Superbad

This coming of age movie looks pretty good. In a similar vein to Napoleon Dynamite etc.

CD Review - Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
(LOST HIGHWAY)

PR: Richard Wootton Publicity

This is another Ryan Adams & The Cardinals album, and the best yet. Clocking in around 40 minutes, it's also the shortest, but the most consistent. Some of the songs have been around for years. 'Off Broadway' first appeared on the unreleased 'Suicide Handbook' in 2001 and 'These Girls' used to be called 'Hey There Mrs. Lovely' and is even older.

The point is that while Adams has been a little short on quality control lately, with Easy Tiger it's as if he wants to show us that he can choose the right songs to create an album with a definite feel. The feel is of a comfortable, well-oiled band. 'Goodnight Rose' and 'Halloween Head' showcase the garage rock side of the Cardinals similar to 'Sweet Illusions' and it's a shame that side doesn't appear more. The rest of the album is all acoustic guitar and Adams reclaiming his crown as the 'Bummer King'. 'Two' is a beautiful lament with Sheryl Crow, 'Everybody Knows' has a great chorus about unrequited love and 'The Sun Also Sets' is a classic. While it's short on instantly gratifying hits, the songs reward repeated listens until you realise that this is his best album since Gold.

Download: Two, Halloween Head, Oh My God Whatever etc
For fans of: Whiskeytown, Wilco, The Jayhawks
Rating: 4/5

Stream Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams NY Times artice

Ryan Adams Didn’t Die. Now the Work Begins.

ONE afternoon, as Ryan Adams was recording his new album, “Easy Tiger” (Lost Highway), at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, the singer-songwriter Steve Earle dropped by to visit. Jimi Hendrix had built Electric Lady in the late 1960s, and Mr. Earle pointed out that “there are some good ghosts here.”

Read the rest of the artice

California - The Cream of LA's Seventies Rock

California Dreaming, The Cream of L.A.'s Seventies Rock - Various Artists
(WARNER MUSIC TV)

I remember watching the Counting Crows live as Adam Duritz started into their breakthrough hit 'Mr Jones' he sang 'So you wanna be a rock'n'roll star, well listen now to what I say/ just get yourself and electric guitar and learn how to play'. I thought it was a pretty cool line but it was only
when I listened to California Dreaming that I realised he was singing the opening lines to The Byrds song of the same name. This feeling of familiarity and realisation happens constantly as you listen to this excellent compilation of the overlooked 'Larurel Canyon' era. The Grateful
Dead's "Truckin'" reveals where Ryan Adams stole his riffs, not to mention Gram Parsons and more obvious comparisons. In fact listening to the cream of L.A.'s seventies rock doesn't feel like an old CD because it is still echoing through bands like Wilco, Josh Rouse and much of the Americana scene. As an introduction to all the music you probably should have listened
to it's invaluable. 40 artists feature from Crazy Horse to little known genius of Judee Sill through Fleetwood Mac and some tracks never available before on compilations including James Taylor 'Fire & Rain', Eagles 'Witchy Woman' and Joni Mitchell 'Blue'. There are too many great songs to list but Buffalo Springfield, who are best remembered for giving Stephen Stills and Neil Young their first platform, stand out with their hit 'For What It's Worth' with its carefully calibrated understatement.

If you want a thorough education in an influential period of American music without buying
40 CDs then you needn't look any further than California Dreaming.

For fans of: Any modern singer-songwriter

Rating: 4/5

Disc: 1
1. So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star - Byrds (1)
2. Creeque Alley - Mamas & The Papas
3. For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
4. Love The One You're With - Stills, Stephen
5. I Don't Want To Talk About It - Crazy Horse
6. Fire And Rain - Taylor, James (1)
7. Blue - Mitchell, Joni
8. Sweet Surrender - Buckley, Tim
9. Mama Told Me Not To Come - Newman, Randy
10. Love Has No Pride - Raitt, Bonnie
See all 20 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Take It Easy - Browne, Jackson
2. Witchy Woman - Eagles (1)
3. Sin City - Flying Burrito Brothers
4. Return Of The Grievous Angel - Parsons, Gram
5. Border Town - Souther-Hillman-Furay
6. Werewolves Of London - Zevon, Warren
7. When The Ship Comes In - Guthrie, Arlo
8. Road To Cairo - Ackles, David
9. Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts
10. Long Train Runnin' - Doobie Brothers
See all 20 tracks on this disc

Smashing Pumpkins tour and TV performances

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS will make their first televised performance since 2000 when they bookend the week of July 9th on "The Late Show with David Letterman" by performing Monday, July 9 and Friday, July 13. These appearances coincide with the July 10 release of ZEITGEIST, the band's much-anticipated sixth album and first of new material since 2000.

ZEITGEIST (Martha's Music/Reprise) features the first single "Tarantula," now positioned at #3 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and #10 on the publication's Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart after arriving at radio only a few weeks ago. ZEITGEIST represents a powerful rebirth and reaffirmation of THE SMASHING PUMPKINS by two of its key members, main singer-songwriter and guitarist Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. But what about James Iha? I always thought he was the solid rock of the Pumpkins

Date: City: Venue:
6/23 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6/24 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6/26 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6/27 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6/29 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
6/30 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
7/02 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
7/03 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
7/05 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
7/07 - E. Rutherford, NJ - Live Earth, Giants Stadium
7/15 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/16 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/18 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/22 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/24 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/25 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/27 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/28 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/30 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
7/31 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
8/01 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
8/05 - Washington, DC - V Festival at Pimlico Park
8/17 - Hasselt, Belgium - Kempische Steenweg Kiewit
8/24 - Leeds, England - Leeds Festival
8/26 - Reading, England - Reading Festival
8/29 - Athens, Greece - Terra Vibe Park
9/01 - Istanbul, Turkey - Hezarfen Airfield
9/08 - Montreal, QC - V Festival
9/09 - Toronto, ON Toronto - Island Park

Post #401

A bit of Queens Of The Stone Age news.

This Friday, June 22, tomorrow in fact, Queens of the Stone Age will be the featured artist on the Henry Rollins Show. At 11pm on 6/22, QOTSA will be performing "Misfit Love", so tune into IFC for that.

More information:


Watch the online exclusive performance of "Battery Acid":

As an added bonus, there's a video interview of Josh, Joey, and Taylor explaining the thinking behind naming the album Era Vulgaris, what it means to be serious, Black Flag, and other random topics:

Also, check it: more confirmed dates on the "Duluth" tour, including that coveted spot with Rage at Alpine Valley. Tickets on sale now:

July 23rd - Bakersfield, CA - The Dome

August 5th - Louisville, KY - Coyote's
(Tickets go on sale Saturday, June 23rd at 10am local time)

August 24th - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley Music Theatre
(Appearing with Rage Against The Machine!)

-----

The Duluth Tour
7/22 - Costa Mesa, CA - OC Fair
7/23 - Bakersfield, CA - The Dome
2/24 - Chico, CA - Senator Theater
7/25 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theater
7/27 - Boise, ID - The Big Easy
7/28 - Missoula, MT - Wilma Theater
7/29 - Billings, MT - Shire Auditorium
7/31 - Fargo, ND - Playmaker's
8/01 - Duluth, MN - DECC Arena
8/04 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room
8/05 - Louisville, KY - Coyote's
8/07 - Memphis, TN - New Daisy Theater
8/08 - Little Rock, AR - The Village
8/10 - Tulsa, OK - Cain's Bathroom
8/11 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom
8/24 - East Troy, WI - Alpine Valley Music Theatre

Ryan Adams Easy Tiger downloads

Thanks to Largehearted Boy for this one. If you're feeling in the need to get into the right mood for Easy Tiger, then Ryan previewed several of the songs on the album in this Glenside, New York show from last month. The Sun Also Sets is a great song.

Ryan Adams: 2007-05-15, Glenside [mp3,ogg,flac]
"The Sun Also Sets" [mp3]
Ryan Adams: 2006-07-23, Charlottesville [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Love Satellite" [mp3]
Ryan Adams: 2005-06-05, Norfolk [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Magnolia Mountain" [mp3]
Ryan Adams: 2001-05-09, Leicester [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Dear Chicago" [mp3]
Ryan Adams: 2001-04-25, Stockholm [mp3,ogg,flac]
"Dreams of a Working Class Clown" [mp3]
other music blog posts: @lhb @hype @elbo.ws | @myspace

Plus, WXPN is streaming Ryan Adams' Friday June 15 World Cafe performance from Philidelphia.

Ryan Adams

"I won't say Adams is the best North American singer-songwriter since Neil Young... but I won't say he isn't either." - Stephen King

This morning I got my copy of Easy Tiger through the door. First impressions? Well Ryan has always threatened to make another great record, and this could be it. There are about two tracks (and one of those is a bonus track) that don't really grab me, but the rest seem great. A couple have appeared on unreleased demo recordings that you may have heard, like "Off Broadway" and "These Girls"

Anyway, stay tuned, more soon.

CD Review - Polly Paulusma

A lovely little ditty by Polly Paulusma about having and losing babies.

Polly Paulusma - Fingers & Thumbs LP

(ONE LITTLE INDIAN)

RELEASE: 4 JUNE 2007




Following up from her well-received 2004 debut "Scissors In My Pocket", Polly Paulusma continues where she left off delievering ten warm guitar pop songs with her signature husk of a voice. Fingers & Thumbs is the melancholic diary of a depressing and frustrating journey of miscarriages and false starts as Polly and her husband tried for a child. There is light at the end of the tunnel as baby Valentine was finally conceived during rehearsals and born at the final mixing. Production is uninventive but the songs are heartfelt with good melodies that makes for enjoyable, if not groundbreaking listening.

Download: Back To The Start, Where I'm Coming From
For fans of: Maria Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Gemma Hayes
Rating: 3/5

White Stripes news

Check this out for a novel idea. The White Stripes have created 3,333 limited edition usb drives filled with their new album, Icky Thump.

You can order one here from The White Stripes web store :

There's also more limited edition shenanigans with pre-orders for Icky Thump in CD and LP format. For a limited time, orders for the CD will include a free set of 3 button badges. The LP is double vinyl in a gatefold sleeve and is pressed on 180 Gram vinyl and for a limited time will come with a custom peppermint turntable slip mat. There is also a very limited-edition pressing of the "Icky Thump" single on 12-inch 180 gram vinyl with an etching on the B-side. Only 300 were pressed. Limit one per order.

so if you're a fan get moving, if not, you could make a profit on e-bay.

Ryan Adams live in London review

i didn't make the gig but this review was in the Guardian at the weekend.


Koko, London

Caroline Sullivan
Saturday June 9, 2007
The Guardian

Ryan Adams recently posed a question concerning his new album, Easy Tiger: "I'm feeling this stuff. Is anybody else feeling it?" He had only to look at Koko, so full that half the crowd saw nothing but the backs of taller people's heads, for the answer. Having kept faith with him through personal crises, onstage tipsiness and nine albums of occasionally transcendent alt-country, his fans offer unconditional love.

Capricious as ever, Adams repays it tonight with a short, downbeat set devoid of his notorious pugnacity and, by extension, a sense of event. That's the effect of a year of sobriety - his extraordinarily expressive voice may be reaping the benefit in the form of greater clarity, but gone are the surreal asides and entertaining flightiness.

Article continues

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---

So it's all about the music - and, these days, Adams presents himself not as a solo artist but a member of the five-man Cardinals, to which end he physically plants himself in the middle of the lineup and never steps out front. He is right to share the credit, because the others, especially fabulous pedal-steel player Jon Graboff, shoulder just as much of the load - more, in fact, since a "skateboarding accident" has stopped him playing guitar with the fury that was once his trademark. The rest of his energy, it appears, is being funnelled into singing like a spent, southern-accented angel.

Adams's setlists are traditionally dissected on fan websites, which complain that he failed to play this or that favourite; tonight, he omits all of his UK chart singles in favour of a sedate preview of Easy Tiger and random catalogue picks. The clip-clopping slowness of everything except a tense I See Monsters and the sparkling newbie String of Pearls ultimately robs the show of impact, but doesn't for a moment hide his considerable talent.------------------------------

And from answeringbell.com, here is the set list. Notably he doesn't play Halloween Head or many fan favourites:

Games
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Blue Hotel
The Sun Also Sets
Nightbirds
I Taught Myself How To Grow Old
Carolina Rain
Goodnight Rose
Dear John
Pearls On A String
Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd.
Rip Off
How Do You Keep Love Alive?
I See Monsters

Encore:
My Winding Wheel
Down In A Hole
Two

Listen to the new QOTSA album

The new Queens of the Stone Age album, Era Vulgaris, will hit stores this Tuesday June 12. However, fans can listen to the full-length album on the official site at http://www.QOTSA.com

OFFLINE LISTENING PARTIES:
For those folks living the urban life, check out these listening parties:

Atlanta, GA
June 3rd, 2007
12pm
Starlight Drive-In (2000 Moreland Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30316)

Los Angeles, CA
Monday, June 11th, 2007
8pm
The Woods, 1533 La Brea, Hollywood, CA

San Francisco,CA
Monday, June 11th, 2007
9pm
Fat City, 314 11th Street, San Francisco

Chicago, IL
Monday, June 11th, 2007
11pm
The Liars Club,1665 W. Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL

Seattle, WA
Monday, June 11th, 2007
9pm
Neumo's 925 E Pike St Seattle, WA 98122

Dallas,TX
Monday, June 11th, 2007
10pm
The Cavern,1914 Greenville Ave, Dallas, TX 75206

Baltimore, MD
Monday, June 11th, 2007
10:30pm
Fletcher's Bar, 701 S. Bond St, Baltimore, MD 21231

New York, NY
Monday, June 11th, 2007
9pm
Retox Rock Bar, 511 W. 28th St, NY, NY 10001

infuriatingly addicitve

just discovered this game. Shoot stick men. So hard, yet so compelling. Give it a go.