White Flight is the solo project of Justin Roelofs. He’s from Kansas, so I’m not really sure what urban invasion White Flight is fleeing from, but I guess it’s not like U2 actually knows how to fly spy planes or anything.

He released a self-titled album in 2007 which eventually got picked up by Conor Oberst’s label Saddle Creek. White Ark is Roelofs’ new release. I think the music flows pretty well, but the lyrics aren’t anything special. The album is definitely eclectic. Some electronics, some found sound, some acoustic, some spoken-word, some foreign languages. There are a few standout tracks, but as a whole it’s nothing to piss your pants about.

As far as I can tell, here is the cream of the crop:

While Flight — Dream Lover (stream)

White Flight — Big Black Hole (stream)

It’s natural to find stopping points to reflect.  Apparently this is one of those times.  So, I will make my list of top musical selections to put in a time capsule somewhere only to be destroyed in 2012 (unless John Cusack’s character can save us all).

12.   Fleet Foxes- Fleet Foxes (2008)

This group seemed to come out of left-field.  The harmonies on this record are beautiful and the emotion captured in Robin Pecknold’s voice is often moving and, at times, glorious.

Key Track:  Tiger Mountain Peasant Song

11. The Libertines- Up the Bracket (2002)

If there is a single rockstar persona for this decade it is Pete Doherty.  Wild, somber, ravenous and poetic; he created equally as many   cringe-worthy and beautiful moments this decade.  Teaming up with his own McCartney character on “Up the Bracket,” Doherty and Barat put their own unique stamp on rock and roll music during their short-lived partnership.

Key Track: Time for Heroes

10.  Bright Eyes- Cassadaga (2007)

By the time 2007 rolled around Conor Oberst had seen his personality, physical appearance and musical style turned into some caricature that could be packaged and sold at the nearest Hot Topic.  Oberst made a conscious decision to make a record that set him apart from the emo crowd and mature into America’s best songwriter.  At some point Oberst became comfortable in his own skin … that is captured on ‘Cassadaga.’

Key Track: If the Brakeman Turns My Way

9. Ryan Adams- Heartbreaker (2000)

Prolific, tortured genius Ryan Adams had a number of good albums this decade but his best was his first, 2000’s Heartbreaker.  The mood of this album is unique and raw (unlike his polished follow-up ‘Gold’).  The album captures Adam’s skill for crafting beautiful “Alt-Rock” songs and conveying a personality and sense of humor that is intriguing in so many ways.  Adam’s life was never the same following the release of Heartbreaker; Elton John claims that it inspired him to become a better songwriter (an enormous compliment) and Adams is now Mr. Mandy Moore.

Key Track: In My Time of Need

8. Arcade Fire- Neon Bible (2007)

Arcade Fire is the perfect indie rock band.  On 2007’s Neon Bible they created an inspirational mood that captures the ideals that fame and notoriety eat away at.  ‘Funeral’ made Arcade Fire a big band, ‘Neon Bible’ showed their consistency for quality and ability to push the envelope.

Key Track: Intervention

7. Radiohead- Kid A (2000)

In 1997, Radiohead released one of the greatest albums of the 20th century with OK Computer.  Three years later the anticipation was swelling for their new release and the direction Thom Yorke and his bandmates would take.  Kid A took the experimental nature of OK Computer to another level with songs that range from electronic  to minimalist and back again.  An excellent introduction to a new century.

Key Track: Idioteque

6. Air- Talkie Walkie (2004)

French electronic duo Air were known to a select few outside of France for their challenging, experimental and cutting edge approach to music.  With 2004’s Talkie Walkie they created an album that was more mainstream (most likely due to  2001’s disappointing ‘10,000 Hz Legend’).  The ambiance of Talkie Walkie and the imagery that Air’s lyrics create are beautiful and surreal.  A true gem for any open-minded music lover.

Key Track:  Surfing on A Rocket

5. The Strokes- Is This It (2001)

The Strokes took the music world by storm in 2001 with their buzz-worthy debut album Is This It.  The bandmembers were chosen as saviors of rock and roll by the entertainment press and helped to shape the fashion of the day as well as the ‘garage-rock’ revival.  Is This It helped to make The Strokes one of the biggest bands in the world (especially across Europe) and made Julian Casablancas an icon for a new generation of music lovers.

Key Track: Hard To Explain

4. The Shins- Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

The Shins made their quirky, intellectual masterpiece in 2003 with Chutes Too Narrow.  James Mercer’s complex and often comical lyrics are paired with joyous melodies to create an album that is as colorful as its cover.  A great album with great range throughout.

Key Track: Young Pilgrims

3. Bright Eyes- I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning (2005)

Conor Oberst’s best work so far is his 10-track folk masterpiece I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning.  Oberst’s lyrical ability is center stage with many songs containing few instruments other than his shaky, uncertain voice.  Oberst’s ability to wring emotion out of his soul and convey his suffering idealism makes this a true classic.

Key Track: We Are Nowhere and It’s Now

2. Arcade Fire- Funeral (2004)

Funeral is a great album by any standard.  Complex, inspirational, moving and intense all at once; it is captivating all the way through.  Win Butler’s dialogue concerning loss of innocence, struggle for companionship and fighting for purpose has made this an album that stands alone.

Key Track: Rebellion (Lies)

1. Wilco- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

Isn’t the story so old by now? Band makes record, record company doesn’t like record, band leaves record company, record is a huge hit.  The most impressive thing is… that’s not even what makes this record great.  Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a masterwork, a challenging and intense album that merges country, rock and electronic into a whirlwind of  sound.  Stark and beautiful, wild and colorful; Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the best album of this decade.

Key Track: Jesus Etc.

Digital Ash in a Digital Urn may not be the album that so many were expecting from Bright Eyes in 2005 – it wasn’t an easy consolidation of Lifted’s success. If its companion piece, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning was largely a whiskey-soaked folk confessional of life on the road, this was a darker beast altogether: Oberst picking through the depths of his hangover and finding little of consolation. But my, what a beautiful curveball.

It all kicks off with a string of menacing electronic groans and heavy breathing before opening track proper, ‘Gold Mine Gutted’, pits a dual set of diverging drumbeats against humming synths. It’s  different to anything the band have produced before, yet somehow unmistakably Bright Eyes:

Closer ‘Easy/Lucky/Free’ also finds Oberst on melancholic, contemplative form, hicupping a broken lament how “I got some friends I barely see / But we’re all planning to meet / We’ll lay in bags as dead as leaves / All together for eternity”. Fantastic video for it, as well; simple yet remarkably effective, and one of my favourites of all time:

Elsewhere, the detached misery of ‘Take it Easy (Love Nothing)’ is a potted tale of why you should never sleep with your friends, perfectly condensed into less than five minutes, and it’s Oberst at his most potently cynical about romance since ‘Lover I Don’t Have to Love’.

‘Arc of Time (Time Code)’ is a meditation on what might happen after death and the compromises (“No more whiskey slurs / No more blonde-haired girls / For your whole eternal life”) which may be required in order to stay on the right side of grace. It’s the sound of a very uneasy peace being made with mortality. It’s the sound of a band – dare it be said? – coming of age, and maybe this is why some consider the album to sit a little awkwardly within the Bright Eyes canon.

It’s an undeniably modern record, of course – there’s next to no sound on this album which hasn’t been aided by electricity. But while I’m Wide Awake… was the capturing of a moment – Oberst’s railing cry of despair at the possibility of George Bush’s impending re-election – Digital Ash… isn’t afraid to take on themes which are far more timeless. What’s more, it ties them wonderfully with a stunning digital backdrop, and that’s why it’s got my vote for album of the decade.

What’s your choice for album of the decade? Submit your vote!

And here are some of the other contenders’ cases…

At the Drive In – Relationship of Command (Tom Victor)

Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (Joe Curtis)

The Libertines – Up the Bracket (James Franklin)

The Killers – Hot Fuss (Nick Moore)

Coldplay – Parachutes (Dan Bloom)

Sufjan Stevens – Come on Feel the Illinoise (Alex Smith)

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (Ciaran Jones)

Brand New – The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me (Hugh Morris)

Daft Punk – Discovery (Wil Gilgrass)

Kings of Leon – Only By the Night (Caroline Cook)

The Strokes – Is This It (Alfie Tolhurst)

Kings of Leon – Youth and Young Manhood (Becky Rutt)

Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (Thomas Mooney)

Regina Spektor – Begin to Hope (Fiona Roberts)

Johnny Cash – The Man Comes Around (Mike Brown)

Unite!

Super groups have never been a personal favorite of mine.  It’s the point when musicians begin to see music as more of a means of profit than artistic expression.  On most occasions, super groups are prolific musicians of a certain genre attempt to unite against the forces of the popular media in hopes to add some girth to their wallets, not to their musical repertoire.  It could be likened to the collusion of Noel Gallagher, Bono and Steve Vai.  Each of these three iconic musicians is indispensable to his own act, yet the combination of three acclaimed musicians creates too many ego-headed, talented musicians all looking to make their own impact on the music.  In many ways, Monsters Of Folk is the same way.  Each singular member is outstanding.  Some are already on their way to becoming some of the most respected folk artists of their era.  Yet the collaborations don’t do justice.

Monsters Of Folk is M. Ward, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes and Jim James from My Morning Jacket.  Individually these acts are superb, but upon release of the self-titled debut, I found it to be MILDLY disappointing.  The music is still enjoyable and there are a few noteworthy tracks.  Make sure you check out each of these artists out individually and then in collaborative form in Monsters Of Folk and tell me what you think.  7/10 on the debut, still  great entertainment.

Here Are A  Few Standouts:

Baby Boomer – Vocals primarily by M. Ward

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Baby_Boomer_album_/23188322

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Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.) – Jim James & M. Ward

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Dear_God_sincerely_M_O_F_album_/23188340

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Temazcal – Conor Oberst

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Temazcal_album_/23188326

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Hope You enjoy these recommendations!

Viva La Musica

1. “Patiently” — Rilo Kiley:

2. “The Daylight” — Michael Runion & Z Berg:

3. “In Too Deep” by Sum 41 — Deryck Whibley on the verses & Avril Lavigne on the choruses

4. “Since U Been Gone” — Kelly Clarkson & Reba McEntire. Warning: Reba’s performance is ridiculous and embarrassing to watch.

5. “Portions for Foxes” — by Rilo Kiley, turned into a duet by Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst

Manchester Orchestra, The Strongest & Most Emotional Band Out Of These 4 BANDS & THAT IS SAYING A LOT!!!! Not to mention Andy Hull is also part of the sickest side project since Team Sleep & not only is it painfully emotional, intense & beautiful – But, it & he has it planned out so well. They have 2 Albums out right now & their 3rd Album will be the end to a trilogy amongst a concept regarding a Captain of an old fishing Boat who sets sail and finds the thing that he misses, loves, hates & believes in.. Along with insane Sea Creatures that I won’t even ruin for than fan that will look into this. I have so much respect for Mr. Andy Hull & I am going to try and get Andy to give me my first interview ever for my little Blog which will become an actual website once all of my money isn’t going towards helping others. I figure the Karma Police will eventually come & bail me out of these shackles..

Mimicking Birds – Nate Lacy Was Already My Favorite Songwriter In The Indie Game & Then My Favorite Musician From My Favorite Band (American Band & Almost Global) To Sign Them To Glacial Pace. If You Don’t Know Who I Am Talking About, Then You Apparently Need To Do Some Research~!!

Phoenix (One of my Top Albums Of The Year! By Far The Best Musicians Of All The New Bands. Their Sass Factor Reaches That Of HOT FUZZ By The Killers & That Is BEcause Of ALL 4 MEMBERS INVOLVED!! Greatest Band From France, Not The Best Singer.. They Would Be Lucky To  Crack Top 10, But I Think Their Upside Is A STRONG A+ ~

He Dreams Awake Is The Weird One Of The Bunch.. I Heard Of Him Through A Mutual Friend & I Was Blown Away With The 40+ Tracks I Got My Hands On & That Is When I FOund Out That He Doesn’t Do Many Interviews, There Aren’t Any Pictures I Can Find Of Him & He Hasn’t Even Released His Debut Album Yet~ His Music Is Very Intriguing & The Theories + Structure That He Uses Or Refuses To Use, Makes It That Much More Mysterious To Me. There Is Something About This Solo Artist Who Obviously Treats Music As An Art & His Title Of Musician More Like A Status Of An Artist. This Doesn’t Sound Right, But I Don’t Know What Makes Sense With This Individual & I Would Put A Lot Of Money On The Fact That Is Exactly How He Is Playing His Cards.. Very Close To The Chest~

So. There Are My Four Best Rising Bands in the Industry~

I Hope You Check Them Out & Give Me Some Feedback On These Four Bands & Better Yet, Who You Think The Best Young Bands Are & It Would Be Cool To Hear Of A Few More Like HDAwake, Artists That Are Still UNDER THE RADAR

It’s safe to say that everything Conor Oberst has his hands in turns to gold. Monsters of Folk, who also features M. Ward, Mike Mogis and Jim James are just wrapping up their extremely successful tour this weekend, want the fans to get involved in the fun. The band has just released their new video for the track “Say Please,” which is a stunning display of an earlier carefree time in life. Monsters of Folk play to a group of 1920’s rollerskaters who seem almost oblivious the band is even playing. With beautiful colors and strings of Christmas lights, it’s a sight that must be seen.

Though Oberst and company are already looking ahead to the next video, and that is where the fans come in. Monsters of Folk are running a contest for the next single “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.).” Teaming up with Apple/Quicktime and Death & Taxes Magazine, the band is challenging people to make their own creative music video for the song. The winning video will be posted live, and the winner will also win $5,000, a Gibson guitar signed by the band, and a copy of the new Final Cut Studio Software. The Top 5 finalists will all win signed vinyl copies of the album from the band. Talk about a happy holiday!

To enter the contest head over to Shangri-La Record’s Website

Watch Monsters of Folk “Say Please”

af Benjamin Haslund-Krog

Hvad skal man forvente, når musikalske fyrtårne slår sig sammen? Kan monstre supplere hinanden, eller bliver det som når Real Madrid er værst og stjernerne spænder ben for hinanden?

Meningerne var mange, da Conor Oberst sammen med vennerne M. Ward, Jim James og Mike Mogis i september slap debutpladen ud. At Oberst er gruppens hovedattraktion, hersker der denne aften ikke tvivl om i et ikke-udsolgt Store Vega. Hans navn er på alles læber og en Bright Eyes t-shirt sidder på teenagepigen forrest i køen. Man har fornemmelsen af at størstedelen af publikum hellere havde set en regulær Bright Eyes-koncert.

Monstrene
Koncerten viser fire meget forskellige musikalske originaler i ét band. M. Ward er en elegantier og spiller balanceret, velafmålt countryfolk og besidder den varmeste stemmeklang. Jim James ligner en hulemand og hans stemme er noget af det lyseste, reneste og klareste, jeg til dato har hørt. Mike Mogis er nørden og multiinstrumentalisten bag Conor. Han både producerer og spiller de fleste instrumenter på Bright Eyes-pladerne. På hver deres måde er de musikalsk hamrende dygtige.

Conor Oberst besidder kun få musikalske evner, men har altid været meget personlig i sin musik. Han har sin skæve Dylan-agtige stemme, der aldrig lyder rigtig godt, men indeholder så meget alvor og weltschmerz, at de første Bright Eyes-plader om melodramatiske teenagefølelser blev kult i indiekredse. Tænk bare på linier som ‘I fell for the promise of a life with a purpose but I know that that’s impossible now’ og ‘I want a lover I don’t have to love, a girl who is too sad to give a fuck’. Siden er han blevet mere voksen, politisk og samtidig distanceret fra sin musik. Dette er også den Oberst, der møder Vega denne aften, hvor de fleste Bright Eyes-sange er taget fra de nyere albums.

Store forventninger
Det var varslet på forhånd at koncerten ville tage 2½-3 timer og indeholde sange fra alle artisters bagkataloger, så forventningerne var enorme og med bagkataloger med 2-300 sange var der nok at tage af. I alt blev det til 35 sange!

Koncerten svingede meget i form og intensitet med Mike Mogis som den mest stabile aktør, der blev ved sin pedal steel det meste af aftenen. De øvrige skiftede mellem guitar, bas og keys gennem hele koncerten. Trods omskifteligheden og variationerne var koncertens bundniveau umådelig højt og viste et band, der virkelig nød at spille hinandens, egne og fælles sange. De stærkeste MoF-numre var åbneren Say Please, Temazcal, Baby Boomer og ekstranummeret Whole Lotta Losin, hvor monstrene virkelig fik det hele til at gå op i en højere enhed.

Hit and miss fra bagkataloget
Valget af Bright Eyes-sange er nok min største anke, hvor ingen sange fra Fevers and Mirrors og Lifted… fandt vej til settet. Det ville have klædt koncerten og skabt en endnu mere ekstatisk stemning, hvis Oberst havde været lidt mere gavmild med de gamle klassikere. Af de valgte Bright Eyes-sange var det kun At The Bottom Of Everything og Hit The Switch, der virkelig imponerende og profiterede af de andre medlemmer i MoF. Numre som Kathy With A K’s Song, Soul Singer In A Session Band og Another Travellin’ Song har efter min vurdering intet at gøre i et set som dette.

Et af koncertens andre højdepunkter var M. Ward-nummeret One Life Away, hvor den stille sang fra Transistor Radio blev pumpet godt op af det velspillende band uden at miste sin elegance og charme. Jim James’ sange fra My Morning Jacket-pladerne er smukke og velskrevne, men besidder i aften ikke det samme nærvær som de øvrige sange, formentlig fordi færre kender dem, og bliver derfor af mange benyttet som en passende pause til at hente øl.

En koncert er mere end almindelig god, når den varer næsten 3 timer og man ønsker, at den skal fortsætte. Dette var Monsters of Folks første koncert på dansk grund.

For nye folk-fans kan følgende skiver på det varmeste anbefales:
M. Ward – Transistor Radio
Bright Eyes – Fevers and Mirrors
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning
My Morning Jacket – Z

A week ago I was looking at Conor Oberst, M Ward, Mike Mogis, and Jim James standing just feet away from me.  Now, I am looking at nothing, but the past.

If you keep holding on to what we’ve lost, you’re gonna drag down the road behind us.

Land of Talk, a band on Saddle Creek Records, has a new song called “It’s Okay.”

Here’s the music video for “It’s Okay”:

Monsters Of Folk

This is one of the few new releases I have bought – old school – on CD. It happened to be on sale at the same price as an iTunes download, better quality and artwork – Yay! I’m sure everyone knows by now that Monsters Of Folk is the supergroup consisting of M. Ward, My Morning Jacket’s  Yim Yames (aka Jim James) and Conor Oberst & Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes.

Let’s be honest: support acts are mainly rubbish, aren’t they? There  are very few that I’ve seen that have converted me, The Sleepy Jackson and The Subways being among them.

Last night I saw something quite remarkable: a gig with no support act. Monsters of Folk at the Coal Exchange, who took the stage in their three-piece suits looking for all the world like the house band straight from an American Gothic novel; perhaps something imagined up by Edgar Allan Poe.

(I wish I had an original image to use here, but there was a strict no-camera policy)

Obviously they were fantastic; that pretty much goes without saying for anything which has Conor Oberst’s involvement. But no support act? Controversial choice, arguably.

There tend to be two camps of opinion when it comes to support acts: some think that they’re just a way of making the headliners look good; others think that they’re a valid way of introducing audiences to other, lesser-known bands.

I’m sure that many would claim that forgoing one altogether is a colossal act of ego. Personally, I think that it was the complete opposite in this case.

Monsters of Folk feature members of Bright Eyes (Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis), My Morning Jacket (Jim James) and M. Ward (well…) – they’ve got more than enough talent between them not to need someone to make them look comparatively good.

Not showcasing another band? Less defensible, perhaps. But MoF literally played a three-hour set. This set included at least seven Bright Eyes songs, as well as plenty of My Morning Jacket and M. Ward material. This simply wouldn’t have been possible if time had had to be allowed for another band’s set.

‘Supergroups‘ (God, I hate that term, hence the inverted commas) can sometimes be frustrating because of a refusal to acknowledge that many in the audience will be there as a result of their admiration for the component bands. “Hey, we’re playing in a different band, now; you’re not meant to be here for anything else,” can sometimes go the logic.

And that, I think, is a far worse.

Lovely.

As Wes Miles sings at the top of his lungs, “My beds too big for just me,” I am not too sure if I still whine about this.  I went through a phase of repeating those seven words thousands and thousands of times a day.  Of course, that might have been the one statement I have ever said so many times in my life and meant it each and every time.  Ever since I had a bed, it has always been too big for just me.

As a young kid, I’d make my mom sleep with me.  I’d make sure to tangle my arm in hers so that if she were to try leaving during the night, I’d wake up and notice.  The same with my dad.  I always made him watch TV at the end of my bed every night until I fell asleep.  It’s only with my sister that I didn’t mind having a bed to myself.  I’m a still sleeper.  My sister is the one who makes loud noises, grinds her teeth, and kicks during the night.

Minus the unconscious beat up I’d get from my sister, having someone sleep in bed with me has always been a priority.  Lately, I don’t really care too much.  I’ve been so sleepy that I just pass out without remembering much.  It’s basically like I get very wasted every night and wake up by myself in bed.  It’s not that bad.  I mean, I wouldn’t mind having someone to sleep with me, but it’s not that big of a factor as it once was.

Does this mean I am growing out of myself?  If that is the case, I’m relieved.  I’m tired of myself.  I’ve had to live with mirrors of myself for the past 15 years.  I don’t consider the first 4 years of my existence as the rest of the other 15 years.  It might be because I vaguely remember my first four years of living.  That, and I think I was actually truly happy from ages 1 – 4.

It’s strange how loving life is so much easier than hating it.  I mean, I can do whatever I want in this life of mine.  Whatever I want.  Of course, there are consequences for all my actions, I still have no right to say, “I hate my life because of x and x”.

Alright, well other than my rambling over no particular subject, I’ll be seeing Dignan tonight.  It has been a few months since I have seen them.  Last time was with O’Brother, if my memory serves me right.  How I miss O’brother.  Those are some of the most amazing people and musicians that are in this world.  But, yes, I’ll be seeing Dignan tonight in which I am pretty excited.  Even though I’ve seen them hundreds, literally hundreds, of times, I still get as excited as the first time I saw them.  Tomorrow night I am seeing Say Anything, Miniature Tigers, Moneen, and another band that just slipped my mind.  And Wednesday I am seeing The Get Up Kids and Keving fucking Devine.  You have no idea how I am excited for that.  Seeing KD in the flesh is going to a highlight to my life.  Of course, seeing Rob Pope (bassist of Get Up Kids, Spoon..) is going to be very enticing, as well.  Despite our age difference, I swear I love him more than a lot of things.

I still can’t believe I saw Conor Oberst again.  I mean, wow.  Seeing Monsters of Folk had to be the best gift ever.  I really will never be able to explain how happy that made me.  Really.

Alright, I’m starting to sound more and more like a girl.  Better stop before my entire self gets raveled up in this.

Take a leaf of paper and draw your mind.

I’ve never been a really big fan of Bright Eyes’ albums but My Morning Jacket and Jim James are more than a little all right so I thought it would be interesting to hear what the collaborative Monsters of Folk (Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, M. Ward and Jim James) sounded like. Well, after listening to the supergroup’s (what a dumb term) debut, self-titled album a bunch of times I can say with confidence that it’s really good.

Monsters of Folk isn’t quite what the name would have you believe, the band providing the same kind of misdirection as the first time you listen to an Eagles of Death Metal album. The album is decidedly more country/roots centered than folky but, this turns out to be an excellent direction for the group to have gone. A blending of each members styles lets every song take on a distinct and interesting feel, clear traces of My Morning Jacket coming through on tracks like album-opener Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.) and Conor Oberst’s highly recognizable voice bringing tastes of  Bright Eyes into the mix. The end result is an effort that sounds fresh with every listen and a collection of songs that hang together well but function exceptionally on their own too.

None of the songs sound too much alike and, perhaps most importantly for this type of project, every member of the band meshes extremely well with one another. Voices harmonize together beautifully, Baby Boomer having dual vocals straight out of a Sam Roberts Band song, Temazcal hypnotically blending echoing voices, Ahead of the Curve riffing on The Band’s The Weight and countless other tracks taking great advantage of the beautiful interplay of James’ expressive falsetto and Oberst’s often lethargic tenor.

There are a number of outstanding tracks on the record (including the aforementioned Baby Boomer). His Master’s Voice is a James’ led number using a repeated refrain that deftly sums up themes of obedience and authority for a modern audience. Man Named Truth is straightforward Appalachian folk, complete with mandolin strumming, distant vocal ooooos and spaghetti western wind calls (not to mention lyrics making a parable of Cortez searching out Aztec gold). Slow Down Jo is a Caribbean accented work with choruses of voices calling the refrain. Map of the World is a driving, acoustic number with a fantastic hook and beautiful layers of percussion and stinging electric guitar. There are also more good tracks that I won’t mentioned because, really, I don’t want to do this for another five minutes.

Suffice it to say that the whole project comes off extremely well, Monsters of Folk sounding like a grinning homage to the various influences of every band member, most of whom are probably delighted to not have to try to sound like anything new and instead just play quality genre songs.

Check it out. Add double the “checking it out” motivation for fans of My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes or M. Ward’s various projects.

— Reid

“Say Please” by Monsters of Folk

Musical hydra Monsters of Folk is the collaborative effort that excites me the most right now. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, it’s an epic supergroup comprising Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, and M. Ward. Essentially, it’s like the folk version of DJ Khaled’s We Takin’ Over, except they formed an official group to make official albums. Jizzworthy? Very much so. Fresh off the reel, this music video for Say Please shows exactly why you should be listening to them, you Philistine.

Download their eponymous debut album here.

Yesterday was my birthday.  I am still young.  I didn’t care too much for it.  I felt as if there was no need to celebrate it.  I’ll probably ignore next years birthday too.  I think every day we should be thankful we are alive.  I guess.  I always forget to be thankful for being alive.  I talk about dying and death way too much to be considered thankful for being alive.  Deep down, I am thankful I am alive.  Sort of.  I know that if something were wrong with me, like cancer or some other life-shortening disease, I would probably not talk about death as casually as I do now.  I’d be very thankful for every day I would be living.  But, I seem to be in an OK condition, and God is doing a pretty good job at watching over me.

Anyways, last night I went to Austin with Ashley, Kim, Veronica, and Emily to see Monsters of Folk at Stubb’s.  Seeing Conor Oberst in the flesh, for the third time, was as great as a feeling when I saw him the first time.  I swear, my knees felt weak as soon as I saw him in his suit, playing his acoustic guitar.  The entire set was just amazing.  Monsters of Folk had so much energy.  The connection between each of them, as a band, was just remarkable.  You could see the love they had not only for their music, but for each other.  Conor played a few Bright Eyes track with Mogis.  I swear, those two are just the cutest.  Mogis is adorable.  J James played a few My Morning Jacket tracks.  He looked amazing, especially that beard of his.  M Ward, of course, played a few of his tracks, as well.  I don’t know why, but I have this strange crush on M Ward.  I mean, he is sort of a creepy man, but I still have this huge crush on him.  I remember seeing him in Austin this summer for a show, and I was completely swooned with everything, including his creepy vibe, about him.  Plus, I really dig his hair.

Being with my closest friends (missing my favorite, Angela), made it one of the best nights of my short 19 years of living.  I loved everything about that night.  Even that one drunk man who kept on dancing crazily with the beer in his hand and beads on his bald head.  The crowd was amazing.  I am pretty sure we were the youngest ones there.  However, I liked it that way.  Minus the fact that he could not drink legally, it was just one of those nights where we didn’t even need beer in our hands.

I didn’t get home until a little after 3 am.  We went to iHop afterwards, in which it took about 30 full minutes to even get a server.  She was a wreck.  I left her a nice tip, though.

Now, I’m here at home.  My family came down for some party they are going to tonight for their friend.  I’m pretty sure my family has more friends than I do.  Weak.  Anyways, they are out, about to meet with my sisters wedding planner.  So, I remain at this house of mine by myself.

I think I’m drunk enough to drive you home now.

It’s (almost) officially the weekend everyone!  Are you looking for something music-related to do?  There’s so much going in Austin the next couple of days…let it begin!

Friday, November 13th

Elvis Perkins in Dearland, AA Bondy

Get as close to that authentic folk vibe as possible, with other splashes thrown in of course, tonight at The Parish at 9 pm.  Tickets are $14-$16 and you can get them here.

Monsters of Folk

A different kind of folk, in what should be a fantastic blend of music from Conor Oberst, Jim James, Mike Mogis, and M. Ward.  Word has it they’re going to play for 3 hours and hit songs from all three bands!  They’ll be at Stubb’s at 8 pm.  Tickets are sold out already, so if you’re interested, you might want to hit up Craigslist.

Saturday, plus where I’ll be on Sunday, after the jump!

Saturday, November 14th

Jam Fest

From the promoter:
The Third Annual Jam Fest will take place at the Belmont on Saturday, November 14th from 3 to 7 pm (Tickets are $7, look for them here). Seven bands ranging in age from 10-18 are scheduled to take one of two stages that will be set up for the 5-hour event and fundraiser for Eanes Education Foundation. The event is sponsored by The Kids are Alright Festival and Dr. Randy Kunik, the originator of the first event.

“The ‘Underage’ music scene is the fastest growing part of the music business and Austin is well on its way to being the flagship of this scene in the US. I think we are very lucky, since Austin has an affinity for great music, and there are sponsors like Randy Kunik who will take a risk to support young talent. To me, it’s an honor to help our next generation of artist evolve and emerge.” – James Mays

Auditions for Jam Fest took place on October 11th and bands ranging in ages from 8-18 were encouraged to try out for a berth on the coveted roster of chosen bands. The 2009 Jam Fest bands include South of Center, ThorBjorn, Loose Wheels, Comintern, After Math, Georgia Napolitano and The Fireants.

Son Volt, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Peter Bruntnell

Some country grooves at Antone’s tomorrow at 9 pm.  Tickets are $20 and you can get them here.

Sunday, November 15th

Marcy Playground

Yep, Marcy Playground!  They’re going to be playing Momo’s at 8:30 pm.  Cost is $15.

Peter, Bjorn & John, El Perro Del Mar

Woo hoo!  I’m so excited about seeing P, B & J Sunday!  They’re playing La Zona Rosa at 9 pm.  Tickets are $23-$25 and if you want to be there too, you can buy them here.

The Swell Season

Check out their intimate show at the Paramount Theatre at 8:30 pm.  Only a few seats are left, info here.

by Katie

M Ward Lookin' Dreamy, with Jim James at the United Palace Theater. Photo by Marc Evan at Quiet Color.

We can’t review this show. We just can’t. We’re hacks and jokers, and to pretend that we have any authority to comment intelligently on Friday’s three-hour performance at the United Palace Theater would be even more farcical than anything else written in the entire history of this blog (and I once reviewed a show by posting drunk text messages). In lieu of some bullshit, we’re going to more or less recreate the conversation that passed between Michael and me starting with the M.o.F. curtain call and enduring as we traveled from Harlem to the East Village. Enjoy!

{Monsters of Folk embrace one another, bow to the wildly cheering crowd, and retreat behind the falling curtain. Mike Mogis gives high fives to crowd members and is nearly Bret Michaelsed by the curtain}

BOTH: Holy shit.

MICHAEL: M. Ward is a god. 

KATIE: Holy shit. M. Ward was amazing! I feel like he doesn’t have the name recognition, or the fans screaming for him, but man! First they’d play a handful of ballads and then they would play one of his songs and the energy just went through the roof!

MICHAEL: Then he was like, hey I’m gonna play some slow songs now too and it is going to be beautiful.

KATIE: Yeah! I’ve never even seen him play the piano before, but man! And he played “Vincent O’Brien” and I just think Transfiguration of Vincent is one of the most beautiful and sad and underappreciated albums.

MICHAEL: How do you describe a religious experience?

KATIE: I just wish we hadn’t missed “Say Please.” That’s my favorite.

MICHAEL: Seriously. Who knew they’d start right at 8:00? People kept showing up until almost 9, so we weren’t the only ones who thought the time on the tickets was for the doors.

KATIE: Yeah, that was weird. Plus, I’ve had to pee since we got here. I kept thinking I would go during the My Morning Jacket songs, because I don’t know them, and then I’d just get sucked in. Jim James’s voice is crazy!

MICHAEL: I think the Monsters of Folk stuff really lets him use his voice more than My Morning Jacket. They played “At Dawn” which I couldn’t believe. That’s a really old and popular My Morning Jacket song.

KATIE: It was haunting! The mix was incredible. The room sounded incredible. And Jim James and his creepy humming!

MICHAEL: And Conor Oberst, obviously.

KATIE: Obviously. But can we talk about Mike Mogis? That guy is the shit!

MICHAEL: He’s so cool.

KATIE: He just hangs out on the side of the stage, and his spotlight is kind of off-center, and he tears shit up on the mandolin, the pedal steel, the electric guitar, whatever. Tears. Shit. Up.

MICHAEL: Oink, oink, oink, oink, oink.

We were blown away. Click the M Ward photo to read Quiet Color’s coherent review. Even they don’t quite capture exactly how moving the whole night was, though. WOW.

This past Monday I had the pleasure of seeing Monsters of Folk at The Academy of Music in Philadelphia. It was my first time attending a show at this terrific venue. Old theater style seating with a HUGE chandelier on the ceiling. I’m a huge My Morning Jacket fan, and a pretty big Bright Eyes and M. Ward fan, so you can imagine my excitement when I learned, a few days before the show, that many of their respective songs would be played along with the new Monsters of Folk songs. I can’t explain how wonderful it was to see these guys collaborating on each others’ songs. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to take videos, as it was stated pretty firmly that it wouldn’t be allowed, but after half of the show, security must have went on break and it was a video free-for-all. It was such a wonderful experience and with the transit strike ending that same day, all felt right with the world.

Setlist

01 – Say Please
02 – The Right Place
03 – Soul Singer (In A Session Band)
04 – Slow Down Jo
05 – Man Named Truth
06 – Vincent O’Brien
07 – One Life Away
08 – One Hundred Million Years
09 – Poison Cup
10 – Smoke Without Fire
11 – Golden
12 – Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)
13 – Baby Boomer
14 – We Are Nowhere And It’s Now
15 – Lullaby + Exile
16 – At Dawn
17 – To Save Me
18 – Kathy With A K’s Song
19 – Bermuda Highway
20 – Look At You
21 – Map Of The World
22 – Smokin From Shootin
23 – Hit The Switch
24 – Losin Yo Head
25 – At The Bottom Of Everything
26 – Whole Lotta Lovin
27 – Another Travelin’ Song
28 – His Master’s Voice

Golden

Smoking From Shootin’

Loosin Yo Head Notice Jim James’s crazy leg dancing in this one

Conor Mullen Oberst, mais conhecido apenas como Conor Oberst.

O homem por detrás da cena indie underground americana, principalmente nos arredores de Omaha, Nebraska que já participou de uma infinidade de bandas e projetos e ainda esta a criar novos grupos. Nascido dia 15 de fevereiro de 1980 é um cantor, compositor e poeta bastante aclamado no mundo inteiro com fama que percorre fronteiras que já participou na fundação de grupos como Commander Venus, Park Ave., Desaparecidos, mas seu projeto mais famoso é o Bright Eyes. Conor lança álbuns desde os 14 anos e suas músicas possuem um lirismo incrível, vertente que poucos conseguem fazer e sua discografia é horrendamente grande e já lançou cds solos assinados com seu próprio nome e recentemente criou um novo projeto chamado Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band. Tem sua própria gravadora que lança diversas bandas do mesmo calão e possui uma notável amizade com diversos outros amigos e um charme para cigarros e bebidas e medicações proibidas. Aqui para download o álbum da carreira solo antes de se associar definitivamente aos Mystic Valley, o debut homônimo Conor Oberst      Download

1 – Cape Cañaveral

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight
- Warren Zevon

It is Social Justice Awareness Week again at KUST – the twice yearly opportunity for us to explore an issue of importance to our community, nation or world in the context of music. Great River Radio has decided to tackle the very current and very hot problem of health care reform – the topic that we hear about every day, from the extremist pundits and the self interests and the sincere reformers. It is a very personal issue – if we haven’t found ourselves sick and broken and in need of healing yet, our loved ones have, and it is inevitable that we will all interact with America’s huge and complex health care system at some point in our lives.

We want to take this opportunity to bring to GRR listeners some songs that came to mind (including many requests from our listeners) as we ponder the health care debate that is underway in this country this very day. We will supplement the music this afternoon with some readings and thoughts on the situation – one which is too often obscured by rhetorical excess, misinformation and outright lies. If you have (like we have) tried to sort out the accurate information from the politics, you may have just thrown up your hands in frustration.

Unfortunately, we can’t explain the intricacies of the bill which just passed the House, or what the Senate will do to it next. We can’t tell you how the doctor and hospital you go to price their services. We can’t explain what constitutes a “pre-existing condition” and why it isn’t covered by your insurance. But we can entertain you for two hours with music about health, healing, hospitals, illness and, finally, mercy. Tune in to Great River Radio this afternoon as we tackle health care reform in our own tiny way, and catch music by Panda Bear, Fountains of Wayne, Loudon Wainwright, Tom Waits, Annie Lennox, Conor Oberst, Ben Kweller, Ted Hawkins, The Band, Mary Gauthier, The Replacements and others – songs selected by Brian, Dan and YOU.

Next week we’ll return to regular programming at Great River Radio, bringing you a mix of the music we’ve been listening to lately. Our regular feature, Confluence, will concern our best friends: dogs. Let us know your favorite dog songs and maybe Brian and I will bring Sonny and Finn into the studio!

Playlist
Chest Fever-The Band
Rockin’ Pneumonia and th Boogie Woogie Flu-Dr. John
Sick Day-Fountains of Wayne
Hurt-Johnny Cash
Everybody Hurts-REM
Rattle My Bones-The Suburbs
Everything Is Broken-Bob Dylan
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live-The Del Lords
Don’t Let Us Get Sick-Jill Sobule
Allergies-Paul Simon
Sorry You’re Sick-Ted Hawkins
Doctor Robert-The Beatles
Doctor Blind-Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
Bitter Pill-Annie Lennox
The Healing Game-John Lee Hooker/Van Morrison
That Hospital-Loudon Wainwright III
Hospital Bed-Ben Kweller
Take Me Down To the Hospital-The Replacements
I Don’t Want to Die (In The Hospital)-Conor Oberst
When Water Comes To Life-Cloud Cult
Mercy Now-Mary Gauthier
Handle Me With Care-Travelling Wilburys

I recently had the good fortune to witness Bob Dylan in concert in Springfield.

As I stood amidst the crowd, taking in the smells of tobacco and cheap beer (cheap . . . but definitely not inexpensive) and trying to distinguish the 68-year-old folk revivalist’s mumbled lyrics, I began to dwell on how lucky I was to have gotten a chance to see one of the most important figures in modern music perform live, before he hangs up his harmonica for good.

The height of it all came with one simple strike of the snare drum, a pounding introduction to one of the most memorable songs of all time. “Like a Rolling Stone.”

I’m here, I thought. This is actually Bob Dylan playing this song. Then came to my mind the moniker that invariably arises when thinking of or discussing Bob Dylan––the voice of a generation. And then it hit me.

The “voice of a generation” is 68 years old.

The voice of my parents’ generation . . . or even earlier.

So who’s the voice of my generation?

After the show, I began running names through my mind. Who is there to speak out for my generation? Does my generation even care?

Dylan was only the voice of a generation because that generation allowed him to be. They wanted some sort of direction, I guess. The urban folk revival in the 1960s. The punk rock movement in the 1970s and ’80s. Who’s speaking out for the marginalized in my generation?

What have we got? Emo, I guess.

So who’s the voice of my generation? Or are we voiceless?

It seems that we are progressively becoming more and more of a “nowhere generation.” The closest thing we’ve got to Bob Dylan (according to music critics) is Conor Oberst. Do we really want to be a generation defined by Bright Eyes?

I’ve heard it said that it’s Barack Obama. I think it’s safe to say that something has gone terribly wrong if we’re looking up to the politicians to speak out for us.

I don’t have any conclusions here. Just thoughts.

I am a frequent attender of the free Monday night residencies at the Echo in Silver Lake, CA. For those of you who are unaware, these residencies usually consist of folk rock, indie, and other acoustic singer/ songwriter types.

So last  Monday, I went to see a band who is getting quite the buzz not only around the Silver Lake scene, but in Los Angeles as a whole. The masses were on point. Olin and the Moon could be one of the best bands in the scene, right up there with Leslie and the Badgers.

They went on close to midnight so I told myself I’d catch a few songs and leave. I was so emotionally drawn in, my feet could not bear to move. This was folk rock at its truest form. I inevitably stayed for the whole set.

The frontman, David, could easily be mistaken for a high school freshman with his clean shaven face, long hair hidden underneath a beanie, and a height that reaches no higher than 5′5. His voice though is another story. With a sound reminiscent to Conor Oberst and Tim Kasher, David unveils his inner thoughts and tells a story of his life thus far. Don’t let the comparision of Oberst throw you off though, Olin in the Moon does not speak in untranslatable metaphors. Their words are clear and concise.

With perfect harmonies and guitar lent by David’s brother, Travis, their new album “Terrible Town” is an honest piece of art, among a sea of cooking cutter bands. With help from Marshall (drums), Kyle (Bass), and Brian (Pedal Steel and Banjo), Olin and the Moon is a fresh breath of air and a ray of hope for those who thought true folk rock died decades ago.

This band confirmed my opinion of Silver Lake having the best local music scene anyone has stumbled upon in a while. I may have found my new infatuation! www.OlinandTheMoon.com

Recommended Tracks: Terrible Town,  Friend of Feeling Good

- Amanda

Monsters of Folk is a folk/rock supergroup, consisting of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and M. Ward (She & Him). The group released their self-titled debut album in 2009.