Category Archives: Activities

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 5/24 – 5/30

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(image swiped from http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/wireless_gallery.html.)

Group Doueh, Guitar Music from the Western Sahara and Treeg Salaam LPs (Sublime Frequencies, available here and here)
Omar Souleyman, Highway to Hassake: Folk and Pop Sounds of Syria 2LP (Sublime Frequencies)
V/A, Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits LP (L’Arome)
Noah Howard, At Judson Hall LP (ESP-Disk, available here)
V/A, “Musiques de l’Asie Traditionnelle vol. 4: Tibet LP (Playa Sound)
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Soul Finger CD
The Field, Yesterday and Today CD (Kompakt)
Vieux Farka Toure, Fondo CD
V/A, Phantom Guitars CD
Jimmy Cliff, The Harder They Come CD
Elvis Presley, Roustabout LP
Boards of Canada, Music Has the Right to Children CD
Kardinal Offishal, Not 4 Sale CD
Ennio Morricone, Film Music Vol. 1 CD
Big Business, Mind the Drift CD (Hydra Head)
Patto, s/t CD
Iggy Pop, Preliminaries CD
Fire on Fire, The Orchard CD (Young God)
The Inner Space, Agilok & Blubbo CD (Wah-Wah)
DJ Shadow, Endtroducing CD
V/A, Ghana Soundz Vol. 2 CD
Hawkwind, In Search of Space CD
The Damned, Machine Gun Etiquette CD
Saccharine Trust, Past Lives CD
Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Blank Generation CD
Extra Golden, Thank You Very Quickly CD (Thrill Jockey)
James Blackshaw, The Glass Bead Game CD (Young God)
J.G. Thirlwell, The Venture Bros.: The Music of J.G. Thirlwell CD
The Stooges, S/T CD
Iron & Wine, Around the Well CD (Sub Pop)
V/A, 1970’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground CD (Sublime Frequencies)

Last updated on Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 5/17 – 5/23

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(image swiped from http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/09/08/worlds-greatest-radio-listening-post/.)

Jim O’Rourke, I’m Happy, and I’m singing and a 1, 2, 3, 4 2CD (Editions Mego)
Small Faces, First Step CD
John Lee Hooker, Hooker n’ Heat 2CD
Kurt Vile and the Violators, Hunchback CD (Richie Records)
Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation CD
Cold Sun, Dark Shadows CD
John Fahey and his Orchestra, Of Rivers and Religion LP
The Inner Space, Agilok & Blubbo mp3s
39 Clocks, Zoned mp3s (Destijl)
Nomo, Invisible Cities CD
Queens of the Stone Age, Era Vulgaris CD
Obits, I Blame You CD (Sub Pop)
Can, Ege Bamyasi CD
Savath & Savalas, La Llama CD (Stones Throw)
Naked Lunch, s/t CD
Roky Erikson, I Have Always Been Here Before 2CD
Pink Floyd, Meddle LP
The Bengal Minstrel, The Music of Bauls LP
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, The Voudon Effect: Funk & Sato from Benin’s Obscure Labels 1972 – 1975 2LP (Analog Africa)
Spirit, The Family That Plays Together LP
Mahmoud Ahmed and the Ibex Band, Ere Mela Mela LP
Tyvek, s/t CD
V/A, Bird Up: The Charlie Parker Remix Project CD
Fred Fisher Atalobhor & His Ogiza Dance Band, African Carnival 2CD
Passion Pit, Manners CD
Grizzly Bear, Vekatimest CD
Group Doueh, Treeg Salaam LP
Christopher Tignor, Core Memory Unwound CD
Traffic, Mr. Fantasy LP
Spirit, Clear LP

Last posted on Sunday, May 24, 2009.

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 5/10 – 5/16

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(image swiped from bridell.com; read about Ben Rubin and Mark Hansen’s Listening Post installation here: http://bridell.com/tag/listening-post/)

Music listened to during the week from Sunday, May 10 to Saturday, May 16:

Pere Ubu, Dub Housing (Chrysalis) LP (available here)
Harappian Night Recordings, The Glorious Gongs of Hainuwele mp3s
Philip Glass, Music In Similar Motion and Music in Fifths (Chatham Square) LP
The George-Edwards Group, 38:38 (Drag City/Galactic Zoo Disks) LP (available here)
Vinko Globokar/Luciano Berio/Karlheinz Stockhausen/Carlos Roque Alsina, Discours II pour cinq trombones/Sequenza V for trombone solo/Solo fur Melodie-Instrument mit Ruckkopplung/Consecuenza op. 17 fur Soloposaune (Deutsche Grammophon) LP
John Wiese & C. Spencer Yeh, Cincinnati mp3s
Hecker, Acid in the Style of David Tudor mp3s
Morton Feldman, Triadic Memories mp3s
T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo, Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972-1980 CD
Dead Child, Attack CD
Double Dagger, More CD
V/A, Welcome to the Party CD
The Original Modern Lovers, s/t CD
Dungen, 4 CD
Iggy and the Stooges, Raw Power CD
Doug Paisley, s/t CD
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Segu Blue 2LP
Omar Souleyman, Highway to Hassake: Folk and Pop Sounds of Syria CD
J.D. Emmanuel, Solid Dawn: Electronic Works 1979 – 1982 mp3s
Scott Walker, Scott 3 and Tilt CDs
Alice Coltrane, Eternity CD
Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle CD
Pearls Before Swine, The Use of Ashes CD
Astor Piazzolla, Essential Tango CD
Roy Ayers Ubiquity, He’s Coming CD
Bob Dylan, Together Through Life CD
V/A, Ghana Soundz Vol. 2: Afro-Beat, Funk and Fusion in 1970’s Ghana CD
Wooden Shjips, Dos CD
39 Clocks, Zoned CD
Shedding, the Poison Arrows, Spritely — live at Skull Alley

Last updated on Sunday, May 17, 2009.

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 5/3 – 5/9

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(uh….)

Thunderclap Newman, Hollywood Dream LP
Patto, s/t LP
V/A, Nigeria Special: Part 1 2LP
Fleetwood Mac, Tusk 2LP
Bishop Perry Tillis, In Times Like These mp3s/LP
Tyvek, s/t mp3s
TwinSisterMoon, The Hollow Mountain mp3s
Rhys Chatham, A Crimson Grail (For 400 Electric Guitars) CD
DJ Shadow, Diminishing Returns CD
Alela Diane, To Be Still CD
Kurt Vile and the Violators, The Hunchback EP CD
Monks, Black Monk Time CD
T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, The Kings of Benin Urban Groove 1972 – 1980 CD
Vaselines, Enter the Vaselines 2CD
El Michels Affair, Enter the 37th Chamber CD
Magik Markers, Balf Quarry LP and Baltimore Trust mp3s
Woods, Songs of Shame CD
Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle CD
Double Dagger, More CD
Mix Master Mike, Anti-Theft Device CD
Portishead, Third CD
Isis, Wavering Radiant CD
Omar Souleyman, Dabke 2020 CD
Trembling Bells, Carbeth CD
Don Cherry, Eternal Rhythm LP
Moebius & Plank, Rastakraut Pasta CD
V/A, Hammond Street 3 CD
Monks, The Early Years CD
La Dusseldorf, s/t LP
Townes Van Zandt, Flyin’ Shoes CD
Madlib, Beat Konducta Vol. 3-4 CD
V/A, Nigeria Rock Special 2LP
Kurt Vile/BJ split 7″
Steely Dan, Katy Lied LP
Faust, IV LP

Last updated on Saturday, May 9, 2009.

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 4/26 – 5/2

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Daniel Higgs, Bill Nace and Shakey live at Lisa’s Oak Street Lounge
This Heat, Out of Cold Storage 5CD box set
Cluster, 2 CD
Clockcleaner, Nevermind CD
Monoshock, Runnin’ Ape-Like from the Backwards Superman: 1989 – 1995 CD
Incredible String Band, Liquid Acrobat as Regards the Air CD
Wooden Shjips, Dos CD
Deerhunter, Microcastle CD
Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle CD
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz CD
Lungfish, Rainbows from Atoms CD
Obits, I Blame You CD
Gary Higgins, Red Hash CD
Pink Floyd, Relics LP
Royal Trux, Thank You LP
Can, Soundtracks LP
Das, Non-Chalant LP
Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage CD
Fred Neil, s/t CD
Ras G & the Afrikan Space Program, Ghetto Sci-Fi CD
V/A, 1970’s Algerian Proto-Rai Underground CD
Rodriguez, Coming from Reality CD
Kraftwerk, Computer World LP
V/A, Love Is Love LP
The Green Arrows, 4 Track Recording Session 2LP
Nick Drake, Five Leaves Left LP
Air Conditioning, I’m In the Mountains, I’ll Call You Next Year LP
Dojo Cuts, s/t CD
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Segu Blue CD
Mayer Hawthorne promo CD
Peter, Bjorn & John Living Thing CD
Doug Paisley, s/t CD
Monks, Black Monk Time CD
V/A, Local Customs: Downriver Revival CD
Orchestre Regional de Kayes, s/t LP
Group Bombino, Guitars from Agadez vol. 2 LP
Double Leopards, Halve Maen 2LP
Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics, Inspiration Information 3 CD
Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career CD
V/A, Stax: The Soul of Hip-Hop CD
Mastodon, Crack the Skye CD

Last updated on Sunday, May 3, 2009.

A Brief Interview with Daniel Higgs

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(a picture of Daniel Higgs performing at Bard College in May, 2007 by the author.)

The music of Daniel Higgs — who is playing in Louisville tonight at Lisa’s Oak Street Lounge (10 PM, $5) — is sometimes difficult to understand in its simplicity, but very rewarding given the effort. I sent him a few questions (for an aborted feature in LEO Weekly), and Swingset Magazine published the results here:

Daniel Higgs does not have a publicist. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have a manager or a booking agent, either. He occasionally obscures his identity by adding extra middles names, such as “Belteshazzar” or “Arcus Incus Ululat.” In the liner notes to some of Lungfish recordings on which he’s sung, he’s not credited with his proper name. There’s no official Daniel Higgs web site, no MySpace page, no Facebook profile. And certainly no digital press kit, or any high-resolution jpegs.

What Higgs does have is a crucially singular approach to the song, an approach that is so unique and intensely beautiful that few musicians alive in the world today can match its power. That is no mere exaggeration. And he achieves his sound with only his voice, a long-necked banjo and, occasionally, a jaw harp.

The Baltimore-based Higgs has been performing in public since his band Reptile House formed in the 1980s, and for the past two decades has been the front man for Dischord recording artists Lungfish (currently on an unofficial hiatus from recording and touring). His solo material – which has been released by labels such as Holy Mountain and Thrill Jockey – is substantially different from his previous bands. Generally he’s alone and unaccompanied. Yet there’s a power to this solo music that is similar to the locomotive strength of Lungfish’s proto-punk propulsion.

In anticipation of his upcoming performance in Louisville on April 26th with Massachusetts improviser Bill Nace and Louisville duo Shakey, consisting of George Wethington (of Speed to Roam) and Peter Townsend (of King Kong), I sent Higgs a few questions in an attempt to unravel the mysteries involving his music. What I got in reply were concise, one-sentence responses – but not to every question.

Over the years, you’ve either listed pseudonyms on Lungfish releases, and now you add great middle names such as Belteshazzar. Is there a reason for the name changes? Do you find a certain comfort in relative anonymity, or is it just a sort of puzzle for your listeners to decode?

The changing extranyms reflect a desire, at times, for a more precise identification of oneself, in relation to certain tasks-at-hand.

In an age when so much music is mediated by marketing and commercial concerns — even with declining record sales — is there also a certain comfort in doing things “the old-fashioned way,” ie. releasing physical records/cassettes and touring? To what degree should music be allowed to speak for itself?

To sing with the body in-and-through space-time (unto Godhead) is sufficient.

What preparations and adjustments do you need to make in order to sing? That is, how does singing affect you emotionally, spiritually and physically? What do you need to do to let your voice sing?

Preparation: awareness of immediate degree of ignorance, and a mindful, heartful offering of songs as-they-occur.

Do songs exist beyond time? Can they?

I can not here and now explain to you the way in which songs exist.

Do your songs have a point when they feel “finished” to you? That is, can a song continue even after the musician finishes playing it? Do you see recording a song as just one version of an eternal song?

You spend a considerable amount of time on the road — what aspect of live performance do you find essential? In the moments on tour when you’re not playing, what experiences strike you as most like your songs?

The rest of the questions will have to remain unanswered at this time.
Thank You, Daniel.

UPDATE, 4/27: LEO Weekly actually ran a condensed version of my introduction as a staff pick. Unfortunately it was kinda buried on their web site, so if you missed it (as I did) it’s here: http://events.leoweekly.com/?p=1567 (scroll all the way to the bottom).

Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post: 4/18 – 4/25

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(all apologies to the Allman Brothers)

In an attempt to increase the content of this blog (and perhaps gain a reader or two in the process), I’m embarking on a new, weekly feature with this, the inaugural installment of Tie Me to the Listenin’ Post. It’s pretty simple: all this feature will entail will be, y’know, a post chock-full of what I’ve listened to in the past week (including live shows), updated daily (for as long as I don’t get bored with it). Eventually, I may even get around to asking guests what they’ve been listening to, since that would be far more interesting. Anyway, let’s get to it. I’m starting the week on a Saturday — this past Saturday, April 18th (aka Record Store Day) to be exact. Given that I work at a record store, see if you can spot which selections were either picked by my fellow employees and/or required in-store listening!

The Week That Was, April 18 – 25:

Rude Weirdo, The Teeth, Mothertongue — live at the Pour Haus
Shedding — live at ear X-tacy
Wooden Shjips, Dos CD
Death, …For the Whole World to See CD
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz CD
Extra Golden, Thank You Very Quickly CD
The Juan MacLean, The Future Will Come CD
Fucked Up, The Chemistry of Common Life CD
Roland P. Young, Isophonic Boogie Woogie LP
Eno, Music for Airports LP
Blues Control, Puff LP
Psychedelic Horseshit, Magic Flowers Droned LP
The George-Edwards Group, 38:38 LP
Kurt Vile, God Is Saying This to You LP
Tom Rapp, s/t LP
The Blue Note 7, Mosaic CD
Bill Callahan, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle CD
V/A, Ninja Tune Fall 2008 Sampler CD
Pontiak, Maker CD
V/A, Dillanthology: Volume 1 CD
Mercury Rev, Deserter’s Songs CD
Barbara Manning, In New Zealand LP
Walter Marchetti, Per La Sete Dell’Orecchio LP
Throbbing Gristle, Emeralds — live at Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago
Blues Control, s/t CD
The Howling Hex, 1-2-3 CD
The Early Years, s/t CD
Sir Richard Bishop, Salvador Kali CD
The Fall, 458489 A Sides CD
Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, “The Vodoun Effect”: Funk & Sato from Benin’s Obscure Labels CD

Updated on Monday, April 27th, 2009.

The Web, Live (Last Year)

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A kind soul on the Louisville Hardcore forum hipped us to this great video posted just a few days ago of the Web performing at the Pour Haus in Louisville last year (click on the link, for some reason WordPress doesn’t like Vimeo‘s embed code). The two songs they perform are “The Handcuff Hoax” (from the “Azuza Inkh” 7″) and “Undercover Action” (a version of this made an appearance on the Louisville Sonic Imprint compilation).

If you’re not familiar with the Web, don’t fret. We didn’t write about it here at the time, but we wrote this little entry from our sister blog, State of the Commonwealth:

We can’t fucking believe it. Really. Sorry for the expletive and all, but one of Louisville’s best-ever bands — and I don’t just mean that lightly — is reuniting to play a show at the Pour Haus next week, opening for another fantastic band, the mighty (and mighty long-running) Pere Ubu. That’s right, The Web is back (description by The Web’s frontman Tony Hoyle, from show promoter/Black Velvet Fuckere/Sapat mainman Kris Abplanalp’s Myspace bulletin):

The Web, a rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, was formed in 1993. Distributed by labels Drag City, Damn Entertainment, and Ear X-tacy Records, The Web released two 45” singles, a 12” EP, and a full-length CD, “Fruit Bat Republic.” Prior to its temporary dissolution in 1998, The Web produced its magnum opus, “Chlydotorous Scrotodhendron”; the masters of these recordings have been unearthed and are set for a highly-anticipated label distribution this summer!

Among The Web’s many performances during the 1990s, it hit the road with recording artists Sebadoh, traveling throughout the Eastern half of the U.S.. Originally formed as a trio, The Web later expanded to an octet. However, most performances featured the classic quintet reforming this year: Andrew Willis on guitar; Gary Pahler on drums; Jason Hayden on guitar and bass; Steve Good ..boards, clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone; Tony Hoyle on microphone.

Now some readers might not be convinced by that description, and that’s understandable, even if we would describe the Web as somehow a mixture of a great love for Captain Beefheart, the Stooges, the Fall, Neu!, Faust, G. Gordon Liddy, comic books, college basketball, science fiction, and well-brand liquor. Here at State of the Commonwealth, we truly believe in the “try before you buy” ethos of music on the internet, with both parts being key. So in favor of that policy, we’ve decided to upload a few tracks by the Web for you, our dear readers, to peruse at your leisure. If you like them, please do yourself a favor and see this awesome band live, next Friday the 22nd of March, at the Pour Haus. First, we have a zip file containing the Web’s first 7″ entitled “Azuza Inkh” — with the songs “Azuza” and “The Handcuff Hoax” and their 12″ EP record “The Pentagon,” featuring “Hail to the Chief,” “Rebel Yell” (parts 1 and 2) and “Five”:

The Web – “Azuza Inkh” 7″, “The Pentagon” 12″ (link disabled)

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got zip files one song from their 1998 CD Fruit Bat Republic entitled “Tick” (a great little sorta almost Afropop-ish number) plus a live song “The Pentagon” from the Sourmash: A Louisville Compilation CD for your downloading pleasure:

The Web, “Tick” (link disabled)
The Web, “The Pentagon” (link disabled)

In fact, the only stuff by the Web that we don’t have digitized (but have on vinyl) is the “Freedom Hall” 7″. Can anybody send us that, please?

Anyway, both Fruit Bat Republic and Sourmash: A Louisville Compilation are on sale at ear X-tacy for $1.99 a piece. So if for whatever reason you can’t make the show, you owe it to yourself to pick up two great slices of Louisville music history, for super-cheap!

Because we’re nice, and because it’s nearly a year later, we’re gonna re-up those downloads, right here:

The Web – “Azuza Inkh” 7″, “The Pentagon” 12″
The Web – “Tick” from Fruit Bat Republic
The Web – “The Pentagon” from Sourmash: A Louisville Compilation

Brett Eugene Ralph’s Kentucky Chrome Revue, Tomorrow at Air Devils Inn

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(Photo of Brett Ralph from this nice review here.)

One of our favorite people of all time, Mr. Brett Eugene Ralph, is bringing his Kentucky Chrome Revue to the Air Devils Inn tomorrow night (that’s Saturday, December 20th if you’re scoring at home). Here’s what Brett says:

Come on out to our first show in nearly a year. We’ve got two new members, lots of new songs, and even a few Xmas surprises. The current line-up includes Chris Reinstatler on drums, Kirk Kiefer on keyboards, Mark “Lupe” Hamilton on lead guitar, Justin Miller on bass, and Jamie Daniel on violin.

The show is a measly $5, and also includes both Jon Ashley and the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys on the bill.

The Air Devils Inn, one of Louisville’s greatest divey bars, is located at 2802 Taylorsville Road, across the street from Bowman Field and right next to Queen of Sheba (one of the best restaurants in town!).

Music and Art This Weekend, Dec. 4-7

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The weekend starts early around here, because there’s a ton of stuff going on in Louisville, Lexington and all around. So even though we haven’t done an event listing post in a while, let’s get started!

First off, tonight at Skull Alley (1017 E. Broadway), Mose Giganticus, Emotron, Mowgli! and the Robot Affair play at 7 PM, for $5. We don’t know anything about these bands, but we like Skull Alley, so there. Oh, it’s also all-ages.

Second, tonight at the 21c Hotel (700 W. Main Street), Bay Area troubadours Vetiver play a special concert with local heroes Kings Daughters and Sons (featuring members of Rachel’s, Shipping News, Dead Child, etc.). Doors are at 8 PM, tickets are $12 at the door (also available at Ear X-Tacy for a limited time today), and here’s the press release:

Celebrating their third major studio release, Vetiver will be taking a break from their national tour with the Black Crows to give a special performance at 21c Museum. Vetiver’s new album, Thing of the Past, breaks from the traditional covers album by paying tribute to little-known songs by little-known musicians who influenced band leader Andy Cabic. California-based, Vetiver is no stranger to experimentation and has shared the stage with Joanna Newsom, The Shins, Colm O’Ciosoig of My Bloody Valentine, and Bright Eyes. Perhaps Vetiver is best described by occasional collaborator Devendra Banhart as an “impossibly ethereal yet terrestrial songwriting.”

Our friends at Backseat Sandbar have an interview with Vetiver’s Andy Cabic you can read here.

Also tonight in Lexington, our faves Hair Police, noise goddess Leslie Keffer, local weirdos Caboladies and Laloux are playing at the Cat’s Den, inside the UK Student Center at 8 PM. It’s all-ages and it’s FREE!

Friday night the 2nd Annual Deck The Halls show of skateboard art opens at Derby City Espresso, 331 E. Market Street. Ben Purdom & the Swedish Eagles will be providing live music, starting at 10 PM and it’s free.

Also Friday night Julia Christensen’s Big Box Reuse show opens at the Green Building Gallery (as we told you about yesterday). 732 E. Market Street, 5 to 9 PM, free.

Saturday at the Rudyard Kipling, Straight A’s, Toads and Mice and Siberia will play, starting at 10 PM for $5. Our friend Brett Holsclaw (of the Glasspack) will be djing between bands.

Also Saturday at Lisa’s Oak Street Lounge (1006 E Oak St), New York friends D. Charles Speer & The Helix (featuring members of No Neck Blues Band and Sunburned Hand of the Man) will be playing with recent arrival Zak Riles (of Grails), Twos & Fews label proprietor (and our good friend) Nathan Salsburg, and R. Keenan Lawler.

If you miss them in Louisville (and you really shouldn’t!), D. Charles Speer & The Helix will play Lexington on Sunday, December 7th with Warmer Milks at Al’s Bar, 6th and N. Limestone, at 9 PM, $4, all-ages.

Saturday night in Louisville also brings the TRAFOZSATSFM release show at Skull Alley with the Phantom Family Halo, the Slow Break, IamIs, Whistle Peak, Trophy Wives, and Six White Horses. TRAFOZSATSFM is the local tribute album to David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, curated by John King. The show starts at 8 PM and is $5.

Finally, Saturday night also is the opening of Sarah Lyon‘s 2009 Female Mechanics Calendar at the Green Building, 732 E. Market Street, 5 PM to 9 PM, and featuring music spun by DJ Kim Sorise. And of course it’s FREE!

Whew! That’s a lot of stuff. Get out there!