Goldcure Live

Local Austin band Goldcure played an amazing set at the SXSW show last year. They just put their heads down and worked, playing 8 songs in 35 minutes! Damn! Local bands always have it hard at SXSW. Local fans tempted away by the sparkly tour vans of the traveling acts in town. Goldcure had some folks in the audience though, and I found them to be some of the nicest blokes around. Their CD, PORTUGUESE PRINCE came out this year. Check it out. promo photo: goldcuremusic.com. live photo: foto47.



1. "Portuguese Prince" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "It's Not Over Yet" Download mp3 (with permission)
3. "Never Alone" Download mp3 (with permission)
4. "Rubber Inside" Download mp3 (with permission)
5. "Tired Of Saying Hello" Download mp3 (with permission)
6. "Beautiful Disaster" Download mp3 (with permission)
7. "Too Long" Download mp3 (with permission)
8. "Yer Blues" Download mp3 (with permission)

Tres Bands De Armando

So I am in Mexico for a few weeks vacation. That doesn't mean I haven't been posting, but the only place with internet access is the pool bar, and as I discovered this morning, one can only really sit here for a limited time and not in the morning. As I am getting too drunk to write with any snap, I must step-up the urgency a notch. I can't really remember the subject I had decided upon for this post - something about "The King of Carrot Flowers and The Queen of Pumpkin Plukes."

Linking Neutral Milk Hotel with Dog Die In Hot Cars would be a stretch even at full-strength, so I panicked and and just asked the barman here, Armando to bring me his favorite new CDs. Instead, gesturing to my laptop, he aptly pointed out that myspace was only a few clicks away. Armando is no slouch, and apparently he is REALLY into reggae music. So here goes:

1. Los Guanábana (Mexico) - A difficult name to pronounce, and probably only recommended as a trick by Armando to watch me slur-away at it. BTW - I tried to get a photo of Armando, but every time I remembered my camera, it was his co-worker, Sylvia (left).

2. Gondwana (Chile) - Mo' Reggae. I nearly said that it reminded me of 10cc, but I realized quite quickly that this could be a stabbing offense to a proper reggae fan.

3. Cultura Profética (Puerto Rico) - My favorite of the three. Really great, chilled out reggae. I want to refrain from saying more, as the genre isn't my forte. Clearly Armando knows his shit though, so hit these bands up, reggae fans.

Jenny Morgan

Jenny Morgan is a native Austinite, who I met when I was fairly young. I remember a huge great dane in her yard, and Jenny spurring me on to climb the railing to her roof, where we were to look at the moon. I had just broken my leg a few months earlier, but Jenny was undaunted by the cast, and as a result, I suppose I was also. She had just released her first recordings, called Old Ribbon Hi-Way. It's a sweet little folk record with a very distinct pop element to it. Folk songs typically aren't as catchy as hers are.

Fast forward 10 years. Jenny Morgan is an Austinite again, having been many places in between. While she was 8.5 months pregnant with her second son, Rowan, she dropped by a CD release party / live-recording I was doing in Bryan, TX at Revolution Cafe. She called that town home for several years, so a lot of the people in the crowd knew her. She hadn't played in a while, she said, due to being all pregnant. I remember at one point everyone in the place was putting out their cigarettes when they realized Jenny had one in the oven. The recording engineer wasn't really prepared for an opener, but we just told him to roll tape anyway. Her new record is called "The Songs I've Sung"
1. "Brings Me Back Around (live)" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "Mother (live)" Download mp3 (with permission)
3. "Runnin' With The Brazos (live)" Download mp3 (with permission)

The Boy Bathing Live from the Irie Bean

Thursday, March 14, 2008. The Boy Bathing. photo by foto47.

The Boy Bathing headlined the first day of the party (The DLAY day), which also included Goldcure (show post to come), Language Room, The Will Evans Project, and Dertybird in support. For me specifically, this is a very memorable gig, as I ended up meeting a lasting, close friend that day. The recording came out of it really well also, with 7 great tracks altogether. Some of them from the new record, which I believe is still a twinkle in David Hurwitz's mind's eye.

The Boy Bathing on MySpace
Video for "Beaches Meet The Sea" on Fensepost
photo by foto47


1. "The Feast" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "Haunted House" Download mp3 (with permission)
3. "Wedding Song" Download mp3 (with permission)
4. "Ready To Love" Download mp3 (with permission)
5. "The Purpose Of A Rake" Download mp3 (with permission)
6. "Children of Corn" Download mp3 (with permission)
7. "The Beaches Meet The Sea" Download mp3 (with permission)

Phonograph Live in Texas

I first saw Phonograph play during a one month residency they had back in 2007 at the Living Room, on the lower east side. The Living Room is one of the few venues in Manhattan where you can just have a gamble, and see some new music without having to worry about sitting near the door. They were post-Arclight, pre-Hiawatha at that time.


The next day my PASTE came to the office and they had a track "Parsons White" on the sampler (this is back when the PASTE samplers were still good). That sort of thing cements a band in your mind, and when I was organizing a show for SXSW a few months later, I had to have them on the bill. I was relentless, and they finally acquiesced.

They played at 5pm or something on a Friday. The crowd was small, but appreciative. I nearly tripped and fell off the stage, trying to hand a beer to someone. Thankfully, my unnatural squeal at that moment cannot be heard in the recording.

There are tracks from their self-titled debut release on Arclight Records, tracks from the Hiawatha Talking Machine EP, and one new track from their newest record, which I believe is finished but not yet released.

Recording by jamnow.com, all photos by foto47

1. "Parsons White" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "Somewhere Between" Download mp3 (with permission)
3. "Watch and Ward" Download mp3 (with permission)
4. "In Your Mind" Download mp3 (with permission)
5. "Radio Waves" Download mp3 (with permission)
6. "Have I Told You" Download mp3 (with permission)
7. "Are You Gonna" Download mp3 (with permission)
8. "Nu Americana" Download mp3 (with permission)
9. "You're A Giraffe" Download mp3 (with permission)

Buy Phonograph's Records!!

Jukebox The Ghost

Jukebox The Ghost are all over the place. Three-part songs, a punk drummer, a video on MTV2. How much did they pay that girl to play Victoria? .. .. Nothing. That's right. She did it for free*. Chicks work for them for free, and they were still nice enough to play our little party last year at SXSW! Stand-up gents. That's what I say.


Oh yeah, and when they ran out of time during their set, with 5 minutes left, they decided not to play "Good Day," and rocked out the last 5 minutes of Abbey Road instead. Well done, fellas. Here's both of them:

"Abbey Road" (Medley) Download mp3 (with permission)
"Good Day" to get this track, contact us for a leftover sampler. We still have a few left

*I have no idea how much that chick worked for. Top dollar, I'm sure.

Buy Jukebox The Ghost's Records!!

Paul Banks and the Carousels Live

Friday, March 14th 2008 - Paul Banks and the Carousels. Again, this is from the Canon Records / DLAY Music Management Day Party at The Irie Bean Coffee Bar in Austin, TX. The files got damaged in a hard drive crash, and I have only been able to save two songs. I also posted the album version of "Live To Share" from Paul's self-titled debut record. Paul was channeling Jeff Buckley at times during this show.

1. "Medicine" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "Bring It On Home To Me" (Sam Cooke) Download mp3 (with permission)

"Live To Share (album version)" Download mp3 (with permission)

Buy Paul's Records!!

The Swimmers Live

Friday, March 14th 2008 - The Swimmers. This recording is from the Canon Records / DLAY Music Management Day Party at The Irie Bean Coffee Bar in Austin, TX. I have been sitting on these recordings and pics for a while. They were provided by jamnow.com. Enjoy.

1. "It's Time They Knew" Download mp3 (with permission)
2. "St. Cecilia" Download mp3 (with permission)
3. "We Love To Build" Download mp3 (with permission)
4. "Pocket Full Of Gold" Download mp3 (with permission)
5. "Moving" Download mp3 (with permission)
6. "Heaven" Download mp3 (with permission)
7. "In The Park" Download mp3 (with permission)
8. "All The New Sounds" Download mp3 (with permission)
9. "Star" (David Bowie) Download mp3 (with permission)

photos all by foto47

Buy The Swimmers' Records!!

SXSW 2009. Already?!?

So we just got the deposit form for our housing at SXSW this year. Holy Shit. They don't waste any time once the fiscal year turns over. It got me thinking what a time-consuming festival SXSW is. We start planning months in advance for what essentially amounts to 3 or 4 planned events surrounded by controlled chaos and misery / exhaustion. One week later though, the power of memory floods a thick rose sheet over the whole thing. Hangovers and pain don't seem to come out in the photos, we're all smiles, the stack of records actually provides some decent noise (contrasted with the "sound" guy's interpretations the week before), and then a week later you get the email about advance badges for next year. Ahh. I can't wait.

SXSW 2009 Bands so far:

Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele, St. Vincent, Beach House, Anni Rossi, Future of the Left, White Lies, Passion Pit, Ra Ra Riot, Gabriella Cilmi, Ximena Sariñara, Primal Scream, Friendly Fires, B.o.B, Sage Francis, Buraka Som Sistema, Arc Angels, Courteeners, Raul Malo, 8Ball & MJG, Reflection Eternal, Wale, Pete & the Pirates, Ben Harper and Relentless7.

Last years doings:


Last year I threw a day-party with a friend of mine, over two days at a little coffee house on South Lamar. It was great. The line up was awesome, we had great sponsors - free beer, free tacos, and a free live recording from JAMNOW.com. It was a trip, and I never really did anything with all the pics / recordings. So here they are. It is gonna take me a couple of posts to get it all up, as there were 10 bands: Paul Banks and the Carousels, The Swimmers, Phonograph, Russell Huie, Jukebox The Ghost, Goldcure, Dertybird, Will Evans, Language Room, and The Boy Bathing. Some of the tapes from the first day got screwed up by an annoyingly high level on the backing vocal mic, and the board overheated at one point, but other than that, it sounds great! First post will be tomorrow or the next day. I'll try to salvage the Thursday lineup.

Peace out, 2008. SS chucks deuce.

Ok, so I did a big yee-haw 2008 round up, but f*ck that. Here are a handful of records I want to give a little personal tickle to:

BLOOMSBURY by Princeton

This little four song EP was the most exciting thing for me this year. The reason is a combination of how great the music is and how unknown the guys from Princeton still seem to be. Vampire Weekendy some say. Sonic Youthy. I don't know about that, but you know how music industry people are: they rely on the epic list more than Homer.
"The Waves" by Princeton Download mp3 (with permission)


IN EAR PARK by Department of Eagles

Two dudes in college at NYU started this duo and they came to nothing, never playing a gig. Of course they were extremely popular among NYU students. My GF played me their first CD a few years ago in the car upstate. Then one of them joined Grizzly Bear and of course, everyone raised an eyebrow to the old "side project." 2008 had their second album and their first gig! (I could be wrong about that) Getting tickets for it was impossible. In Ear Park is set for super-fame.

SEA LION by The Ruby Suns

Yeah. So they are on a Microsoft commercial. What of it? If they only knew that Gates killed their beloved Apple "Lisa", they might have refused to let "Oh, Mojave" be on TV. At least they were compensated. Did Microsoft name the fake product (Vista) after the song? I am pretty sure they did. Sea Lion is so freakin' good, and live, the dude plays a guitar and the drums at the same time (see pic - this is all during the same song).



HIAWATHA TALKING MACHINE EP by Phonograph

I love this record. I am a sucker for bands with no keyboards live that can still get a great prog rock sound when they want to. Sort of like Ambulance LTD (bassist John Davis actually produced several Ambulance tracks). In this case, mixed with some of he most authentic classic rock sound around. I like this EP even more than the band's first record (S/T).
"Somewhere Between" by Phonograph Download mp3 (with permission)

SUSU and $3.00 Records!

photo: Brooke Weeber

A couple of months ago, on a Monday, with no theater and an itch for some live music, my companion and I sauntered over to the Mercury Lounge. No line really. Punky but sweet girl at the door. "Who are you here to see?" I glanced at the list, trying quickly to process and speak the name of one of the opening bands with no tally marks. Instead I noticed that the headliner Day for Night had relatively few scratches in comparison to the group SUSU, on immediately before them. Odd. "Day for Night" I said, feeling a little sting as the opportunity to do some good seemed to have flitted away.

ASIDE for non-NYC readers - clubs in Manhattan are anal about headcounts, and a band's "draw." They can be extremely brutal if a band doesn't meet their expected quota; sometimes they won't have them back! Ridiculous. What ever happened to a built-in audience? What ever happened to taste-making? There are only a few places left that you can just wander into without having to declare exactly what brought you in. When you say, "I'm here to see all the bands," they look at you like you're clueless or insane.

Brooklyn band SUSU, despite recently having been named emusic.com's blah-blah number one download pick for upcoming whatever, were completely unknown to me at the time. I was one of those members of the crowd "waiting to be impressed," as drummer Oliver puts it.¹ Now my not knowing a band, as we all know, doesn't mean jack. SUSU have been around for years, kicking around Brooklyn and Manhattan, playing strip shows and mud wrestling contests etc., all by accident, mostly.¹ When I heard them start the first song, I was excited. When they started the second, I was nodding enthusiastically to those around me. By the time Day for Night came on, I was more concerned with getting a copy of SUSU's CD than I was anything else.

After Day for Night's set (which was also great), we headed out to the bar, where Andrea Havis was selling records .. .. for $3.00! Now, I happen to know how much it costs to press some vinyl, and I was blown away. When I told the barmaid about it, she went and bought one. And why not? One can either buy a half pint of lager or a 3-song record! The band isn't losing money (since it's not on a label) and they are selling cheap to a group of potential fans who have just seen them rock out! Granted, the same strategy doesn't work on the internet, but I would imagine that like me, most of the people who bought the record listened to it at some later date. Perhaps when the memory of the live show had faded slightly, reduced to a sort of "thumbs-up" without any real supporting detail. For example, I put the record on last week, as my turntable was broken for a good while, and now I am right back in SUSU's pocket. Hence this blog. Hence my going on and on. Here is what I heard the second time:

The call and answer / male and female vocals are such a great tool for any band, adding a dynamic that really can't be done the same any other way. Add to that shredding and often rythmically defiant guitar parts played with a sort-of loving and delicate touch, drums that separate your membranes from their respective internal organs, and each song's mantra delivered concurrently with an encompassing group of lyrics, rather than a transcription or otherwise-on-the-nose browbeating. It really is a fun record to listen to. I find myself smiling and taken to imaginative places of my own, like a good read almost. Strange, I know, but that's what it does for me. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone else who left with a record that night has experienced something completely different. Great progressive records will do that. Here's a track from the WIN EP.
"Part Bloodhound" by SUSU Download mp3 (with permission)

Buy SUSU's Records!

When I read that guitarist Andrea Havis doesn't read or feel particularly fond of blogs, I laughed. I sort of feel the same way. From the emusic interview:

Andrea: Yeah, I don't read blogs. My boyfriend does — he's obsessed. I just can't handle it. Music that I like has always found its way to me.

The first person to comment on this blog will WIN a free WIN EP 12 inch record. Just include or email your mailing address.

B&W photos: Ibru Yildiz
1. interview from emusic.com, read it here

Come and Gone: The Letter 3

A Retrospective: I was going through a stack of demo CDs the other day, and I stumbled upon a two song demo from an indie funk band called "The Letter 3." These guys were friends of mine back at university, and the band (in the iteration of this demo) was around from 2002-03. Not long, but they quickly created a rabid following. Anyway, a wave of nostalgia washed over, and I thought I would post the tracks for the handful of TL3 fans still out there who miss it.

Subsequently, the amazing bass player, Thorsten moved back to Berlin and revived the band with two new members, which lasted until earlier this year, I believe. Not to worry, his new band, Maskulini (left) is full throttle funk-rock, in German! The other guys: Russell Huie is playing solo in Texas; he just released a new EP called "Cheer The Bombs On". As for the drummer, Eric Blews, I haven't found any mention of him. Anyone seen Eric?

"Tomorrow Never Lives" by The Letter 3 Download mp3 (with permission)

"Bloody Hands" by The Letter 3 Download mp3 (with permission)

Merry XMAS

What did I get for Xmas? Well, I indian-gifted a couple of great records to my girlfriend: ACID TONGUE by Jenny Lewis, NEW ENGLISH by Ambulance Ltd, and MOMOFUKU by Elvis Costello. But I actually didn't receive a single record myself *sighs*. I suppose I am hard to buy for in that respect. Knowing this would happen, I did buy myself two records: DOG DEMOS EP and LOVETHEONLYWAY, both by Inner, who are a recent discovery of mine. For those of you who don't know, Inner is an early 2000's band, fronted by Jen Turner (now in Joseph Arthur's band, The Lonely Astronauts). She started Inner after leaving a band called Furslide in 2000 ish. Other than that, all you need to know is that Inner is f*ckin great. If you are already a fan, and you have been bummed and empty since 2002, as a result of no more Inner records, I happen to know that you will have something to look forward to very soon. More on that later.

"Marry Me" by Inner - Download mp3 (with permission)

Truly, the most interesting thing about Xmas is what you give to other people. The Hieronymus Bosch cover of the Fleet Foxes album, combined with the fact that the music is so great made that a perfect gift for my GF's father (along with a copy of LIE DOWN IN THE LIGHT by Bonnie "Prince" Billy). He has such great taste, I try only to get him the best stuff of the year. I also bought MY father a copy of ACID TONGUE, as his taste is very traditional classic folk-rock. He'll love Jenny Lewis. Strangest other gift: A copy of Mark Oliver Everett's new book, Things Grandchildren Should Know. He's the guy from the Eels, and apparently growing up with a mad genius scientist father is a trip.

Best Music 2008 Round Up. Yee Haw.

For the best music released in 2008, I used the poll of a small group, wedged firmly and wetly in the rear-central part of Texas, called "MSC Town Hall". Don't look them up, they aren't much to look at. I will tell you that they are a student organization at Texas A&M University, whose members spread after graduation, like butt-cheeks, all over the country. ** That last bit could be a CAKE lyric ** Each year at Christmas they relay their favorite albums into the abyss that is the former member listserv. Egos flare up and older members sweat over how uncool they have become since graduation in 1996 - all for naught most of the time, as listserv messages are channeled directly into most members' trash folders. A dozen or so still take the time, though, and this year at least one person read every entry. The Results:

Top 5:

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Department of Eagles – In Ear Park
Bon Iver - for emma, forever ago
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Self Titled
Dr. Dog – Fate

Honorable Mention:

The Walkmen – You and Me
The Dodos - Visitor
Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us
black keys - attack & release
Bonnie Prince Billy - Lie Down in the Light
Ruby Suns - Sea Lion
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Verse - Aggression

The Rest (in alphabetical order by artist)

Adam Arcuragi - Soldiers for Feet EP
Beach House – Devotion
The Bellfuries - Palmyra
The Black Angels - Directions To See A Ghost
Black Mountain - In the Future
The Briggs - Come All You Madmen
crystal castles - s/t
Delta Spirit – Ode to Sunshine
El Guincho - Alegranza
Energy - Invasions of the Mind
Brian Eno & David Byrne - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
Fucked Up - the chemistry of common life
The Gaslight Anthem - The 59 Sound
Ghostland Observatory - Robotique Majestique
H20 - Nothing to Prove
Have Heart - Songs to Scream At the Sun
Russell Huie - Cheer The Bombs On EP
M83 - Saturdays = Youth
Man Man – Rabbit Habits
Mogwai - The Hawk is Howling
The Naked and Famous - No Light EP
New Found Glory - Tip of the Iceberg
No Age - Nouns
nomo - ghost rock
Passion Pit - Chunk of Change EP
Phonograph - Hiawatha Talking Machine EP
Princeton - Bloomsbury EP
q-tip - the renaissance
"Quote" - The Pace of Our Feet
The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
Santogold – Santogold
Ron Sexsmith - Exit Strategy of the Soul
She & Him - Volume One
Richard Swift - Ground Trouble Jaw

SUSU - Win EP
Sybris - into the trees
Syd Matters - Ghost Days EP
Titus Andronicus - The Airing of Grievances
tv on the radio - dear science
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
Vetiver - Thing of the Past
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

The Boy Bathing @ Rockwood Music Hall

David Hurwitz, front man of The Boy Bathing - all solo and shit - played a show Friday night to debut some new material and tinkle on the keys a little bit amidst the hummin' and strummin' of his normal format. This - "Hey, I know I've been locked away writing, and I haven't been playing very much lately, so I'll let you in a little bit on what I've been up to." - sort-of-a-show was a real treat for me and the other TBB fans in the crowd.

The band's debut album "A Fire To Make Preparations" was released independently this year, but we didn't hear anything from that record, which was the underlying material of two 2008 tours. Instead we got to see where the band is going. Anyone familiar with AFTMP would have noticed a change in Hurwitz's song-writing. Choruses!! WTF!!

That's right, some songs with choruses. But I don't want to make a big deal out of it. There was a lot of the sound we know and love also, and I would implore the reader not to confuse choruses with "pop" or anything like that. I am simply delighted to see a song-writer exploring, and in this case, finding something worthwhile in the process. Check out the video of "House Song."

Major conflict of interests

So I have this friend, who's dating someone that I have met a couple of times and who my girlfriend and I get along with quite well. Enough said about that. The guy also happens to be a musician, and we went to see his show on Monday night, at a packed venue in Midtown. He's a very talented singer, just signed, who is recording his debut CD in California. The same old major label story that we all thought doesn't happen anymore. It does, apparently. I have never been to a pop concert before, with the exception of I think Hootie and The Blowfish, when I was the age at which I had to be driven there by my mom.

So I saw the show, and I am very pleased for this guy's success. I like him. But I am also totally enraged by pop music, and I feel sort of bad saying so. The show was supposed to be a "night off" on a mini-tour that has stretched the country, but since none of the suits from the label that signed him had seen him perform yet (WHAT!?), it was arranged that he would do a small club set on his night off for them and a select group of CRAZY WOMEN. Granted, women make up the main fan base, but I am really not used to this sort of fan. If anyone acted like that at a Mercury Lounge show, I am certain someone proactive would call an ambulance. Back to the show: the songs are sung well, but I was constantly fighting off a grimace, even when I was feeling genuinely happy for the guy on stage. I guess people think it's harmless to sing pop songs. I think it is one of the more pervasive and malicious things people can do, rolling back the clock on everything, and perpetuating all of the subtle and not-so-subtle control mechanisms that prey on the lazy and stupid. Sigh.

Anyhoo, so I am a little down, having come so close to the big bad machine. And trust me, it really is big. And it really is bad.

Frederik go on an hour late, I nearly pass out

Last weekend I heard a demo of Fredrik, a band from the southern tip of Sweden. What I know about Sweden, other than the word "Schmootz" and that a band from there can tap into some relatively easy cash from the government, is that a diverse lot of great bands calls it home. Armed with the knowledge that at least one of their songs is good, I took note of their show on my iCal.

We rolled into Cakeshop about 5 minutes before Fredrik's 10:00pm set to catch the very end of Macgregor Burns, a pleasant enough acoustic duo from Baltimore. We assumed Fredrik was next, but the band going on was clearly not from Sweden, no matter how weak your sense of stereotyping is. It was Cinemasophia first, who were good, but for most of the set, I was outside smoking and getting some air; Cakeshop had reached a new level of hellish heat. By the time Fredrik came on, I seemed to forget myself, and I was lulled into a happy state. I won't say too much about the music, as I find it hard to classify. It is definitely pretty and slow-moving, but I am still sort of at a loss about it. Sometimes it reminds me of Elbow, and the first track, "Black Fur" reminds me of an obscure Travis song (see download below). I have been listening to their album, NA NA NI all day, and it stands up really well. "Hei Hei" is probably my favorite. At the end of the show, satisfied but suddenly aware, I clutched and crawled out into the night, getting a fresh blast that felt arctic upon alighting.

Download their song "Black Fur" from bandweblogs.com

Joseph Arthur in Williamsburg

Last night I ventured to Williamsburg with a couple of friends to see Joseph Arthur, a guy whose music I have liked for a while, even though I have never seen him live or really crossed paths with anything to do with him anywhere. I know very little about him: he makes a ton of albums, Peter Gabriel likes his tunes, he paints. I was very impressed when I heard OUR SHADOWS WILL REMAIN, but I confess that it is the only album I know.

We arrived early in the set, and the band was fully into the performance. A 4-piece band backs up Arthur, allowing him to frontman more effectively. Live, his vocal range is even more impressive than on his recordings, and more raw. I was especially moved by how warm and fat the tones in the lower end of his range are. Arthur's catalog is as diverse as his vocal range, and his songwriting taps into a real reverence for recent musical history. I think for instance that the first song he performed solo during the encore was the best Neil Diamond song that Neil Diamond wishes he could have written. For those of you who are tempted to stop reading as soon as "Neil Diamond" is mentioned, let me say also that all of Arthur's songs have an authenticity to them that I think comes from Arthur allying himself to the classic, fundamental questions that a popular music genre like rock addresses best, diverting the audiences attention from the "message"/"meaning" of a particular song to the journey itself that the songwriter/performer is going through. You really get to watch him, without being confronted by opinions etc. marring the music. It makes for an endlessly entertaining evening, especially with such talented musicians in tow (Jen Turner on guitar is a show all by herself).

images copyright Joseph Arthur, from museumofmodernarthur.com

Joseph's visual art , which until recently could be seen at his gallery, the Museum of Modern Arthur (MOMAR) in DUMBO and on his album covers, is an achievement of a completely different sort. Unfortunately, the gallery is closing. I saw a slew of the paintings at the gallery's closing party, and it really is a shame that they will only be exhibited online from now on. Those rabid fans of Arthur's (of which there are many) would often come and hang around the gallery, just waiting for Joseph to show up! Amazing. I ran into one such crazy fan in the bar. When I let slip that I didn't have to pay for my ticket, her eyes became sort of possessed. I assumed she thought I could help her get close to Joseph (which I couldn't), and her enthusiasm caused me to hide in the bathroom until she left. I did see her scouring the merch table, and with Arthur averaging about 50 albums a year, she should have plenty of fodder for her home shrine.

A sparse, meager blog, comfortably situated

Don't get excited. Close that other tab. There will be no need to go to insound.com right after this. Just relax. Most of the stuff I write about here will be safe and sound, away from the cutting edge. The jagged, frightful edge. I am going to write about music, in Manhattan. By the time it gets to me here, you can rest assured those middle-twenties rockers will already have toured to your borough. Perhaps a multi-borough tour. They'll be big local stars in the Red Hook used-car warehouse district by now. I am sure banana vs lucmo has a 2 pager in the archives, images exclusive for 3 weeks. Their mp3's are abundant, in need of thinning-out. Even the amateur iso-hunter should have no trouble bagging a few. We'll be buying and stealing a lot of music around here, enjoying it all, even if we are in the rear guard. About this blog: nepotism, favoritism, narcissism, all the tools required to do something this self-indulgent. Hopefully with a touch of class and word-craft on the days one is feeling the most nimble.