Fever Marlene Fire Their First Shots

Fever Malene (MySpace) is the latest product out of Milwaukee, and I assure you they are far more satisfying that MGB. The duo have made Milwaukee their home after meeting in Madison, Wisconsin with stopovers in Hollywood and Chicago. Apparently, the land of Miller was conducive to their creative process, because they have put together a gem of a debut album in, Civil War. The album is available here to purchase, or you can purchase a digital copy on iTunes. Their minimalist approach to music rings of the White Stripes infused the melodies of Ben Folds to create wonderfully simplistic and sincere pop songs. Here are a few or my favorites, and you can stream the entire album through the band's website.

Red Fire (mp3)
All the Kites in the World (mp3)
Civil War (mp3)

Name Your Price For Paste Magazine

That's right, Paste magazine is taking a cue from a number of bands, most notably Radiohead, and allowing potential customers to name their price ($1.00 minimum) for a year's subscription. Each edition comes with a cd and/or dvd of new music. You had better act soon though, b/c the offer is only good for the next two weeks. See below for the current cd sampler.

Paste Magazine

Another Month, Another Ryan Adams Release

Granted it has been out a week or so now, but I have just gotten around to giving it a listen. After three full length albums and a double album in the last two years, Ry Ry is slowing down by releasing a seven song EP, Follow the Lights. Three of the tracks are new versions of previously released songs, and another is a cover. "Dear John," one of the finest songs on the Jacksonville City Nights record is presented here as a live studio take, and it retains all the vulnerability of the original. It is definitely one of the highlights of the record. The other live studio version comes from Ryan's Cold Roses double LP. It was by far one of the best songs on the bloated original record, and while this stripped down version does not lack emotion, it doesn't quite match the original for me. "Blue Hotel," one of the albums original recordings rings of Ryan's early Whiskeytown days with flares of Jacksonville City Nights. "My Love for You is Real," is a beautiful ballad in true Ryan Adams fashion and will certainly be featured on countless mixed tapes; err cds. The Cardinal's version of "This is It" is certainly an improvement on the original from Ryan's Rock N Roll departure album, but not surprising, it is still my least favorite track on the EP. The title track, "Follow the Lights," sounds as if it could have easily been included on the Gold record, which, for me, mean that it definitely qualifies as one of my favorites. Finally, I love a cover song that is a fresh take on the original, and "Down in a Hole" sounds as if it could have been written by or for Ryan. It will only take one listen to realize that his heart and soul was put into the recording of the song.

Follow The Lights (mp3)

Down In A Hole (mp3)

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As an aside, if you haven't checked out Ryan's website lately you really should. It certainly isn't the easiest to navigate, but if you happen to find your way to the Links page, you will find links to the official websites of Dokken, Slayer, & Celtic Frost among others. Pretty damn funny. Look harder and you'll find a selection of live shows you can listen to track by track.

Intramural - Buy This Record Now!

Alright people, the Intramural record has been out now for nearly a week, and if you haven't checked it out, much less bought it, what are you waiting for?? Seriously, there is not a bad song on the record. I'm very picky about my electro-pop/rock and many of the featured artists may only be recognized by indie hipsters, but this isn't a bad thing. By giving this record a chance you could be turned on to a whole new group of artists. Though the styles differ, the record itself is seamless from one song to the next.

The record opens with an explosion of rock via the epic chorus of "My, My Tennessee" delivered by The Pink Spiders' Matt Friction. "From the Ground" with John Roderick, could pass for the Catherine Wheel at their best. "Grows Stronger" starts with a sparse female vocal thanks to Leta Lucy sounding somewhere between Portishead and Imogen Heap before smoothly transitioning into a ethereal piece of electro-pop beauty. TJ Penzone's vocals on "Rocket" will appeal to fans as diverse as the emo crowd to those of Justin Timberlake (give it a chance before you dismiss it). Minipop's Tricia Kanne and her fragile sounding voice provide a perfect paradox to the song "Spy." The opening of the lone song without vocals, "Inspired," hearkens to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, with a subtle dialog sample before filling the air with strings and piano set to an artful but tranquil beat. Finally, the title track, "This is a Landslide," opens with pops and hisses akin to an old record before giving way to a slow dark velvet covered piano driven groove enveloped by Greg Dulli's haunting voice; perfect for a late night glass of red wine.

My, My, Tennessee (featuring Matt Friction of The Pink Spiders) (mp3)

Spy (featuring Tricia Kanne of Minipop) (mp3)

This Is A Landslide (featuring Greg Dulli of The Twilight Singers) (mp3)

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One Of The Reasons My Blogging Has Been Suffering

We recently rescued a dog from Happy Tales, a local animal shelter, and named her Gracie. It can be tough to type while your fingers are being gnawed on.


Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (mp3)

R.I.P. Porter Wagoner

Country music, and music in general, lost a legend over the weekend as the venerable Porter Wagoner succumbed to lung cancer at the age of 80.

This one is for you Porter, courtesy of the late Townes Van Zandt: Lungs (mp3)

Porter's remarkable career spanned more than 50 years. Best known for his flamboyant suits, his long running variety show, The Porter Wagoner Show, and often credited for launching the career of Dolly Parton, Porter was a fixture of the Grand Ole Opry and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Like Johnny Cash, Porter had become a relic tossed aside by the industry until earlier this year when he released the stunning, Wagonmaster, with friend Marty Stuart at the helm. Not only was he again relative, but he was introduced to a new generation of music fans. The following three tracks are taken from Wagonmaster, and are offered up with the utmost respect.

Harold Dee (mp3)

Committed To Parkview (mp3)

The Late Love of Mine (mp3)

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It Is Futile To Attempt To Resist The Black Kids

Jacksonville, Florida has been responsible for some highs and lows in the history of music. Most notably, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Regardless of your own personal feelings about the band, their place in Southern Rock is etched in stone. On the other hand, the First Coast must also accept responsibility for the multi-platinum pile of shit known as Limp Bizkit. But I digress. Most recently, a five piece band calling themselves Black Kids are generating a ton of buzz; and for good reason. That reason is great pop songs with a retro vibe that has you drinking Jolt cola and lining your arm with Swatch watches. Their sound is at times a mix of the Cure and Joy Division, only with the drugs working to lighten your mood instead of driving you deeper into your darkness. So if quality pop songs with spot-on synth 80's melodies are your forte, or if you are just looking to reminisce to the sounds of the alternative 80's without digging out your early Berlin records, I've got the band for your. All songs below are taken from their self-released Wizard of Ahhs EP and are free to download from the bands MySpace page. The remix, is not included on the EP, it is what it is.

Hit the Heartbreaks

I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Hurricane Jane

I've Underestimated My Charm (Again)

Hurricane Jane (Beige remix)

House of Brothers

Elliot Smith fans don't despair. Though new music from the sadly deceased singer-songwriter keeps appearing at the same rate as that of Tupac, there are new artists out there carrying on his legacy while building their own. One such artist is Andrew Jackson. Despite, sharing the name of a Tennessee legend, this singer-songwriter hails from across the pond in Nottingham, UK and performs under the name House of Brothers. The softness and sensitivity of his voice, both physically and lyrically, also bring to mind that of Iron & Wine's Sam Bean as well as Nick Drake.

The debut EP, Deadman, is scheduled for a November 26 release in the UK. You can order it here.

They are currently offering the title track as a free download, and I'm throwing in an extra track for good measure.

Deadman (mp3)

Lose Yourself (mp3)

Free Glossary Album Download

The new album, featuring one of the best album covers of the year, from the Murfreesboro, Tennessee based Glossary (MySpace), The Angels of Our Nature, was officially released as a limited edition cd (250 initial copies) on limited edition steel grey or brick red. You can order the cd via their online store. The band is still offering the entire album as a download for free, which takes considerably more balls than multi-platinum bands doing the same. The album is a terrific taste of tight southern rock with soul to spare. Seriously this is a damn good record.

So download the album, and if you like what you hear, buy the cd. Here's a couple of track for you to sample while you are waiting for your cd to arrive or while you are waiting for the zip file of the entire album to finish downloading.

Only Time Will Tell

Little Caney

Introducing "Your 33 Black Angels"

This is a story of a little known New York band, heavily influenced, or so they sound by historic New York band, the Velvet Underground. These five gentlemen decided to call themselves Your 33 Black Angels (MySpace). They released a quiet little independent LP last year called Lonely Street on numbered vinyl. The buzz began to grow and eventually they pressed a cd of the record. Before long, they got some love from a former full-time music journalist by the name of David Fricke, who now just happened to work himself up to Senior Editor in a little monthly magazine you might have heard of, Rolling Stone.

Sample the following tracks for yourself and check more streaming songs on their MySpace page where you can also order the cd.

I Took a Deep Breath
Psycho on Your Side

Monday Mellow Music Mix

for a damp and dreary day. Please pardon this post's persistent and continual consonance.

No One's Gonna Love You (Band of Horses)

Dress Blues (Jason Isbell)

Thrash Unreal (Ben Lee)

Resurrection Fern (Iron & Wine)

Start a War (The National)

Lifeline (Ben Harper)

Sublime (The Twilight Singers)

My Dearest Friend (Devendra Banhart)

I Shall Be Released (Jack Johnson with Alo)

One Little Song (Gillian Welch)

Paperweight (Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk)

"This is a Landslide" to drop October 23.

Intramural is the brainchild of Denver Dalley, former guitarist for the Conor Oberst led Desaparecidos and frontman for Statistics, and co-producer Sam Shacklock that has been more than four years in the making. The ten tracks of electro-acoustic-rock to be release under the name This is a Landslide, each feature a different vocalist. To round out the sound of the album Dalley enlisted the help of artists including fellow Nashvillian and Pink Spiders' (MySpace) Matt Friction on the rocking "My My Nashville," and the dark, sultry and tortured strains of Greg Dulli (MySpace)on the title track. The genre bending album features the following tracks (unfortunately only one album track is floating around out there, "From the Ground" linked below via Stereogum).

1. My My, Tennessee (with Matt Friction of Pink Spiders)

2. Queens of Comparison (with Judah Nagler of The Velvet Teen)

3. From the Ground (with John Roderick of the Long Winters)

4. This is a Landslide (with Greg Dulli of the Twilight Singers)

5. Grows Stronger (with Leta Lucy)

6. Folded (with Gabe Archer of the Pale Pacific)

7. Rocket (with TJ Penzone of Men, Women and Children)

8. Spy (with Tricia Kanne of Minipop)

9. Nights Are Long (with Josh Dawson of Slender Means)

10. Inspired

11. Needle Point (with Teresa Eggers of the Evening Episode)

However, the non-album track, but equally impressive, "Impairment Begins With The First Drink" featuring vocals by Teeter Sperber from LadybiRdS is also available via Stereogum.

For a few more sneak peaks, visit the Twilight Singers MySpace page where "This is a Landslide" is currently streaming. Intramural's Myspace page is currently stream four tracks including the smoking lead track, "My My Nashville."

Go ahead an order the album NOW from Slowdance Records in case your local independent record store didn't have the foresight to stock what I think could be one of the most exciting releases of the year.

Red Collar True To Their Roots (Updated)

photo by Dave Jones

Red Collar (MySpace) are a five piece post-punk outfit following in the footsteps of a number of successful & revered indie bands out of Chapel Hill. Their debut, "The Hands Up EP," mixes pop hooks with a punk attitude fusing the best elements of Fugazi, Jaxbox and local faves Superchunk. You can't call them pop, you can't call them rock, and you can't completely call them punk, but you can call them a damn fine up and coming band out of an area known for its music. They prove that new music can still be smart and mean something. Their buzz landed them a SXSW showcase earlier in the year. The group will enter the studio with producer Brian Paulson (Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, Superchunk, Dinonsaur Jr.) to work on their debut LP later this year. Until then, check out these tracks and if you like what you hear, grab their EP and try to catch them in and around the mid-Atlantic over the next few months. Hopefully a wider tour will soon follow allowing them to bring their music to the masses.

Hands Up (lyrics)

Used Guitars (lyrics)

Stay (lyrics)

Witching Hour (lyrics)

The Third Saturday in October - GO VOLS!

Just another fall day for many, but to college football aficionados and particularly to fans of the University of Tennessee Volunteers and the Alabama Crimson Tide, this day is a holy day. A day by which your season and thus the rest of the year is measured. Sure there are bigger games for both teams, but none that possesses the history and fanfare. This is the game that legends are made of. The series began in 1901 in Birmingham, a game that ended in a 6-6 tie, and has marked over the last 30 years by long winning streaks by one team or the other. Currently Alabama holds the edge in the series with 44 victories to Tennessee's 38, with 7 ties. Legendary Alabama coach Paul "Bear" Bryant held a commanding 16-7-2 record against Tennessee
while storied Tennessee coach General Robert Neyland held an equally impressive 12-5-2 record against Alabama. Current Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer owns an even more impressive 11-3 all-time mark against the Crimson Tide including a 3-1 record at Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium.

A few interesting quotes

"You never know what a football player is made of until he plays against Alabama.", Legendary Tennessee Coach Bob Neyland.

"He literally knocked the door down. I mean right off its hinges. A policeman came in and asked who knocked the door down, and Coach Bryant said, "I did". The policeman just said "Okay" and walked off." Jerry Duncan describing an irate Bryant after a 7-7 tie with Tennessee.

Music Please Maestro

Rocky Top (Osborne Brothers)
Can't Shake Knoxville (Scott Miller)
Alabama Bound (Scott Miller)
Diggin' Up Bear (Unknown)

The NEW Hype Machine

Apparently, the Hype Machine is launching a new site. They are however, delaying the launch until they have 10,000 simultaneous visitors. A little egotistical or just a good promotion? I'll let you make the call. Anyway, follow the link and leave your browser window open so we can get a look at the new design.

Fugazi - Waiting Room (Live)

Just a Coincidence

Like I said, it is nothing but a coincidence that my last post came on the same day as the Cult (MySpace) released Born Into This, their first studio album in 6 years. I'm sad to say that I haven't enjoyed anything they've released since before I could drive. The tracks I've heard off the new record seem to be an improvement over Ceremony forward, but still nothing that really grabs me. However, the three albums they released between 1985 and 1989 were among the best of the late eighties. With the look and flair of Ian Astbury, the comparisons to Jim Morrison were inevitable, but tiresome and Billy Duffy's grinding guitar and knack for riffs invited critiques with relation to Led Zeppelin. While the Cult as a band were clearly never modern peers of the afore mentioned bands, they were a hybrid creation of the Doors, Zep, & AC/DC as well as other influences that saw the band morph from their early goth days as the Southern Death Cult into a hard rocking band with alternative street cred. The band continued to change over the four year span covered here, from the new wave goth remnants present on Love, to the stripped down raw rock of Electric, and finally to the polished area rock of Sonic Temple.

Lest their legacy be forgotten or worse tarnished by later releases, here are selections from their heyday. And don't just take my word on the new record, try a few tracks on for size and, who knows, they may suit you better than they did me.

Love
Nirvana
Love
Rain
She Sells Sanctuary (Long Version)

Electric
Aphrodisiac Jacket
Electric Ocean
Love Removal Machine (Peace Remix)

Sonic Temple
Sun King
Sweet Soul Sister
Soul Asylum

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Country Music Stars Challenge Al-Qaeda With Patriotic New Song ‘Bomb New York’

Country Music Stars Challenge Al-Qaeda With Patriotic New Song 'Bomb New York'

New Radiohead out October 10

That's right, over the weekend, a new page appeared touting a new Radiohead album titled In Rainbows. The reaction across the vast internetS varied from skepticism to cautious optimism to sheer joy. But it is true, the band that tends to re-create itself every so often without let-down is releasing their first studio album since 2003's Hail to the Thief. Lest anyone still doubt the validity of the announcement, I refer to you the following post from Jonny Greenwood on the Radiohead's Dead Air Space page on October 1st.

Hello everyone.

Well, the new album is finished, and it's coming out in 10 days;

We've called it In Rainbows.

Love from us all.

Jonny

Most shockingly of all, the band is offering the album in two formats.

Discbox

THIS CONSISTS OF THE NEW ALBUM, IN RAINBOWS, ON CD
AND ON 2 X 12 INCH HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL RECORDS.
A SECOND, ENHANCED CD CONTAINS MORE NEW SONGS, ALONG WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK.
THE DISCBOX ALSO INCLUDES ARTWORK AND LYRIC BOOKLETS.
ALL ARE ENCASED IN A HARDBACK BOOK AND SLIPCASE.

THE ALBUM DOWNLOAD AUTOMATICALLY COMES WITH THIS PACK.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FILE DIGITALLY FROM THE 10TH OCTOBER 2007.

DISCBOXES ARE BEING MADE TO ORDER AND ARE PRICED AT £40.00 INCLUDING POSTAGE.
SHIPPING WILL BEGIN ON OR BEFORE 3RD DECEMBER 2007.

And a Digital Download which will be available for download on October 10. Here's the crazy deal, the band is allowing fans to name their price for the digital downloads. That's right, you can download the album for free or you can decide what you will pay and/or can afford.

I have avoided listening to any of the new material that has been played live so that my first listen to the album will be my first impression. Therefor, NO MP3'S FOR YOU.

Well, maybe an older one, here's
Nice Dreams (The Bends)

Relax, live versions of many of the new songs are easy enough to find on elbo.ws or The Hype Machine.

A True Nashville Murder Mystery

The story of one of the South's most infamous and drawn out murder mysteries is coming to paperback on Tuesday, October 2 with the release of An Unfinished Canvas: A True Story of Love, Family, and Murder in Nashville. Most everyone living in the Nashville, TN area over the last 10 years is surely quite familiar with the tragic story of a promising young artist who mysteriously disappeared from her wealthy suburban home more than 10 years ago. Her husband, a prominent local attorney, initially alleged that she left following an argument.

What followed was a made-for-tv story full of court proceedings and the prime suspect, husband Perry March, moving first to Chicago and then to Mexico and taking the couple's children with him. Speculation swirled for years, including features on 48 Hours and Nancy Grace, but the evidence was never there to indict March. That was until about a year ago, and thanks to the tireless work of two detectives. Below are a couple of excerpts from recent reviews. Also, the authors of the book will be taking part in a book signing event and the Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Green Hill on Tuesday, Oct 2 from 6 until 7 p.m.

From the Sunday, September 30th edition of The Tennessean, reviewer Shannon Thurman writes:

With their new book, An Unfinished Canvas: A True Story of Love, Family, and Murder in Nashville, local writers Michael Glasgow and Phyllis Gobbell have created a tense saga that fully paints the amazing series of events that make up the Janet March murder case.

The authors portray the complex details of the case, which stretch along a 10-year timeline, in a tightly constructed present-tense account. It's easy to feel as though the reader is peeping through a window as the case unfolds.

From the September 27th edition of the Nashville Scene, reviewer Chris Scott writes:

Even more than people love a violent family drama, they love a murder mystery. And even more than they love a murder mystery, they love to see the rich and powerful self-destruct. So the country sat up and noticed 11 years ago when Janet March disappeared, and suspicion immediately fell on her husband, Perry. Now the first book about the case has been published. In the aptly titled An Unfinished Canvas: A True Story of Love, Family, and Murder in Nashville (Berkley, 384 pp., $7.99), Nashvillians Michael Glasgow and Phyllis Gobbell paint a portrait of a man who, if not for his arrogance, could have gotten away with murder.

You can currently pre-order the book from any of the major online sellers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If your local book store does not have a copy in stock, kindly ask them to order it and to keep a few on the shelves.

You didn't think I would leave you without some theme music now did you?
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Song of Joy (Murder Ballads)
Johnny Cash - Delia's Gone (Mono) (Love, God, Murder)