Monday Music Roundup

The Grammys were on last night, and even though I watched them, I felt just as disconnected from the alleged art contained within them as ever. I went to the Grammys in 2003 in NYC and at the time was struck by what a spectacle, what a circus it was. It was barely about the music, more about the fashion, the pyrotechnics, the manufactured emotion of the mini-crowd they select to run down to the front, wild in their staged arm-waving enthusiasm -- trying to inject an emotion into the show that doesn't exist in the natural state.

The queen of the evening Amy Winehouse looked addled, twiggy, and uncertain with what to do with her limbs while she skittered through her material (scaring the bejesus out of half the folks watching her, asking their spouse over the beats, "Who is this Amy Winehouse gal? And why did she win all those awards?"). Lackluster performances reigned; even Feist was not represented as gloriously as she should have been (where was the rainbow colored dancing? that would have been better than that painful Beatles medley with the walking umbrella and the flying culotte lady that I thought was Heather Mills). I was surprised to find Kanye West's performance the most potent of the night; his inspired collab with Daft Punk lead into a wrenching, broken tribute to his mama that added Kanye onto the short list of people that have made me cry this month (how did that happen?!).

Anyways, score one for the corporate death of music that makes me feel anything inside. Yep, pretty cheerful around here today.


Here are five tunes for you to spin this week:

Up Against The Glass
The Botticellis
The musical byproduct of communal living in the Outer Richmond district of San Francisco, indie pop-surf band The Botticellis impressed me when I saw them at NoisePop last year opening for Cake. They've got a tight, sunny, '60s sound saturated with multihued orchestral melodies. I'd posted an earlier version of this addictive little song last year; it's now revisioned for their debut album on the Oakland, CA label Antenna Farm. Check out the vintage, analog sound of the album Old Home Movies when it comes out May 13. They're playing some Bay Area shows in the coming months and also will be at SXSW.

Grounds For Divorce
Elbow
Among the bands with weird noun names (Spoon, Aqueduct, Sponge, what have you) Manchester band Elbow is the only one who would be taken on a desert island with John Cale. Not a bad endorsement. This radio rip of the first single from Elbow's upcoming 4th album The Seldom Seen Kid (due on the UK's Fiction Records, home of Stephen Fretwell and Ian Brown's latests) is a haunting, gospelly blues track with a guttural punch and stomp. It sounds downright epic to these ears. [thx]


Transliterator
DeVotchka
The soundtrack to last year's excellent Little Miss Sunshine brought some well-deserved acclaim to Denver quartet DeVotchKa. Since spinning those quirky, inventive, whistle and theremin-laden tunes for the film, DeVotchKa has signed to -Anti Records, and their album A Mad And Faithful Telling is due March 18th. This first single doesn't sound like much else I've heard lately, spinning dizzily by the end as we discuss someone who won't mean what they say or say what they mean. I feel confused, but I like the effect. You can stream more new stuff on their website.

Song of Love/Narayana
Kula Shaker
Hazy and trippy as ever, London's Kula Shaker always get lumped into the Britpop header, but really, why? Reformed in 2005 after six years apart, their recognizable Indian chanting and psychedelic overtones remain intact on this "new" song from the album Strangefolk. Released last year in the UK, this one slipped past me originally, but is finally gearing up for a US release on Cooking Vinyl next week. The band is still steadfast in their belief that love can save the world, and this cut bends eras and genres. It builds slowly but is solidly good; have a listen.


Return To Me
Glen Phillips
As a pretty hearty fan of Toad The Wet Sprocket throughout the Nineties, I'm always trying to keep up with the quality, heart-warming output of the various band members since their 1998 official disbanding. Of the projects, frontman Glen Phillips has consistently grabbed my ears with his literate and earnest solo output. On tour now, Glen played last night at the Fox Theatre in Boulder (and I was sad to miss it but had just been there Saturday night for the scathingly funny rock of Mr. Matt Nathanson). One of my kind readers notified me that there's a new EP Secrets Of The New Explorers up for download on his website, the follow-up to Mr. Lemons, his strong 2006 full-length. This winsome track is a free download and there are more like it for mere dollars.


Okay and this is getting long today but -- can we file this final PS under things that make me say "hmmmm"?

I was at the auto parts store yesterday (brake light out, as two nice construction workers let me know at a stoplight the other day) and I saw this keychain breathalyzer dealie for 39 bucks by the register. I found it highly amusing that it claims to have "Hundreds of Uses."

Um, actually? I am pretty sure it has just one.

That's all. Rock on.

Monday Music Roundup

"Mom, I find it interesting that you refer to the Weekly World News as . . . 'The Paper.' The paper contains facts."

(Scottish accent) "This paper contains facts. And this paper has the eighth highest circulation in the whole wide world. Right? Plenty of facts. 'Pregnant man gives birth.' That's a fact."

The Weekly World News published its swansong final issue today, and of course when I read about it this morning, I fondly thought of one of my favorite Nineties movies -- the San Francisco-filmed, Mike Myers acted, boppy-indie-rock soundtracked, So I Married An Axe Murderer. If you've seen it, you likely remember that quote above between Charlie McKenzie and his momma.

With the WWN gone, where will I turn now for my checkout line perusal needs? I guess it's all news of Lohan and Britney for me from here on out. I kind of prefer stories of alien babies and massive political/religious conspiracies. Bah.

Here's your recommended weekly musical allowance:

Brother
Toad The Wet Sprocket
Since we're talking about So I Married An Axe Murderer, here's my vote for the best dang song off that soundtrack. Maybe you are singing, "There sheeeeee goes..." in your head right now (The underrated La's), or maybe "One two princes kneel before you - that's what I said now" (the not-underrated Spin Doctors). But this Toad The Wet Sprocket tune from the soundtrack remains a superb Toad b-side, possibly the best track off this album and also off the In Light Syrup rarities compilation. "Brother" always makes me feel really happy inside, from that ebullient opening melody through the heartfelt lyrics of brotherly love. A great one - put it on your next mixtape.


Pass The Buck
Stereophonics
The new Stereophonics album Pull The Pin is an absolute supernova. I've been listening to the forthcoming album from these Welsh rockers all weekend and I woke up with this particular track in my head. Whenever that happens -- a song rising unbidden to my mental jukebox player first thing in the morning -- that means it's gotten inside me and I need to write something about it. This is a cocky, flippant, unyielding tune that just makes you feel like the coolest person in the room, with backing vocals on the verses that invoke a surprising bit of catchy bubblegum goodness. Maybe I'm the only one who hears this, but the chorus of this track reminds me a bit of Aerosmith's "Dude (Looks Like A Lady)." They're not the same, but they enjoy standing next to each other.

Stereo
Parker Mosli
I was catching up with Fuel-favorite Bay Area musician Jake Troth, and was really pleased by the danceable melodies and late-night beats of his new side project, Parker Mosli. This project is a collaboration between Jake (who's also been busy writing a melody featured on the new album of pals Rogue Wave) and fellow relocated Charlotte, NC native Joshua Panda. Recommended for fans of !!! and Mark Ronson, but with some indulgent hand-clappy goodness - love it. They've got some more tunes on their MySpace and an EP available.


100 Days 100 Nights
Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings
Remember my rant on Dreamgirls a few weeks ago? This song is exactly what I would have loved to see in that film, except this tune is a modern day confection that just sounds like it was made in the '50s. Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings (what a fun band name) hit the Brooklyn music scene in 2002 with their own brand of swinging retro funk and soul, sounding like no one else right now. They're also the backing band on Amy Winehouse's Back to Black album and (stalled) tour. Retro is so hot right now. Their latest full length album, 100 Days, 100 Nights, will be out October 2nd on Daptone Records, and is worth buying just for the subtle fun of that cover alone.

Hollywood
Collective Soul
My sister is moaning in agony right now that I am writing about Collective Soul. We kind of had an unspoken pact growing up in the "Shine" era that if either of us ever liked Collective Soul, then the other person should immediately kill us. Sorry, but that song got pretty dang annoying in the summer of 1994. I've been out of the loop on the rest of their output, so I could be very, very wrong -- because I will freely admit that I find this song absolutely irresistible. I am looking forward to hearing the rest of their new album Afterwords, out tomorrow on El Records and, somehow, through Target.

We go side by side / Laugh until it's right :: Toad The Wet Sprocket at the Warfield, 12/17/2002

I am so glad I dusted this delightful little set off. It's been a while since I listened to it, but this was a fantastic show I attended in 2002; I remember being supremely excited about the high school dream-pairing lineup of Toad/Counting Crows (and went to two shows of the five-show run). Both bands were top notch.

After formally disbanding in 1998 (after over a decade of making music together), Toad The Wet Sprocket reunited for a string of shows, opening for Counting Crows in San Francisco during one of the Crows' December runs at the Warfield. Despite being the opening act and only having 45 minutes to play, this is an excellent setlist full of songs that perfectly align with what I would have hand-picked if they had asked my opinion. It's a night of rosy memories -- I saw the show with two of my longtime best friends, and I recall having dinner before the concert at a fantastic tiny little Italian restaurant that I've never been able to recall or find ever again. Blame it on the red wine.

Toad The Wet Sprocket
December 17, 2002
The Warfield, SF

01. Something's Always Wrong
02. Woodburning
03. Crowing
04. Windmills
05. See You Again
06. Falling
07. Brother (oh, I love this song)
08. Fall Down
09. Amnesia
10. Crazy Life
11. Walk On The Ocean

TOAD SHOW AS ZIP FILE

Happy birthday John Lennon

John Lennon would have been 66 today (had he not been shot by obsessed fan Mark David Chapman in 1980). He was only 40 when he died, and I've sometimes wondered what other wonderful music he had still within him.

I figure the occasion of his entrance into this world (with a bang - he was born during a German aid raid over Liverpool the night of October 9-10, 1940) is a fine reason to post some covers off the Working Class Hero: A Tribute To John Lennon album (1995, Hollywood Records). It's an eclectic little snapshot of the musical environment of the mid-90s, with some spiffy covers & interesting interpretations.

Also speaking of covers, Coverville has a John Lennon covers podcast for free download as well.

Instant Karma! - Toad The Wet Sprocket

Nobody Told Me - The Flaming Lips

I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier - Mad Season
(featuring Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees)

Power To The People - The Minus 5
(Scott McCaughey with members of R.E.M., The Posies, and Wilco & The Decemberists - in various incarnations)

Also, you may be interested in reading my post on the 25th anniversary of his death last year, which has an active download link to a demo version of my favorite Lennon solo song -- one of the most gorgeous recordings you will ever hear: earnest and yearning and raw and perfect.

Toad the Wet Sprocket: Summer tour dates & selected songs

Toad the Wet Sprocket is out on the road again! Yes, you heard me right. If you remember them from the '90s (or even if the name is brand-new to you) you should try and catch them on tour. I cannot begin to articulate into words the extent and the depth of my love for Toad The Wet Sprocket throughout my teen years, and let's be honest - right up to today. They have definitely made a few of my desert island discs (but don't ask me to pick which ones. Can I make a Toad mix to take along?).

I know the name of the band is silly (from Monty Python), but don't let it stop you if you've never discovered this Santa Barbara foursome that has been making music together since their wee high-school days.

I gave them a spin the other day and they still sound as fresh and listenable and full-of-goodness as they ever did. Some of the really early stuff sounds kind of, well -- late '80s, but they were still in high school when they recorded that for the most part. It's better than anything I made in high school, personally. All their mid-'90s stuff is very warm and rich-sounding pop, heavy on harmonies, with well-written lyrics often aching with vulnerability (as we all did in those years).

Oh, Matt Nathanson is opening a few of the West Coast shows.

TOUR DATES
July 13: Westbury, New York (North Fork Theater; w/Big Head Todd)
July 14: Hyannis, Mass. (Cape Cod Melody Tent; w/Big Head Todd)
July 15: Cohasset, Mass. (South Shore Music Circus; w/Big Head Todd)
July 16: Atlantic City, New Jersey (Borgata Music Box; w/Big Head Todd)
July 18: Cleveland, Ohio (Tower City Amphitheater; w/Big Head Todd)
July 19: Columbus, Ohio (Promowest Pavilion; w/Big Head Todd)
July 20: Cincinatti, Ohio (Moonlight Gardens; w/Glen Phillips solo)
July 21: St. Louis, Missouri (Live on the Landing; w/Big Head Todd)
July 22: Council Bluff, Iowa (Star Cove; w/Glen Phillips solo)
July 23: Kansas City, Missouri (Uptown Theater; with LUCE & Sister Hazel)
July 27: Santa Barbara, CA (Marjorie Luke Theater - Rape Crisis Center Benefit)
Aug. 9: Eagle, Idaho (Eagle Knoll Winery; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 10: Spokane, Wash. (The Big Easy; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 11: Veneta, Ore. (Secret House Vineyard; w/Big Head Todd)
Aug. 13: Arlington, Wash. (River Meadows Park; w/Big Head Todd)
Aug. 14: Seattle, Wash. (The Moore Theatre; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 16: Saratoga, Calif. (Mountain Winery; w/Big Head Todd)
Aug. 17: Saratoga, Calif. (Mountain Winery; w/Big Head Todd)
Aug. 18: Reno, Nev. (Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch)
Aug. 19: Santa Ana, Calif. (Galaxy Theatre; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 21: Los Angeles, Calif. (Mayan Theatre; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 22: Cabazon, Calif. (Key Club at Morongo; w/Matt Nathanson)
Aug. 23: San Diego, Calif. (Humphrey's; w/Big Head Todd)


If you want to heed me and give them a shot (and oh, how you should), I've tried to narrow down a few of my favorite selections here from each of their albums. There is SO MUCH MORE than the radio hits "Walk On The Ocean" and "Fall Down":

BREAD & CIRCUS (1988)
Know Me (especially the intro)
Covered in Roses (a look at fame; building cadences, drum-marching beat)


PALE (1990)
Liars Everywhere (melancholy little two minutes of perfection)
Jam (TTWS takes a shot at the same lyrical ground that Pearl Jam covered with "Daughter" - that is, if you can understand through the early-'90s-mumble)


FEAR (1991)
Nightingale Song (tambourines & sublime harmonies, with fantastic lyrics like "We might be different but our hearts won't lie")
I Will Not Take These Things For Granted ("How can I hold the part of me that only you can carry?" A very simple and pure love song)


DULCINEA (1994)
Crowing (This is a wonderful song, but now it makes me chuckle in a self-effacing way for the dozens of time I listened to it my sophomore year of high school over a certain high-drama relationship)
Windmills (A song that somehow perfectly captures its subject matter. I can see a hillside of windmills in my head whenever I hear this. "We go side by side, laugh until it's right")


IN LIGHT SYRUP (rarities/b-sides, 1995)
Brother (this is a phenomenal song, it is impossible to not smile when I hear this. One of the few few songs written about a brother that's not lame or melodramatic)
Good Intentions (I think this one somehow ended up on the "Friends" soundtrack, sheer pop goodness)


COIL (1997)
Whatever I Fear (I had forgotten how much I liked this final release by Toad, this song is a great example)
Throw It All Away (a song to celebrate the simple joys in life; "Tear up the calendar you bought, throw the pieces to the sky . . . Confetti fallin' down like rain, like a parade to usher in your life.")


And yes: SOME FAVORITE TOAD SONGS IN A ZIP FILE.
Take a listen and let's chat about Toad.


Related links:
Toad the Wet Sprocket show from Sony Studios in 1995
from the Live Music Archive, in mp3 format.

Solo Glen Phillips show from Jammin' Java in D.C., 8/30/05
from the Live Music Archive, in mp3 format.

New live Toad album is out from circa 1992

Glen blogs too!