Rachel Harrington

Today I'm straying from the theme of local music, and instead sharing some really excellent folk/bluegrass from Oregon. Rachel Harrington is a really excellent singer-songwriter, and I'll let her website bio speak for itself.

"Reared among the Pentecostal pines of Oregon, Rachel Harrington has been doing things in the wrong order for quite some time. She’d had extensive radio play before performing her live show, and she was opening for Grammy winners and nominees before releasing her first record."http://www.rachelharrington.net/home.html

My housemate and I were washing dishes last night and she played some songs off of Rachel Harrington's second cd, "City of Refuge." You can listen to some of those tracks at Rachel's myspace page. I highly recommend listening to the track Karen Kane over on myspace.

Her voice reminds me of a little Lucinda Williams, a little Gillian Welch, and a little Pieta Brown. Videos on youtube mostly feature her and the talented mandolin player Zak Borden who sings with her as well. So here are three enjoyable videos I found on youtube. I also recommend checking out her myspace to hear some of her songs that are a little more fleshed out musically, including some really tasteful use of panning if you're using headphones.

Shallow Grave :: Roe Family Singers

My first band of choice for Local Music Month is the Roe Family Singers, one of my favorite Twin Cities bands. What started as the husband and wife duo of Kim and Quillan Roe has expanded to an 8-member crew of old-timey fabulousness, complete with autoharp, washboard, banjo, saw, mandolin, harmonica, bass, fiddle, and dulcimer, just to name a few! Their sound comes from a different time and place, heavily influenced by old American folk, bluegrass, and roots music. If I imagine a family vacation to old Appalachia with the Carter family, it sounds a lot like the Roe Family Singers.

You can catch the every Monday night at the 331 Club, a great little corner bar up in NE Minneapolis. Playing a combination of their own songs and covering classic old-timey tunes from Hank Williams to Joan Carter Cash to old American folk, they are always a total pleasure to watch. And they are darn nice. Really. I've met members of the band, and these are good people. Always free and always guaranteed to please, I totally recommend hitting up one of these shows. The Roe Family Singers will also be playing the opening weekend of the Art Shanty Projects on Medicine Lake (January 18, 2 pm, Black Box Shanty). If you've never been, the Art Shanty Projects are a funky, fun, and frosty art event that isn't to be missed! I can't think of anything more quintessentially Minnesotan.

I'm choosing the song "Shallow Grave", from their 2005 self-released EP Andronicus. There's nothing quite like a song about a jilted woman killing her husband, especially when it includes the bone-chilling whir of a saw.



Support those local artists!

XOXO
Kim

Blood on the Tracks :: Bob Dylan

Choosing one album to write about has been almost more difficult than choosing one song - perhaps because this, as of yet, the only chance we've had to write about an entire album, so it feels more important to choose something really good... I thought a lot about formative albums in my life: The Beatles' The White Album; Luck of the Draw or Nick of Time by Bonnie Rait, anything by Peter, Paul & Mary; Weezer's blue album; Ani DiFranco's Out of Range or Educated Guess; and of course, Middle of Nowhere, and later, their third studio album, made while trying to leave their major label, Underneath, by Hanson. I also thought about writing about Jayber Crow's EP The Farmer and the Nomad or their new disc, Two Short Stories, because I've thoroughly enjoyed their music for as long as they've been making it. These are all worthy albums, but as I remember sitting around the record player with my dad when I was a child, I think it is most important to pay tribute to the granddaddy of modern folk-rock, Bob Dylan. As a singer-songwriter, I can't think of another modern musician more important. A song I wrote in college makes reference to the days when I "danced to Dylan records and watched them turn." I continue to find inspiration in his music every time I listen.

Blood on the Tracks, released in 1975, is a long-time favorite album of mine and my dad's. I spent many nights falling asleep to these songs - either listening to the record, or listening to my dad playing "Buckets of Rain" for me on the guitar.

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One of the things that makes this record so important is the manner in which it was made. Half of the songs were recorded in a New York City studio, but the other five were recorded at a farmhouse near Minneapolis. Those "Minneapolis" tracks were laid down live. The band musicians on those tracks are just regular folk - local Minnesotan session musicians. The recording is rumored to have been completed in a weekend. Essentially, this album is an excellent example of records made they way they should be - to loosely quote an Ani lyric - "a record of people in a room, making music." Digital technology has made it possible to make incredibly polished, if over-produced, recordings - the kind of stuff we hear on the radio. Multi-layered electronic tracks, vocal effects and the like abound, which isn't to say that those things are all bad... But in some ways, I think the true art of making a record - making music with people, playing it live together - the art of really writing and performing songs, has died a bit. That's why I love this record.

The songs themselves, aside from the way they were produced, are classic Dylan, and some of my favorites of his. The album was a Billboard No. 1 hit in the United States. "Tangled Up in Blue," recorded during the Minneapolis sessions, is evidence of the ways in which the music business has changed in recent years. "Tangled" was a Top 40 Billboard hit in 1975.



There are plenty of other Dylan classics on the record, including "Idiot Wind" and "Shelter From the Storm," and also some of his (relatively) less-famous songs, like "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts," which has long been one of my favorite Dylan songs. And of course, the quintessential folk lullaby, "Buckets of Rain."





I have yet to acquire a working record player, a quest I embarked upon after hauling home a pile of old albums from our neighbors' "free" box last summer, but as soon as I do, I'm sure I'll be breaking out my dad's old vinyl copy of "Blood on the Tracks" to sing, dance and watch it turn. I'd encourage everyone who can to do the same.

Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks, 1975

Side one
"Tangled Up in Blue" – 5:42 (Minneapolis)
"Simple Twist of Fate" – 4:19 (NYC, Sept 1974)
"You're a Big Girl Now" – 4:36 (Minneapolis)
"Idiot Wind" – 7:48 (Minneapolis)
"You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" – 2:55 (NYC, Sept 1974)

Side two
"Meet Me in the Morning" – 4:22 (NYC, Sept 1974)
"Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" – 8:51 (Minneapolis)
"If You See Her, Say Hello" – 4:49 (Minneapolis)
"Shelter from the Storm" – 5:02 (NYC, Sept 1974)
"Buckets of Rain" – 3:22 (NYC, Sept 1974)

Comfort :: Deb Talan

I love Deb Talan. She's also in the musical group "The Weepies". She has this very calming affect when she puts her words to music and I hope that whoever needs some calming and comfort in their lives can find it in her music.

Enjoy!
Meggo



Comfort :: Deb Talan

When everyone has gone to sleep and you are wide awake
there's no one left to tell your troubles to.
Just an hour ago, you listened to their voices
lilting like a river over underground
and the light from downstairs came up soft like daybreak
dimly as the heartache of a lonely child.

If you can't remember a better time
you can have mine, little one.
In days to come when your heart feels undone
may you always find an open hand
and take comfort wherever you can, you can, you can.

And oh, it's a strange place.
And oh, everyone with a different face
but just like you thought when you stopped here to linger
we're only as separate as your little fingers.

So cry, why not? we all do
then turn to one you love
and smile a smile that lights up all the room.
Follow your dreams in through every out-door
it seems that's what we're here for.

And when you can't remember a better time
you can have mine, little one.
In days to come when your heart feels undone
may you always find an open hand
and take comfort, there is comfort.
Take comfort wherever you can, you can, you can.

The Night :: Edie Carey

I recently "rediscovered" Edie Carey's 2004 album When I Was Made and remembered why I like her music so much. Her songs are really simple - in a good way - acoustic guitar, great lyrics, and very melodic. She's also a lot of fun to see live. This song isn't on When I Was Made, it's on her latest release Another Kind of Fire (2006), but it's one of my favorite songs by her. The opening line reminds me of summer and as summer is ending, and we shiver and sleep with windows open anyway, it seems an appropriate farewell.

This is a live, acoustic version of the song. Enjoy.



the night:
You fall asleep with the window open
You love to listen to the night
When a storm muscles in
Leaves you broken
You’re always surprised

Sometimes you wish
That your heart could be traded
For one that will not bruise
But what good is a heart gone jaded?
Sometimes only pain tells the truth

You want it two ways - are you in or out?
You want to see the beauty
But you can’t kill these doubts
These blue days are gonna show you
How to fly

New love reads unwritten pages
You press them cool against your skin
But the words you fill them with
Feel like cages
You want to start clean again

You want it two ways - are you in or out?
You want to see the beauty
But you can’t kill these doubts
These blue days are gonna show you
How to fly

You want it two ways - are you in or out?
You want to see the beauty
But you can’t kill these doubts
These blue days are gonna show you
How to fly

You fall asleep with the window open
You love to listen to the night

The Romance of Wolves :: Roma di Luna

I was trying on a darling little sweater (goldenrod and cream stripes with buttons, oh my!) on a recent afternoon at Tatters, a great vintage shop on Lyndale in Minneapolis. They always have good music playing over the soundsystem, and this day was no exception. The selections were as beautifully golden as the sweater's stripes.

While I was pulling the sweater over my head, a new song came on. The singer's voice was a little haunting, graceful, lovely, a lone banjo in the background. Then the rest of the band kicked in, the tempo picked up. The fiddle! The tremelo! The minor chords! Oh, my! The lyrics were intriguing, the sound was intoxicating, and I was suddenly so drawn in to the music and didn't give a darn about the somewhat ill-fitting sweater that looked so great on the hanger.

I fell in love.

Any regular reader knows I fall in love a lot. I'm just full of a lot of love, that's all.

But truly, can you blame me for being a sucker for a roots/Americana/blugrass/rock/country/folk infusion? If you've got a banjo, a saw, a mandolin, a fiddle, or anything remotely Appalachian sounding, or include stories that involve death, murder, redemption, faith, or unrequited love, or if you make me feel like I am at a revival, I will most likely be very happy with you and your sound. Give it to me.

And Roma di Luna does! I had to run out of the dressing room and find out who the band was. Turns out Roma di Luna is local, friends of the shop owners, and plays regularly around town. So, I need to check 'em out live sometime - they have a number of upcoming gigs, check out their myspace or webpage for all the details.

I'm featuring the song I heard that fateful day in the dressing room, "The Romance of Wolves". Unfortunately, the sweater didn't work out. But I left with a new love for Roma di Luna instead.

I hope you enjoy!



XOXO
Kim

Alla This :: Ani DiFranco

so...we haven't had an Ani DiFranco post since we started this blog back in Nov/Dec of 2007. it is about time we get a little more of her!

i started running *GASP* this week, and so far things are going really well. and during my runs, i select a random cd and just run to that. sometimes i get caught off guard by a song and i get fixated on it for the rest of my run. this particular song did just that to me. i was first introduced to Ani during my first year of college (i know....really late) and quickly joined the Church of DiFranco. besides her amazing guitar skills and unique voice, Ani's lyrics are what get me every time. she is not just a musician, she is a poet. and her lyrics speak to my activist heart.

this particular song is rockin because it's one of the more poignant political songs that Ani has done (in my opinion) in quite some time. it's right up there with Your Next Bold Move for me... so hopefully it will ring true for some of y'all.

the end.
love,
meggo.

Alla This :: Ani DiFranco


Alla This :: Ani DiFranco

i will not stand immersed,
in this ultra violent curse
i won't let you make a tool of me
i will keep my mind and body free
bye bye minutiae
of the day to day drama,
i'm expanding exponentially,
i am consciousness without identity

i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru,
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go

i will maintain the truth
i knew naturally as a child
i won't forfeit my creativity,
to a world that's all laid out for me
i will look at everything around me
and i will vow to bear in mind
that all of this was just someone's idea
it could just as well be mine

i won't rent you my time
i won't sell you my brain
i won't pray to a male god
cuz that would be insane

and i can't support the troops,
cuz every last one of them's being duped,
and i will not rest a wink
until the women have regrouped

i am many things,
made of everything,
but i will not be your bank roll
i won't idle in your drive-thru
i won't watch your electric sideshow
i got way
better places to go

Bonus Song!!! This one is about DiFranco's baby daddy...it's not often we hear happy love songs from Ani, so enjoy!



Way Tight :: Ani DiFranco

i tell you what - there is plenty wrong with me,
but i fixed up a few old buildings...
and i planted a few trees.
children seem to like me,
and animals, too -
like the birds and the bees...

and eating a sandwich,
standing over the kitchen counter
with only the sound of chewing in the room -
i can see you as a challenge,
that i will eagerly meet...
'cuz you are way way way way sweet.

it’s just that kind of evening -
that cracks open like a half shaken beer,
cool and refreshing, running down your arm,
baby, there’s no other place i’d rather be...
than here, parting my periodic alarm.

you are ever true, ever new in love...
and i mean that in the best and worst way.
i don’t really know what i was so mad about,
but the full moon is about a week away.

i tell you what - there is plenty wrong with you,
stuff you’d sooner fight for than cop to
i think it’s just more reason why we are meant to be;
people say i look like you and you look like me...
a crazy combination of everything and nothing right...
we are way way way way way way way way way tight,
yes, we are way way way way way way way way way tight,
we are way way way way way way way way way tight.

Ring Around the Moon :: Elephant Revival

Today's guest blog is from Kathryn.

So this past weekend I had the pleasure of a fun-filled music weekend. Although I saw the Indigo Girls with Bitch and Ferron on Sunday and it was a very good show (and they played some new music from their self-produced album out in winter because they were dropped from their major label-BOO!). However, I am writing because I saw a great local-ish band on Friday night, Elephant Revival Concept and I want people to know about them, check them out, and love them too.

I was at Ye Old Rock Inn (local bluegrass bar) in Estes Park and saw a really great band called Elephant Revival who are self-described as Experimental/Americana/Folk but with an amazing bluegrass/roots twist. They are out of Nederland, Colorado-which to most people in these parts is Hippie-ville and just down the road from the EP. I hate to attribute a band's wealth to one person but honestly one of their female vocalists, Bonnie Paine, is AMAZING-and she plays the washboard, which is one of the coolest things EVER to watch. Her original band from Oklahoma is My-Tea Kind and they are also really good and different-an obscure folk rock group.

The band combines fiddle, acoustic guitar, upright bass, the cello, electric banjo, and even djembe and the occasional saw to create their unique sound. One moment they may be busting out a roots reggae tune, the next they are playing Irish Celtic folk music, and yet can also pick a traditional bluegrass song with the best of them. Seeing them live was a fantastic experience also because the crowd is so into them and loves to kick their heels up and dance to whatever they might be playing at the moment. ER are inspired by the crowd and it is obvious the crowd also becomes pretty inspired throughout the course of the show by the music coming from the stage.

I am going to choose the song Ring Around the Moon for my Song of the Day because it showcases Paine's soulful and slightly eerie vocal stylings-however, I am not convinced that this is the best representative of their music as a whole since they are so multi-talented. If you get a chance to hit their myspace page I would highly recommend the semi-political song A Part, and the Reel Mckay Wedding. I can't find the lyrics but I'm not sure they are necessary. Just hear the song, let it wash (board) over you and become entranced by the incredible talents of Elephant Revival.

Here is a video of that Ring Around the Moon:



But I also want to provide another video from Nederland's Frozen Dead Guy Days where they played and you can see how completely different the music is and there's also a really amazing washboard solo:



So if you like your bluegrass with altitude as I do then listen to them, let them make you feel happy and then buy their stuff so that they can continue!

Beloved One :: Ben Harper

sometimes you don't even need to explain why some songs are worth listening to...

sorry for the late post y'all...but here's my song of the day.

i've been listening to a lot of new music thanks to pandora.com! but when this one came on, it grabbed my attention fully...its simplicity, its lyrics...just a voice and a guitar and sincere feelings...all of these things are what make this song beautiful.

hopefully you'll agree!
the end.
love,
meggo




Beloved One :: Ben Harper
We have both been here before
Knockin upon loves door
Begging for someone to let us in
Knowing this we can agree to keep each other company
Never to go down that road again

My beloved one, my beloved one

Your eyes shine through me
You are so divine to me
Your heart has a home in mine
We wont have to say a word
With a touch all shall be heard
When I search my heart its you I find

My beloved one, my beloved one, my beloved one

You were meant for me,
I believe you were sent to me from a dream straight into
To my arms
Hold your body close to me
You mean the most to me
We will keep each other safe from harm

My beloved one, my beloved one, my beloved one

Soda Shop :: Jay Brannan

This is another Shortbus soundtrack post for me. Sorry but not really. I can't seem to recommend the soundtrack enough lately. It's entirely possible that next week I'll be posting another song off that soundtrack.

This week we have a lovely tune from Jay Brannan, an actor/musician who was in the film. This song is deceptively optimistic sounding. Seriously, the song has the words "shoobie doobie doo-wap" in the chorus. It's got a cute innocent folky guitar part under Jay's happy melody. I didn't even catch that the song was about overdosing severely on drugs or alcohol until the third or fourth listen. I think that contradiction between the dark content and the actual song is what sealed my utter enjoyment of the song.

Some of my favorite lyrics: "how can i repay you for saving me and my hardwood floor" and "i read my upheaves, much like tea leaves"

Happy Wednesday! and Happy 12,837 hits for the website (as of 9:57pm CST today, not counting any of the bloggers)!



The sidewalk is rushing at my head again
I'm lying on the street in the rain and wind
From doing forward rolls down Avenue A
With my guitar on my back don't let it end this way

Somehow i dialed my cell
I didn't know I could get service in hell
How quickly can you get here
Don't know where I am dear
Finally the world actually seems to be revolving around me

Shoobie doobie doo-wap
I over did it at the soda shop
Thanks for being my girl
At the "I don't know when to stop sock hop"

You held my head over the edge of the bed
I remember it now but at the time I thought I was dead
You put a pan there and held by hair
How can I repay you for saving me and my hardwood floor

Shoobie doobie doo-wap
I over did it at the soda shop
Thanks for being my girl
At the "I don't know when to stop sock hop"

And when the world stops spinning round
I picked the pen up off the ground
I read my up heaves much like tea leaves
They said its over so get sober or you'll die again

Shoobie doobie doo-wap
I over did it at the soda shop
Thanks for being my girl
At the "I don't know when to stop sock hop"

Porch Songs :: Chris Pureka

My post is a day late with apologies. I was busy yesterday introducing my Ohio friends to the hootenannny. Tonight, however, my roommate and I are heading to a Chris Pureka concert. Chris Pureka is a independent singer-songwriter who was opening for Dar Williams on tour last fall, where I first saw her perform live. Most of her songs are all pretty mellow and melancholy - good for a rainy days or contemplative cooking alone in your apartment. However, this song, "Porch Songs" is relatively upbeat for Chris. For me, the song evokes memories of times very close to my heart such as impromptu sing-alongs in the apartment in Water St. in Decorah, sharing a room with Meghan during my sophomore year of college, family road trips when my brother and I were small, swimming in the Upper Iowa River with Krissy and running around barefoot afterward, sitting on Joanie's front porch with her in D.C. drinking tea like old men and countless summer nights in Michigan singing my campers to sleep from outside their cabin doors.

In the end, I think all music is about these moments, in some form or another.



"Porch Songs" Chris Pureka

We sang porch songs like we were rock stars
We drank cheap beer and tried to make it last
Then it was back in the car
The coast to the cornfields
Maybe we were just looking for something else to call ourselves

Rest stop coffee, yeah postcards back home
Back seat scenes of strange towns
Keep driving on, driving on
In the middle of the night, we took a wrong turn
Ended up on a mountain in the pine trees and the moonlit earth

Oh the scattered light, a photograph in mind
Of a summer day, squinting at the sun
It's a warm stone, that I carry along
You know I, you know that I
I've been saving quarters, for the toll roads
We can pack the car tonight, we can leave town tomorrow
Put me on a porch swing out in Portland
Put me on an F train, roll me back into Brooklyn
Well we closed the bars, like we were cowboys
And then we wrote our names in the dirt by the side of the road
And October came and the winter drew near
With the cold fingers digging in under the ribs
But we were campfire girls and we were kicking up the leaves
And we returned to our jobs with our clothes smelling of wood-smoke

Oh the scattered light, a photograph in mind
Of a summer day, squinting at the sun
It's a warm stone, that I carry along
You know I, you know that I
I've been saving quarters, for the toll roads
We can pack the car tonight, we can leave town tomorrow
Put me on a porch swing out in Portland
Put me on an F train, roll me back into Brooklyn

We sang porch songs like we were rock stars
We drank cheap beer and tried to make it last

My Mom :: Kimya Dawson

Last Wednesday I had the joy of driving up to the cities with a friend to go to the Kimya Dawson concert. Not only was the drive amazing (we become "the obviously ambiguously gay duo" if that's any indication of said awesome-ness), Kimya was stellar.
One downside was that I did not expect the concert to go quite as long as it did. Doors were at 7, and the concert was supposed to start at 7:30. However, the first opener, Angelo Spencer (aka Kimya's lovah and the other parent of her baby), did not go on until a little after 8.

Angelo was alright, he had potential. I really enjoyed his first song, but then after that my general feeling is that he needed to calm down a bit. I did enjoy some of the technical aspects of his guitar playing, and that he played a kick drum and high hat to accompany his guitar playing. Even so, a lot of the songs sounded the same, and he didn't have a set list, he just kinda played whatever he felt like. I'm not completely opposed to set list free concerts, but I also appreciate a well crafted set list.

The second opener was the French band L'Orchidee D'Hawai. They were a little more enjoyable than Angelo honestly. This may have been because there was 1) recreational drug use on stage 2) a blue sparkly guitar 3) the bass player wore a black, furry shoulder/hood item that looked like it was from a gorilla or bear costume. Not to mention I enjoyed their music a lot more. Their style was more jam band from the 50s meets the Edgar Winter Group. Even so, by the time they finished playing I was ready for Kimya.

Kimya finally took the stage, and was stellar. She opened up with a few older songs, "It's been raining" was particularly outstanding. She also played a lot of tunes off her CD that isn't even out yet, it's a CD of children's songs which were pretty hilarious. She also played some of my favorite songs, namely "12/26," "my rollercoaster," and "loose lips." In addition, she played the song "my mom" which I had never heard before. That's the actual song I'm posting in fact. She also talked about furries, and how she was at a hotel that had a furry convention going on at the same time, and how they were fascinating, and how they had elastic holes in the back for "easy fisting action."

I picked the song "My Mom" because it is so deeply personal. By this I mean that the simplicity of the song and the straightforward lyrics are intimate and revealing. The song makes me feel like averting my eyes, not looking at the situation head on. Though that might be the Lutheran in me. In addition, I really like the verse about Bert and Ernie because it seems almost completely unrelated.

Basically, I love Kimya, and I am so excited that I got to see her live in all her glory. In addition, it was at the Cedar Cultural Center which is a fantastic not for profit venue in Minneapolis. If you have a chance to see a show there, you should go.




have you ever had a dream
that your favorite baby's drowning
and you grab him by his sweater sleeve and pull him up on to the ground and
you can hear the water slosh around inside his tiny gut
push his belly up and down but he can't cough the water up
suddenly a flood comes out his mouth till there is nothing left inside of him
he's empty now
there isn't even one small breath
and he goes limp in your arms
all the people's mouths are moving
all you hear are car alarms
and you wake up and start to cry
I will lose my shit if even one more person I know dies
so please don't die

my mom's sick she's in a hospital bed
I've got a word for all you ghosts in her head
and all you skeletons in her closet
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone, please
because my mom needs you gone
my mom needs you gone
as long as she is haunted she'll never get strong
my mom needs you gone

you traded all your paper clips for a soap dish that way
your best friend's rubber ducky wouldn't slip and slide away
but he traded his rubber duck for a cigar box to place your paper clips in
Mr. Hooper came to say
"oh my dear friends Bert and Ernie
here's a little something for each of you from me
here are your paper clips and here's your rubber ducky
how could I ignore such selfless generosity?"

the human body's made up of good and bad bacteria
but the antibiotics and the antibacterials are killing all the good ones
and the bad ones just get stronger and become super infections
it's harder to destroy them and it's harder to detect them
and there's something in her blood
and there's something in her leg
and there's something in her brain

my mom's sick she's in a hospital bed
I've got a word for all you ghosts in her head
and all you skeletons in her closet
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone
leave her alone, please
because my mom needs you gone
my mom needs you gone
as long as she is haunted she'll never get strong
my mom needs you gone
my mom needs you gone
my mom needs you gone
my mom needs you gone

Panic of 1837 :: Jayber Crow

i had the privilege of not only getting to visit my hometown of choice [decorah, ia] this past weekend, but also to hear the musical stylings of none other than jayber crow. jayber crow is comprised of two guys, zach hawkins [fellow luther alum] and pete nelson. their music, as previously mentioned by sumner, really is reminiscent of the midwest...or at least the midwest that i grew up in. it always reminds me of 'home' and my families.

anyway, it was really great to see these guys perform and to hear some of their new music! it's so new, that there's not even a clip online that i can post on here for y'all to listen to, so you'll have to go to jayber crow's myspace page HERE to give it a listen. they've got a new album out called "two short stories"...and that's exactly what it is! the first 5 songs of the album is called 'freeze and thaw', while the last 6 make up 'where is this wilderness'.

the songs that they write are mostly about learning and growing and places that change you, or at least, that's what my interpretation is...i really dig their music, and hopefully, so will you! this particular song is from the second story of the album and is about john deere and his plow. for those of you who have grown up on farms and understand the significance of such machinery, then you'll enjoy this song. for those of you city folk, well...here's a little history lesson :) the lyrics aren't up anywhere online, so i typed them up really quick, so my apologies in advance if i've screwed any of them up...

hope y'all enjoy.
the end.
<3,
meggo.


Panic of 1837::Jayber Crow

so let us sing of sandy soil
virgin prairie left unspoiled
and all the tall grass
dying when winter came

coming back up in the spring
to die again, oh let us sing
i'll tell you now, boy
just how the world was made

but oh dear, john deere
headed west across the land
oh dear, john deere
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again

so let us sing of the frontier
what unlucky pioneers
she was fertile
but she would not plow

johnny came to make a name
thought of a plow so scouring
they sunk it in, son
and she went quietly [not sure on this line]

they tore it up, man
as far as eyes could see
and they sent her down the mississippi river

whoaaa!!!!

oh dear, john deere
sank the steel into the land
oh dear, john deere
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again
some things you give you cannot get back again

White Winter Hymnal :: Fleet Foxes

"Can you show me the hottest local disc you are selling right now? Your favorite. The most popular. Whatever, just the album or band that everyone is talking about." I wanted to know.

He walked me over to the local rack, cocked his head with his hands on his hips, and thought for moment. Then he pointed. "This one. It is my favorite on this rack, it just came out. And everyone's talking about it."

I just returned yesterday on the red-eye from visiting a friend in Seattle, and came back laden with music. The city totally won me over, due in part to the thriving music scene. The local favorite suggested by the record store clerk? Fleet Foxes' recently released 5 song EP Sun Giant. After performing for a year or two around Seattle, this band performed at SXSW, was favorably reviewed by Pitchfork, and is currently touring with Blitzen Trapper (Minneapolis on April 9 at 7th St Entry - if you want to go, post a comment! I'll be there, this show will be awesome.). According to one article I read, they are firmly denying that they are hippies, this is apparently an issue of contention. I don't care if they are hippies or not, Fleet Foxes puts out some great music.

The song I'm featuring, "White Winter Hymnal" is amazing; it isn't on the EP, in fact, it is a featured song from their full-length album due out in June (just announced Tuesday!). I came across this song yesterday while investigating the EP, which got major play in the car while traveling around Seattle and on my iTunes back at work ("English House" and caffeine pulled me through my post-redeye flight coma). Anyway, once I heard "White Winter Hymnal", the deal was sealed. I can't wait for the album, I've listened to this song about 600 times today. This is beautiful music, plain and simple, packed into a brief little song and it gives me delightful little goosebumps everythime I hear it - and I enjoy the odd piano section at the end.


Lyrics:

I was following the pack
all swallowed in their coats
with scarves of red tied ’round their throats
to keep their little heads
from fallin’ in the snow
And I turned ’round and there you go!
And, Michael, you would fall
and turn the white snow red as strawberries
in the summertime

Want to know more about Fleet Foxes?
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes



XOXO
Kim

Break Me Out :: The Rescues

sometimes, there are just artists out there who you can get enough. most of the time, if you dig an artist, you buy all their music, go to their shows, spread the word about them, and enjoy them on a daily basis.

sometimes, there are artists out there who can't enough of makin music. i dig these kinds of artists...because it means that i get to listen to their solo stuff and their band stuff...it's double the pleasure, double the fun...almost as much fun as doublemint gum.

anyway, that's what my new favorite singer, Adrianne, did.


she got together with two other people:
Gabriel Mann


and Kyler England


and formed the band: The Rescues.


i really dig this group. they have great vocals and harmonies, and instrumentals. what i enjoy most about this song is its ability to make your pulse race and your feet movin...it's a song that i think a lot of people can really relate to the feeling of wanting to just get away. sometimes you just gotta break out and run and do something different...

anyway, below is a acoustic version of my favorite song from The Rescues...they're jammin.

so, enjoy!
the end.
<3,
meggo.


Break Me Out::The Rescues

my empty room
crowded too soon
i look for the fire escape
i picture myself
runnin like hell
makin my getaway

there was a cavin in with no warnin
the ship is sinkin
i gotta swim for it
i'm runnin out of air

break me out tonight
i wanna see the sunrisin anywhere but here
come with me, oh, this could be
the only chance we get
we gotta take it
if we don't do it now, we'll never make it
lose this crowd
oh, break me out

stare at our feet
sneak down the street
some kind of secret race
they'll carry on
won't notice we're gone
so easily replaced

there was a cavin in with no warning
the ship is sinkin
i gotta swim for it
i'm runnin out of air

break me out tonight
i wanna see the sunrisin anywhere but here
come with me, oh, this could be
the only chance we get
we gotta take it
if we don't do it now, we'll never make it
lose this crowd
oh, break me out

there was a cavin in with no warning
the ship is sinkin
i gotta swim for it
i've got a feelin we're better off anyway
i don't care what they say

so, break me out tonight
i wanna see the sunrisin anywhere but here
come with me, oh, this could be
the only chance we get
we gotta take it
if we don't do it now, we'll never make it
lose this crowd
oh, break me out
break me out!

Top 20 New-To-Me Artists of 2008

this blog is the top 20 new-to-me artists of 2008 (thus far), for me ...many of these artists aren't exactly 'new', but they've become new to me and i want to share them with all y'all! i put it in alphabetical order b/c i really couldn't decide how to rank them b/c they're all pretty different/unique and cross genres a lot...so here goes:
(side note: this photo is of me and my roommate...and when we start our own band, this picture will be our album cover...)

1. Adrianne


this woman rocks. her music is what i would classify as acoustic lesbionic folk rock. i dig her voice and her songs are always jam packed with emotion. she also has this sweet youtube page where she showcases her new music (a lot of which is collaborated with members from the group Girlyman). Click HERE to check them out!

2. The Bird and The Bee


the first lady/dude duo of this list, the bird and the bee will make you wanna jam out...with your clam out...or rock out with your cock out - whichever works best for you. they are indie-unique and will make you appreciate their alternative nerdiness ;)

3. Brandi Carlile


i want to have brandi carlile's babies. i've seen her live twice now...and i really can't wait to do her...i mean it...again. never have i ever witnessed an artist utilize her voice to evoke gut wrenching emotion like brandi. plus, she really just knows how to give her songs that extra kick...some spice...a left hook...a curveball...you know what i mean? she's amazing.

4. The Brunettes


the second lady/dude indie duo on my list, the brunettes bring a sort of euro-chic touch to their songs. if you're looking for a group that is as eclectic as itunes music store, check them out HERE.

5. The Cliks


i first came across this group when i was watching the L word a couple seasons back...but became reintroduced to them when my friend Dylan told me to check them out earlier this past fall. this group is canadian and queer. 'nuff said.

6. Cloud Cult


cloud cult rocks. plain and simple. if you're looking to find some music and lyrics to match your heart, go for this group. there are so many things that make this group super cool and one of them is their commitment to indie music. despite multiple major label offers, they've stuck to their beliefs and their non-profit label is also an environmental one as well! PLUS, they also have added former bassist of Tapes 'n Tapes (who will be mentioned later), Shawn Neary!

7. Ingrid Michaelson


for all you grey's anatomy fans, you will probably recognize ingrid, since four of her songs have been featured on the late night hospital intern drama. or, if you are an avid watcher of old navy commercials (specifically the fair isle sweater ads)...if you're feelin a little emo but not really feelin dude emo music, ingrid is your woman.

8. Jenny Owen Youngs


this woman is musical genius. LOVE her. not only does she write really witty and snarky songs, she has done some AMAZING covers of Nelly's 'Hot in Herrre', a hot rendition of the Postal Service's 'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight', a pretty hot version of Kelly Clarkson's lesbionic break-up song 'Since U Been Gone', a sultry and yet hilarious cover of Boys II Men's 'I'll Make Love to You', and finally, a cover medley that highlights Kelis' 'Milkshake', Pocahontas' 'Colors of the Wind', Missy Elliott's 'Work It', and finally Jay Z's '99 Problems'.

9. Joshua James


nothin says emo like a boy from lincoln, nebraska with a guitar and some nerdy glasses and sweet t-shirts. but in all seriousness, joshua james is really talented. beautifully talented...and beautiful. he is a very beautiful male musician. coming from a lezbian, this is saying a lot. he's my new favorite dude.

10. Joshua Radin


along the lines of ingrid michaelson comes joshua radin. joshua has also had songs featured on grey's anatomy, but it is through his connections with good friend/actor/director, zach braff, that much of his music has been featured on other tv shows/movies (scrubs,the last kiss). but regardless of who he knows and where you've heard him, he is very talented. and the way he harmonizes with girlfriend schuyler fisk is just plain beautiful.

11. Kimya Dawson


what i love about kimya dawson is that her songs and her voice sound like that a snarky, sassy, super smart 20-something would write...her sing-songy lyrical stylings turn me on. she makes you feel like you're not the only one who feels 'that' way. most favorite lyric of her's:
having been fucked is no excuse for being fucked up.

12. Maneli Jamal


it's not often that i listen to music that has no words, but it's also more rare for me to be moved by music with no words...maneli jamal is probably the most talented guitarist that i will ever hear in my lifetime. he has a way of bringing out feelings and sensations without having to speak a word...his guitar speaks for him and it's simply one of the most beautiful things your ears will ever come across...regardless of what type/genre of music you dig. he's also quite the artist!

13. Meiko


so, apparently i have a thing for artists who've been featured on the tv show, grey's anatomy. whatever. i can't help it if i dig chill folk/alternative/indie/emo music. and how can you blame me once you get a hold of meiko for yourself? seriously folks...there's something super sexy AND fierce about someone who can reach the top 35 AND hold the #1 folk album for over a month on itunes - and that's without being signed onto a major record label! she's sort of a big deal, so you should look out for her and prepare to enjoy yourself :)

14. Muse


my roommate introduced me to muse and i am eternally grateful. they freakin rock! they make me want to be able to jam out on the bass guitar like they do. i envy their musical stylings. plus, they are featured on Guitar Hero, which, for anyone who knows me, means eternal greatness!!!

15. Paramore


ok...here's a group that seriously kicks ass. AND they do it w/a female lead singer. they make avril lavine look worse than britney spears. (no offense avril/britney fans...sort of...) what i like best about this group is the fact that they totally rock and they're all under the age of 24...actually, they range from ages 17 to 24!!! INSANE. they make emo/rock pop sound meaningful while leaving the bitchy, bratty whining on the curb. plus, lead singer Hayley Williams is pretty cute to boot.

16. Sia


what can i say about Sia...she's weird. she's Aussie. but she's that good kind of weird...refreshing weird...quirky weird...she's the type of artist that makes you feel like she would be a lot of fun for people with ADD/ADHD. she's got a great voice and a hyper-active imagination. if you haven't heard of her, or if you've only heard her hit song "Breathe Me" (which was featured on the last episode of the show Six Feet Under), you need to hear more of her!

17. Sick of Sarah


this 4 woman band out of minneapolis, mn is fierce. if you're looking for female fronted indie rock bands, this is one you should most definitely add to your itunes playlist. SoS is fresh, innovative, and they make you wanna blast their songs with the windows down!! keep an eye out for this group...i have a feeling they're about to explode and become real big in the near future.

18. The Sounds


are you a fan of Blondie, or The Cars? if so, you will love The Sounds...they're Swedish...but way better than IKEA. and they'll compliment your music library better than a poang chair could ever compliment your reading room.

19. Tapes 'n Tapes


what is so cool about this group made of insanely smart kids from MN (they're insanely smart b/c they all graduated from Carleton College)? the fact that they got huge due to underground, indie music bloggers from around the world. if you're into music that incorporates intelligent lyrical and compositional formations, as well as euphonium, beer bottles and spoons (among other things), then you're really gonna dig this group.

20. Thao with The Get Down Stay Down


and last but not least, thao with the get down stay down. this group ROCKS! \--/ \--/ (for those of you non-dorks out there in cyber-blog space, that is totally the symbol for ROCK...you know...that thing you do with your hands when you fold in all but your pinky and pointer finger...that is followed simultaneously with some head bangin.) this is the kind of group that i would totally want to become a groupie for and just follow their tours across the country jamming out at concerts. i don't know much about them, as i've only been listening to their stuff on their myspace site for about a week now, but they seriously ROCK y'all...
---

Lump Sum :: Bon Iver

Sorry for the late post, friends.

Bon Iver (pronounced "bohn eevair", like the French bon hiver, meaning "good winter") is the name taken by musician Justin Vernon. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native's record, "For Emma, Forever Ago", was just released mid-February, and is striking.

I received the album on loan from my dear friend, who got it on loan from her exclusive man-friend. This man-friend, in addition to being a totally solid and positive person, has impeccable taste in music and loves to share. He gets three thumbs up.

The story behind this album is a fitting backdrop for a collection of songs that I see as both complex and austere, ghostly and visceral, lonely and warm. According to many a website, Vernon fled to his father's desolate Wisconsin cabin at the start of winter, seeking solace and simplicity after a band breakup. Armed with simple recording equipment, Vernon recorded all day between simple tasks like chopping wood. After 3 months, he emerged from the wilderness with the collection of songs now on the album. It is perfect and full of the kind of romanticism that throws me into a sweeping tailspin - an individual goes on solo "vision quest"-like period of isolation, and finds beauty in simple living. I need this.

What else better than the enveloping womb-like quality of the dense Wisconsin woods to cradle frustration? If you've ever walked through the thick, blue lit trees, and felt the amorphous, soft curves of snow-covered woods bend toward you, maybe you've felt the sense of support that the icy wilderness can lend. But despite the quiet support, it is still icy and foreign, and maybe a little isolating. A snowy embrace can be a lonely one.

I feel all of this in the album. I am a Wisconsinite that harbors the deepest love of woods and music, and I think this album shot into a particularly soft spot of my heart. The album is thick and orchestral, as dense as an uncut Wisconsin forest. But the songs are still incredibly simple and straightforward. Introspective and sweeping, this music hits me at my core. On his myspace, Vernon calls his music "neo-soul".

Picking a song is hard, as they are all incredibly beautiful, but I am featuring "Lump Sum". The ghostly vocal parts sometimes feel as light and delicately creeping as hoar frost on a window, at other times they seem to echo from a desolate cave. All the while, the percussive guitar rhythms are as rooted and honest as the tallest tree. It gives me goosebumps.

I hope you enjoyed it. XOXO Kim

When I'm Gone :: Ani DiFranco (cover of Phil Ochs)

This is not the song I actually wanted to write about this week. I attended Ani DiFranco's concert in Columbus on Wednesday and was absolutely galvanized by a song I had not heard her play before called "The Atom." The song was an environmental anthem railing against the dangers of nuclear power. That song was an amazing experience - due in large part to the musicians playing with Ani on this tour. Obviously, I wanted to find a video of her playing "The Atom" live and share it on the blog, or even find some recording of it that I could post, but it alas, it was not to be. The song can be found on Ani's "bootleg" live recording of a 2007 show she played in Boston (check her website). In lieu of that song, I leave you with Ani's cover of Phil Ochs' "When I'm Gone," the sentiment of which rings true for me at this moment in my life, as I am beginning to realize more and more and quickly life really goes by (even when you're lucky enough to live for a pretty long time) and how easily it can be clipped too short. To me, this song is not just about activism and the immediacy of the issues of our day and the opportunities we have to really participate in change, but is also about living each moment as if you won't live another. I think this doesn't mean we have to go crazy and work ourselves into the ground, or never take a moment to relax. On the contrary, I think it means that we should do our best to be fully present in each moment of our lives - both the quiet and the active.

I think a lot about what happens when people are gone - what will happen when I'm gone and I want to think that at the end of my life, whenever that may be, I'll be able to look back and be sure that I was part of something and that I did not stand by in ignorance of my connection to each living thing on this planet, living things that are all made up of the same tiny little atoms.



Much peace.

Subdivision :: Ani DiFranco

"Then suddenly I hear my guitar singin'
And so I just start singin' along
And somewhere in my chest
All the noise just gets crushed by the song."
-Ani DiFranco (from "imagine that")

So I know that adoration of Ani DiFranco isn't a universally shared pastime. And I know that sometimes it's hard to escape her cuz she's so doggone prolific and her music is so widely embraced in this twenty-something Western/progressive/hippy/GLBTA female subculture of ours.
But what can I say? I just had to post this one while I'm on this spirit guitarist kick cuz that's what Ani is!

For all the slapping, popping, ripping and knocking sounds that this woman gets out of a guitar, it's sometimes forgotten that she can also make it sing like few others can. It's also easy to see her music as one mountainous pile of songs since she has made more albums in 15 years than many musicians make in a lifetime. But I have to say that from my own experience, it's not the volume of Ani's work that astonishes me, but the intricacy of each song and how so many of them seem to fit my life like my clothing fits my body. And any artist who can do that ONCE, much less over and over again, has wicked-hella skills and deserves wicked-hella props.

This song is a clip from Ani's movie "Render". And I'm warning you now that this entry is gonna drip with sentiment because this particular song pulls miles out of my heart every time I hear it. The first time I saw this movie, I was at a place in my life where I was deeply in love with the act and atmosphere of growing up (a feeling that college life stirs in many people). And I remember how moved I was by the purple and gold grace of the Tiny Folksinger standing there and smiling to herself as her guitar literally sighs from chord to chord (listen to the first five chords and TELL me there's not a sigh in there!...right as the audience is screaming adorations at her)). And then she starts to dance and sway around the stage with the music in between verses! This song talks about some heavy stuff! It's not easy to stomach and it's really sad. But the way she delivers it seems so graceful to me that it's easier to sidestep the guilt and the alienation one might otherwise feel if someone was soapboxing this stuff.

The song isn't demanding that other people agree with what she's singing about. You don't even have to like the music! You don't even have to listen! But the way she's playing it seems to transcend preoccupations with such things. In this country, where the Music Business is playing God in it's own version of Survival of the Fittest and where so many musicians are pruned instead of nurtured and supported and where so much of the music is killed long before it even reaches our ears, it's easy to forget that music was birthed out of the need to share and give and express. It's easy to forget about the time before community became audience and songs became performances. There are songs that remind us of those origins - even in the midst of a concert that we traveled miles and paid money to see....maybe that's why we travel and pay in the first place. Anyway, this song is one of those for me.

SUBDIVISION::ANI DIFRANCO

white people are so scared of black people.
they bulldoze out to the country, and put up houses on little loop-d-loop streets.
and while america gets its heart cut right out of its chest,
the berlin wall still runs downmain street separating east side from west.

and nothing is stirring, not even a mouse, in the boarded up stores and the broken down houses, so they hang colorful banners off all the street lamps just to prove they got no manners, no mercy, and no sense.

and i wonder then what it will take for my city to rise.
first we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes. the ghost of old buildings are haunting parking lots in the city of good neighbors that history forgot.

i remember the first time i saw someone lying on the cold street, i thought, "i can't just walk past you, this can't just be true."
but i learned by example to just keep moving my feet.
it's amazing the things that we all learn to do.

so we're led by denial like lambs to the slaughter, serving empires of style and carbonated sugar water and the old farmroad's a four-lane that leads to the mall and my dreams are all guillotines waiting to fall

and i wonder then what it will take for my country to rise.
first we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes.
'til nation's last taker succumbs to one last dumb decision and america the beautiful is just one big subdivision.

Better People :: Xavier Rudd

Guest Blogger::Emily

I was first introduced to Xavier Rudd by a close friend of mine. On a very random night, I met my (soon to be) friend, an Irishman who was stopping through the US on his way to live and work in Australia. He had no job lined up, no place to stay, no real plan, just $600 in his pocket and a dream. Three years later, keeping in touch only through text messages, we reunited and he brought me a gift of all of Xavier Rudd’s CDs. We were only together for a week, but he said that I would learn a lot about him while he was gone by listening to Xavier’s music.

So I did, and I want to share it with all of you. Xavier has an amazing sense of the intersection between humanity and nature. He seems to be a man who knows himself and who is in tune with the echoes of the earth on which we live. He is a native Australian, and many of his songs pay tribute to the Australian Aboriginal people (see: “Land Rights” and “Anni Kookoo” on his White Moth album). He plays all of his own instruments, including the didgeridoo. His website describes his music as an “amalgamation of folk, reggae, rock and world music”.


Really, all of his songs are good. I chose to write about “Better People” (off the album, White Moth, because of its sense of honesty, beauty, inspiration, and hope in a (at times) dreary, hopeless, and mean world. As he points out, there are some people who don’t listen or care, but there are lots of people who do care and are working to heal each other. Our earth is wounded, but there is overwhelming beauty in nature and humanity.

From a musical stand point, he really uses his voice as an instrument. He does not just talk or sing over the music, he and his words become a part of the music. I really like his infusions of different styles and the music quality in general. It’s unique.

Let me know if you want recommendations of others songs of his. Also, more information about Xavier, his music, and his mission can be found HERE.

Enjoy and pass along!




Better People::Xavier Rudd

you people saving whales,
giving your thanks to our seas
my respect to the ones in the forest,
standing up for our old trees

them giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

what I have could be a message
or just some words from my heart
my respect to the ones making changes
for other lives they’ll give their own

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

well our world it keeps spinning
round and round it goes
human nature keeps spreading its disease
and our children keeps growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see
and it’s only a question of the time we have
and the lives that our children will lead
they can only keep growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...