Friday, May 29, 2015

Full Show Friday: Tori Amos 2012 NPR

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Tori Amos
This Friday we have Tori Amos from 2012 playing for NPR in NYC.

Enjoy:

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

nyctaper Recent Highlights and Summer Schedule

We just found out that this month the great site nyctaper turns 8 years old, happy anniversary/birthday/web-offspring/whatever fellas. With that we thought it was long past time to check in with the fantastic nyctaper and see their upcoming taping schedule.
The site always gets great shows, we had no idea that Yo La Tengo went incognito as the Condo Fucks, but you can check out their most recent set here from when they played Cake Shop.

We have re-found our love for Built to Spill with their recent excellent album so we will def be checking out the taped show from Charleston, SC that the band played and the site caught. Can't wait to hear the band's take on Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand", wait, either can you? Then let's dig into it:

While not the caliber of their Cortez live cover, especially with Doug's odd lyrics change, the music is pretty damn spot on.  We may have to go see them next go round.

We have always loved Acid Mothers Temple freak out rock and roll but have never got to see them, we can now hear their set though thanks to nyctaper from Mercury Lounge.

Hooray For The Riff Raff played our favorite NYC venue, Bowery Ballroom and of course nyctaper caught it. We reviewed the album last year and missed the show...here's a chance to catch up.

Finally, one group we really want to see next NYC show is Ex-Hex, we loved their album and nyctaper now has a show from South Carolina to check out the ladies live set.

As always keep up the great work nyctaper, and for fans you can support the site through it's paypal account.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Album Review: The Caulfield Cult- half empty EP

The Caulfield Cult
half empty
**and1/2 out of *****
half empty is the newest release from the Singapore based 4 piece called creatively, The Caulfield Cult. The band mixes rock styles, namely emo and indie with splashes of punk, into it's engaging sound and style.  

"ditch" starts things off with a sneaky catchy guitar and stick tapping before big raw vocals get emotional in front of stuttering breaks. The lyrics are depressed but you wouldn't know that until reading them as the presentation is ecstatic; "ditch" is bands most complete song and one that people coming in for a quick fix should focus on.

Next the band turns on some pop charm with "sad sack" as the sweet swing is off set by delightfully raspy lyrics in the vein of Tim Armstrong. "tails don't grow back" finds the band trying on a new wave-y vibe that isn't as successful but the raw "door deal" blasts home with a crisp quick minute twenty five of angst. Shout out vox, rumbling bass and pounding drums ends the brief EP on the loudest of The Caulfield Cult's enjoyable notes.    
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Another cool bandcamp find.

Support the band here, buy/stream the EP here or below

Friday, May 22, 2015

Full Show Friday: Peter Paul & Mary 1965

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Peter Paul & Mary!
We wanted something easy and breezy today before the holiday weekend, so you get some folk music via Peter Paul and Mary. They are a light version of folk, soft and pretty but they always do glorious covers of Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot as well as a host of others in this hour long show.    
Pro Shot with Pro Sound as it was on BBC back in 1965 on a program called Tonight In Person. The setlist is below so, Enjoy:


1. When the Ship Comes In (Bob Dylan)
2. The First Time (Ewan MacColl)
3. San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller)
4. For Lovin' Me (Gordon Lightfoot)
5. Jesus Met the Woman at the Well (Traditional)
6. Early Morning Rain (Gordon Lightfoot)
7. Jane Jane (Traditional)/Children Go Where I Send Thee (Traditional) (new words & music by
DeCormier/Stookey/Yarrow/Travers)
8. The Whole Wide World Around (Tom Glaser lyrics; J.S. Bach St. Matthew Passion melody)
9. Early in the Mornin' (Paul Stookey)
10. The Times They Are A'Changing (Bob Dylan)
11. The Hangman (The Gallows Pole) (Traditional)
12. On a Desert Island With You in My Dreams (Paul Stookey & Dick Kniss)
13. Puff the Magic Dragon (Leonard Lipton & Peter Yarrow)
14. The Rising of the Moon (Traditional)
15. Come and Go With Me (Traditional)
16. Blowin' in the Wind (Bob Dylan)
17. If I Had My Way (Rev. Gary Davis)

And enjoy the Holiday weekend.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Album Review: Pill- Pill EP

Pill 
Pill EP
*** out of *****
A deep but lean toned groove starts off Pill's self titled EP becoming more ominous with squiggling light guitars and a predatory saxophone. By the time Veronica Torres disaffected lyrics enter, the scene has already been set for "T.V. Wedding".

The dynamic between Torres spoken word, relationship/creepy lyrics and the bands pulsing sense of dread make this tug of war in the post punk realm appealing. Ben Jaffe's rock sax makes the band unique in this day and age but the squanks which come to play on "Hotline" add more guitar screech mimicry then free-jazz freak-out.  

The band gets its noise on for "Personality" flaw lead by guitarist Jon Campolo's warbling otherworldly clangs or Jaffe's sax, it is hard to discern. What does come across is the bands willingness to go in lots of different layered directions, at times reminding of a toned down Rollins Band, a more condensed Kim Gordon led Sonic Youth or even a less song structured Pere Ubu.

The energy of the group never goes above a mild head bob, and it would nice to see them go over the edge, but the textured sounds and experimental feel are both intriguing on Pill's first offering, a very positive sign for fans of adventurous rock and roll. 
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Really intriguing NYC group getting lots of press right now.

Support the band here, buy/stream the album on their bandcamp site or below:   

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Vedder, Dylan and More Letterman Musical Guests

Tonight marks the last David Letterman show, bringing to end a huge era in the realm of television. To be honest, Late Night TV has never had a hold on us like others of our generation or certainly generations before. We slightly appreciate it but never felt super connected to any host and the format leaves us wanting with some vapid guests, give us Chuck for interviews. It is doubtful Late Night will ever have the same impact now and going forward with diluted media but it still is a huge huge step to play music on any talk show let alone one watched by millions.
This week, to close out Dave's historic, run we had Eddie Vedder sing "Better Man" on Monday night backed by Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra. Check out the fun version below:

You could tell Eddie wanted to go even more nuts and probably play about 100 more songs.

Last night Bob Dylan made an extremely rare network appearance and played "The Night We Called It A Day" see it below:

A fitting tribute on an American Jazz Standard that worked and looked pretty damn good on national TV, better then we thought he would look/sound. Maybe only slightly better then Letterman in Cabin Boy.
A lot more music after the jump, click that read more below:

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Album Review: Bop English- Constant Bop

Hey all got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!
It is of James Petralli's new kick ass disk as Bop English, Constant Bop. This is some fantastic pop rock, I could say a lot more, but instead you can check it out for yourself. Stream the album on bandcamp or right here: 

Monday, May 18, 2015

Dylan Cover #188 Sarah Jarosz "Simple Twist of Fate"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune comes from Sarah Jarosz and is a live cover of "Simple Twist of Fate"


Thoughts on Dylan's Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover version of this song:
Well the classics just keep coming in this series with "Simple Twist of Fate". What a gem of a song.  Impeccable lyrics gorgeous phrasing, just a great great song that is hard not to enjoy.
Cover:

Thoughts on Cover Artist: 
Like many artists in this series, this is the first time we are discovering Sarah Jarosz talent. She is a folk/roots artist from Texas who can certainly sing up a storm.  
Thoughts on Cover:
While Sarah can certainly croon effortlessly, it is not her pipes that take the forefront on this live cover, it is cellist Nathaniel Smith who really shines. The plucking and strumming he does on the instrument is proper, lending a whole new vibe to an oft covered tune. Miss Jarosz is fantastic but even better is Mr. Smith's musical foundation of the tune. A great live acoustic cover.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Full Show Friday: Frank Zappa 8/21/73 Stockholm

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Frank Zappa!




Zappa is certainly an acquired taste but one I have enjoyed over the years but it is interesting I rarely go back to him these days. I would say my taste for him is differnt then other acts I have liked in the past, I seem to binge on him then not listen to anything for a real long while...basically a little FZ goes a long way in my book.

This a good show for a spring Friday from a killer tour behind some Franks most loved albums released in 72-73. Playing with expert musicians (didn't he always?!?) the band is tight and the sound is perfect, pro shot and pro sound for 1973.

Favorites of ours from this show are the Opening "Cosmik Debris" and the pygmy pony based "Montana", full setlist below. Enjoy:

01:48 Cosmik Debris
09:49 Eric Dolphy Memorial Barbecue
10:53 Kung Fu
11:54 Penguin In Bondage
16:02 RDNZL
20:26 Montana
29:01 Dupree's Paradise
53:44 Join The March And Eat My Starch
54:22 Farther Oblivion

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Lucky Chops Cover Ariana Grande's "Problem"

Our favorite NYC based brass band Lucky Chops have come out with their most recent video
It is an instrumental cover of Ariana Grande's "Problem" check it out below:

Needless to say if you follow this site at all you will know we like this version much better then the original.

We really dig this band having recently interviewed them during Jazzy January and reviewed both of their EP's. For those of you in NYC they are playing the next few Thursday nights on the Upper East Side  at Five Mile Stone 9-12:30 so check them out because they cook. We hope to get up there tonight and a few more times this spring/summer.

Before we leave here's some more of the fellas getting down below ground in the subway doing a few older covers that you will recognize:
 

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Album Review: Banditos- Banditos

Hey all got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!
I love Bloodshot Records, they are always putting out interesting music. Banditos is just next in a long line of good acts.

This release feels a bit jumbled, it is a solid debut but the band still seems to be finding their way...there is no doubt these players would be killer live, so we hope to catch them when they come north. Peep some video below for a taste:

"Cry Baby Cry" Live


"No Good" Live

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Album Review: Joanna Gruesome- Peanut Butter

Joanna Gruesome
Peanut Butter
***and1/2 out of *****
The Welsh five piece gets points for their punny name, and for taking that harp player down a notch, but really deliver with their second release Peanut Butter. The quick burst of punk rock and dream pop makes for a dynamic sonic ride.

The full length 10 tracks only take 22 minutes to the get the point across and the style is an engaging one, but not variable from song to song. They have their style down and it is hard to remember a band who mixed the energy of punk with the spaciousness of dream pop half as successfully.  

"Last Year" kicks in the nuts the hardest opening things up with feedback and throat ripping vocals from lead singer Alanna McArdle before pretty guitars and a duet in the vocal department arrives in the form of Owen Williams to close the track, spanning the spans styles.  

The next few numbers "Honestly Do Yr Worst", "There Is No Function Stacy" and "Crayon" fit into perfect dream pop molds, never getting too aggressive as the dual vocals float behind layers of distortion and grooves provided by George Nicholls (guitar), Max Warren (bass) and David Sandford (drums)

The tension gets ratcheted up again to close the things as "Jerome (Liar)" pulses under the surface "Separate Bedrooms" clangs in a pop punk way before the tension release noise shredding of "Psykick Espionage"

Like both of the genre's they combine, lyrics are rarely the forefront but the screams and then sweet singing combo here makes what they are actually singing about not as important as to how it sounds. Peanut Butter sounds grand from every direction. 
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Support the band here, buy the album here, their bandcamp is here, and peep some video below:

Monday, May 11, 2015

Dylan Cover #187 Hole "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a cover by Hole of the Dylan tune "It's All Over, Now Baby Blue" 
Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover of this tune:
Baby Blue is magical all around, from the pure asshole way he sung it to Donovan as he put him in his place during Don't Look Back to the heart breaking recent live versions on the Never Ending Tour. The song has a lot of what makes Dylan who he is; mystery but a sense of understanding somehow. Dominated by the amazing lyrics the song is a hard one not to like.    
Cover: 

Thoughts on Cover Artist:
Will keep this brief, never liked Hole and have stronger negative feelings towards their front woman....
Thoughts on Cover:
...That is why this cover is shocking to me. I love it. Has a mystical noise rock jangle, feedback around the edges and most surprisingly for RtBE an engaging vocal performance from Miss Love. She mixes verses gloriously making them her own, we dig when artists do that, or maybe she was just too high to read the lyric sheet, but any which way, it is an engaging cover that really made our Monday. It is one of the complete surprises of our Dylan Cover Series so far. 

Friday, May 8, 2015

Full Show Friday: Bunny Wailer MSG 1986

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Bunny Wailer!
With spring blooming in NYC and RtBE just getting back into the swing of the big city post Jazzfest we are going to chill out this Friday with some reggae. How about Bunny Wailer doing his thing at The World's Most Famous Arena?

This show is Pro Shot, Pro Sound from 1986 VHS rip, no more intro needed, Enjoy:


Thursday, May 7, 2015

Album Review: Zuli- Supernatural Voodoo

Zuli
Supernatural Voodoo
**** out of *****
The Supernatural Voodoo EP is the first solo release from 22 year old Long Island based Ryan Camenzuli, aka Zuli. For a short debut it is pretty god damn self assured, wide ranging and inquisitive while still inward looking; a truly engaging listen.

Zuli has been playing music for most of his life but only immersed himself fully recently and the result here proves it is worth the time and effort he has put in. Playing all the instruments himself writing everything from the ground up including odd pairings of distortion and pop Supernatural Voodoo has a distinct vibe while still being warmly familiar.     

The title opener is probably the fullest realization of his swirling sound and vision. Catchy and memorable while still quirky, the synths bubble up dancing with guitar lines over strong fully realized driving percussion, in the end leaving you wanting more. 

"Better All The Time" was the first single from the EP and shows off the ethereal vocals before morphing in a straight ahead pop tune with some jangle and sound effects below the surface. "Forget My Name" starts with the percussive basics before swelling with nervous energy that slides into the finale of the EP.

Disk closer "Better // Forget" is exhilarating instrumental pushing into frenetic dreamscapes with ace guitar runs, packing an excellent noise-pop punch into only two minutes. Things aren't all perfect as a track like "Keep It Together" crams too much into it's run time skittering with overloaded effects and tempo changes, but for a confident new artist trying too much is rarely a bad thing.   
 
When Supernatural Voodoo ends it is a slight disappointment as Zuli was in such a groove that you want more, but hopefully he stays solo, unique and continues to create engaging tunes.
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One of our favorite new finds of the year so far.

Support the artist here, buy the album here, stream it here, and peep some video below:  

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Streaming Album: Angels & Vagabonds- Anyways...

Well it is with great excitement we can share the newest EP from Angels & Vagabonds titled Anyways...
The album is important to us because, well, we are in the band. As we said last year with our first EP, it is exciting to go from critic/reviewer of music to creator of tunes.

You can stream the album below and you can also go here and download the album for free (or any donation you would like) 

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Album Review: Social Lovers- Enjoy The Ride

Social Lovers
Enjoy The Ride
**and1/2 out of *****
The Phoenix based duo Social Lovers first full length on Cherries Records is a six song stroll through a quirky mix of funk, new wave and disco. Most press releases stretch the truth but Enjoy The Ride's nails it with the description, "smooth, modern funk & disco sounds, with a touch of bossa nova & soft rock". Summed up nicely.

The opener "Baby Tonight" is a slow build taking things at a light easy pace before "Cosmic Love" amps up the sultry and the bass. "Love Sick Eyes" is the most complete track pushing the duo's best groove to the forefront and recalling a Blondie in their heyday aesthetic.

"Enjoy The Ride" is the first duel vocal from the group, until now it was just a female presence whose vocals are wispy at best. Here the male dynamic tries to funk things up but also isn't very successful. The instrumental "Lover's Theme" better suites the groups overall feel letting the music take the lead on the listening journey. Vocally, accents and flair are fine it is just when full verses get expressed that they feel light and float away.

The keyboard heavy with fuzz effects "Love's True" ends things and for a band and album custom made for the late night lounge it is a sweet ending, that will probably continue on til morning.        
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Another interesting bandcamp find.

Support the band here, stream the album here or below, and peep some video:

Monday, May 4, 2015

Dylan Cover #186 New Rising Sun "Hurricane" Live

In this ongoing Monday Series we will be exploring various artists versions of Bob Dylan song's. Today's tune is a live cover by New Rising Sun playing "Hurricane"
Thoughts on Original:
From the first time we tackled a cover version of this tune:
One of the most iconic songs in Bob Dylan's repertoire and famously returned him to "topical" song writing that many of his fans clamored for. Coming on the story-song-centric album Desire, the song and attached cause obviously invigorated Dylan at a crucial point in his life, and gave us the cool term "pig circus" to boot. You can argue the facts and the case if you want to but simply as a work of art "Hurricane" holds a title belt.  
Cover:


Thoughts on Cover Artist:
I am not aware of New Rising Sun and a simple Google search uncovers that they are Belgium based folk/rock band. You can find more about them here on Facebook.

Thoughts on Cover:

Friday, May 1, 2015

Full Show Friday: Preservation Hall Jazz Band 3/27/13

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's.  These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...Preservation Hall Jazz Band


Every April we have a special showcase for bands who are playing this years Jazzfest in NOLA. Today we will focus on Preservation Hall Jazz Band who will be headlining the Blues Tent Saturday May 2nd  

We close out our coverage of this years Jazzfest in proper fashion with a spotlight on the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The group will be closing out the blues tent tomorrow and it should be a great hour of tunes. We have covered the band a bunch on the site, so safe to say we dig them.

This is another excellent KEXP filming and playing, I love using these for the Full Show Friday Series. The quality is great, the Seattle station really cares about music and it shows.

We couldn't be happier with a set to end this years run. Enjoy: