Videos

New Drug Cabin video: Sapphire

Anybody remember Ambulance LTD? No? Just me? Well I really liked the album they released 11 years ago. Until I did a search I had completely forgotten that I had seen them at Lollapalooza in 2005. Time flies.

The guy from Ambulance has a new band called Drug Cabin with the guitar player from Pretty Girls Make Graves and–from the two songs I’ve heard–the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. If psychedelic singer-songwriter pop music is your bag, you might want to check these guys out.

Video: Drug Cabin – “Sapphire”

Audio: Drug Cabin – “Handsome”

Yard Work is out now and Wiggle Room is due April 7 on 401K Music.

Continue reading New Drug Cabin video: Sapphire

New Sondre Lerche video: Lucky Guy

Video: Sondre Lerche – “Lucky Guy”

It’s hard to believe I’ve been listening to Sondre Lerche for over ten years. Seeing him at the Double Door in Chicago on his Two Way Monologue tour is still one of my all-time favorite concert experiences. The way he connected with the audience was something that went far beyond his heartthrob status at the time. He’s dreamy, for sure, but he’s also super talented and ambitious and he’s never stayed in one spot musically for too long. I saw him a few years ago at Hope College (Sufjan’s alma mater) where he was busting loose with some totally skronky lead guitar action.

This song, “Lucky Guy,” is stripped down and lovely.

Norge!

New Courtney Barnett video: Pedestrian At Best

Video: Courtney Barnett – “Pedestrian At Best”

I was hoping this video would have a happy ending, but — spoiler alert! — no such luck. A great new song from her upcoming album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, due March 24 on Mom+Pop.

Barnett’s Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas was one of my faves of last year after hearing “History Eraser” on satellite radio. That song nailed just about everything I like in my rock and roll: perfect scuzzy slacker folk fuzz. It sounded like it had been written for me. She was great at Lollapalooza last year too. Hopefully she tours a lot for this album because I’d love to see her in a dark club instead of in a “grove” in the middle of the day.

Continue reading New Courtney Barnett video: Pedestrian At Best

New Blues Explosion video, man!

Video: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – “Do The Get Down”

From their upcoming album Freedom Tower – No Wave Dance Party 2015, due on March 24 on Mom+Pop Music. Cool video with lots of crazy clips from NYC public access channels.

I’ve already got my tickets to see these monkeys at the Pyramid Scheme in April. Take a whiff of my pantleg, baby!

Continue reading New Blues Explosion video, man!

Holy Shit! See the Greatest Rock and Roll Photo Come to Life!

Five years ago we discovered the Greatest Rock and Roll Photo Ever and came up with 101 reasons why it was so great. I’ve stared at that photo for hours since then and dreamed of being at that show, sweating in an off-season ski lodge, sipping sodas with teenagers, rocking out to the System!

Well, video footage from that Mount Holly show still has not surfaced, but we’ve got the next best thing. Footage from the same era (bassist Dan Honaker is even wearing the same shirt!) has been posted to YouTube. Three songs from Barry Richards’ “Turn-On” TV show bring our beloved photo to life. It’s so cool to see young Seger tearing it up. And his band was something else. Drummer Pep Perrine (once again sporting his dog collar!) looks like Iggy Pop. Detroit!

Bob Seger System – “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” (live in 1970)

Continue reading Holy Shit! See the Greatest Rock and Roll Photo Come to Life!

Chuck D and Mavis Staples bring the pride in new video

Video: Chuck D – “Give We The Pride” ft. Mavis Staples

Chuck D continues to rule. The Public Enemy leader comes to Chicago to hang out with Mavis Staples and to showcase 2120 South Michigan Avenue, the former home of Chess Records. Also featured prominently in the video is Tribune/Sound Opinions critic Greg Kot’s Mavis biography, I’ll Take You There. Chuck’s new album, The Black In Man, is available now via Rap Central Station.

David Letterman Loves Some Ryan Adams

I’m a Letterman guy; always have been. I would stay up super late on hot summer nights getting fat on PB&J and honing a sense of humor built on Bill Murray and David Letterman. They’re Midwestern guys like me. We’re a bit sarcastic but generally good guys with an honest (earnest?) love of good things.

One of the reasons I love David Letterman is that he isn’t shy about getting geeky on bands he loves. He did it hilariously with Future Islands and now gives a big gap-toothed sweet nothing to Ryan Adams. The song veers way to close to Glenn Frey for my tastes but I can’t help but fall in with Dave’s enthusiasm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmglUwgtHxs

Drunken Prayer – Heigh-Ho Nobody Home

My original forays into freak folk started with Hasil Adkins, who defies genre assignment but personifies the spirit of this strangest of musical styles and really put me on a path of weirdness. Charles Manson’s famous demos ended up on mix tapes and further piqued my curiosity. Charlie’s a wicked man, make no mistake. But there’s something very tender about his demos and “Look at Your Game Girl” is a bona fide cult classic.

Enter: Morgan Geer and his ongoing odyssey, Drunken Prayer. I’ve seen various incarnations of this project from the solo crooner to the neo-Vegas stage show to the psycho freakout mountain holler. Geer covers a lot of ground, and most of it via the ditch.

“Heigh-Ho Nobody Home” is a tasty sampling of his home-style witch’s brew. Geer is DYI all day long and his House of Morgan video series applies his own warped sense to sound and vision. Dig in and sop it up.

Drunken Prayer on Fluff and Gravy Records

The Growlers – Good Advice

Some friends in the know have been trying to turn me onto The Growlers for a while. And really, why have I not been listening? I trust my friends, especially when it comes to music recommendations. Well, I finally got around to it and because I consider you, our readers, friends I implore you to not repeat my mistakes.

This is our music. It’s a bit druggy, a bit psych, a lot cool.

Listen now. Get your shit together. It’s good advice.

And then dig this awesome video:

North American Tour Dates:
09/05 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
09/06 – Denver, CO – Hi Dive
09/08 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck
09/09 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
09/10 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
09/11 – Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
09/12 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
09/13 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore
09/14 – Allston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
09/17 – Providence, RI – Columbus Theatre
09/18 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
09/19 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
09/20 – Washington, DC – Black Cat Mainstage
09/22 – Atlanta, GA – The Earl
09/23 – Nashville, TN – Exit In
09/24 – Memphis, TN – Hi Tone Cafe
09/25 – Dallas, TX – Dada
09/26 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Upstairs
09/27 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn
10/10 – Victoria, BC – Upstairs Cabaret
10/11 – Vancouver, BC – The Rickshaw
10/15 – Seattle, WA – Chop Suey
10/16 – Spokane, WA – The Bartlett
10/17 – Portland, OR – Alhambra Theatre
10/18-19 – San Francisco, CA – Treasure Island Festival
10/25 – Orange County, CA – BEACH GOTH III at The Observatory