On January 2nd, 2010, this long-gestating CD will have its release.  I’ve been working on writing, recording, and pressing this project since July of 2008.  I am honored and grateful to have had so many people work with me on this project over the past year and a half, and it feels good to finally be able to send it out on its own two legs into the great wide world.  It’s a concept album of sorts, or maybe more of a song cycle, but they are all drawn from two traditional folk songs (also recorded on the album), “Lady Margaret” and “Fennario”.  Both of these songs have been widely covered over many years, so I sought to find what it was about these songs and others that draw from such ancient roots that appeals to so many.  It’s about the nature of the many-splintered arms of folk music and how the same song could hold layers and layers of meaning.

The Concept

Fennario and Lady Margaret serve as source material, and each of the 12 songs that fill out the record are based off of a single verse of one of the two songs.  Words, characters, themes, and echoes of the songs appear in the new songs, tying them together into a single fabric.  Lady Margaret and Sweet William, the two principal characters, move through this little pocket universe showing the changing faces of the tragic love affairs in the original two songs.  Or something like that.  In any case, there’s love, war, desperation, peace, futility, pain, release, and more contained there in the midst.

Track Listing

1.  Lady Margaret (Traditional)

2.  Margo and Karen

3.  Weeping My Blood

4.  Decadent Man

5.  Here Come Rapunzel

6.  How I Came To Build My Home Beneath the Roses

7.  Seaside Tower

8.  Fennario (Traditional)

9.  Love That You Lost

10.  Song Z

11.  Wrong Side

12.  the Ballad of Dargha Dalanash

13.  When I Go

14.  Empty Image of the War

I hope that anyone who can make it out January 2nd to Snug Harbor, will.

Chris Steude

“Bones Kednig”

by: Randi M.

A Fan Shows His Rebirth Album. (Click for source.)

The release date of Lil Wayne’s Rebirth album was pushed back to February, but some fans got a nice Christmas surprise. A slip-up by Amazon resulted in 500 pre-ordered Rebirth cds being delivered to fans. Amazon hasn’t released a statement regarding this mistake.

Weezy will also have to go to court in February for his sentencing for his charge of criminal possession of a weapon.

Blakroc's self-titled debut.

As if The Black Keys prolific release schedule wasn’t enough, they decided to enlist the aid of Damon Dash of Rocafella Records to record one of the most comprehensive rap/rock collaborations which was released late last month for those who might have missed it.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have created probably one of the only rap/rock albums that doesn’t dive head first into the rap metal laden apocalypse that predates their efforts. With eleven different rap artists, including the late ‘Ol Dirty Bastard, Blakroc uses everything from the weed-laced lyrics of Jim Jones and the RZA to the soulful singing of Nicole Wray. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’ve liked any of the Black Keys stuff in the past and are a fan of east coast rappers like the RZA and Mos Def. You can download it from amazon.com for $7.99. Also, check out their performances on David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon below for a taste.

Cold War Kids. Picture taken by nevbrown.

After two soulful full lengths which infused piano driven ballads with indie rock, Cold War Kids are releasing a new EP entitled Behave Yourself on December 21 exclusively on iTunes. The first single off of the album is titled “Audience” and seems to be more in the same vein as the band’s first full length, Robbers and Cowards, straying away from their bass-y, underwhelming second offering, Loyalty to Loyalty. You can listen to their new single below. The band also posted a preview video sampling the tracks on their new album which is also below.

Cold War Kids – Audience by  phildavis89

Photo by Melanie Einzig

Tonight, New Haven’s Firehouse 12 will present the penultimate event of its fifth annual Fall Jazz Series, a two-set celebration of New York-based vocalist Amy Cervini’s latest release, Lovefool (Orange Grove Jazz/ANZIC Records).

The record, her second with the Amy Cervini Quartet (ACQ), features distinctive arrangements of an eclectic mix of love-themed songs from The Cardigans, Blossom Dearie, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Fred Hersch, Jack Johnson and Willie Nelson among others.

This performance, featuring pianist Michael Cabe, bassist Mark Lau and drummer Ernest Cervini, is the third and final stop on the group’s East Coast tour.

Critics have credited Ms. Cervini with a “freshly appealing voice” (Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star) and “enough heart to convince a listener of her sincerity and enough musical talent to make it worth listening” (Bob Karlovits, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).

The Ottawa Citizen’s Doug Fischer adds, “what she does is sing terrific, gimmick-free jazz…with poise, intelligence and an unforced honesty that made every song ring like it was her own. Despite the sweeping changes—perhaps because of them—Cervini approaches the songs in a precisely crafted way that leaves little to chance. But that doesn’t mean her music doesn’t contain surprises, like an unforeseen upturn in a phrase, a deliciously drawn out ending or a humorous vamp.”

In the December edition of his AllAboutJazz.com column, Live in New York, Martin Longley reviews the November 10th CD release party for Songs of Synastry and Solitude (Tzadik), violist/composer Jessica Pavone’s latest recording, at Roulette.

“Songs Of Synastry And Solitude uses a string quartet to realize a set of compositions that surely had the sound of a singer reverberating between Pavone’s lobes whilst she was penning them. The art of the song appears to be precisely what she’s addressing, but using the tools of the chamber recital…pieces make up what feels like a suite, with their sustained mood and growing weight. A beautifully miserable mood was lingeringly woven, a dark air which is in keeping with Pavone’s acknowledged immersion in the wry-humoured poetry of Leonard Cohen.”

Topshelf Records (Defeater, My Heart To Joy) is excited to announce that Old Pride, the label’s highly anticipated first release of 2010 from hardcore outfit Pianos Become The Teeth, is now available for pre-order.

The Baltimore band’s sophomore full-length is set for a digital release on January 12th and a physical release on January 26th. However, pre-orders will be shipping earlier.

The band is streaming a new track, “Pensive”, on its Myspace page. The song “Filial” is still available as a free mp3 as well.

Finally, Pianos Become The Teeth is gearing up for its January release shows in NJ, MA and NY, followed by a short release tour of the Southeast with In The Hollows.

TOUR DATES
01/08 – Richland, NJ @ Richland House
01/09 – Amherst, MA @ 665 West Street
01/10 – Manhattan, NY @ Yippie Cafe
01/15 – Baltimore, MD @ Charm City Art Space w/ In The Hollows
01/16 – Saint Pauls, NC @ The Barn w/ In The Hollows
01/17 – Columbia, SC @ House Of Hardcore w/ In The Hollows
01/18 – Johnson City, TN @ The Hideaway w/ In The Hollows
01/19 – Bowling Green, KY @ Greyskull House w/ In The Hollows
01/20 – Louisville, KY @ Skull Alley w/ In The Hollows
01/21 – Akron, OH @ It’s A Kling Thing! House w/ In The Hollows
01/22 – Wilkingsburg, PA @ The Mr. Roboto Project w/ In The Hollows
01/23 – Williamsport, PA @ The Dungeon w/ In The Hollows
01/24 – Frederick, MD @ Krasners Basement w/ In The Hollows

Hits stores December 22nd

After  Eminem’s long awaited album Relapse, a followed release entitled Refill will hit stores December 22nd with 7 official tracks.  The following are the official track listing for the cd:

01. People Make Me
02. Taking My Ball
03. Insult To Injury
04. Outlet
05. Carrington Pool
06. Forever (feat. Drake,Lil Wayne and Kanye West)
07. Stainless Ego

**08. buffalo bill
**09. evelevator

** Track 08 and 09 might be or not on the refill album, either way, its Eminem and you know he spits fire. You can download/listen to the new tracks  over here: http://www.4shared.com/account/dir/18503907/acfece19/sharing.html?rnd=57 . I’ve searched many other websites to share the official track list, so far track 01 – 07 are official the extras may be just singles or bonus tracks.

LET THEM KNOW: The Story of Youth Brigade and BYO Records
Garnering mega plaudits for its historical significance for the Los Angeles punk community as well as its 31-track CD featuring songs from its archives done by Leatherface, Matt Skiba, The Briefs, 7 Seconds, Subhumans, NOFX, Bouncing Souls, Dropkick Murphys, Pennywise, and Anti-Flag, the recently released box set LET THEM KNOW: THE STORY OF YOUTH BRIGADE AND BYO RECORDS has been causing quite a commotion. Packaged as a box set in both a double red vinyl LP edition (retail: $50) and a CD/DVD edition (retail: $25), the box set also includes a beautifully reproduced, comprehensive coffee table book, detailing the punk scene that arose out of SoCal with personal accounts from seminal punk bands as Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Social Distortion, the Damned, and many more.

01. “Young Till I Die” Bouncing Souls/originally by 7 Seconds
02. “Headlights…Ditch” Off With Their Heads/originally by Bouncing Souls
03. “No More Lies” NoFX/originally by Battalion of Saints
04. “Misfortune” Youth Brigade/originally by SNFU
05. “S.O.S.” Lagwagon/originally by One Man Army
06. “Believe In Something” Blue Collar Special/originally by Youth Brigade
07. “Future Dreams” The Cute Lepers/originally by Upright Citizens
08. “Domination” Young Governor/originally by Marvelous Mark Youth Youth Youth
09. “Wrecking Crew” Pulley/originally by Adolescents
10. “We’re Gonna Fight” Pennywise/originally by 7 Seconds
11. “It’s Empty” Filthy Thieving Bastards/originally by One Man Army
12. “Dead and Broken” American Steel/originally by Alkaline Trio
13. “The Ballad Of Johnny X” Johnny Madcap & The Distractions/originally by Bouncing Souls
14. “Little White God” In The Red/originally by Leatherface
15. “Fade Away Shark” Soup/originally by Pegboy
16. “Fight To Unite” Dropkick Murphys/originally by Youth Brigade
17. “Foreign Policy” Wednesday Night Heroes/originally by Stretch Marks
18. “1000 Miles” Anti-Flag/originally by Unseen
19. “Victoria” Complete Control/originally by One Man Army
20. “We’re In!” Old Man Markley/originally by Youth Brigade
21. “Keep On” The Ignorant/originally by Hepcat
22. “Piss On You” Subhumans/originally by Personality Crisis
23. “Scratches & Needles” Ch3/originally by Nils
24. “Pill Box” Lower Class Brats/originally by Lower Class Brats
25. “Who Is Who” The Briefs/originally by Adolescents
26. “Hating Every Minute” Krum Bums/originally by Alkaline Trio
27. “In The Night” Ashers/originally by Bad Religion
28. “I Scream” Matt Skiba/originally by The Brigade
29. “All The Way Nothington”/originally by One Man Army
30. “Doublewhiskeycokenoice” Leatherface/ originally by Dillinger 4
31. “Sink With California” 7 Seconds/ originally by Youth Brigade

In early January, The Audition will be heading out on a two week run with Every Avenue and midway through the month, they’ll be out on their own headling tour The Revolution and Resolution Tour. Bands they’ll be bringing out with them on their headline run are The Dangerous Summer, Sparks The Rescue, The Right Coast, and Runner Runner on select dates.

TOUR DATES
with Every Avenue
01/09 Indianapolis, IN @ Emerson Theatre
01/10 Kettering, OH @ The Attic
01/12 Altoona, PA @ Eldolyn Terrace
01/13 Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club
01/14 Vineland, NJ @ Hangar 84
01/15 Wilmington, DE @ Harmony Grange
01/16 Poughkeepsie, NY @ The Chance
01/17 Syracuse, NY @ Lost Horizon
01/19 Bowling Green, OH @ Howards Club

Headline Tour “The Revolution and Resolution Tour”
with The Dangerous Summer & Sparks The Rescue
01/20 New York, NY @ TBA
01/21 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
01/22 Towson, MD @ Recher Theatre
01/23 Springfield, VA @ Jaxx
01/24 Raleigh, NC @ The Brewery
01/25 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
01/26 Gainesville, FL @ 1982 Bar
01/27 Pensacola, FL @ Sluggos
01/28 Houston, TX @ Meridian
01/29 Plano, TX @ Eisenbergs
01/30 Austin, TX @ Emo’s Inside
01/31 Oklahoma City, OK @ Conservatory
02/02 Tempe, AZ @ 23 West
02/04 Los Angeles, CA @ TBA
02/06 Cupertino, CA @ The Refuge
02/07 Reno, NV @ TBA
02/08 Salt Lake City, UT @ In the Venue
02/10 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
02/11 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
02/12 Madison, WI @ The Loft
02/13 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
02/14 Chicago, IL @ TBA
02/15 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
02/16 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s
02/17 Erie, PA, US @ Forward Hall
02/18 Louisville, KY @ Bulldog Cafe
02/19 St. Louis , MO @ Ciceros

In addition, The Audition will be releasing their new album in spring of 2010, so be on the look out. In the meantime, more information on The Audition can be found here: www.myspace.com/theaudition.

Another incentive to come to the show on Friday: Among the merchandise for sale will be squid hats with built-in tentacle-scarves, or tentascarves. Available in Medium (my head), Large, (Ben’s head), and Bigfoot – OK, Extra-Large (the head of a dear friend of mine who plays the viola).

Custom squid hat orders will be taken – just send the circumference of your head just above your eyebrows and $20 to my Paypal account. Testimonials will follow.

I believe there may be some kind of “Haikus for Cthulhu” contest announced soon – I will announce details as they arise.

For the past couple of days, rather than doing the usual things I do or even the interesting things I’m planning on doing, I have been making costumes.

Squid costumes.

This was just the prototype squid hat, made from this pattern from Instructables. It is only a beginning. I have made a Dark Priestess of Cthulhu costume, partly out of leftover fabric from my wedding dress. I have made two other full squid costumes, a Temple of Cthulhu (built on a portable coat rack) and tomorrow I will make the Mother of the Squid out of an old Ikea laundry hamper.

No, I have not gone into some mad HP Lovecraft fugue state. It’s for the show.

Yes, at the Torture Memos CD release we will be performing the complete Cephalopodae – A Ballet about the Spiritual Life of Squids. I, being the crafty one with the sewing machine, have been press-ganged into making costumes and set pieces.

Today I had some friends come over and help (I provided them with beer and fish and chips, don’t worry), but yesterday as I was working alone, cutting out tentacles, stuffing fins, measuring the coatrack which was to be dedicated to the Old Ones, I listened to B.J. Harrison’s excellent audiobook version of The Moonstone. Me and Ben both like his podcast, so we buy his audiobooks, because who doesn’t need audiobooks? and they’re well done and pretty cheap. The Moonstone, if you’ve never read it, is considered one of the first mystery novels. Wilkie Collins wrote it around 1850, and it has many plot elements which became cliches – a fabulous diamond from India, mysterious foreign strangers lurking around, the crime taking place in a country house in the middle of the night, a wise-cracking servant/lower-class person pointing up the failings of his “betters”, a misunderstanding between lovers stopping the mystery from being solved in the second chapter etc. What’s sort of awesome about it – what totally flew over my head when I read the original book at twelve or thirteen – is how all of those tropes (except, unfortunately, the racist ones*) are subverted in the course of the story. Wilkie Collins invented the cliches, but only as things to smash. It’s not his fault that later authors picked up on them and took them seriously.

So if you’re in the market for an audiobook, I heartily recommend the Moonstone. Ben listened to Tarzan of the Apes (also available at the link above), but I hate Edgar Rice Burroughs so I boycotted it. If you’re in the market for some entertainment next Friday night and you live in Toronto, come to the Tranzac and see my squid costumes. And my performance in the Torture Memos, of course.

*Bearing in mind that this was written during the height of Britain’s colonial period, it’s hardly surprising that Collins would think of the people of the Indian subcontinent as subhuman. They’re impressive and know lots of neat tricks, but they’re not people like the English characters are. It’s still disappointing, and it still grates, as does the constant paternalistic sexism (“No woman has any principles” etc), but the story is still good and the characters engaging.

Hey y’all… i just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who showed up at the CD release party a couple of weeks ago.  We had a blast and it would have been for nothing if everyone hadn’t shown up.

Thanks so much !!!

A special thanks to my brother J. who took these pics for us; to Tracy, Ron and Beth who made the food for everyone to dive into, especially the cake and to Jen for her awesome paper window centerpieces!

October 2nd marked a great day in Gospel Music as Verity Music Group released two dynamic artist in industry, Byron Cage and Rizen.

Me all dolled up before the event!

I had the opportunity to talk with RiZen before their official release and also had the opportunity to rock it out with Byron Cage and Dr. Deborah Smith Pollard or passionately known as Dr. Deb of Detroit’s FM 98 WJLB as she celebrated 15 years in Gospel Music. Indeed, what a blessing!

The  event was held at one of Detroit’s uprising ministries , Triumph Church at their East location on E. Grand Blvd. Triumph is Pastored by Pastor Solmon Kinloch. Before the event, the media as well as VIP guest were invited to a VIP Reception in both in Dr. Deb’s honor.

Kiwi and I

The reception was filled with great food and awesome fellowship. Bryon Cage and Dr. Deb did an awesome job making all media as well as contest winners feel welcome!

Special guest performances by Kiwi, Mahogany Jones, God’s Army and God’s Little Soldiers. Special Guest Appearances by LaShell Griffin and The Famous Peggy James to name a few.

Got the opportunity kick it with some my favs!! See pics above and below!

Pictured above: T.Marie, Byron Cage and Renee’ from Detroit Gospel

Loveway Records/Sire has revealed the track-listing for What Is Love? — the debut album from 18-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist Christofer Drew, who records under the name Never Shout Never. The album will be released by Loveway Records/Sire on January 26th, 2010.

A video for the title track to What is Love? will premiere exclusively on MySpace on December 15th. On December 8th, Never Shout Never will release a new physical EP exclusively through clothing retailer Hot Topic, which features two songs from What Is Love? (“Jane Doe” and “What is Love?”), a live track (“Big City Dreams”), a b-side (“She’s Got Style”), plus two music videos (“On the Brightside” and a live video of “Trouble”). Physical copies will be available for purchase exclusively at Hot Topic stores nationwide. The digital version will be available for purchase from all digital service providers on December 15th, as well as through www.shockhound.com and www.nevershoutnever.com.

Drew will hit the road in January for a solo acoustic tour in support of What Is Love? He will also perform a series of very special shows backed by a string quartet in December. Never Shout Never recently completed a headlining tour, culling tunes from What Is Love?, as well as from the three EP’s Drew released on his own Loveway Records: The Yippee EP, the Me & My Uke EP, and The Summer EP, which broke into the iTunes Top 10 Album chart in June. Please visit www.nevershoutnever.com for all upcoming tour dates.

In other Never Shout Never news, Drew took home the coveted “Breaking Woodie” Award at the MTVu Woodie Awards on November 19th.

The track listing for What Is Love? is as follows:
1. Love is Our Weapon
2. Jane Doe
3. Can’t Stand It
4. Sacrilegious
5. I Love You 5
6. California
7. What is Love?
8. The Past

www.nevershoutnever.com

The Upsides, the long-awaited, highly anticipated sophomore full-length from Philly’s very own pop punk juggernauts, The Wonder Years, is now available for pre-order. Cruise on over to No Sleep Records to secure your very own copy of this amazing record, which will see an official January 26, 2010 release date.

As a special pre-order bonus, No Sleep is offering an limited-edition 7-inch featuring a brand new, non-album track titled “Leavenhouse. 11:30.” The label has pressed 500 copies of the clear vinyl release, which boasts a screened B-side and can only be obtained with a purchase of the new CD. Furthermore, there are several “Pre-Order Only” package combinations available which include the aforementioned 7-inch, plus an exclusive tee shirt and hoody. For more info and options, go here.

Additionally, all pre-orders will receive a free autographed poster while supplies last. It’s also worth noting that each CD copy of The Upsides contains a code to download three remixed / remastered mp3s from The Wonder Years’ debut album, Get Stoked On It, that will be included on an upcoming collection release titled Six Dudes From The Keystone State.

In related news, The Wonder Years will be playing a few shows after Christmas with Valencia and Crime In Stereo. This of course is just a prelude to the massive amounts of national touring in 2010 in support of the release of The Upsides.

Holiday Shows
DEC 26 – Wilmington, DE @ Harmony Grange
DEC 27 – Vineland, NJ @ Hangar 84 w/ Valencia
DEC 29 – Stratford, CT @ Unitarian Universalist Church w/ Crime In Stereo

Cloud Cult have re-envisioned, remastered, and remixed two of their earlier albums and this reissue will contain previously unreleased bonus tracks. The albums are out of print, and are currently only available for purchase at live gigs and in select Independent record stores. (They Live on the Sun + Aurora Borealis)

With this double-disc reissue, fans nationwide will be able to have copies of their very own for the first time ever!

For more information, visit: http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/11/10/cloud-cult-giveaway-exclusive-live-video/

After two years away, Editors are returning to the US for a long-awaited headlining North American tour this February in support of their highly anticipated new album In This Light And On This Evening. The album, which is out stateside via FADER Label January 19th 2010, debuted #1 on the charts the week of release in the UK this past October and charted in the Top 10 throughout the rest of Europe.

North American Tour Dates
Feb 05 || Seattle, WA || Showbox at the Market
Feb 06 || Vancouver, BC || Commodore Ballroom
Feb 08 || San Francisco, CA || The Warfield Theatre
Feb 09 || San Diego, CA || House of Blues
Feb 11 || Los Angeles, CA || The Wiltern
Feb 13 || Denver, CO || Ogden Theatre
Feb 15 || Chicago, IL || Victoria Theatre
Feb 16 || Toronto, ON || Phoenix Concert Theatre
Feb 18 || Boston, MA || House of Blues
Feb 19 || New York, NY || Terminal 5
Feb 20 || Philadelphia, PA || Trocadero
Feb 21 || Washington, DC || 9:30 Club

All tickets will be on-sale December 12th

THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN‘s previous work has been praised nearly universally by press worldwide. “If you really want to know (their) songs,” says The New York Times “…you have to listen repeatedly and concentrate” calling them “extreme musical craft.” Names of the latest examples of their craft – tracks off the upcoming OPTION PARALYSIS – is something the band intends to reveal in waves.

“Farewell, Mona Lisa” and “Good Neighbor” are the first two officially announced off the highly anticipated OPTION PARALYSIS, due March 23, 2010.

The critically acclaimed rockers recently finished recording OPTION PARALYSIS, which will be the debut release for their brand new label PARTY SMASHER INC / SEASON OF MIST. The opus was recorded in Orange County, CA with longtime collaborator / producer Steve Evetts (The Used, Glassjaw, Every Time I Die).

Known worldwide for their outrageous live shows, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN will kick off a tour with THURSDAY this Friday, December 4th in New York. “Call them insane, call them suicidal, call them out of control, but don’t call The Dillinger Escape Plan lazy. The band’s members put 100 percent into every performance,” says Guitar World.

Upcoming Tour Dates
12/04 – Farmingdale, NY / The Crazy Donkey
12/05 – Syracuse, NY / Lost Horizon
12/06 – Montreal, QC / Foufounes Electriques
12/07 – Toronto, ON / The Mod Club
12/09 – Poplar Grove, IL / Chubby Rain House of Tunes
12/10 – Grand Rapids, MI / The Intersection
12/11 – Covington, KY / The Mad Hatter
12/12 – Sauget, IL / Pop’s
12/14 – Millvale, PA / Mr. Small’s Theatre
12/15 – Baltimore, MD / The Ottobar
12/16 – Richmond, VA / Canal Club Downstairs Lounge
12/17 – Allentown, PA / Crocodile Rock
12/18 – Clifton Park, NY / Northern Lights
12/19 – Cambridge, MA / The Middle East Downstairs
12/30 – Sayreville, NJ / Starland Ballroom

http://www.optionparalysis.net/
http://www.myspace.com/dillingerescapeplan

BLACK NUMBERS welcomes Norman, Oklahoma’s OVER STARS AND GUTTERS as the newest addition to its growing roster.

Originally self-released, the New Jersey label will reissue the band’s debut full-length, Consider This Your Curse, on CD as well as vinyl for the very first time. The initial pressing of the 12″ will be limited to 500 copies (300 orange, 200 yellow). A physical release date has been set for January 12, 2010, with pre-orders shipping ahead of time. You can secure your copy at the Black Numbers webstore now.

Additionally, Black Numbers and Over Stars And Gutters are currently offering Consider This Your Curse as a donation-based download via the label’s Bandcamp site. Try before you buy!

Listen to “I’d Rather Be Dead” (mp3)

In related news, Over Stars And Gutters will be hitting the road in December / Early January with John Moreland and the Black Gold Band. Dates and specifics to follow shortly.

Hey everyone,

Sorry for being such a delinquent lately!  I promise we’ll get some more material up here soon.  For now, though, I wanted to plug Alfa’s upcoming CD release show at the Sidewalk Cafe on Dec. 11th at 8pm.  Looks like it’ll be a full band show.  Hope to see you there!

-e

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving.  Mine was made all the more special by a visit with a good friend of mine, Ovidiu Marinescu.  A wonderful cellist, Ovidiu is in the midst of a unique project with Parma Recordings.  He is preparing to release a 2-CD set of all 6 of the Bach Cello Suites, and I am very excited for him.

I read about the details of Ovidiu’s project through his Kickstarter page (which I encourage you to visit by clicking here).  Since I was going to be in the Philadelphia area, he invited me to sit in on his recording session just before Thanksgiving.  Rose Hall at the University of Pennsylvania was lovely, and had absolutely marvelous acoustics.  Surprisingly, despite windows  in the hall, there was almost no traffic noise from the city below.  After warming up and doing the obligatory sound check, Ovidiu began to play the Alemande from Suite Number 6.  It was lovely, and flawless.

But, as you should always do when recording, he did a second full take – and I was swept away.  It was as though he was pulling at my soul with every note.  It was that moment when I realized what an incredible recording this was going to be.

Next was the Courante from the same suite – fast and furious.  Even more remarkable is the extra effort required for his performance.  Suite No. 6 was originally written for a 5-string cello, but Ovidiu is recording using his 4-string.  This means lots of shifting to achieve those highest passages.  Yet when I closed my eyes, I heard no effort from him, only music.

The rest of the recording session was devoted to the first suite (the rest of Suite 6 will be recorded in January 2010).  I was particularly anxious to hear the Prelude.  I’m sure this movement presents a challenge to any performer nowadays.  It is probably the most widely known of the suites.  Between movies, TV, and commercials, there is hardly anyone who has not heard this movement.  Which means everyone listening has a preconceived idea of what it “should” be.

Once again, Ovidiu seemed to reach directly into my soul with his performance.  The style and nuance he chose made the piece completely his own, fitting perfectly with the music.  I was deeply moved, and found myself grinning from ear to ear as he finished.

For those of you who have not been in a recording session, it is important to understand that it is not a performance.  The pieces are not played straight through, one movement following another, until it is done.  Each movement is played at least twice, three times, perhaps more, in their entirety, to ensure a solid recording is made.  Then, smaller sections are recorded, in case they are needed during the editing process.  With Ovidiu, this was a fantastic opportunity.  His performance on each take is subtly different, as the music moves him in the moment.  This will definitely not be a mechanical recording, and when you see him in live performance, you will marvel at the changes in nuance he brings.

I could write for hours about each movement, and how I was touched and moved throughout the night.  Instead, I will simply recommend that you purchase the CD set when it is released.  And please visit Ovidiu’s Kickstarter page to learn more about the recording.  (You may even find the means to help to fund this endeavor.)

Timbaland ist mittlerweile aus der Hip Hop- und R’n’B-Szene nicht mehr wegzudenken. Nach drei bombastischen Solo-Alben meldet er sich nach zweijähriger Pause mit dem „Timbaland presents Shock Value 2“ (Release: 27.11.) zurück. Okay, das ist erstmals nichts wirklich Neues – Timbaland macht das was er am besten kann…feinste Musik – aber dass er jetzt anscheinend auch noch zu den Twilight-Infizierten gehört, hätte man wohl nie gedacht!

Foto: sweet punk roses

Bei den American Music Awards vor ein paar Tagen hat Timbaland seine neue Single „Morning after dark“ mit Nelly Furtado und Soshy präsentiert. Gerüchten zufolge sollen die zwei Twilight-Stars Robert Pattinson und Kristen Stewart im Musikvideo zu diesem Song zu sehen sein. Mal sehen – hier könnt ihr erst mal den neuen Tunes von Timbaland lauschen:

Für das „Shock Value 2“-Album hat sich Timbaland wieder tatkräftige Unterstützung geholt – Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, The Fray, Chris Daughtry, Chad Kroeger (Nickelback), Brandy, Drake und Keri Hilson – sollen die Feature-Gäste der neuen LP sein. Der Multi-Platin-Produzent verrät in einem Interview: “I’m so fortunate and blessed to be able to create a Shock Value II. I’m really proud of the caliber of artists on this album and all the work they put into making it a success. I can promise that no one has ever heard Katy Perry, The Fray, or Brandy sound like this before. It’s exciting because not only am I giving fans the best of me on each track, I’m giving them a glimpse of their favorite artist in a completely different light. This is an album that can be listened to from start to finish every single time because each song is so unique and the range of artists so diverse. I can’t wait for my fans to hear the collaborations.”

© Universal Music Group

An den Nachfolger von „Shock Value” (2007) sind also große Erwartungen gebunden, die Timbaland mit Sicherheit erfüllen oder sogar übertreffen wird. Der Rapper und Produzent versteht es schließlich den Nerv der (Musik-)Zeit zu treffen!

Thanks,~AB