My Old Kentucky Blog

Two For Flinching : Mr. Lonely and Colin Stetson

2008-05-09T11:45:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago, I ran into a music acquaintance with whose band I occasionally shared bills back in the day. For those who don't know me, small talk isn't one of my strengths, but I stuck to the well-trod path and innocently asked what was new, only to be informed of that he was in the process of moving to upstate New York to live on a commune solely devoted to violent sex and noise music. I clearly remember thinking two things:

I really need to stop talking to people.
Thank Gawd for the net; otherwise, these people would never find one another.

Point is, it's a big ol' world and there's a lot of stuff to check out. Some of it's for you and some is clearly for someone else, but it's good to at least know it's there. Which brings us to here: The maiden voyage of Two For Flinching, a column dedicated to music that is a bit more, shall we say, challenging, than the standard MOKB fare. Who knows? You might just find something you like.

And remember, I'm not saying it's good or bad, I'm just sayin'.

Mr. Lonely - Music From a Film by Harmony Korine

Harmony Korine's (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy) new film revolves around a Michael Jackson impersonator living in Scotland. If you're familiar with Korine's previous work, that should be enough to either get you scrambling for tickets or writing your senator. Never one to skimp on mood, he enlisted the talents of J Spaceman (Spaceman 3, Spiritualized) and the Sun City Girls. to create an appropriately brooding backdrop to a film that is unlikely to make it to your local cineplex. The soundtrack is available now, courtesy of our friends at Drag City. The film, which stars Samantha Morton, Anita Pallenberg (formerly known as Keith Richards' common-law wife) and the legendary Werner Herzog (who also has a cameo on the soundtrack), will soon be opening in select urban markets, which are apparently cooler and more sophisticated than Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare, Volume 1

The name Colin Stetson may be unfamiliar to you, but even if you're living under a rock, you've likely heard his work on record. Since receiving his formal musical education from the likes of Roscoe Mitchell and Henry Threadgill, Stetson has contributed to brass and woodwind clamor to the totem of modern music, including Arcade Fire (with whom he also toured), Tom Waits, TV On The Radio and Anthony Braxton (no, that's not the same as Toni). New History Warfare, Volume 1 (available on Aagoo Records) finds Stetson going it solo, digging into his arsenal (alto, baritone and bass saxophone, as well as clarinet) with only occasional samples for company. Probably not going to want to use this one to get the baby to sleep. Spending the weekend in the Bay Area on business? Stetson has some shows this weekend and nothing impresses clients like free-jazz skronk.

Sun City Girls - Mr. Lonely Viola
Colin Stetson - Time Is Advancing With Fitful Irregularity

Colin Stetson Live:

5/8 12 Galaxies - San Francisco, CA*
5/9 The Uptown - Oakland CA*
5/10 In-Store Performance at Amoeba Records - Berkeley, CA*
5/11 Amnesia - San Francisco CA**

*Sitting in with Never Enough Hope
**Transmission/Wheel On My Back Reunion show

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The Wachowski Brothers hate De Novo Dahl but we love them!

2008-05-09T10:05:00.002-04:00

Recently Warner Bros. approached De Novo Dahl about recording the theme song for the new Speed Racer movie. De Novo Dahl knocked it out in just two days and sent it off. Ultimately the Wachowski brothers ended up going another direction, but you can buy it at iTunes or just listen to it here...

My Old Kentucky Blog & The Monolith Music Festival present Spinto Band + De Novo Dahl + Tally Hall at Radio Radio on May 30th. $8 presale / $10 at the door. BUY YOUR TICKETS CHEAPER NOW!

Spinto Band - Oh Mandy
De Novo Dahl - Shout
Tally Hall - Good Day

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Nortec Collective : Bostitch + Fussible : Tijuana Sound Machine

2008-05-08T17:20:00.001-04:00

Well, I'm a couple days late on Cinco De Mayo, but these guys would have been the perfect soundtrack had I got to go drink margaritas and Dos Equis. I don't have a deep Latin music knowledge base, but I generally really enjoy it...most genres. Anyway, I guess I'd probably heard these guys before, but didn't know it. They seem to be kind of a big deal.

Their music has been in all sorts of commercials and has been featured on televison's Friday Night Lights, HBO's Big Love, in the movies Fast Food Nation and Babel, as well as the video games FIFA Soccer and FIFA Street 2.

Wow...third point in and I haven't even told you who I'm talking about. Long-winded indeed. Nortec Collective presents Bostitch + Fussible has a new mixed bag album called Tijuana Sound Machine out by Nacional Records. These double Latin-Grammy nominees are building on the success of their previous album Tijuana Sessions, Vol. 3. Imagine pinatas on X.

Nortec Collective presents Bostich + Fussible - Tijuana Sound Machine

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New : Jonquil : So Far So Good

2008-05-08T11:40:00.002-04:00

We were amazed by the soothing beauty created by Jonquil and their 2007 song Lions. They will release a new EP in 2008 which features this gem, So Far So Good. Lead singer Hugo Manuel and his band were recently featured in NME and a few other British magazines. These guys are really young, and to be making music this good already only proves that this is just the ground floor for these guys...get on board because there is nowhere to go but up.

Jonquil - So Far So Good

Older Works:

Jonquil - Lions

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Candy Coated Killahz : It Factor

2008-05-08T00:20:00.001-04:00

Electro/hip-hop/dance duo Candy Coated Killahz won't iTunes release their debut album, It Factor, until June, but you can get your first listen today. You can stream their entire album, It Factor, here.

Producer/front-girl Tosha Dash and Icon the Anomali host their cd release party tonight in Toronto at Wrongbar. The lineup also features TMDP and DJ Vaneska.

Candy Coated Killahz - I Can't Stop
Candy Coated Killahz - Playboy

Older Works:

Candy-Coated Killahz - Rich Kids

See Also:

New Song : Candy Coated Killahz : Playboy
The cool kids got what the rich kids really want...

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DeVotchKa & Basia Bulat : Saturday : May 10th : at The Vogue

2008-05-07T14:10:00.000-04:00

A really great show is coming to The Vogue this Saturday night...DeVotchKa and Basia Bulat are sure to amaze and delight. Indianapolis, you may feel as if they are unknown to you, but you may be more familiar than you realize. DeVotchKa was responsible for much of the musical greatness behind the movies Everything Is Illuminated and Little Miss Sunshine.

DeVotchKa is also one of the headlining acts at the 2008 Monolith Music Festival at Red Rocks which Hot Freaks! helped currate. Read all about their new album A Mad And Faithful Telling.

DeVotchKa - Transliterator

Basia Bulat is a rising star from Canada. Her debut album, Oh, My Darling, was released in 2007 on Rough Trade Records in the UK and Hardwood Records in Canada. The album was released this past February in the US by Beggars.

Basia Bulat - I Was A Daughter

Pay attention to the show time...show up late and you'll be pissy. Doors @ 6pm - Show @ 7pm - $15

DeVotchKa - You Love Me

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We Are Scientists : Brain Thrust Mastery Informercial

2008-05-07T13:50:00.001-04:00

I've seen We Are Scientists as a three-piece, but not since they've pared down to two. Their show was verbose, to say the least. I don't know what I think about them really. They are quite humorous in-between songs, during their live show, but if you're not there for the comedy routine, they might be pretty annoying. So, as a band, are they forgettable? Maybe/Probably/Yes. As comedians? Not too shabby. You be the judge.

Greg only kinda/sorta likes them, and Greg likes everything. Well, everything with boobs at least. I do know I'd love to make a pointless infomercial/mockery sometime, and I'm envious they did...

Also:

We Are Scientists - After Hours (follow link)

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New Video : Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings : Tell Me

2008-05-07T11:45:00.004-04:00

I have been listening to a lot of Motown greats lately, and the night before last I was lucky enough to see Stevie Wonder at the Barack Obama rally in Indianapolis. So with my inspiration at its peak, this new video for Tell Me by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings falls right into line with my musical tastes, of late.

The video itself isn't anything groundbreaking, but its enjoyable. It uses the treatment made famous by Nirvana, among others, and their In Bloom video...Jones and crew in a 1960s Ed Sullivan-type show. The theme obviously fits well with the 1960s Motown sound that Sharon and Dap's are obviously influenced by. The video gives the viewer a taste of the energy that Sharon brings to the live shows. I highly recommend taking in this band live - they are phenomenal.

100 Day, 100 Nights is out now via Daptone Records. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings will also be one of the featured acts at the 2008 Monolith Music Festival at Red Rocks which Hot Freaks! helped currate.

Also:

Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights

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Calico Horse covers Radiohead

2008-05-07T10:35:00.002-04:00

Ever wondered what the words to Radiohead's Idioteque (Kid A, 2000) were, but we just too damn lazy to look them up on this crazy newfangled interwebby thingy? Not me, I spend way too much time in front of this brainwash box, so I think I did that not long after the album came out. You may not be a total nerd like me though. If so, welcome my brothers and sisters. If not, good job, way to have a life. Anyway, it's not that you can't make out what Thom Yorke is singing really, but he does sort of slur through it at times, and maybe you want things to be made blantantly clear.

Calico Horse, a band we talked about at the start of the year and formerly known as The Clock Work Army, has done that for you and in the process created quite a pretty cover of the song too. They've stripped out all the electronic elements, but managed to keep the sort of haunting feeling that Radiohead had going on.

Calico Horse - Idioteque (Radiohead cover)

If you need Radiohead's original, Hype Machine will have you covered.

In case you missed it the first time around:

Calico Horse - Onomonopeia
Calico Horse - Walk In The Clouds

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Pop Dee-Lite : Madonna : Hard Candy

2008-05-07T09:40:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: Yes, I know MOKB is dedicated to indie music. However, Dodge occasionally lets me indulge in major label artists. Since my column is devoted to all-things-pop, and Madonna is the Queen of Pop, I feel it's my duty to weigh in on her new album. (If you are offended by this and prefer more obscure artists who sell seven albums or less in their lifetime, see the majority of Luftmensch's posts.)

Hard Candy has been out for a week now. I considered writing a review after several listens the day it came out. But I needed more time to absorb it and decide how I felt about it. I have even gone so far as to avoid reading any reviews about the album, so as not to taint my own opinion. First off, let's address how easy it is to be critical of the fact that she enlisted A-list hitmakers Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Pharrell. I, too, was skeptical, at first. But looking back through her discography, I was reminded of her collaboration with Babyface and Dallas Austin on Bedtime Stories. And how about William Orbit on Ray of Light? Same thing goes for her choice of Mirwais and Stuart Price on Confessions on a Dancefloor. Maybe they don't all have quite the household name appeal of J.T., Timbaland and Pharrell, but they are all hitmakers in their own right. Whomever Madonna wants, she gets. Bottom line. And while she makes good use of their services, she doesn't relinquish all control. She still firmly holds the reigns and keeps the boys in check.

Moving on, I watched an interview with Madonna over the weekend where she stated that Hard Candy is a workout/sex CD. I can't agree more after putting it to the cubicle vs. workout test. The listening environment makes a huge difference. In regards to sex, this record doesn't exactly have an Al Green vibe to it. But it is Madonna and even though she's almost 50, her album insinuates that she is not in need of the latest in female Viagra products. Candy Shop, 4 Minutes and Give It To Me make that clear (insert your own cougar joke here). She also hasn't moved far from the dancefloor since Confessions. Heartbeat, Beat Goes On and Dance 2night prove Madge isn't about to take down the disco ball and retire to the English countryside for tea and crumpets. As much as I like dancefloor Madonna, my favorite song on Hard Candy is Miles Away. One of the more serious tracks on the CD, it lopes along breezily with a stutter and a stop as she explains that You always love me more when I'm miles away.

It's only fitting that there is a track titled She's Not Me on Hard Candy. That's because there is only one Madonna. I will still be anxiously awaiting whatever she churns out next year or 10 years from now because it's Madonna and she has yet to let me down. (Yes, I even liked American Life.)

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Show and Photo Recap : Caribou & Fuck Buttons : 05/02/08

2008-05-06T15:40:00.005-04:00

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

I'd heard every possible reason why I should love Caribou. Friends, whose opinions I value, constantly asked questions like "Have you even listened to Up In Flames?!" or "Do you really like music?" When I respond positively to both questions, I inevitably get a response along the lines of "You're an idiot." or "I'm not sure if I'm cool being associated with you anymore." Fair enough, I suppose. But it's not that I didn't try. Some things appeal to you and some things don't, right?. That is unless it's Caribou, as my friends would say. Well, being the good friend that I am, I decided I'd wait to completely write them off until I'd had the chance to see them live. I got my chance Friday when the band came to Bloomington's most intimate of venues, the Waldron Arts Center, with Fuck Buttons as support. Attend the show I did and, as a result, I am now on a steady new diet of eating every negative word I'd ever said about Caribou.

The UK's Fuck Buttons kicked off the show that was surprisingly well-attended, given that it was graduation day at IU. Comprised of just two members and a slew of electronics, Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power stood facing each other at either end of a large white table and, without breaks, played the hell out of their keyboards, knobs, and effects pedals. Along with it being a passionate, high-energy performance, an equally intriguing part of the show was realizing that, at one point, Andrew Hung was playing an old school Game Boy - not for Tetris or Super Mario, but to achieve specific noise elements and drum sounds. On top of that, Benjamin John Power used only a tiny Fisher-Price microphone for his vocals, which he somehow converted to create a frightening distortion effect. The highlight of the show, however, was seeing Hung grab a mic and sporadically dance all over the room while chanting like some kind of deranged Indian - all in front of a seated crowd that wasn't sure what to make of what they were watching. Definitely a show worth seeing, especially if you don't mind the sound of your ears being torn in half.

Caribou then followed, inviting the crowd to not only stand closer but to circle around them almost entirely as well. I stood within arms reach of guitarist Ryan Smith and directly behind the bands new touring drummer, Ahmed Gallab, who has stepped in momentarily following their original drummer's unfortunate fall from a ladder and subsequent broken wrist. From where I stood, several feet behind the PA, the vocals coming from Mr. Caribou himself, Dan Snaith, were faintly audible, but otherwise it was about as intimate a set as one could imagine. Smith even joked under his breath, saying, "It feels like we're shooting a Nirvana video." Watching Caribou perform gave me a new appreciation for musical timing. Snaith, already an accomplished drummer in his own right, never missed a beat, but it was Gallab who single-handedly stole the show, ferociously keeping time while accenting the bass and guitar with flashy rhythms and a relentless yet modest energy that had the whole crowd transfixed. What never appealed to me on record - songs like Melody Day, Skunks, and Crayon, - suddenly made sense in a live setting and as the band finished their set, I could only stand and be amazed at how quickly I'd become a fan. The applause warranted an encore and the band returned to play Everytime She Turns Round It's Her Birthday, officially silencing any of my doubts for good. Like some big fireworks show grand finale, all four musicians, including a lucky fan in the front row, grabbed drumsticks, found some percussion and went to town, creating a mess of noise that seemed to shake the building. I decided then and there what needed to be done - go home, swallow my pride, and admit to my friends just how big a fool I'd been.

Caribou - Sundialing
F*ck Buttons - Bright Tomorrow

See all the photos by clicking here!

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by David Hassell)

(Show photos by David Hassell)

(Show photos by David Hassell)

See loads more photos from the show after the jump...

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

See the entire photoset at FlickR

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Kneejerk RXN : Ersi Arvizu : Friend For Life

2008-05-06T10:55:00.005-04:00

It's rare, but occasionally I come across a record that defies typical description; a record with a certain IT factor. Maybe it's the people involved or the backstory. Sometimes it's stylistic choices or a complete disregard for the tastes of the day, But whatever IT is, the record simply cannot be adequately served by one of my patented snarky posts. Baby Dee's Safe Inside The Day comes to mind as the most recent example of this, and now, I'd like to add Ersi Arvizu's Friend For Life (available May 6th from the fine folks at ANTI).

If you've never heard of Ms. Arvizu, don't sweat it; it's likely you never would had it not been for Ry Cooder. If you're not familiar with Cooder (and you probably should be), the only thing more shocking than his guitar chops and skills as a producer, is his relative anonymity. Here's a guy who not only introduced The Stones to the open-G tuning and accused Keith Richards of copping riffs, but also played all of Ralph Macchio's guitar parts in Crossroads. Over the years, Cooder has quietly morphed into a full-blown musicologist, and following the success of his Buena Vista Social Club project, has seemingly been given musical carte blanche. If you need proof, look no further than 2007's My Name Is Buddy, which chronicles a worldly cat's (that's not vernacular, Buddy is a real cat) travels in song, story and illustration.

No, this post is not about Ry Cooder, but I thought you should know.

Ersi Arvizu doesn't have a website and she isn't on MySpace (and I doubt she's a fan of MOKB), but she's a veteran of the music biz whose first group, The Sisters (with real-life sisters, Mary and Rosella), hit #3 on the charts with Gee Baby Gee in the 60s. In the mid-70s, she did a stint with War-like East L.A. funk-rockers, El Chicano, until their partying habits lead her to part ways with the band. Subsequent musical endeavors were short-lived and eventually she tried her hand at boxing (her father was a trainer and Ms. Arvizu eventually retired with a 4-0 amateur record) before relocating to Arizona, where she trained young boxers and drove a Fed-Ex truck.

While working on 2005's Chavez Ravine, Cooder was searching for a female voice that captured the East L.A. sound. After extensive research and some amateur sleuthing, he located Ms. Arvizu, in of all places, an East L.A. rehearsal space where she was working on material with a new incarnation of El Chicano.

Her participation on Chavez Ravine ultimately led Ms. Arvizu, Joey Navarro and Cooder (and his usual suspects, including uber-percussionist, Jim Keltner) to Friend For Life, an autobiographical song cycle told in English and Spanish. Also contributing to the record are Mary and Rosella, as well as El Chicano co-founder, Mickey Lespron, and percussionist Johnny Sandoval, whose cousin was Charo's flamenco partner!

Listening to this record is like browsing through a stranger's scrapbook; each washed-out and faded photograph, perfectly capturing experiences that are unfamiliar, yet revealing emotions that are nothing short of universal. A very cool record from a woman who has led a fascinating life. Highly recommended, especially if you think you've heard it all before.

Ersi Arvizu - Windows of Dreams

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Yer Roots Er Showin' : Hayes Carll : Trouble In Mind

2008-05-05T17:15:00.007-04:00

Now that Steve Earle is clean and living in Greenwich Village (not to mention making records with drum machine), it's time we start looking for a new Hardcore Troubadour. Today, we'll be checking out the resume of Houston's Hayes Carll, who throws his hat into the ring with the Lost Highway release, Trouble In Mind.

There are a lot of things to like about Carll's pedigree, not the least of which is that he once resorted to selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door to keep his belly full. A veteran of the hardscrabble Texas honky-tonk circuit, his music has a road weary authenticity that is all too rare in younger artists performing under the Americana banner. As a songwriter, Carll has definitely studied his Dylan (A Lover Like You could be a Blonde On Blonde outtake), but he clearly belongs in the lineage of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, John Prine and the aforementioned elder Earle. Where Carll differs, however, is in his willingness to marry his lyrics to lively, guitar-heavy arrangements, best exemplified by the Stonesy stomp of Bad Liver And A Broken Heart. In this respect, Carll might just be the bastard son of criminally-unknown troubadour (and former Neil Young roadie) Phil Lee. I should also mention that Carll has an acerbic sense of humor, which he uses to great effect in She Left Me For Jesus, a barroom singalong that deserves to be slurred with the same reverence as Take This Job And Shove It or Why Don't We Get Drunk.

Trouble In Mind no doubt benefits from the steady production hand of Brad Jones. His may not be a household name, but in recent years, his credits include records from a diverse and impressive group of artists, including Chuck Prophet, Bobby Bare Jr., Dolly Parton and both Steve and Justin Townes Earle. Will Kimbrough and former Flying Burrito Brother Al Perkins contribute to the guitar onslaught, and even Dan Baird (remember The Georgia Satellites?) gets into act. Throw in a hangdog cover of Tom Waits' I Don't Wanna Grow Up, and as I said, there's just a lot to like here.

Hayes Carll - She Left Me For Jesus

On Tour *w/ The Old 97s :

5/6 Raleigh, North Carolina
5/7 Ashville, North Carolina
5/8 Nashville, Tennessee
5/9 Little Rock, Arkansas
5/10 Fayetteville, Arkansas
5/15 Corpus Christi, Texas
5/16 The Woodlands, Texas
5/16 Helotes, Texas
5/22 Fort Worth, Texas
5/23 Stephensville, Texas
5/24 Austin, Texas
5/30 Houston, Texas*
5/31 Dallas, Texas*
6/1 Tulsa, Oklahoma*
6/3 Omaha, Nebraska*
6/4 Minneapolis, Minnesota*
6/5 Chicago, Illinois*
6/10 Englewood, Colorado*
6/11 Salt Lake City, Utah*
6/13 Vancouver, British Columbia*
6/14 Seattle, Washington*
6/15 Portland, Oregon*
6/17 San Francisco, California*
6/20 San Diego, California*

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Photo Recap : The Rosebuds + Gentleman Caller + Lynsey Smith : Radio Radio : 043008

2008-05-05T11:05:00.005-04:00

The Rosebuds played Indianapolis for the first time last week, and the crowd was full and enthusiastic, to say the least. Local/Bloomington favorites Gentleman Caller supported with an excellent set, full of new material from their upcoming album. Local newcomer Lynsey Smith wowed the crowd with her gorgeous voice.

Some really fun happenings at this show to mention. The Rosebuds' tour photographer, Tim, figured a completely jumbled Rubix Cube, in about 4 minutes, on stage while the band played. To end the set, in typical Rosebud fashion, they pulled everyone up on stage, only to have the bar kick everyone off in the middle of the song. Kelly solved that by simply jumping out into the crowd and taking the party to the masses. MOKB staff photographer, Dave Evans, captured the show as well as some ad hoc promo-style photos pre-show.

Make sure you click the after the jump link here or below and see all the photos from the show.

EDIT: Thanks to Jamie, in the comments, for reminding me of this...Word from Kelly Crisp is the new album is complete and is being mixed. It will be released in August of 2008, and it sounds a whole lot more like Birds Make Good Neighbors versus Night Of The Furies. They weren't ready to play any of the songs live yet unfortunately. I asked Kelly if that sonic change-back was a conscious decision and she said, "Not really, the songs just sort of came out that way."

We recorded our first session at our new studio, The Pop Machine, before the show. What a class place! We recorded four songs and four videos - as I keep saying - we'll be debuting them all in good time, but here is a taste to have you waiting in hopefully eager anticipation...

The Rosebuds - Silence By The Lakeside (live on MOKB/SIRIUS Blog Radio - recorded at The Pop Machine)

New remix album : Download it at the MERGE store for free.

The Rosebuds - Get Up, Get Out (Bon Iver Remix)

Today's Related : Bon Iver/MOKB in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

Gentleman Caller - Flaming Arrows
Gentleman Caller - The Radio On

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

Lynsey Smith - Airplane

See loads more photos from the show and get a couple more mp3s after the jump...

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

(Show photos by Dave Evans)

The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree
Rosebuds - Push It (Salt N Pepa Cover)

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My Brightest Diamond covers Roy Orbison

2008-05-05T08:45:00.001-04:00

Shara Worden, aka My Brightest Diamond, continues to get better and more interesting with each release. Even more interesting are all the little things she throws out in between releases. Shara is a big Roy Orbison fan, and this cover originally appears on a newly released free compilation for the French music magazine, Les Inrockuptibles. Thanks to her for making it available here to all at MOKB, it's a beauty...

My Brightest Diamond - It's Over (Roy Orbison cover)

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Win This : Two Tickets to see Neil Diamond

2008-05-03T16:00:00.002-04:00

MOKB is taking it back to the old school and giving away two tickets to the upcoming Neil Diamond concert at Conseco Fieldhouse. That's right...Neil Diamond, baby! You best not be laughing suckers, Neil is peeeyamp. Four decades of smooth that has sold more than 125 million records worldwide and yielded 36 Top 40 hits.

On May 6th, Neil will release Home Before Dark, his second collaboration with uber-legend producer Rick Rubin. You may remember his last Rick Rubin collabro...12 Songs?...yeah, that was a good one. Beyond all the classics and favorites, like Sweet Caroline and I’m a Believer, he'll be featuring and performing the new album's tracks this tour.

What do you have to do to win? Well, click "Talk Back To Yo' Mama" at the end of this post and leave us a comment with your contact email and who you think will win the NBA Finals. A winner will be chosen at random early next week.

If you don't win, here is the show's presale Link: Neil Diamond at Conseco Fieldhouse
Password: HELLOAGAIN

Ben Gibbard & Ted Leo - Porcupine Pie (Neil Diamond cover)

See all the tour dates for Neil's 37-city North American tour after the jump...

Neil Diamond North American Tour Dates:

July

19 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center22 - Sioux City, IA - Tyson Events Center
24 - Omaha, NE - Qwest Center Omaha
26 - Chicago, IL - United Center
29 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse
31 - Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills

August

3 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
5 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
7 - Hartford, CT - XL Center
9 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
12 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
14 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
20 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
23 - Boston, MA - Fenway Park
25 - Columbus, OH - Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center
27 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center
29 - St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center

September

14 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
16 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
18 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome
20 - Vancouver, BC - General Motors Place
22 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden
24 - Seattle, WA - KeyArena at Seattle Center
26 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
28 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion

October

1 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
2 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl
7 - San Diego, CA - San Diego Sports Arena
10 - Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
12 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
14 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
16 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
19 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
21 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
24 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
26 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
28 - Orlando, FL - Amway Arena Orlando
30 - Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena

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Kentucky Derby 134 : Horsie Mix

2008-05-02T14:50:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite weekends of the year is finally upon us. I look forward to and dread this weekend all at once anymore. It is one of those events I used to go into so blindly, so carelessly, that anything could and likely would happen. I've endured sun poisoning, alcohol poisoning, torrential rains, toliets overflowing with feces, stealing kegs and shoes and anything else left lying around, friends passing out in port-o-pots - only to be found hours later - boobs I wanted to see and boobs I didn't. Every year is different, every year is great. I've left with everything I came in with and I've left barefoot, with nothing I came in with. I've thrown-up up and I've been thrown-up on. I've won big and lost big.

There are so many ways to do the Kentucky Derby. You can play dress up...the big flowery hat or the seersucker suit. You can do it third turn style, with all the debauchery of all four years of college wrapped up into one turn of the track for one day. You can lounge in the backstretch and bet all day, but no matter what, it will always be the infield life for me.

I'm slowly realizing that I'm one of those, "In the old days..." guys. Nothing lives up to "the old days" at The Kentucky Derby. In the old days, a guy paid me $100 to push him around in a shopping cart, for one hour, while he handed out free beer to people in attendance. In the old days, you could sneak in as much alcohol as you needed (well, as much as half the turn needed really) with relative ease. Even if you botched that up, in the old days, beer prices we actually reasonable. In the old days, we arrived at 8am to stake out the best infield spot, on the fence, and we fought all day to defend it. In the old days, only hot chicks showed their boobs (ok, not true).

On an year-to-year basis, I don't know what to expect anymore at The Derby, but in the end, anything is possible and it always is what you make of it. I'm heading down today! I hope you get to do it once in your life, you'll never regret it.

So, the big question...Who's gonna win this bitch?! This year's favorite, Big Brown, has a great name on so many levels. Colonel John isn't quite the colonel we all know and love, but he gets half credit as a fellow Colonel. No, this year we're going with Pyro across-the-board. Take it to the bank.

Our longshot is Cool Coal Man

Why? - A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under
Sparklehorse - Don't Take My Sunshine Away
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - We Are Rockstars (Woodie's I Like Horses Edit)
They Shoot Horses Don't They? - Empty Head
Iron & Wine w/ Calexico - Wild Horses (Live on NPR)
Bowerbirds - Dark Horse (Live on MOKB/SIRIUS Blog Radio)
Rock Plaza Central - I Am An Excellent Steel Horse (Live on MOKB/SIRIUS Blog Radio)

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Kneejerk RXN : Ladyhawk : Shots

2008-05-02T08:25:00.004-04:00

Nothing good happens after midnight

I can't help but think about that when I listen to Ladyhawk's new Jagjaguwar release, Shots. This record is just getting warmed up when decent folks are getting their heads down. In the course of nine songs, the Vancouver quartet provides a Zagat guide of the desperate hours between last call and first light. The record doesn't so much draw you in, as it does drag you down with rambling, shaky narratives that chronicle the depraved underbelly of your friends and neighbors.

Its boozy opener, I Don't Always Know What You're Saying, would be a stadium-sized anthem in the hands of most bands, but like many of the uptempo numbers on Shots, it is crushed by a sense of foreboding. Shots is an ominous, and in places, a seemingly impenetrable listen, but it pays off big time if you stick with it. Musically, the band channels Neil Young and Crazy Horse, right down to the wobbly rhythms and extended jams, but when they think no one is paying attention, you'll catch a little Kyuss-flavored stoner rock. Duffy Driediger's fraught delivery recalls Palace-era Will Oldham, and his voice is an ideal vessel for these paeans of self-loathing. No less important is the record's coarse and unpredictable production, which exploits close-miked vocals, copious levels of reverb and plenty of incidental noise; adding to the claustrophobic effect and keeping listeners off balance.

If you're looking for a benchmark, Palace's Viva Last Blues would be a good start; however, I would like to suggest that Ladyhawk has accomplished something greater with this record. Its themes and sonic palette, in conjunction with its druggy menace, make Shots the Tonight's The Night for the generation suckled on Nirvana. Don't believe me? Look no further than the hungover guitar stomp and throat-shredding climax of Ghost Blues. After that, there's nothing to do but crawl into bed and swear you're never, ever going to do that again.

Ladyhawk - I Don't Always Know What You're Saying

On tour
5/2 Beachland Tavern - Cleveland, OH
5/3 Big Orbit's Soundlab - Buffalo, NY
5/4 Higher Ground Showcase Lounge - So. Burlington, VT
5/7 The Middle East - Cambridge, MA
5/8 Iron Horse Music Hall - Northampton, MA
5/9 Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
5/10 Union Hall - Brooklyn, NY
5/11 DC 9 - Washington, D.C.
5/12 The Milestone - Charlotte, SC
5/13 Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC
5/14 Drunken Unicorn - Atlanta, GA
5/15 The Pour House - Charleston, NC
5/16 Jinx - Savannah, GA
5/17 The End - Nashville, TN
5/19 Nick - Birmingham, AL
5/20 Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA
5/22 The Conservatory - Oklahoma City, OK
5/23 Emo's Alt. Lounge (inside) - Austin, TX
5/24 Hailey's - Denton, TX
5/27 Modified Arts - Phoenix, AZ
5/28 The Casbah - San Diego, CA
5/29 Spaceland - Los Angeles, CA
5/30 Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
5/31 Towne Lounge - Portland, OR

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Extra Golden : Obama : Tuesday Primary

2008-05-01T09:55:00.005-04:00

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to slug it out for Indiana. I think Obama is about three points up, less than a week from the primary. Absentee balloting is at an all-time high, so that's exciting. I don't think anyone in Indiana expected to be such an important state to the campaign, but it is shaping up that way.

Extra Golden is playing the Pitchfork Music Fest, Bonnaroo and the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY this year. Lots of love for the midwest, so you shouldn't miss out on them.

Like Extra Golden, I too am a fan of Obama, but their story and relationship with him is much more personal. In 2006 the Kenyan-American band was preparing to tour the U.S. for the first time. Unfortunately their Kenyan members were being road-blocked left and right in the visa department. It was looking pretty bad. They reached out to Barack, a Kenyan-American junior senator from Illinois. Obama put his pimp hand down, got them the papers they needed and saved the tour. The band wrote Obama as thanks, and the song is featured on their 2007 album Hera Ma Nono. Check into it.

Extra Golden - Obama

MOKB was on hand last weekend when Barack was in town. MOKB staff photographer Dave Evans shot the event. See his photos after the jump...

(photos by Dave Evans)

(photos by Dave Evans)

(photos by Dave Evans)

(photos by Dave Evans)

(photos by Dave Evans)

(photos by Dave Evans)

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Asthmatic Kitty adds seven artists to roster...

2008-04-30T12:25:00.003-04:00

Today Asthmatic Kitty announced the addition of seven new artists to their already impressive roster. Ermasse Zoupla, DM Stith, Welcome Wagon, I Heart Lung, Shannon Stephens, Osso, and illustrator Laura Park!

To showcase these new artists, AK is releasing a free sampler album with one piece of work from each of the new signings. The album, which consists of songs in various stages (demos, previous releases, works in progress, etc.) and an illustration, is available via download here and stream at Muxtape.com by clicking here.

DOWNLOAD : New Asthmatic Kitty artist mixtape

Welcome Wagon - Sold! To The Nice Rich Man
Ermasse - Courez Courez

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Indianapolis Tonight : The Rosebuds & Gentleman Caller at Radio Radio

2008-04-30T09:50:00.001-04:00

Tonight, My Old Kentucky Blog & The Monolith Music Festival bring you The Rosebuds and Gentleman Caller at Radio Radio! Lynsey Smith starts things off around 9pm.

We've seen them cover Salt N' Pepa. We've heard Bon Iver remix them. They made my top albums of 2007 list, Greg's top albums of 2007 list and Dee's top songs of 2007 list. There you have it, they're officially awesome.

Want to know what to expect tonight? Go check out Matt Picasso's coverage of The Rosebuds in Lexington, KY the other night. Looks pretty awesome right?!

The Rosebuds - Get Up, Get Out (Bon Iver Remix)
The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree
Rosebuds - Push It (Salt N Pepa Cover)

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The Submarines remix Josh Ritter

2008-04-29T17:10:00.004-04:00

I'm really behind. I haven't checked either of these albums. The Submarines have a new record out called Honeysuckle Weeks. As I said, I haven't heard it, but Matt Picasso has. I've only heard this new Josh Ritter remix by Jack Drag, the dude half of the husband and wife duo. It's great, highly addictive, so I'm excited to check both of their albums now. You should too.

Josh Ritter - Rumors (Off Broadway Remix by Jack Drag)

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