This Week in the Mercury
Friday, November 28, 2008
Video World's Greatest Ghosts go Pennyjammin'
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 10:01 AM
The latest horsies to join the Lucky Madison stable, World's Greatest Ghosts have just recorded a set for the fine upstanding auteurs at The Penny Jam.
So, what exotic location was this video recorded at? Underwater submarine? Atop the St. Johns Bridge? Next to the bumper pool table in Greg Oden's rumpus room? Nope, none of those place (although, Pennyjam people, feel free to use any of my brilliant ideas), instead the band performed at the Matrix Networks, a company with slogan of: "The technology guys on your side."
After their set, the band gathered around the Matrix's email servers and proceeded to read all your emails. Yes, all of them. You should be ashamed for some of the things you write.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
MP3 / I'm Drunk! Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Thu, Nov 27, 2008 at 8:00 AM
I just wanted an excuse to post this picture again.
And here's a tune from the Kinks' Ray Davies, who is surprisingly good at writing holiday songs.
LISTEN:
Ray Davies - "Thanksgiving Day"
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
News Maybe You Should Open The Door...
Posted by Andrew R Tonry on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 3:39 PM
So we've known for some time that Prince is a Jehovah's Witness. What just found out is that dude actually knocks on doors. Can you imagine? And what if, in the middle of the afternoon at the doorstep of some sultry, voluptuous, suburban housewife, Prince shows up. I'm sure he can be Pretty convincing...
Here's a little peak inside Prince's odd religiousity, from the New Yorker. My favorite bit, in regards to the man's take on Homosexuality:
"God came to earth and saw people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just cleared it all out. He was, like, 'Enough.' "
I have no idea what that means. But I like it.
Video Neutral Milk Hotel Coming to Portland!
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Neutral Milk Hotel is coming to Portland.... that is totally the headline that I would write if this was 1996.
But since it's not 1996, and the wildly influential band has been inactive for almost a decade now, there is no point to holding our breath that they'll miraculously reform and come this way. So dry your eyes, camper, and enjoy this 1996 video of NMH playing at EJ's (right across the street from the current Mercury offices). I hope that crowd knew what they were witnessing.
Video LAKE - "Oh, the Places We'll Go" Video
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Ah, how to travel this great land without spending a dime? Check out the new video from Olympia band LAKE, who, through the power of blue screen technology (and song!), traverse this wide, wonderful world whilst gently singing to us about these marvelous places. The video was made by David Mosier; if you're about to do some Thanksgiving weekend traveling, this one's for you.
LAKE "Oh, the Places We'll Go" Music Video from Dave Mosier on Vimeo.
LAKE just wrapped up their tour with a show earlier this week at Rotture. You just missed 'em.
Photography
Keep On Rocking In the Free World At Home
Posted by Rob Simonsen on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Apartment Therapy has a ridiculously awesome post up featuring '70s rock stars in the homes of their parents. Not only are there shots of Donovan, Frank Zappa, Grace Slick, Elton John, and Eric Clapton with their families, those pictures feature some of the most horrendously great carpet, wallpaper, furniture, and decorations you're likely to see all day long. Unless you're reading this post from Florida. If that's the case, all bets are off.
The best picture has to be the one above of David Crosby and his father, though. While the other photos feature some awkward posing between family members, none of them seem to have the same level of disappointment that this one does. You can literally see, in Mr. Crosby's eyes, the disdain for his son's fashion choices, each piece of fringe on that jacket acting as another dagger into Mr. Crosby's aging heart.
Thanks to The Daily Swarm for the link!
CD Reviews / MP3 Paul McCartney Makes Decent Music Again
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Maybe you have heard by now that the new Paul McCartney album is, actually, weirdly, mostly good. Or, at least, not entirely terrible. It's actually not a Macca album, per se; it's the latest in his collaborations with producer and former Killing Joke bassist Martin Glover, who goes by the name Youth. The duo is called the Fireman, and their previous records were electronica experiments.
Hey, where are you going? Have I lost you already? Wow, this is a tough sell.
Anyway, the new Fireman album is called Electric Arguments, and it's the best thing I've heard from McCartney since Band on the Run. (Although I admit to being deeply affected by "Calico Skies" from the otherwise crappy Flaming Pie record, especially after Linda died.) I think the precise reason Electric Arguments is not the wobbly treacle-tart of competent but rote songwriting that we've come to expect from the former Beatle is that the nature of this project frees Paul McCartney up completely: He isn't being Paul McCartney. He's just being a freaky, creative musician who's ignoring his limitations, whether they be studio costs, or his public persona, or band politics, or any pandering to what he might think his record company wants. It approaches the courageousness and creativity of the Beatles' most fecund period.
Imagine these tunes were created by a coupla local hipsters with a laptop in their rented basement. Maybe I'm getting all carried away with holiday spirit, but these are actually good.
Tell me he's not pissing out some anger towards Heather Mills with this one:
LISTEN:
The Fireman - "Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight"
And this one just sounds nice:
LISTEN:
The Fireman - "Sing the Changes"
Video Frightened Rabbit - "Set You Free"
Posted by Rob Simonsen on Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:41 AM
If there are any doubters left as to the brilliance of Frightened Rabbit, may I submit to you this sincerely heartbreaking cover of N-Trance's "Set You Free." The original (which you can watch here) is beyond terrible, with cheesy lyrics, awful mid-90s production, and a video that serves as a four minute PSA as to the dangers of doing too much ecstasy.
And yet, in the hands of Frightened Rabbit, the song is transformed into something beautiful and sad. And, much like almost everything off of The Midnight Organ Fight (aka the best record of the year), the song has the ability to leave me crying like a little baby.
"Set You Free" is available on Engine Room Recording's Guilt By Association Vol 2 compilation.
(HT: P4K)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
MP3 It's Cold and Dark
Posted by Andrew R Tonry on Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Brr... Jesus. It's freezing. No heat here. I think I've become nocturnal. So little daylight. Gotta stop staying up all night. Alone in bed. Might as well get high. Fucking Holidays, nothing ever gets done. Even the ones with jobs are just phoning it in, staring their days away at the glowing mess of onscreen advertisements. Rotten economy. Dark days.
Then, amidst the wash of grey, a song came on--the great Fuck-All to every unfulfilled desire and instance of guilt. And so I'm going to do just what I want. If it feels good, do it--we are, after all, American.
Let the speakers push out the cold air and wipsy over-thoughts, find the copy you indubitably own and crank it:
News Three Mile Pilot to Reunite
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 2:55 PM
Hot damn! In what is the greatest news to come across my desk in quite some time--even better the formation of this mystery band--Three Mile Pilot will be reforming for a pair of San Diego shows on January 19th and 20th.
Yes! Yes! Oh god, YES!!
Their second reunion in the past decade, the first being their 2007 one-off performance as part of the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary Party, will be in honor of another anniversary, the 20th year of business for seminal San Diego institution, The Casbah.
Here is the part of this blog post where I ponder the poverty math:
No food + beer = Plane ticket to San Diego?
For those unaware of the greatness that was Three Mile Pilot, the band carved a lasting legacy from a very unconventional style of oddly-timed, yet perfectly executed, post-punk that was both distant and precise, yet still deeply emotional as well. Sadly after their split--after being run through the ringer courtesy of Geffen Records, and never finding an American following to match their fervent European draw--the band became a little-known footnote as their more recent projects--Pinback and the Black Heart Procession, respectively--eclipsed TMP in terms of popularity and sales.
If you have never heard the band, please do yourself a favor and enjoy the tracks below. And buy me a plane ticket to San Diego for their reunion shows. But I'll settle for you just listening to the songs...
LISTEN:
Three Mile Pilot - "Kill The Racehorse"
LISTEN:
Three Mile Pilot - "Circumcised"
LISTEN:
Three Mile Pilot - "Sewn to Our Side"
Photo: Ted Drake
News Listen to the New (Old) Neil Young!
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 10:13 AM
If you're anything like me, the upcoming archival live disc from Neil Young, Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968, is already on your Christmas list. It's part of his archival series, and one of his very first live solo shows. Thankfully, a recording of it exists in full. He recorded it on a Sony tape recorder, and put the recording of "Sugar Mountain" on a few B-sides and on the Decade compilation. Anyway, the other two releases in Young's Performance Archive Series have been sterling (the 1970 Crazy Horse at the Fillmore set, and the 1971 Massey Hall set), so anticipation for this set is high, especially since the multi-volume Archives set has been postponed until next year.
Thanks to NPR, you can hear Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House 1968 in full. Just click here; the whole thing is streaming. It's good, and more than a little goofy; I think it's safe to assume everyone in 1968 (particularly Canterbury House's emcee) was stoned and nerdy. Young does some Buffalo Springfield tunes, some from his first self-titled album (including the lousy "Last Trip to Tulsa"--talk about stoned and nerdy), and a couple new ones. Check it out.
Monday, November 24, 2008
News Paper Clips
Posted by Andrew R Tonry on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 5:06 PM
A few links to help you through the work day, if indeed you've still got a job. And if you haven't, well, still gotta pass the time while collecting unemployment, no?
- What The Blazers Are Listening To. Yeah, I did this story a few years ago and the results are mostly the same, but here I suppose there a few new players.
- A few more words on the long, twisted saga of Guns N Roses. Album comes out tomorrow--or this past Sunday at Best Buy locations--motherfuckers!
- Saudi Arabia's first all girl band. Something about this is totally hot.
MP3 Mirah - Live from Siren Nation
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 3:05 PM
Few things beat the weeks that follow a big festival, since that is when all the great live footage filters through the wonderful series of tubes that is the internet, and onto this here blog. We've already posted a few live videos from the Siren Nation festival, and now we bring you a track from the recently-released compilation, Voices from the Siren Nation, Vol. II, Live at the Wonder Ballroom.
Mirah's stark live version of "Apples in the Trees," from 2001's flawless Advisory Committee album, is as gorgeous as the original, with its final refrain of "You don't have to wait until you die" being repeated over-and-over as the song slowly fades away.
LISTEN:
Mirah - "Apples in the Trees"
You can purchase Voices from the Siren Nation, Vol. II, Live at the Wonder Ballroom right here.
Photo: Steven Dewall
MP3 Download "Working On A Dream" for Free!
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Some guy from New Jersey is so desperate for you to hear his new song, "Working On A Dream," that he is literally giving it away for free!
But just for today only, come tomorrow you pay $.99 to work on your dream, so hop to it. Thanks, Bruce.
Photography Yeasayer - Live at the Aladdin Theater, 11/21/08
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Once we got word that the Brooklynites in Yeasayer were coming to town, we got our photo whiz Liza Lubell to head over to the Aladdin and capture it all on film.
Yay for Yesayer! Yay for Liza!
The photo goodness awaits you after the jump...
Video Pacific UV - "If So" Video
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 9:49 AM
The latest video from Pacific UV--for the lovely, hazy shoegaze number "If So"--finds the powers of good (the bird-rescuing, truck driving, nun) taking on the powers of evil (the man in the red suit with the horns). But just as you expect things to get all Old Testament, the video takes an unexpected turn. See for yourself...
News Spend All Your Money at the Rock and Shop (Updated!)
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 7:59 AM
Just in time for Black Friday (I got dibs on "Black Friday" for my new band name, it would seem that my original choice, Crucifictorious, was taken.), here is more information on Slabtown's Rock and Shop, which is going down all day and all night on Saturday, December 13th
The event now has an updated list of labels slinging their product, see below, plus they've announced a lineup of performing bands that shall soundtracking your shopping experience: Mean Jeans, Hey Lover, White Fang, New York Rifles, DoublePlusGood, Plankton Beat, and Grattillium.
Here's an updated list of what local labels will be hawking their goods:
PDX Pop Now
Hovercraft
King of Hearts
Green Noise
Cravedog
The Union
Sohitek
Jealous Butcher
Crash Assailant
Boy Gorilla
In Music We Trust
Begining Era
Dirtnap
Kill Rock Stars
Felony Fidelity
Extra Ball
Tender Loving Empire
States Rights
Reverb
Magic Marker
Marriage
Bladen County
Discouraged
Regional Hits
People In A Position To Know
Friday, November 21, 2008
Video / Rewind Tonight's Nightmare Today
Posted by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 5:08 PM
As a public service to our readers, I present the following classic music video so you can go ahead and get tonight's nightmare out of the way. The boy band in question is b4-4. The song is called "Get Down." There are a multitude of reasons why this video is a complete marijuana freakout, but here are just a few:
1) The b-boys of b4-4 are as orange as Oompa-Loompas.
2) They are singing a song about oral sex...
3) ... to a young black child.
4) And it kind of looks like their heads were photoshopped onto their bodies.
5) And those matching puka shell necklaces? Gaaaahhh!
Activate freakout.
Photography Of Montreal - Live at the Roseland, 11/20/08
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Listen people, I'm not even going to begin to try and explain what the holy hell happened last night when Of Montreal took the stage at the Roseland. Looking through these truly bizarre photos from the mighty Minh Tran, I am equal parts intrigued and terrified, yet I can't not look.
Tonight! / MP3 Icy Demons - Tonight!
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Icy Demons open for Yeasayer tonight at the Aladdin Theater, and if you've never heard of Icy Demons until precisely this moment, let me clue you in. It's a band spearheaded by Mssrs. Blue Hawaii (AKA Griffin Rodriguez of Bablicon) and Pow Pow (AKA Christopher Powell of Man Man and Need New Body). Their stuff runs the gamut from rock to bitsynth to experimental to dance to generous pop, and the stylistic breadth reminds me just a little of TV on the Radio--if Sitek and Co. weren't so damn serious and popped some happy pills from time to time. Check out Icy Demons' tour blog here, and listen to a track below.
LISTEN:
Icy Demons - "Spywatchers"
News World's Greatest Ghosts Sign to Lucky Madison
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 1:19 PM
This just in from the End Hits new ticker, the keyboard/party enthusiasts in World's Greatest Ghosts have inked a deal with local label Lucky Madison.
Take it away label manager Kevin O'Connor:
World's Greatest Ghosts are now a part of the Lucky Madison roster. The inks still drying and I'm really excited to welcome them to the family. They're going to be hitting the studio in the next couple months to begin work on their debut record which will likely be out in late spring 2009.
You heard the man. Spring 2009. Get ready.
Photo: Joe Mansfield
MP3 Talkdemonic Go Daytrottin'
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 11:33 AM
On their most recent tour, the wordless Talkdemonic duo rolled through Daytrotter's studios and are sharing the lovely results. Their four song set includes the beautiful unreleased jam, "CSJ9," which we posted below. Not sure what a "CSJ9" is--ATM pin code? That robot in their video?--and I assume we'll never know.
Curse you Talkdemonic!
But before I curse the band I should mention that they also recorded a live session for Paste magazine. Okay, back to the cursing...
LISTEN:
Talkdemonic - "CSJ9" (Daytrotter Session)
News New East Burnside Music Venue?
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 9:02 AM
We previously reported on 300b, the proposed 2,000-capacity venue in lower SE and now there might be another venue making its way across the river.
According to the action news team at KGW, Beam Development is interested in building a 2,000-capacity venue "anchored by Monqui Productions" in the space directly across from the Burnside Bridge in NE Portland.
Interesting. I don't believe that Portland in this, or any, economy could support two venues of that size, but such expansion could be a good thing for this city's role on the national music scene. We put a line out to the folks at Monqui and will post an update when we hear back.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
News Chump Change
Posted by Andrew R Tonry on Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Sure, you could shell out $75,000 to get T-Pain to guest on your next single. Same goes for Lil' Wayne. For $85,000 Scott Storch (AKA King Douche) will make you a beat--that is, if you're a poor, broke-ass pussy. Oil Royalty, however, expects better.
Bahrainian prince Sheik Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa takes this shit more seriously. He "loaned" Michael Jackson $2.2 million and in return got Michael to sing a track he wrote. Now that's ballin'.
At the time Jackson needed money to fight the kid-sex lawsuit and Al Khalifa was there to take advantage. Jackson says the money it was a gift, Al Khalifa a loan. Either way, now we know what it costs to get Jacko onboard. As he goes deeper into debt, we may see the price drop. Neverland ranch was just sold, by the way.
Al Khalifa is suing Jacko and the song is to be played at the trial as evidence. What it proves, I don't know, other than Jackson is stuck in bad, bad way.
But shit, I can't wait until I get fucking Michael Jackson guest-singing on one of my home-recorded bedroom tracks. Or maybe in the studio with our band. Hell yeah... I mean, HEEE-HEEEIOU!
Tonight! Run on Sentence CD Release Show - Tonight!
Posted by Ezra Caraeff on Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Yes, tonight! In addition to all the other goodness happening this evening--OMG! New episode of Ace of Cakes!--Hush Records' very own Run on Sentence will celebrate the release of Oh When The Wind Comes Down with a show at A Roadside Attraction (1000 SE 12th).
Oh, and you are so invited.
The layered pop splendor of Oh When The Wind... lies in the wounded vocals of Dustin Hamman, whose delivery isn't too far from that of Neutral Milk Hotel frontman, and noted Bulgarian folk music connoisseur, Jeff Magum. And like NMH, Run on Sentence coat their songs with layer after layer of instrumentation, and a penchant for creating grand arrangements within the tight confines of a single pop song. When they do that, and propel their quaint songs deep into the pop stratosphere, they succeed.
LISTEN:
Run on Sentence - "The Afterlife Pt. I"
Photo: Melani Brown
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