok....wow - well, I'm not used to having to actually WRITE this blog any longer after the atypical week just passed here at TVD. There've been new artists, news, and even some SXSW coverage from Kieran of Delorentos - who I'd like to thank immensely for reporting from Austin. Between pints, broken guitars, and getting tossed from Coyote Ugly, it's been quite a ride and I'm indebted to them for having taken us along. (Pints on me boys if you ever get to DC!) I'd also like to thank all of the artists who were featured last week for just saying hello and sending their stuff along. It's been a pleasure and I'm sorry we couldn't get to everybody. And for those of you who have missed the normal goings-on here at TVD--don't worry--next week things get back to normal and get back to the personal. (Very personal.) 'Til then your Friday randomness awaits:

Marshall Crenshaw - Mary Anne.mp3
T-Rex - Metal Guru.mp3
Suede - My Dark Star.mp3
Real Life - Catch Me I'm Falling.mp3
The Babys - Sweet 17.mp3

delorentos | SXSW Tour Diary | Day Four

After a few beers in Stubbs, where we bumped into our driver Cathal, we headed back to the venue and watched the band before us play and set up the gear. I scanned the crowd trying to work out who was here from who. When AM Syndicate finished their punky set Cathal gave us a hand moving Nashville band November's gear onto the stage. They'd very kindly leant us their gear for the gig, and we manouvered the massive Marshall stacks onstage and set up our pedals. We had 15 mins change-over and a 35 minute set. With 5 minutes to go, I realised the guitar amp wasn't working. The guitarist from November came over to help out, and it became apparent that the amp was broken. Of course! Come midnight, the rest of the band were scratching their heads and I was down the street begging AM Syndicate to unpack their guitar amp and allow me to use it. They relented, and very kindly allowed me to use it. I plugged it in, made sure it worked and the sound was fine, and ran backstage to change my clothes and get myself ready. If I was nervous before, it was twice as much now.

Ten minutes late, we got onstage and started. Within a song or two I'd adjusted the amps and it began to click. Excitingly, we played a great set. It all seemed to work out, and despite all the messing that went before, we got a great reaction and played every song perfectly. The venue was full by the time we were finished, and when we got off stage we handed out all the cd's we had and got very cool compliments of lots of nice people. We packed up and went outside and had a smoke, delighted with ourselves. Then we got the news, no-one we'd asked down showed up. It was tough to hear. We consoled ourselves that it felt good and people had enjoyed it, and resolved to do the same tomorrow. I couldn't help wishing someone that we'd asked had arrived, but no matter. I was shattered and hoarse so I went home straight away, leaving the lads to go out and have another night on the beer.

All through this tour I've been missing nights out, only imagining the debauchery that is probably going on. When they came back in I was still awake so I asked them what they did. The amazing night out? They had a beer and went to Wendy's...

When we got up at around 11 we booked a taxi to get us into the venue for the Music from Ireland showcase for 1. At half one the taxi hadn't arrived so our host Amber dropped us in and we got there late. The venue was packed and Cathy Davey was in the middle of a great set. We watched her for a while and then brought the gear in the back and set ourselves up for the gig, tuning guitars and drums and checking all the various equipment. There's a lot of bands on at this showcase so when the band finished we quickly arranged ourselves and started into the first song, which thankfully sounded good. i began to settle, and then, at the worst time (during a first song) i broke a string. Pulling the string off in frustration caused a whale of feedback and i felt like just throwing the guitar out the window and going for a lie down. When the song finished i picked my spare, which I'd forgot to tune. The next song started and i tried to tune and sing to no avail, so I couldn't play guitar at all. In line with the rest of this tour, this gig had to be a rollercoaster, so after i tuned up, things started clicking again, and it began to feel good, and i relaxed. Phew. After the gig, it was clear that the people that didn't come last night were here today, and i spent a bit of time chatting to various people all the while trying to sneak a glance at their laminate to see who they were. They were friendly anyway, so it was ok.

We hung around afterwards and watched great sets by the other bands and then went back and got burgers in the same place as yesterday. We split up and I went off to watch some bands. Popup from Glasgow were really good, but couldn't understand them as the singer talked so fast. I saw another band called Pete & the Pirates but they weren't great. The venue was packed though, so lots of others seemed to like them. The streets were packed and all manner of folks were wandering around, some selling, some singing, and lots just looking. Tomorrow is our last gig in Austin and it only feels like we're getting used to it now...

TVD SX(NW) | Day Four | Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

I hear The Shins...others have said Cat Power or Decemberists. Whatever. DC's Thao with The Get Down Stay Down are making some fine, fine music.

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - Beat (Mp3)
Thao with The Get Down Stay Down - Bag of Hammers (Mp3)



Website: www.thaomusic.com/
Myspace: www.myspace.com/thaomusic

DC's DJ Hut Launches Online Music Store

We've long felt that preserving the vinyl medium depends on a strong marriage of the traditional format with new media, so we were happy to see this press release from DC's DJ Hut in our mailbox this morning with the header “Preserving While Progressing". (And after two fires that forced the brick-and-mortar store to close for periods of time, this move makes clear sense.) TVD wishes Sina and the rest of the crew at DJ Hut (where we bought our Stanton turntable!) all the best as they promote the sale of fresh vinyl along with their new on-line media presence.

DJ HUT DIGITAL MUSIC SHOP NOW OPEN
“Preserving While Progressing”
For several years now DJ Hut has been Washington DC’s primary outlet for vinyl records. And now after two years of research and creation of a digital business model, DJ Hut has brought to fruition one of its major goals by pushing forward in the new music industry. DJ Hut will no longer be known just for vinyl, as they have now launched an online digital music shop. The website is extremely user-friendly with an impressive search engine and browsing features which allow users to find and sort music by genre, label, artist, song title or release date. The new online shop is fully functional and currently offers MP3 downloads in 320-bit rate. However, expect improved features and a substantially larger catalog to be available in the immediate future as major deals are underway with digital distributors and labels.

DJ Hut is in the first phase of launching the site and wants to interact with its customers and the industry at large to get feedback. DJ Hut wants to hear suggestions and comments on how to improve the site. They know there are always more ways to tailor the digital shop to the specific needs of digital DJs and music lovers. So please send them an email at info@djhut.com after your visit. DJ Hut is committed to “preserving while progressing” and will always stay on top of new developments in technology and the music industry. The vision of DJ Hut, independently owned and operated since 2002, is to provide DJs with cutting edge music and support to make their careers thrive.

DJ Hut Digital Music Shop is online at http://mp3.djhut.com

TVD SX(NW) | Day Four | See-I

DC based roots reggae rockers SEE-I follow up their "Dinner of Herb" EP with a solid release on Brooklyn's Bastard Jazz Recordings. "The King" was released earlier this month on limited edition 10" vinyl and features the original and dub versions produced by DC's own Thomas Blondet. On the flip side is a funky remix done by The Magic Fly from the UK. Featured throughout are the conscious vocal stylings of SEE-I bredren Rootz and Zeebo. You may have heard Rootz and Zeebo on countless Thievery Corporation tracks or performing live with the band as well. The entire SEE-I team is hard at work on a new album to be released later this year on Fort Knox Recordings.

See-I - The King.mp3
See-I - The King (Dub).mp3
SEE I - The King (Magic Fly Remix).mp3

From the 'Dinner of Herb' EP:
See-I - Dinner of Herb.mp3
See-I - Why Not Tonight.mp3

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/seei

delorentos | SXSW Tour Diary | Day Three

After a lie down we decided, despite our tiredness, to head into town and have a few beers. The streets were pretty quiet as its kinda the changeover period between the film festival and the music festival, but we had a nice dinner and went to a place we had a few good nights in last year, Coyote Ugly. Unfortunately the bargirls were pretty drunk, and their efforts at being sexy were pretty depressing. One girl kept calling everyone fuckers and shouting abuse at people, so everyone kinda slowly left. Inevitably It ended with her having an arguement with a friend of ours and when he argued back she hit the panic button and cops descended on the place and he had to get out of there. Pretty unpleasant unfortunately. We decided not to return again.

In the morning we got up and went into the centre of Austin to register. Hundreds of people were queueing, and we got our listings and the listings of everyone else. We would be playing at 12 midnight tonight, at the same time as one of the biggest bands in the world, R.E.M. Great! We can have a nice quiet practice instead of a gig... We checked out a few mentoring sessions - apparently the "Internet" is good for "Music". Sounds crazy to me.

After some massive steak burgers - we'd better watch eating them - we returned to the house and got ready for the gig. We were hoping for a short soundcheck from 6 - 6.30, and we needed it because we weren't using our amps. We called a taxi, and waited. Then we called it again and waited, eventually arriving at the cool little venue at seven and soundcheck missed. We also heard that some people were coming down to see it later, and we were pretty pissed off. All the showcases are run like clockwork, so there was nothing we could do. I fiddled about with the onstage amp to see how it worked and had a free beer.

We split up and headed off to see bands and check out all the venues, all individually trying to get into the right frame of mind for the gig. I popped up here to the convention centre and use the free internet, watching the steady stream of bands signing in and registering. Its a pretty daunting task to rise to the top with the thousands of bands here.. I guess our application starts in the Ninety Proof Lounge in two hours...

TVD SX(NW) | Day Three | The Joy Formidable

TVD received an email from Rhydian, bass player for London indie noise-poppers The Joy Formidable about two weeks ago and we're damn glad he wrote. These former 'demo of the week winners', as declared by Steve Lamacq back in mid-December, hit me with "Austere" which has an energy and vibe I haven't heard in quite a long time. Think a noisy Ultra Vivid Scene fronted by Karen O, and maybe you're in the ballpark.

The Joy Formidable - Austere (Mp3)
The Joy Formidable - Cradle (Mp3)



MySpace: www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable

We'd call in sick to work, but it's a Saturday.

On April 19, 2008, hundreds of independently owned music stores across the country will celebrate “Record Store Day.”

delorentos | SXSW Tour Diary | Day Two

The gig last night ok, my voice was at about 90% and we felt rushed and hurried throughout. No matter, we were delighted to play and have a chance to go through the set, but it didn’t feel like it quite clicked. After the gig we chatted to some local A&R, had some beers and packed up while a Spanish bossa-nova band finished off the night. We talked about the set – we tend to obsess over stuff, which is why our album is called “In love with detail”, I think it was ok, but we may drop a song to give us more time. We headed back to the hostel, had three hours sleep and got the taxi through the melting snow to the airport. We were a bit worried about US immigration, our last visit wasn’t very enjoyable, but we got through and onto the flight without problems. I was a little worried about the plane journey too – I’ve never been a nervous flyer, but flying through a storm from New York to Chicago was the scariest rollercoaster ever – but that turned out fine too. I tried to sleep onboard but kept jumping awake in that annoying way that makes you look stupid and makes every else jump too.

When landed in Austin I saw a TV crew wandering around looking for people to talk to, so I waved my guitar about til they came over and interviewed us. We said how excited we were to be playing, and how much we were looking forward to standing in Stubb's with a beer. We’re part of the housing scheme, where a host family puts up a band in exchange for concert tickets and stuff, and our lovely host mammy Ame and her sister picks us up at the Airport and brings us to her cool home/office in east Austin. She runs Austin Star Maps, and brings people around stars homes in the Austin area. Sandra Bullock and Mathew McConaughey might expect some delo stalking pretty soon… At the moment we’re sitting on the balcony writing up set lists for our official showcase gig tomorrow night in the Ninety Proof Lounge, and looking at trying to get to see all the bands we want to see over the next few days. It’s already pretty exciting…

Classic Metallica Albums Being Reissued on Vinyl

Metallica will reissue its classic early albums on vinyl this spring, according to a new post at the band's official Web site.

Its first two discs, 1983's Kill 'Em All and 1984's Ride the Lightning, are due first. The post read, "While we're finishing up the new album, we told the dudes at the record company we thought it might be cool to dust off the old tapes and get all retro with some vinyl re-releases. First up are the first two albums...coming out on April 15 in North America and pretty f***ing close to that in the rest of the world." There will be two versions: a single platter than spins at 33 1/3 rpm, and a two-disc, heavyweight vinyl set that spins at 45 rpm. Both editions have been remastered from the original tapes for "audiophile quality." The reissues will be available at the Metallica online store and through its fan club.

The band's third and fourth albums, 1986's Master of Puppets and 1988's ...And Justice For All, are tentatively scheduled for the vinyl treatment in June. Metallica's ninth studio album is tentatively slated to arrive sometime later this year.
(Via The Rock Radio)

TVD SX(NW) | Day Two | Hanne Hukkelberg

“Enchanting debut... equal parts Stina Nordenstam and Nina Simone. Fans of CocoRosie take note.” **** (four stars) - Uncut

Hanne Hukkelberg's (pronounced Hanna Who-kel-burg) sophomore album Rykestrasse 68, her first since signing to Canadian label Nettwerk, is a tribute to the six months she recently spent living in Berlin. Like her debut, it was produced by Kåre Vestrheim at Propeller Studios in Oslo and features contributions from the cream of the Norwegian music scene, including members of Jaga Jazzist, Dinosau and Shining.

From her bio, "Hukkelberg started singing and playing instruments in her home town of Kongsberg, Norway at the age of 3 and later played in various jazz, rock and free jazz bands including a high school heavy metal act called Funeral. A graduate of the Norwegian Academy of Music, she has also gained a reputation as a powerful live performer, her shows full of typically Scandinavian absurdist humour. An extensive European tour with a full band has been arranged for the spring with English dates set for May 24th - June 6th."

Hanne Hukkelberg - A Cheater's Armoury (Mp3)





Website: http://hanne.hukkelberg.net/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hannehukkelberg

A SXSW Reminder...

...DC does Texas!

delorentos | SXSW Tour Diary | Day One

One word has been keeping me going since last Thursday when I woke up in Dublin at 6am in the middle of the fever symptoms of a chest infection. This word got me through dry retching nausea from the antibiotics, hassle at US immigration, and having no food, drinks or cigarettes for two days. It also meant when I had to play a gig and not sing I got through it. That word is Austin, home of the brilliant South by Southwest Festival which myself and our band Delorentos will be playing in two days. Our trip to Oceania hasn’t been ideal so far, I’ve been sick as a dog the last four days (I’m feeling ok today thank you very much), we missed out playing at Canadian Music Week due to blizzards in Toronto and spent Saturday in the airport, and on Friday we had to play a gig in New York where, for the first time I didn’t sing at least half the songs. Luckily we are a two frontman band, so we could do a set of songs that Ro sang and we got through it.

Later tonight we’ll be doing our first proper gig, in the Neutral Bar in Toronto. My voice seems ok, and it looks like we can play the set we’ve practiced religiously for the three SXSW gigs we’ll play on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We’ve a flight at 7am, so we might decide to sleep, we might play through…

We were lucky enough to have played the festival last year as well, so knowing what’s in store we can’t wait to get down there and begin soaking up the atmosphere, beer and music.

Over the next five or so days I’ll be sending an update of our adventures, thoughts and witness statements that can be used to incriminate us later.

If you’d like to find out more about the band please check out our websites and have a listen, we’re good, and proper people with those massive headphones often say they listen to us to make themselves look cool. Who’s to argue with that?

Your SXSW correspondent,
Kieran
Delorentos
http://www.delorentos.net/
http://www.myspace.com/delorentos

TVD SX(NW) | Day One | delorentos

If the old adage is true that "opportunity knocks", than it's incumbent on one to, well ...open the door. And this week we'll open up TVD to some of the new faces who have sent demos and promos and Mp3s to TVD HQ -- all to coincide with the SXSW Music Festival being held in Austin, Texas this week.

(A note to the non-DC residents about this week's "SX(NW)" moniker. DC is divided into four sections: NW, NE, SW, and SE. I live in NW, so ---> SXSW + NW = SX(NW). Made that one up, we did.)

First up this week is the Dublin-based 4-piece Delorentos who, in a unique twist here at TVD, will be offering their own SXSW Tour Diary as they wind their way through the States, culminating with their live dates in Austin at SXSW. Delorentos have opened for The Futureheads, Gang of Four, and Tapes n Tapes among their blistering performances at both the Oxegen and Electric Picnic Festivals. From their bio, " ... obvious reference points are Pixies, The Cure, The Clash and Arcade Fire; more oblique influences slide in from most genres of music and virtually every decade from the 50s onwards."

Delorentos - Any Other Way (Mp3)
Delorentos - Basis Of Everything (Mp3)
Delorentos - Neon (Acoustic Session) (Mp3)

TVD's Weekend Shots

TVD actually ponies up the Weekend Shots today after several week's worth of Guest DJ's...and this week there's a bit of a contest! TVD HQ's cup runneth over with clear, plastic vinyl sleeves for all your LP protection needs. 250 or so for the winner who sleuths out the running theme among this weekend's ten below. Happy Googling!

Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster (Mp3)
Angelic Upstarts - The Murder of Liddle Towers (Mp3)
The Mekons - Where Were You (Mp3)
The Fall - Bingo Masters Breakout (Mp3)
Klark Kent - Don't Care (Mp3)
Jilted John - Jilted John (Mp3)
TV Personalities - Where's Bill Grundy Now? (Mp3)
Rudi - Big Time (Mp3)
The Nips - All the Time in the World (Mp3)
The Normal - Warm Leatherette (Mp3)

TVD Invites you to DJ YOUR Friday Ten. Let us know what you think we should be hearing...

TVD Shuffle Bored | March 7, 2008

Random Friday Finery:
Simple Minds - White Hot Day (12" Mix) (Mp3)
Kent - Kevlar Soul (Mp3)
Hall & Oates - I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man) (Mp3)
Blondie - Slow Motion (Mp3)
Tegan and Sara - The Con (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Jeff Buckley "Live at Sin-é"

Despite having grown up on the New Jersey shore and having lived in DC close to 23 years now, I've always been an Anglophile. I'd much sooner grab a NME or Melody Maker off of the newsstand before a Rolling Stone or Spin. And in about 1992 or so, the 'Maker was reveling in a Tim Buckley live set called "Dream Letter" capturing Tim in all his hippyfolkyglory in London in '68. The review was so compelling that I went out and purchased the thing (double cassette, no less) and quickly fell under it's spell. Tim had, as has been widely observed, a magnificent voice. So, it was with some interest when I noted that his son was not only making music himself, but was performing at DC's then somewhat new Black Cat at its first location steps away from my home. So, this February evening, needing a pint and some live music, I slipped around the corner to the Cat and opened the concert door where Jeff Buckley was playing on the tiny back stage, solo. As in many of the pictures from that time, Jeff had the close-cropped hair, the v-neck white t-shirt on (odd for a snowy, blustery, February night) and well, the voice of an angel. I was a little bit late to the proceedings and all of the chairs close to the small stage had been filled - yet there really wasn't a CROWD per se, maybe 35 - 4o people? I was made to sit at the only available space, a big round table toward the back which was decidedly empty then. A few minutes into the set, jaw firmly on the ground, a girl walked in and gestured as if to say, "are any of these seats taken?" I waved "no" and she joined the table with an empty chair between us. Jeff's spiraling through octaves and odd tunings to an enrapt audience and then between songs he sees the lass who has joined my table and invites her up onto the stage. Seems that they had met sometime during the day, discovered some musical kinship, and they were off on a duet which, even if rehearsed, couldn't have sounded any more in sync and lovely. The duet comes to an end and she retakes her seat at the table and I whisper to her how great that was--amazing, etc. Three or four tunes later, Jeff finishes the set to hay-uge applause and only knowing one friendly face in the room, his duet partner, he adjourns to my table and takes the seat between me and her. Now, he wasn't JEFF BUCKLEY at this point, just a quiet, almost shy guy who didn't seem all that thrilled or accustomed to the attention he was suddenly receiving--seemingly in general and for sure right then in that room. I recall some older, hippie-type in his Hawaiian shirt and straw hat saying to Jeff how much he worshipped his father to which Jeff simply replied, "I never knew my father." (Geezer goes silent.) I ended up just shooting the shit there with Jeff for just shy of an hour. I bought him a pint and he returned the favor. I was playing drums at the time and asked if he was looking for a band and he said that he had one--"Grace" was in the can already and at this point Jeff was just picking up gigs here and there. Now, with so much having been said about the guy, what I'm left with from that very brief encounter can only underscore what many others have offered--that he was indeed that sweet, unassuming, yet wildly talented artist we all had the pleasure to watch come into his own, albeit for a shockingly brief time. And Jeff played that room a few more times over the next few years and I was there for every one of them and the scene was quite different...almost a hysteria as he DID ultimately become JEFF BUCKLEY. Yet, I'd prefer to recall the guy who threw on an old overcoat over a sweaty t-shirt, packed up his own guitar, and walked out into that cold, blustery, wintry night alone.

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah (Mp3)
Jeff Buckley - I Shall Be Released (Mp3)
Jeff Buckley - If You See Her, Say Hello (Mp3)
Jeff Buckley - Sweet Thing (Mp3)
Jeff Buckley - The Way Young Lovers Do (Mp3)
(Tracks 2-4 from the "Live at Sin-é" expanded Legacy Edition)

TVD's Daily Wax | Suede "Suede"

Is it two men? Two women kissing? Male and female? Who knows? Who cares? Each year I eagerly await another debut LP like this and each year I'm sorely let down. (Looking RIGHT at you Vampire Weekend, Tapes 'n Tapes, CYHSY, et al...) Bold, sweeping, brash, steeped in darkness and its own brand of Englishness that draws from classic Bowie and T-Rex, all the while creating it's own distinct and perverse universe. Suede's 1993 debut had all the makings of a classic even before the plastic was off the record. Don't believe me? Take a look at that song list down there and name ONE band coming remotely close to approximating the thrill of these five tracks on their debut...

Suede - So Young (Mp3)
Suede - Animal Nitrate (Mp3)
Suede - The Drowners (Mp3)
Suede - Sleeping Pills (Mp3)
Suede - Metal Mickey (Mp3)

...Nine dollars!

_______________

(A note about yesterday's "debut"...well, it wasn't. "My Aim Is True" was indeed Elvis' 1977 debut. It was however, TVD's debut of being wildly inaccurate. We apologize. The tracks still kill though.)

TVD's Daily Wax | Elvis Costello "This Years Model"

My friend Mike was working at the Guitar Shop on Connecticut Avenue, NW back in the late 80's when, on one normal afternoon, Elvis himself walked through the door, broken guitar in hand and in need of a quick fix for his show that night at George Washington University. Things must have gone swimmingly, because for Mike's labor, Elvis bequeathed to him some tickets for that evening's show and I was one of the lucky ones to accompany Mike to my first Elvis Costello gig. I was just 10 when Elvis' debut was released ('77) and despite being sort of a hip kid at the time ("Radio, Radio" was being played on the New York City stations with some frequency) seeing Elvis rattle off these tunes one after the other was easily a revelation (for me) that night.

Elvis Costello - (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (Mp3)
Elvis Costello - Little Triggers (Mp3)
Elvis Costello - Pump It Up (Mp3)
Elvis Costello - Radio, Radio (Mp3)
Elvis Costello - This Year's Girl (Mp3)

Update: Coincidently, DCist has a feature on this very release today with some fine details...

TVD First Look | Bauhaus "Go Away White"

First track from the forthcoming last LP...I don't think I need to describe this, do I?

Bauhaus - Adrenalin (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Supergrass "I Should Coco"

This week, TVD takes a look at some debut releases that have not only stood the test of time, but signaled some truly great things to come.

Regarding Supergrass' smashing debut "I Should Coco", Trouser Press noted that "...punky glam guitars, Keith Moon-ish drum rolls and helium harmonies abound, notably through the Carnaby Street swing of "She's So Loose" and "Alright," an utterly delightful, mostly monosyllabic, teen anthem. "We are young/We run green/Keep our teeth/Nice and clean," sings the nineteen-year-old Gaz over a barrelhouse music-hall piano. (It should be noted that his glee in young adulthood doesn't only inform his music. This is, after all, a man who is so pleased with his newfound ability to grow facial hair that he sports pop's most ridiculous muttonchops since Noddy Holder.) Being young, the 'Grass do enjoy a wank, though the spirits are so high that the sped-up silliness of "We're Not Supposed To" and the Beatlesque blues spaceout, "Sofa (of My Lethargy)" go down as easy larfs. The good-natured and curiously eccentric I Should Coco finds these kids to be alright indeed."

Supergrass - Alright (Mp3)
Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz (Mp3)
Supergrass - Lose It (Mp3)
Supergrass - Mansize Rooster (Mp3)
Supergrass - Strange Ones (Mp3)

Man, we just became big fans of Shelby Lynne.

"Hey, why don't y'all come over and bring your computers and let's have a party"? Hell no! I say bring pot, wine and vinyl. That's sexy."

A Studer 2-inch tape machine is a huge cumbersome beast that takes up a lot of space and might need pampering and attention when you make records. It requires that you use big, heavy rolls of 2-inch tape that need changing when you record two or three songs on them. And hardly anyone produces or manufactures vinyl records anymore. And nobody has a turntable. But it's making a trendy comeback.

Just because something is easier doesn't make it better. It certainly doesn't make it sound better. I had a digital recording rig in my home studio for a month or two and got so depressed. I quit writing songs, my guitar collected dust and I thought my creative life had ended. So I jerked it all out of the wall and threw it in the garage and that's where it will stay.

My new album, "Just A Little Lovin'" was made on a 2-inch tape machine. I demanded it. I like working with engineers and producers who love and appreciate tape. I love the sound, smell, and feel of tape. That's why I enlisted legendary record producer, Phil Ramone, and the brilliant recording engineer, Al Schmitt. They didn't mind my insistence. They put up with my hardheadedness. Hardly anyone uses tape anymore because they claim it's so expensive and it's just easier to use a computer. Most engineers can operate any computer rig in studios these days. But if you ask them to run a Studer and put on a reel of tape, they run down the hallway screaming for Mommy. I'm sorry, but I can't get turned on looking at a computer screen. First of all, it's not more expensive. By the time digital users spend the time and money to buy the software needed to put that "tape sound" on their digital record, they have spent more time and money than I have. While their downloading "tape sound" software, I'm kicking back on the houseboat drinking beer with a fishing pole in my hand listening to Django.

It's not for everybody. Tapes are not perfect like digital. If you want to sing the word "love" 40 different times and 40 different ways, then digital's for you. Tape requires attention. You can't just push the space bar and go to lunch. For example: When I put on my vinyl (yes vinyl) of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love," my favorite part is towards the end when you hear the "print through" of Robert's vocals. You know the part when he sings "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah"? For years, before I made records I thought that what I was hearing was on there on purpose, for effect. But while making my new record the same thing happened. There is no reason, it's just a tape thing. Sometimes that happens. It's not as noticeable or as cool as Zeppelin but if you listen to my first track, "Just A Little Lovin'," towards the end you will hear my voice. I made a record with print through. Wow. Everybody wanted to fix it but I insisted on keeping it. This is a true testament to using tape. The "real" comes through. It makes me proud to be such a hard head.

I was born in '68. Mama and Daddy had albums. I grew up listening to their vinyl. I have discovered that having a vinyl collection is so much cooler than having an iPod. Now, I have an iPod and I admit they are genius especially for travel and convenience. But they aren't really any fun. I don't call up my friends and say "Hey why don't y'all come over and bring your computers and let's have a party"? Hell no! I say bring pot, wine and vinyl. That's sexy. It's really a great excuse to get together and listen to music. Everybody takes a turn looking through the collection and it's interesting to see what each person plays. The vinyl way is just me. I think if if we all listen to more music together, it really doesn't matter how we do it. Music will save us all just like it always has. We feed our souls with it. Vinyl just creates a little more discussion for us. You get to look at the covers, the liner notes, sometimes the lyrics are included. Plus you can roll a doobie on it. That's hard on an Ipod.

Times are tough. Concert tickets are high and records are, too. Hell, everything is high and nobody has any dough. With our economy and the way it's headed, my guess is that we'll all be staying home drinking bottles of Two Buck Chuck listening to music, however we choose to do it. Cheers, music lovin' fools!

TVD's Weekend Shots

Washington, DC blogger extraordinaire IntangibleArts DJ's this week's Tangible Ten:

"And now, a taste of heavy space from the IntangibleArts archives. Most of these would be what Julian Cope would call 'head music' and encompasses bits of Krautrock, English space-rock, and American folk-psych. This material represents my birth as a record collector: When I was about 10 or 11 years old, a benevolent older relative took me by the ear and opened up his vast collection of dusty vinyl goodies.

I was already buying my own records at that age, with whatever allowance I wasn't spending on comic books. 1978-ish. My musical universe was limited to the likes of Queen, ELO, and Boston--not a bad beginning really, and I still like all that stuff. But practically overnight, my new world included the heady sounds of Hawkwind, Can, White Witch, Moebius & Plank, Goblin, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Throbbing Gristle, Captain Beefheart, etc...

These ten tracks pull directly from those first albums that he played for me in his Laurel, MD living room, when I was transformed from a normal kid into a total, slobbering vinyl addict. The last track, from Pearls Before Swine's excellent "One Nation Underground", was actually the first album he played in my presence. It was an 8-track copy, I remember that much. Egad.

And to this day, I'm still remembering LPs he pulled from those massive shelves, and hunting them down..."

Hawkwind - Master of the Universe (Mp3)
Eloy - Future City (Mp3)
Grobschnitt - Wonderful Music (Mp3)
Neu - Lila Engel (Lilac Angel) (Mp3)
Camel - Freefall (Mp3)
Soft Machine - Hope for Happiness (Mp3)
Amon Duul II - Archangels Thunderbird (Mp3)
Gong - Master Builder (Mp3)
Can - Dizzy Dizzy (Mp3)
Pearls Before Swine - Ballad to an Amber Lady (Mp3)

Got shots? Drop a note and step up with your mix...

TVD's Shuffle Bored | February 29, 2008

I'm starting to think, just like sunglasses and underwear, these iPods are disposable. This dying Nano is just dying to meet the dust heap - so your Shuffled Selections are from iTunes this morning...
Thin Lizzy - Night Life (Mp3)
Jon Auer - Angelita (Mp3)
Suede - Money (Mp3)
Roxy Music - Virginia Plain (Mp3)
Evangelicals - Skeleton Man (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Todd Rundgren (A TVD Best-of...)

I was all ready to write about today's "singer/songwriter" Todd Rundgren and what an amazing and diverse career he's had...from solo star in the '70's to his work with Utopia and his amazing list of production credits that include The Psychedelic Furs, XTC, Meat Loaf, Badfinger and The New York Dolls (to name just a few) to fronting the reunited Cars...but heading to Todd's website, it seems he's told the entire story himself in a...uh, rather LONG Flash movie you really just can't click out of. (I tried. Several times.) So, pop some pop corn, call the kids into the room and sit back and let Todd tell you his story himself. All respects, Todd.

Todd Rundgren - I Saw The Light (Mp3)
Todd Rundgren - Can We Still Be Friends (Mp3)
Todd Rundgren - Be Nice To Me (Mp3)
Todd Rundgren - Wailing Wall (Mp3)
Todd Rundgren - Hello It's Me (Mp3)

TVD's Daily Wax | Joe Jackson "Live 1980/86"

No surprise choice here, given TVD's predilection for all things Joe. The tunes speak for themselves:

Joe Jackson - One To One (Live) (Mp3)
Joe Jackson - Fools In Love (Live) (Mp3)
Joe Jackson - Got The Time (Live) (Mp3)
Joe Jackson - Look Sharp! (Live) (Mp3)
Joe Jackson - On Your Radio (Live) (Mp3)