ThaBombShelter

And So We've Come to the End

2009-08-24T00:41:00.004-05:00

I can see myself
At the end of the tour
When the road disappears
If there's any more people around
When the tour runs aground
And if you're still around
Then we'll meet at the end of the tour
The engagements are booked through the end of the world
So we'll meet at the end of the tour

The Johns said it pretty well, I think...or at least it was the first thing that came into my head when I finally got that picture all chosen and resized and crap and finally started to type. As I'm sure many of you have pieced together from my last post, ThaBombShelter is pretty much done with. I've been thinking about it for a few weeks now and after talking it over with Emily, I've decided to cut the cord, so to speak. I canceled my hosting this morning.

I just want to say that I thank each and every one of you loyal readers - all seven or eight of you - for reading, for looking at my pictures, watching my videos and hopefully, listening to all the fine music I've posted over the past few years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support and your occasional comments.

An update from my last post - I am now employed. I went back to my roots in the Hospitality industry and am currently working at the Hampton Inn in Normal, IL (it's the one over by the Target if you want to stop by and visit). I love my job and I'm really good at it - if only it hadn't meant a more than 50% pay cut.

Anyway, I'm rambling...

I'm still going to school, I'm still going to become a High School English Teacher, I'm still going to register ThaBombShelter.com each year, I'm still listening to new music each and every day, I'm still discovering new artists, I'm still going to shows, and I still love music. I will always love music and it will always be an incredibly large part of my life (I'm already planning on having an iPod specifically for my classroom).

This is sad and hard for me to do, as I'm sure you can imagine, but to be honest, writing for ThaBombShelter stopped being fun many moons ago. And when you're not getting paid to do something (especially when it actually costs you money), it's really really hard to motivate yourself to do it when you don't enjoy it.

But that doesn't mean that any one of you who come across this website in the future can't send me an email if you want some recommendations on new music. I will gladly put together a mix, I'll likely even send you some goodies if you're nice. I'll still be taking photos at concerts and will continue to post them on Flickr, I may even try to continue uploading videos to YouTube.

So goodbye, readers, it's been a pretty good run, but I've got bigger fish to fry. I hope you've enjoyed your stay.

-Harry

And here's one parting shot, while it lasts. Enjoy!:

"The Seventh Seal" Scott Walker

I'm Still Alive

2009-06-20T11:54:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't been posting at all lately. To be perfectly honest, the past two weeks I've had a lot on mind. I recently become a victim of the recession. My job at The Cube Farm is finally over, so I've been forced to go on the job hunt. Tomorrow is my last day working for Manley Deas Kochalski, and hopefully I'll have something lined up to start very soon.

Beyond that, I've had a hard time recently (read- past six months or so) putting my thoughts about music into words, which scares the shit out of me. I never really had a huge problem before, but I'm sure some of you may have noticed the diminishing quality and quantity of my writing over the past year. It may mean the time for ThaBombShelter has officially passed, but who knows. I still feel like there's some life left in this old beast. I know I still love music, I still listen to more music than probably 90% of the population, I still think every time I listen. I think about how I feel, but I've pretty much given up on listening to anything I don't like, which I know is what some folks who have blogs do, but it kind of goes against my original goal for this blog.

If you didn't know before, I originally started this blog at the behest of Hugh Forrest, a big wig at SXSWi and mutual friend of ThaBombShelter's own man in the field, The Dave Hanson. Anyway, back in 2006, my goal was to get a paid writing gig with a paper or a magazine or something, you know, to become a real music critic. As time went on, though, I realized that I don't have the drive, the talent, or the ambition to become the next Lester Bangs or Chuck Klosterman.

Add to that the fact that I recently decided to go back to school to become a High School English teacher, which completely changes the course of my life. I have a career in mind, I have a goal, a life, a future. I've learned that I would be a great teacher, much to my 21 year old self's chagrin. I learned how much fun it was to be with people, even if they're high schoolers. I also realized how much fun it will be to teach for the rest of my life, it feels like it was something I was meant to do.

So I'm not sure what the next month or year or five years holds for ThaBombShelter, but then, I doubt many folks truly know what the next month or year or five years holds for anything, let alone a mere music blog.

I do know that next weekend I'll be at ComFest (we're driving all the way from Central, IL). If you're in Goodale Park on Saturday, you should look for me. I'll be the kid with two or three cameras, a laptop and a Moleskine hanging around the Off-Ramp stage.

Until next time, enjoy these uplifting tunes, I know I am.

-H-Bomb

"So Alive" Ryan Adams
"Alive" VHS or Beta

"Age Old Blues" Alela Diane

2009-05-01T14:06:00.004-05:00

I've been hemming and hawing on this review for some time now. The truth of the matter is, it's so beautiful that I have a hard time expressing it's beauty in words, even in my own head. Even as I sit here now, sure of the song I want to write about and share with you, I'm unsure of what might come out when I finally get to the point where I talk about the song. "To Be Still" is the first album I'd ever heard by Alela Diane. I'm pretty sure she's got two others ("Pirate's Gospel" and "Forest Parade"), but I somehow missed them. Friend of ThaBombShelter, Song, By Toad, talked about, "To Be Still" ages ago, and to him, this album was too produced compared to "Pirate's Gospel". I happen to disagree, but then, we both love the album.

I first heard the album way back in February. Emily was at class and I was getting ready to do the dishes. It was cold and snowy and I was standing in front of the kitchen window when the music hit me. My thoughts upon hearing, "Dry Grass and Shadows" was literally, "Where has this gorgeous music been all my life?" I felt as if I had missed the boat and had finally found a piece of myself that I hadn't even realized was missing. In the intervening months I've drifted away from "To Be Still", but at least once a week (if not more often) I come back to it, putting it on most of my on-the-go playlists, skipping to the start of the album over other songs.

This particular song struck me almost immediately. The very first verse of the song is just gut-wrenchingly beautiful, "The sea beneath the cliff is the blue in my mother's eyes/That came from the blue in her mother's eyes". It may not seem as such just by reading it, but hearing the words and the intonations of Alela's voice make this into the touching, incredible song that it is. I think that sentiment might be true of all of her music. In anyone elses hands, her songs would not be as wonderful. The spartan arrangement of light instrumentation perfectly compliments her warm, clear voice. The music is just inviting. This is the type of music that sounds even better the louder and closer it is to your head and heart. It sounds it's best through a great pair of headphones cranked to 11 and surrounding you. It's like a hot cup of tea steaming in your hands or a warm cat curled up on your lap, purring away your cares.

"Age Old Blues" Alela Diane

Official Wiki Buy

Neko Case/Crooked Fingers at the Chicago Theater 4-24-09

2009-04-26T16:10:00.006-05:00

The evening was perfect; warm and clear just like Neko's voice. This was our first show at the Chicago Theater, and my god is that a beautiful venue. With beaux-arts architecture (thanks, bronze sign on the side of the building) and gorgeous frescoes (the gigantic blue dome in the center of the auditorium ceiling was stunning), I don't think I've ever been in a nicer venue. I only wish I had pictures to share with you, unfortunately, we were forced to check our cameras at the door (much to our dismay) and so the photo above is the only one I've got from the entire show. Aside from that minor inconvenience (and the subsequent camera retrieval cluster-fuck), the show was perfect. The acoustics were sublime, the setting was ideal, and I think this experience easily ranks in my top concerts of all time.

Crooked Fingers opened the show with some fantastic boy-girl harmonies, more than I would have expected from listening to their latest disc, "Forfeit/Fortune". The set started off a bit more tame than I was hoping for, but the energy level quickly picked up as the band hit their stride and proceeded to carry us all on a journey into their world. The highlight of the set was the incredible rendition of Eric Bachmann's solo tune, "Man o' War", a song that I immediately had to buy from iTunes and have been listening to non-stop since Saturday morning. It reminded me a lot of Seeger Sessions-era Springsteen, but mostly in inflection more than anything substantial. The song itself was a rootsy, acoustic trip to heaven. Carrying on the kinder, gentler vibe, the songs that they did play from "F/F" seemed to have been pleasantly pared down to fit with the two guitars, one drummer/keyboard setup they had on the tour. As they finished up, the stage was set, the crowd was warmed up and 93 WXRT's Lynn Bramer gave an awesome intro for the main event, Neko Case.

From the very start - the fantastic, "Maybe Sparrow" - we knew we were in for a treat. Neko's voice was incredible, the sound was crisp and clear (no muddy guitars and distorted vocals here!) and each instrument was perfectly audible. She didn't veer too far from the recorded versions of the songs, but merely seeing her effortlessly blow the roof off the theater in song after song was truly something to behold. Songs like "Deep Red Bells", "Hold On, Hold On", and "Knock Loud" were just consistently stupendous.

And it wasn't just her singing tht was effortless, the banter between Neko and backup singer, Nora O'Connor, was just as effortless and hilarious as the vocals. These were truly professional musicians who felt utterly comfortable in front of the 3600 or so fans that had packed the Chicago Theater to hear a night of fantastic music (their first time playing at the venerable venue). From references to Hot Doug's (Neko's Dress) to dressing down the screaming, drunk guy a few rows in front of us, the show felt much more intimate than the cavernous auditorium it was actually in.

Overall, the show was a start-to-finish 11 out of 10. The encore was satisfying, the ambience was fantastic, the openers were great, I can't think of a better concert experience I've had in the past few months/years.

"Man O' War" Eric Bachmann
"Deep Red Bells" Neko Case
"This Tornado Loves You" Neko Case

Neko Case: Official MySpace Buy
Crooked Fingers: Official MySpace Buy

Neko Case Setlist, Chicago Theater 4-24-09

-Maybe Sparrow
-Man Eater
-Fever
-Hold On, Hold On
-The Pharoahs
-Middle Cyclone
-Deep Red Bells
-Wish I Was The Moon
-I'm an Animal
-Prison Girls
-The Tigers have Spoken
-Margaret vs. Pauline
-Red Tide
-Don't Forget Me
-Teenage Feeling
-This Tornado Loves You

*Encore*

-Don't Forget Me
-Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth
-Magpie to the Morning
-Knock Loud
-Marais La Nuit

And a bonus, the video for Eric Bachmann's, "Man o' War"

Live Wednesday: Doves on Jools and New This is My Suitcase

2009-04-15T09:33:00.004-05:00

Well, given the unceremonious removal of my review of the Doves new album, "Kingdom of Rust" by the kind folks over at the I**I, I wanted to share some live videos and mp3s that I came across yesterday.

First is a performance by Doves on Later with Jools Holland and some mp3s from the show courtesy of Chris over at Culture Bully.

"Kingdom of Rust (from Jools Holland)" Doves
"Winter Hill (from Jools Holland)" Doves

Next we've got a new track from ThaBombShelter faves, This is My Suitcase. This is a video of Joe playing the song, "Rowboat" in an alley and it is spectacular. I cannot wait for the new album (should be here soon!)

"Rowboat (Live in an Alley)" This is My Suitcase

"The Hazards of Love" The Decemberists

2009-04-08T14:19:00.007-05:00

So, The Decemberists released another concept album. Not entirely sure what the "concept" of this one is, but word around the campfire is that there is one. There's not a convenient three song cycle that the album takes it's name from - oh wait, yes there is, only this time it's four songs, and they're all conveniently called, "The Hazards of Love". Well, there you have it then, this album's concept is "The Hazards of Love", the truth of which I'm sure many of the band's more emo contingent can all attest to.

According to the Wiki, this album is more specifically about a love affair between a human and an animal/human hybrid. Only this time, in lieu of a crane who is also a seamstress, we've got a fawn who is also a man and a forest queen.

I suppose I should probably stop being so facetious and come clean. I really, really enjoy this album, definitely more than "The Crane Wife,", and almost as much as "Picaresque." Although there is a bit of repetition, (ie- repeating guitar strains between many of the songs, repeating themes, repeating harpsichord intros, etc), I think it works when spread across the whole album. I just put together a playlist with several of the repeating songs and the similarities are much more obvious when stacked back to back like that. When taken in the context of the whole album (this is not a disc to be shuffled, that's for sure!) the tracks take on an almost subliminal feel, something that is only noticed after the seventh or eighth or fifteenth listen.

One thing that is noticeable from the start, is the incredible impact that My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden has on several of the tracks, most notably, "The Wanting Comes in Waves". It's always refreshing to see two artists, who are great in their own right, come together and form something that is even more powerful than the sum of it's parts. I've enjoyed My Brightest Diamond for several years, and The Decemberists for even longer, but hearing the two of them together is something transcendent. After my initial infatuation with the bloodbath of "The Rake's Song" wore off (and despite my lingering affair), the song that keeps catching my attention (and the song I keep coming back to) is most definitely "The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid".

This is most definitely an album that must be listened to straight through (it's a perfect candidate for a vinyl purchase) and with a keen ear to the lyrics and the tale. This has definitely vaulted into my personal list of top Decemberists albums with little effort.

"The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid" The Decemberists
"The Rake's Song" The Decemberists

ps- if you're not already following Colin Meloy on Twitter, you totally should.
pps- if you're not already following ThaBombShelter on Twitter, you totally should!

Official Wiki Buy

"Kingdom of Rust" Doves

2009-04-07T11:43:00.001-05:00

***mp3s removed at IFPI Request***

Well, it's finally here. The day that I've been waiting for for four years has finally arrived. Doves' new album, "Kingdom of Rust" comes out today, and if you only buy one album this year (God forbid!) for goodness sakes, let it be this one!

"Kingdom of Rust" is new and familiar, comforting and groundbreaking. It's different without being alienating. After 4 years of waiting, that simple statement is a huge sigh of relief for myself and countless Doves fans across the world. They could have borked it. They could have spent five years insulated in their country house, recording some kind of experimental noise garbage. But they didn't. I wouldn't have expected them to, but as any music fan will tell you, it's always a fear, especially when it's one of your favorite bands we're talking about. You want something new. You NEED something new, and you hope that it will be amazing. On this point, Doves deliver in spades.

Let's not mince words: this album is incredible. Start to finish, absolutely incredible. I can't even bring myself to coherently review this album, given how close this band is to my heart and my soul. Instead, I'll continue that experience of listening to "Jetstream" for the first time back in January (God, was it that long ago? It seems like yesterday!).

"Jetstream"

There is a car speeding down the motorway, reflectors in the road flashing flashing flashing, the drum beats marking out the speed, mist clinging to the windshield, speeding away, up and back, speeding speeding speeding, streetlamps whizz by, darkness and stars, streaks of light and fogging windows, the car is close but comfortable, close friends and closer music. It's intimate like a shared secret in a hot club, sweat and flush, but not with a stranger, someone closer than that, someone you've always loved and just now found out they felt the same. There's a rush of not knowing if this will ever happen again, but there's a promise in the kiss, in the way the hot arms are wrapped around you, it's not just a one time thing, there's more to it than that, there's much more in store for you.

"Kingdom of Rust"

The folksy acoustic guitar sounds old, it IS old. The dust is rising in the corner, motes rising in the golden streaks of sunlight. The room is quiet and warm. The door swings open and a breeze lures you outside. The spring grasses are a green carpet broken by parallels of white-grey sidewalk. The buds on the trees are a sign of hope, of the coming change, the warm. You walk and the wind plays with your shirt, billowing and flattening, your hair plays along. The song walks with you down the street, one of the first warm days and it won't go to waste. But in the distance - is it the west or the north? - you see the darkness of a spring storm gathering, a sinister turn midway through the song. But across the sky, the sun is still shining, the cool draft from the clouds still miles away. The high streaks of white are still benign over here, the day is still kind, it's still spring and the wind is still playful.

"The Outsiders"

There's a spaceship above you. The whirling lights and fog are whipping around faster faster faster. You stare in amazement, mouth agape, eyes dry. A light slams into the ground to your left, the ground grumbles in protest, the grass flattened.

And just as soon as it's arrived, it shimmers out of sight, leaving you alone with your thoughts, and a soft smelling woman at your side. She wasn't there before, now it's just the two of you in the universe. The lights are still glowing red and orange, afterimages burning when you blink. The stars come back into focus and you feel a cool hand wrap around yours. You don't need to look over to know what she looks like, to know what she wants. You just squeeze back, answering everything with that small kindness.

"Winter Hill"

It's early morning and there are birds. The birds are different here, but still the same. There's a triangle of sunlight and shadow on the ceiling and you stare.

You drift and slide, dreams and awake, drums and guitars and light and wind. It's not cold anymore. You know where this is, but you've never been. There's a track in front of you, brown and grey rocks strewn in matching tracks. There's a cut in the hill to your right, the grass overhanging in long green drapes, brown-black dirt clinging to the roots and you walk. You may be at the bottom, but you can see the green, sunlit crest of this hill. The top is a haven, a destination where everything will be okay, all these problems and drama and bullshit, they're all gone. The only thing that matters is you and the grass and the sun and the wind.

"10:03"

The weariness has set in. It's later than you thought, the night nearing morning. You rub the tired out of your eyes, pinching your nose and trying not to worry. There's a single lamp on, and it's in the other room. The light leaks into the corner here, halos grace the edge of your vision, and your pupils dilate. You see the sun creeping over the horizon, gauzy grey light pushing back the blackness and you get excited. Your heart pounds like it hasn't in ages; it's almost time. It would be a disservice to call this feeling in your stomach butterflies, more like a flock of birds careening through the sky.

You stand and before you know it you're out the door and you've forgotten why you've come. It's cold and the tired comes back worse than before. You rub your eyes and stumble back inside, asleep before you hit the pillow.

"The Greatest Denier"

The beach isn't empty today. There is a family about a hundred yards down the way with a picnic basket and a blanket. It's too cold to swim, but the sunshine has finally warmed the sand. From the bench you can see the miles of pebbly beach, waves turn to whitecaps far out into the surf. The white and blue and green buildings are to your back, but you don't have to look to know that they're there. You've lived in this town your whole life, you drove your car to the end of that pier when you were 17, Cherie Tate promised you she would go all the way that night, but she didn't. She never did, and now she's got three kids and lives in Surrey with her husband. The picnicking family has packed up and are trundling back to the car, the small boy is carrying the sandy blanket. He looks like every little boy, like you and like Cherie's three sons did. They all look the same.

"Birds Flew Backwards"

Out here all alone feels right. It was too busy in the city, too many people, too much motion. Now it's just the birds and the grass and the sky. The car is out of sight and the clouds look incredible. When you close your eyes you can still see the sun and the blue and the shapes. You stare up, the grass cool on the backs of your ears and the back of your neck and you smile. Calm.

"Spellbound"

It feels like home, this. The warm blanket of guitars and everything else, heavy on your chest, comforting. It's the steam from a cup of coffee, sweaters inside and a matte-white sky out the kitchen window. There's a kettle on the cool stove, sky blue and nicked on the spout. The wood table is worn, it's seen fifty years and has at least fifty more in it, the edges smooth and the top dark and glassy. Everyone that you love is in the other room, peals of laughter and conversation burst into the kitchen every few minutes and you smile with your eyes, happy.

"Compulsion"

The deep bass thumps from the other room and there's something sinister in the air. It's a dark shadow across the street or a heaviness in the room. Something bad is going to happen, or already has, or already is.

A thump through the wall and you jump. There haven't been any screams, it could just be your imagination. It was probably nothing.

A door slams and stomping through the hallway. A shadow cuts across the sliver of light under your doorway. Your heart jumps and the adrenaline surges through your veins, your foot twitches.

A few moments later and a second shadow follows the first, something heavy and solid slides across the floor. You jump up and run to the door, action in your heart even if your mind is screaming, "No!"

The second figure is on the street when you catch up to them, he's running now and you're running and the solid thing is nowhere to be seen. It's a chase for something or nothing, you have no idea.

A car screeches in the distance and you put your hands on your knees, catching your breath as you watch them getting away.

"House of Mirrors"

The lights are chasing each other across the ceiling of the dark venue. The purple and blue and green, swirling and crossing, they're dizzying. There's six hundred people pumping their fists and swinging their heads in time, a single mass of bodies and arms all in sync. The drums drive and the guitars are a swampy beast all their own, stalking the stage, the room, the bodies.
It's hot when the brief break allows everyone to catch their breath, a short respite from the pumping, from the bouncing, from the stomping.

As the song gears towards it's conclusion, a furor is building, energy compressing the crowd into a cohesive whole, no longer a mass of bodies and arms, but rather one body, many arms, energy and sound.

"Lifelines"

If "Jetstream" was a car ride on a drizzly night, "Lifelines" is an exhaltant cruise across green hills and cerulean skies. The windows are down, warm wind in your hair and arms drawing waves over the speeding black asphalt. The days are bright here, the times are right, it's all okay, that's for sure. The clouds are high and puffy, the sun a bright white circle, the radio is loud and everything is perfect.

Official Wiki Buy

For some more traditional reviews, you may want to check out the unofficial Kingdom of Rust blog run by my friend Nicky. He's rounding up TONS of reviews of the album, as well as sharing rare bits of Doves goodies.

ThaBombShelter SXSW Report Part II

2009-03-24T10:20:00.002-05:00

Thanks to the miracles of technology and ThaBombShelter's own Man In The Field, THE Dave Hanson, brings us the second half of his SXSW Report:

Deertick: Big crowd. Soft mellow folky vibe that could use a little deodorant. See again? No.

The Rosebuds: Friendly North Carolina three-piece husband-wife band doing jangly, smart songs. See again? Yes. Crowd talked them into "one more," to the ire of:

mp3: "I Better Run" The Rosebuds

The Phenomenal Handclap Band: New York funk, rock, jazz kind of stuff. Not happy that Rosebud cut their time short. See Again? Yes.

Jayson Lytle: Neil Young-sounding Montanan, formerly of band called Grandaddy. Guitars-a-plenty. See again ? Yes.

Earlimart: solo guy with an electric guitar. This setup is almost always either good or a disaster-- this guy is good. See again? Yes.

Flosstradamus: young DJ duo from Chicago. Had fun with some old stuff (Al Green, Michael Jackson) but kind of lost it with other choices. (Pretty sure Phil Collins was mixed in). See again? No.

Matthew and the Arrogant Sea: Lots of beards and pretty arrogant. See again? No.

The Duke Spirit: English, Divinals-sounding band led by brassy blond with shoulder pads. See again? No.

mp3: "Lassoo" The Duke Spirit

Silversun Pickups: A great show that your weary correspondent was ready to leave after two songs because the singer's voice produced an image of Gollum he couldn't shake. Luckily, Gollum can rock and has a great band. See again? Yes.

mp3: "Future Foe Scenarios" Silversun Pickups

Deadstring Brothers: Bloodshot Records band from Detroit. This type of alt-country was a big deal with the cool kids five years ago, and is kind of played. Worse, not interesting. See again? No.

Ohtis: Your correspondent heard some good music from the street and went inside for a few songs. Unfortunately, about 5 Tommies from "True Life, Jersey Shore" were dancing up front, so not much attention was paid to the music for fear of getting lit up. Appears this was not a SXSW show. See again? Only without Tommy.

mp3: "Bloodshed on Cavalry" Ohtis

The Love Me Nots: " Sucktastic" was the quote from your correspondent's friend Aina. See again: No

Titus Andronicus: Great loud and fast stuff. Total energy. See these guys. See again? Yes.

Overall Take: bands are getting younger as the world gets older. Seems like the majority of bands have one or more females in key roles, which is much different than not too long ago. Sadly, not a single official Brush With Fame this year, even at airport.

Many thanks to The Dave Hanson, everyone. Maybe next year I'll be able to witness SXSW in person!

ThaBombShelter SXSW Report

2009-03-22T19:35:00.003-05:00

Well, as you know by now, I was unable to make it to Austin again this year. However, thanks to the miracles of technology and ThaBombShelter's own Man In The Field, THE Dave Hanson, we're able to bring the following report:

Phosphorescent: Brooklyn-based folk beardies.
Come on Gang: three piece pop from Scotland with female drummer/singer. She could bring it pretty well.
The Upsidedown: Portland rock. Lead singer with poncho; could not bring it.
Blitzen Trapper: Good stuff, but your correspondent was distracted by crowd chatter and oddly lame sound system.
mp3: "Sleepytime in the Western World" Blitzen Trapper
Winter Gloves: All female trio from Montreal. They have heard the Pretenders.
Dinosaur Jr. : Easily your correspondent's favorite show thus far. "Feel the Pain" indeed. Sweet Jesus.
mp3: "Feel the Pain" Dinosaur Jr.
The Seedy Seeds: Cincy pop. Catchy songs about trees and plants.
Choo Choo: Swiss dance-pop. Sunglasses, scarves, train sounds, Harmless.
Ume: Austin's attempt at Sonic Youth.
River City Tanlines: Cool name...
The She Creatures: Racy Spice Girls. Blue Wigs, blue makeup, blue micro-shorts. Many an Uncle Rico in attendance.
Shapes have Fangs: Speedy Kinks-like youngsters from Austin.
Strange Boys: Really young Austin rocker dudes.
Say Hi: Played their new album, of which your correspondent was not aware. Snap judgment is that earlier songs about spiders and vampires better than what appear to be current crop of girlfriend-based stuff. Note: it was very warm and beer was all that was available.
The Rural Alberta Advantage: Trio from the north. Not happy about heat in Texas, but were able to rock.
The Republic Tigers: Kansas City Cure-influenced stuff with more of an upbeat.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit: Big sound Southern rock band that aspires to be next big thing. Possibly a bit too much.
Peter Bjorn and John: Despite sharing your correspondent's ethnicity, not as impressive as hoped. Could stand to rock a bit more.
Grizzly Bear: Good stuff. See these hard-to-classify Brooklyn guys.
Bedouin Soundclash: Ska/reggae troupe from Toronto. Pretty catchy. Good if you like that style. If your correspondent could dance, he would have been tempted.

Stay tuned for Part Two tomorrow!

Pictures, Videos, and Live Tracks from Bonnie "Prince" Billy

2009-03-17T20:49:00.002-05:00

Here are the videos etc from the show on Friday. Enjoy!

The lead singer of Begushkin bein' all smarmy

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Cheyenne Mize

Here's that look between the two of them...

And a close up

And here's this guy

Animal!

On one foot, no less!

Bonnie "Prince" Billy Setlist

The calm before the storm

The crowd just before Bonnie "Prince" Billy

And here's a giant Lego Minifig

Here are the videos:

"Kings Curse" Begushkin

"My Life's World" Bonnie Prince Billy

"I Send My Love" Bonnie Prince Billy

"Easy Does It" Bonnie Prince Billy

"Cursed Sleep" Bonnie Prince Billy

"Club Mekons (Mekons Cover)" Bonnie Prince Billy

"Champion" Bonnie Prince Billy

Bonnie "Prince" Billy/Begushkin Live at the IMC in Champaign, IL

2009-03-15T13:35:00.005-05:00

I would say we made a pretty good choice for our first concert in Champaign-Urbana, our neighboring twin cities. I mean, how often do you get the chance to see Bonnie "Prince" Billy perform in an old converted Post Office? We made the 45-ish minute trip on Friday afternoon and found ourselves sitting in on Begushkin's sound check through the kindness of Seth Fein (of The Canopy Club). The venue was superb, with couches and a popcorn vendor, but it was the acts that made this performance something to remember. With opener Begushkin, Will Oldham and friends took us on an emotional trip, both inside and outside of ourselves, a trip that you could feel in your gut just by looking at Oldham's face as he shouted and cooed, spit and crooned.

I wasn't very familiar with Begushkin before the show, but then, I didn't find out they were opening for BPB until Friday Morning. But after listening to the two tracks they had on their MySpace page, I knew I would enjoy them. Their sound was a beautiful combination of The Coral, Circulus, and The Arcade Fire, all swampy, maritime, minstrel rock. Emily was less enamored, but this brilliant combination was right up my alley. The lead singer was smarmy and intense, gently humping the microphone stand to keep tempo. While disconcerting at times, it did add a certain something to his presence, like a piratical lounge singer licking his lips and eying the wench in the back. Now that I think about it, his presence reminds me of how Serge Gainsbourg and Jarvis Cocker sound when they're at their smarmiest, sleezy and slimy and awesome. The songs didn't really reflect much of that smarminess, at least as far as I could tell. Rather, they were often medieval tromps through green pastures and dank dungeons, slaying dragons and gallavanting across the high seas.

When Will Oldham and Co. made their way onto the stage I was struck by just how unassuming Oldham looked in person. I had never really made an effort to find out what he looked like before hand. I mean, sure, I had a vague idea, but not a truly clear mental image. And I certainly didn't have any idea what kind of performer he would turn out to be. I think the picture at the top there pretty accurately describes Oldham's stage presence. He is an intense singer, and by intense I mean INTENSE. And here I thought the lead singer of Begushkin was intense, that guy was comatose compared to Oldham.

And it wasn't just on the barn-burners that Oldham drilled into us and everyone in the audience; it was on the dark, brooding songs as well, songs like, "I See a Darkness" and "Cursed Sleep". He sang with his hands and stood on one leg, he danced un-self consciously and shouted across the stage. He stared deep into the eyes of violinist Cheyenne Mize on songs like "There's a Girl in Me" and "Ain't You Wealthy" and I could see a connection. If they're not an item, you can call me fooled. I look at my wife like that, and I can't imagine not loving the woman locked within the gaze he gave her. This display of such emotional intensity should have come as no surprise, especially given the highly emotional nature of his recordings.

But it wasn't all raw emotion. Our first impression of Oldham was one of wild-eyed craziness, a standoffish, unlikely rock star (or as Emily put it, "The ugliest man in Indie Rock"). But he would bely that incorrect first impression with funny rapport throughout the show, telling us the story behind, "The Champion" and making light of the wintry conditions outside and the wintry nature of his songs, lamenting their recent journey away from their hometown of Louisville. The drummer was also a sight to behold. Jim White was his name, and if he wasn't a jazz drummer in a former life, you can call me Sally. There was a fluidity to his motions; a kind of haphazard beauty that was never out of time. His arms were up and down, out to his sides and splashing into the cymbals, whiskers sliding across the skins, mallets booming into the small room. He was a liquid drummer, graceful and effortless, which is not what we would have guessed. I wouldn't have been surprised if they had found him outside on a bus-stop bench sleeping underneath a newspaper (not really, but he did look pretty dishevelled), and he was probably one of the best drummers I've ever had the pleasure to have seen. It was incredible.

They ended the show with a short encore that included one of the most touching, loving, sincere, genuine, true songs I've heard in a long time. The song was called, "The Girl in Me" and at first folks were snickering as Will started with the first line, "There's a girl in me...", but while what followed was indeed humorous at times, it was also filled with touching duet lines between Will and Cheyenne. It had the unabashed cuteness of inside jokes between two life-long partners, the sort of things that sound silly to outside parties, but which have special meaning to those involved. It was so good, that when I came home I immediately tracked down what album it was on and ordered my copy of the pink-marbled, double LP compilation, "Louisville is for Lovers". It was a great end for a great show, and I'm sure it left a wonderful feeling inside everyone that was leaving that night.

Check back tomorrow for photos, videos and live tracks!

"Kings Curse" Begushkin
"Ain't You Wealthy/Ain't You Wise" Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
"Cursed Sleep" Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
"So Everyone" Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Begushkin- MySpace Buy
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy- Official Wiki Buy

HOLY SHIT DOVES ANNOUNCE NA TOUR!

2009-03-03T17:16:00.005-06:00

Pardon the excitement, but I know where Emily and I will be on Friday May 29th. Doves just announced 18 dates in North America, one of which is just up the road at the Vic in Chicago. 1000 thanks to Frank over at Chromewaves for tweeting this info.

Via Spin.com:

Doves tour dates:
5/14, San Diego, CA (House of Blues)
5/15, Anaheim, CA (House of Blues)
5/16, Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)
5/18,San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
5/19, Eugene, OR, (McDonald Theatre)
5/21, Vancouver, BC, (Commodore Ballroom)
5/22, Portland, OR, (Wonder Ballroom)
5/23, George, WA, (Sasquatch! Festival)
5/26, Denver, CO,(Gothic Theatre)
5/28, Minneapolis, MN, (Varsity Theatre)
5/29, Chicago, IL, (Vic Theatre)
5/30, Detroit, MI, (Majestic Theatre)
6/1, Toronto, ON (Kool Haus)
6/2, Montreal, QC (Le National)
6/4, New York, NY (Terminal 5)
6/5, Philadelphia, PA (The Trocadero)
6/6, Washington, DC (9.30 Club)
6/7, Boston, MA (House of Blues)

"The Goes The Fear" Doves

Nostalgia: My Trip Down Late 90's Memory Lane

2009-03-02T18:56:00.004-06:00

There was a time in my life when I spent a fair portion of my days and evenings at a place that looked very much like the scene above. My first steady job was at the Fitzy's One Stop, a local Shell gas station and convenience store that was all of 5 minutes away from my house. I worked there for about a year, and it was one of the best jobs I've ever had. The money was pretty good (for a high school job), it was easy, the people I worked with were fun, the management was great, and I got to listen to music all day. I was a stockboy/cashier/deli clerk/handyman and it was a blast. I still remember the names of two of my managers, Lori (the aging Parrothead who wore too much mascara) and Bill (one time winner of the Buckeye 5 $100,000 prize from the Ohio Lottery and part-time Meals on Wheels delivery man), they were two of the coolest managers I've had.

I stocked the shelves and the walk-ins, which, if you've never been in one, smell distinctly of spoiling milk, rotting eggs, sticky soda and cold metal. It's a weird combination of scents that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. When I was on the schedule as a stockboy, I'd make sure everything was full, and then I'd sit on the old white deep-freezer in the back with a book and my CD Player. I think I went through two or three CD Players at that job, all of which had to fulfill two very specific criteria: it had to have 3 to 7 second skip protection (back when that stuff mattered) and it had to fit in the back left pocket of my blue jeans. I had Sony Street-Style Headphones (from which my lifelong OCD need for one-sided headphone cords arose) that were the perfect length to go behind my left arm and stay out of the way.

This was before I started at Ohio State and began my long trip into the depths of music obsession. It was before I had ever experienced the wonder of high-speed internet and the joys of Napster and eMusic, and eons before bit-torrents and promo CDs and ThaBombShelter. Back in those stone ages I had my CD Player, a few choice CDs, and the shuffle button. I was reminded of my old spartan listening habits the other day when I was cruising north on SR-51 from Heyworth, IL. Silverchair's, "Miss You Love" came up on my iPod and I was transported back in time, ten years, 400 miles, and tens of thousands of songs ago, to a simpler time with 12 CDs in an off-brand Case-Logic box in the back seat of my car. I'd keep the same 12 discs in rotation for months, swapping between two or three in a given shift. I still love most of that music I listened to day in and day out back then, and all of it has become linked to who I am musically.

I bought this album after I had heard, "Ana's Song" on the radio. Or maybe it was after I saw them in my first concert ever. Memories are fuzzy sometimes, you know? I won tickets to that concert from CD101 and on May 24th, 1999, Scot Leistikow and I took the 30 minute drive into Columbus. It might very well have been my first unsupervised drive into the city. And that drive is where the story begins, interestingly enough.

Just as we were curving toward the city on I-70E, we spotted a car full of girls being chauffeured by a dad. They were punk-ish type girls, all pink hair streaks and thumb-holes ripped in the cuffs of their sleeves, nose rings and studs all the way up their ears. One of the girls in the back seat started waving her arms at Scot as we sped down the highway. I slowed to match their speed, and they continued to flail and flirt across the lanes. The girl pushed what looked to be concert tickets against the window and gesticulated wildly, pointing and smiling. Scot nodded politely as we both realized that this girl was probably crazy. We parted ways as Scot and I exited the highway and began the epic task of finding a parking spot somewhere near the Newport.

We took our spots near the front of the line, I think we were somewhere in front of Insomnia (before it was shut down and replaced by Bento Go-Go). We were just standing around, killing time and being excited to see Silverchair when who should come shrieking up to us but the same three girls that had been flirting with us on the highway. What a small world. I'm still - to this day - blown away at the unlikeliness of that whole encounter. We ended up giving those girls a ride home after the concert, even keeping in touch through the next year. I actually left Fitzy's One Stop on New Years Eve to go to one of the girls' house as we entered the new millenium (I remember being incredibly disappointed that nothing happened at Y2K). That was the last I remember talking to them. I know the girl who had been gesturing wildly in the backseat of the car had a crush on Scot, but I haven't been in contact with any of them in the nine years since.

"Emotion Sickness" Silverchair

Another of those discs that were in pretty heavy rotation that summer of '99 was Len's, "You Can't Stop the Bum Rush." To me, this album epitomized that summer. I was listening to this album when I was in the parking lot changing the gas prices when they went over $2.00 for the first time (I think it was $2.08 for premium). Folks honked at me as if I had any control over the price, but I just waved and nodded, the sunny sounds of Len pumping through my Street Styles.

It was such a strange and different sound for me. I mean, I heard, "Steal My Sunshine" and bought the album, expecting a pop album. What I got was an interesting blend of Hip-Hop and party beats, it was a refreshing, unexpected surprise. Before last week, I hadn't even listened to it since probably that summer, seeing as how it had somehow missed the ripping process years ago. As I began planning this post, I had to dig my CD Binders out of the basement and rummage through the nearly obsolete media to finally rip this almost forgotten disc.

Some might be embarrassed to have a disc like this in their collection, but it's such a piece of that formative summer (first summer with a driver's license and a job) I will never be ashamed of this album, even as I share this great track with you all.

"Cryptik Souls Crew" Len (if you wanna hear more, just let me know)

They Might Be Giants are a band that has been with me for many many years. I think they've been my favorite band as long as I've been friends with my best friend Pat, which is a weird thing to think about. I've grown up listening to TMBG, following their career, their forays into digital distribution (I signed up for eMusic when I was in college so that I could get Long Tall Weekend and a TMBG Fleece Pullover), their forays into children's music, even their fall from grace (in my opinion). I've seen them probably five or six times (and would gladly see them again).. Recently, I've come to realize that I may have outgrown this band that has been such a part of my history and who I am.

I thought about that when I was ripping "John Henry" last week. I thought about "Mink Car" and "The Else", and my disappointment and betrayl. But once the first notes of "Subliminal" started coming through my speakers I remembered why this band was so important to me for so long, they're just so fucking good. As the tracks progressed, I was transported to that smelly walk-in refrigerator, to that hot parking lot and sitting on that old white freezer. As the second half of the disc hit me, I was left questioning my growing distaste of John and John and their Band of Dans. I was struck dumb by the awesomeness of "No One Knows My Plan" and "Destination Moon". I think I'm just going to have to come to terms with the fact that TMBG in 2009 are not the same TMBG that I loved in 1999 and that they never will be. Much like Pulp will forever been preserved in the perfection of "Different Class" and "His n Hers", TMBG will be crystallized in history on discs like "John Henry", "Apollo 18" and "Flood."

"Destination Moon" They Might Be Giants

Chicago Farmer and Friends at the Music Business Association

2009-02-24T18:56:00.005-06:00

The drummer of This is My Mess at the end of the night
it was crazy fun and it's sure to be even better this week

Here are the photos, videos and songs from the acoustic show last week, put on by the ISU Music Business Association. There's another one this Thursday, same bat time, same bat channel. Cody aka Chicago Farmer will be back, as well as a few others joining him, which is sure to make the night one to remember.

"Sun Heart" Jake Mehalic
"Oh Yeah" This is My Mess (Magnetic Fields Cover)
"Unknown Song" This is My Mess
"26 Cops" Chicago Farmer
"Anymore" Chicago Farmer
"Assembly Line Blues" Chicago Farmer
"Big House Small House" Chicago Farmer
"Come On Over" Chicago Farmer
"Consider Me" Chicago Farmer
"Girl From Mackinaw" Chicago Farmer
"Illinois Anthem" Chicago Farmer
"Interlude 1" Chicago Farmer
"Interlude 2" Chicago Farmer
"Interlude 3" Chicago Farmer
"People n Places" Chicago Farmer
"Plateau" Chicago Farmer (Nirvana Cover)
"Queen" Chicago Farmer
"River Down" Chicago Farmer
"Story + Watch Doctor" Chicago Farmer
"Weatherman" Chicago Farmer
"Goodnight Irene" Chicago Farmer and Friends
zip of the whole show

I was going to post all of the videos here, but rather than slow everyone up with all 20 or so videos, I figured I'd just direct you to my YouTube channel, where you can watch them at your leisure. Enjoy!

Jake Mehalic

This is My Mess

Chicago Farmer

Crazy party!

Can you spot the blogger?

Everyone together for "Goodnight Irene"

Going on the BN: Chicago Farmer and Guests Acoustic Show Tomorrow Night

2009-02-18T17:25:00.004-06:00

Tomorrow night marks an incredible opportunity to those lucky few of you in the Central Illinois area. That opportunity will be to see the one and only Chicago Farmer, Cody Diekhoff, playing an intimate apartment show courtesy of the Illinois State Music Business Association. Full Disclosure- I am a non-student member of the Music Business Association, but I am still incredibly stoked about this concert. Along with Chicago Farmer will be other locals, Jake Mehalic and This is My Mess. There will be a small cover of $2.00 and if you bring a canned good, you'll get free admission to next week's show (lineup TBA).

Details of the show are as follows:

Time and Place:
Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Time: 7:30pm - 10:30pm (music to start at 8:00pm)
Location: Brandon Pacyna's Apartment, 600 A Hester St., Normal, IL
Phone: 8158615628

If you have any questions, feel free to call Brandon, or contact me and we'll fill you in. It's definitely going to be a fun time. Also, check in here if you have a Facebook Profile.

And now a taste of tomorrow night.

"Big House Small House" Chicago Farmer
"War in Minas Morgul" Jake Mehalic
"Kaleidoscope" This is My Mess

"Island" The Whitest Boy Alive

2009-02-17T12:18:00.005-06:00

I've enjoyed Kings of Convenience since college. Their gentle, Norwegian pop even made it onto my Root Canal Mix CD (no worries about bad associations, though, I was sufficiently doped up and the tunes piping through my headphones only made things more relaxing). I mention Kings of Convenience because the lanky, bespectacled, red-headed half of that duo, Erlend Øye, has since moved on to help form the band, The Whitest Boy Alive. The two bands share a good deal in the tone of their music, if not so much in the form or sound. TWBA has a similar gentleness, but it's been tempered in the late night of a hot club. While the tunes on KoC's, "Quiet is the New Loud" and subsquent disc, "Riot on an Empty Street" stood true to the album titles on which they rested, TWBA's "Rules" has a more downtempo, chillout vibe that hints more at a slightly different mood. If Kings of Convenience are a warm, sun-filled living room on a cold January afternoon, The Whitest Boy Alive are a grey afternoon staring out the window of a coffeeshop.

It's that chill afternoon, with the matte white skies and no shadows, that struck me first. There are fat flakes of snow drifting down, clumping in the cracks and crevices, looking as cold as you think they are. You sip your cup of light roast or tea, you stare into the distance. Across the street a woman tucks her chin into the neckline of her jacket, a turtle in tan wool. There aren't many cars in this part of town, it's quiet and your headphones are as warm as the sidewalk is cold. The world may be flattened by the homogenous light, but the songs are rich and textured, organs and bass guitar, a soundtrack to a cold day in a coffeeshop, watching the cold and the snow and the featureless sky, drinking your light roast or tea, staring into the distance.

"Island" The Whitest Boy Alive

Official MySpace Buy

New Doves Video: "Kingdom of Rust"

2009-02-12T09:00:00.002-06:00

My god this album is going to be phenomenal. I cannot wait!

And here's a fun track to tide you over:

"Firesuite" Sub Sub (fyi- Sub Sub was the doves before their studio burned down)

video courtesy of PitchforkTV

Official Facebook Buy

(thank god they finally have a preorder link up...sort of)

Radiohead Live at the Grammys

2009-02-08T23:24:00.002-06:00

While we didn't have the wherewithal to sit through the entire litany of back slapping and awkward silences that are the Grammys, we were lucky enough to catch the Radiohead performance of "15 Step" with the USC Marching Band in the brief moments it was up on YouTube. I just thought I would play Good Samaritan and post the mp3 of the performance below.

Get it while it's hot!

"15 Step (Live)" Radiohead with the USC Marching Band

"South San Pedro" Will Quinlan and the Diviners

2009-02-03T11:20:00.002-06:00

Call this one a victim of an overfull inbox. I got the email from the PR company back on December 3rd, but for whatever reason I totally missed it. When I spent the week after Christmas rummaging through the back log of emails I stumbled upon this gem. I'm not sure where they're coming from (I think Florida or so), and I'm not entirely sure where they're headed, but "Navasota", released in July of 2008 according to Amazon, has been in pretty steady rotation here at ThaBombShelter HQ for the month of January. Will Quinlan and his Diviners sound a little bit like the Counting Crows, a little like the Old 97s, and a lot like no one else. There's a polish and at the same time a dustiness to their sound. Very Americana, nicely country, and easy to like. This track has been great since my first listen, so enjoy as I take you through it in 100 words.

The tone is very southwest, which stands to reason. The steely guitars (not steel guitars as far as I can tell) sound like Texas, even to someone who's never been. And it's not just dust and pickup trucks, it's more than that. It's tired windmills in the dark and streetlights humming to life, mercury orange flooding the sleeping downtown. There's a sound of love and longing, of teenage infatuation grown into adult love. It's hot in the nighttime and iced tea (sweetened, thanks), bonfires turning to ash-y coals and a group of friends sitting on hay bales and trading songs.

"South San Pedro" Will Quinlan and the Diviners

Official MySpace Buy

Pictures and Videos from SSLYBY and Ohtis at the Coffeehouse

2009-01-28T20:14:00.002-06:00

Here are the photos and videos from the SSLYBY/Ohtis show on Monday. Enjoy!

Ohtis

SSLYBY

And now for some videos:

"Bloodshed on Cavalry" Ohtis

"Think I Wanna Die" SSLYBY

"Gwyneth" SSLYBY

"Heers" SSLYBY

"Michael Jackson Jam" SSLYBY

"Modern Mystery" SSLYBY

"Same Speed" SSLYBY

"Oceanographer" SSLYBY

"Pangea" SSLYBY

"Some Constellation" SSLYBY

"Jetstream" Doves

2009-01-28T15:31:00.003-06:00

So here we are. Several hours later, but I'm finally able to sit down, don my headphones and devote some quality time to listening to this new Doves track for the first time. I'd almost forgotten how good this band sounds through a nice set of cans. For the past few months I've been using my iPod ear buds for convenience sake, but right now I'm wearing my over-ear headphones turned up loud, with the rich bass tones, crystal highs and everything in between. It feels right to listen to Doves like this. I've got "Jetstream" all queued up and ready to go just after "Snowden" - one of my favorites from "Some Cities - and I cannot wait. What with the commoditization of music and my own admitted habit of using music as mere background noise, it's really nice to be excited enough about something to devote all of my attention to it, turning up the volume to tune everything else out.

The last notes of Snowden are fading away, and my heart is pounding. There is a tone, repeating, tapping, and ghostly vocals, smoke in a room and a more dancey sound than I was expecting. There are spotlights dancing around the ceiling, outlined in the smoke machine haze, watery cymbals are fading in and out, distance expanding and contracting and a rise. That trademark Doves sound set in a new landscape, spacey and reminiscent of their past as a dance band. Shades of Spaceface and The Hacienda, Sheffield and Ecstasy. But it's the 21st century and Doves aren't Sub Sub anymore. There is a lushness, a velvety texture that snuggles into your ears, warm and interesting, comforting. It makes me incredibly excited to hear what else they've got in store for the album.

There is a car speeding down the motorway, reflectors in the road flashing flashing flashing, the drum beats marking out the speed, mist clinging to the windoshield, speeding away, up and back, speeding speeding speeding, streetlamps whizz by, darkness and stars, streaks of light and fogging windows, the car is close but comfoortable, close friends and closer music. It's intimate like a shared secret in a hot club, sweat and flush, but not with a stranger, someone closer than that, someone you've always loved and just now found out they felt the same. There's a rush of not knowing if this will ever happen again, but there's a promise in the kiss, in the way the hot arms are wrapped around you, it's not just a one time thing, there's more to it than that, there's much more in store for you.

"Jetstream" Doves (although, you really should sign up for the mailing list as doves.net)

Official Facebook Buy

Doves News - NEW SONG! ZOMG! TRACKLIST!

2009-01-28T09:33:00.004-06:00

Pardon the giddy, childlike excitement, but Doves sent out an email this morning with a HUGE bit of news, tracklist for their album due out April 6th, some tour dates AND A NEW FUCKING SONG!

I'll have some impressions of the song shortly, I think after 3 and half years, I want to give it a one listen review, and then follow up in a few weeks.

Here is the news post in full, to get the new track, head over to doves.net and join the mailing list.

So, where were we?

Sorry to have kept you all waiting around for so long - we've been pretty much bound to the studio for the last three years, the powers that be only let us out for a couple of gigs last September (the Heavenly 18th birthday gig being a pretty special night for all involved). Other than that, we've been chained to the mixing desk in a darkened room the whole time.

Thankfully though the record we've been slaving over is finally ready for the floor. It' called "Kingdom of Rust" and it's released by our friends at the Heavenly Recordings label on (April 6th). The title track is out as a single the week before (March 30th). The tracklisting for the record is:

"Jetstream" / "Kingdom Of Rust" / "The Outsiders" /
"Winter Hill" / "10.03" / "The Greatest Denier" /
"Birds Flew Backwards" / "Spellbound" /
"Compulsion" / "House Of Mirrors" / "Lifelines"

Our new site is up and running (http://www.doves.net)
- you can get a free download of album opener
"Jetstream" by joining the mailing list. There's a nice little map that shows where the track is getting downloaded from, so tell your mates in far off places to get on it we'll buy the person in the furthest flung place a pint honest.

We're doing a few dates in March, some intimate, whites-of-the-eyes venues if you're on the mailing list you get a 48 hour window to buy tickets before everyone else as well as the chance to pre-order
"Kingdom of Rust" so that it'll be dropped through your letterbox on the Monday it is out.

The dates are:

Thursday March 12th Warrington Parr Hall
Friday March 13th Middlesbrough Empire
Sunday March 15th Glasgow ABC
Tuesday 17th March Coventry Kasbah
Wednesday 18th March Portsmouth Pyramids Thursday 19th March London Forum
Hope to see you at one of them. Right, back to work.

Love

Doves band.

And here's one of my favorites from "The Last Broadcast" I'm also pretty sure this was the first doves track I ever heard. Enjoy!

"Caught by the River" Doves

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin/Ohtis at The Coffeehouse

2009-01-27T17:58:00.008-06:00

As some of you may have seen on my Twitter feed, this concert started out decidedly bad, through no fault of the bands involved. You see, my friends and I showed up just before 9PM Monday evening (this after coming by just before 8PM and finding out that the show was actually supposed to start at 9, a simple, yet important detail which no one employed at the Coffeehouse seemed to be aware of) and we quickly took a seat mere feet away from the stage at the rear of the shop. We sat, we drank Diet Cokes, we ate buttermilk biscuits and chatted about music. We watched the band set up, we heard them check their sound, and we saw the venue gradually fill up with hipsters from all around the Central, IL area.

And then a man came to the microphone. He was not a band member. As far as I could tell, he wasn't even an employee of The Coffeehouse, or rather, he wasn't one of the baristas (the drummer of Ohtis, Jim, is an employee of The Coffeehouse). He came to the mic and announced that everyone in The Coffeehouse had to leave through the front door, out into the single-digit temperature night, only to come back in and pay the $5 cover fee. Now, I have no problem paying the cover, I had five bucks, no big deal, but to have everyone in the venue leave and come back in, well, that was just stupid. I offered to give the guy my five dollars right there so that we wouldn't lose our spot, but he refused, insisting that we join the huddling mass forming along Beaufort Street. As such, by the time we rejoined the crowd INSIDE, our choice spot was gone, there was a knot of people standing in front of the stage, and I was unable to actually see Ohtis perform. This is the best view I was able to get, with my arm over my head, which made me sad, given the excellent twangy sounds coming from the low stage.

My first thought when hearing Ohtis performing live was how much more pronounced their twang really was. And then the vocals hit a delightfully strange note, when Sam Swinson sounded like a dead ringer for Jason Lytle of Grandaddy. There were several other moments in the show when Mr. Swinson and the boys took on the sonic stylings of other ThaBombShelter faves like Modest Mouse and even Neutral Milk Hotel (especially when Swinson shouts, "I Believe! I Believe! I Believe!", I was immediately transported to The King of Carrot Flowers pt 2 and "I love you Jesus Christ"). They followed this twang fueled chameleon train through the night, slipping in and out of straight up indie, a wonderfully polished sound that stayed incredibly interesting.

When Ohtis took their leave, so did a fair amount of the smokers in the crowd, which was a fortuitous occurrence as it allowed my friends and I to make our way back to the front of the crowd in time for Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. SSLYBY had an immediate chemistry that was palpable as they jammed out to tracks from their latest album, "Pershing" as well as several cuts from the older, "Broom". These four guys on stage looked like everyone's favorite indie band from back home, as approachable as the kids you hung out with in High School, as nice as the kid who gave you a ride to school before you had a driver's license. They're the band that Ohtis has the potential to become, a tight indie band that has earned their chops playing out in the neighborhood clubs and house parties, earning a loyal following long before they earn a living. They're the fun local band done good, fresh off a European tour and still going strong.

In fact, the band's energy level was at a solid eleven, it was like a rocking house show back in Columbus. I felt like there should have been some couches along the wall and a coffeetable tipped on it's end in the corner. Their show - and by extension their latest album - reminded me very much of what "Pinkerton" might have sounded like if it were released in 2009, if Weezer hadn't jumped the shark back in 2005.

After the show I was able to talk briefly with a few of the guys in the band, and they were just as approachable and cool as I imagined them to be. SSLYBY were far cooler than any of the hipsters passively bobbing their heads, affected apathy freezing their bored faces. Phil, Will, John and Jon, all four of them were great guys and I can't wait to see them again.

Check back tomorrow for some pictures and videos, in the meantime, check out these live tracks, including a brand new song, "Same Speed". Enjoy!

***NEW SONG***
"Same Speed (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
***NEW SONG***
"Gwyneth (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Heers (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Modern Mystery (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Oceanographer (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Pangea (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Some Constellation (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Think I Wanna Die (Live)" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
"Bloodshed on Cavalry (Live)" Ohtis
zip file with all of the tracks

ThaBombShelter now on Twitter

2009-01-26T11:59:00.002-06:00

While not necessarily music related, I've finally plunged into the shallow, 140 characters deep waters of Twitter. I might start doing some short form music reviews there, so you should all check it out.

http://twitter.com/thabombshelter

-Harry

Going on in the B-N: Tonight, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at the Coffeehouse

2009-01-26T11:33:00.002-06:00

Great news if you're in the Central Illinois area. Tonight you can enjoy the gleeful exuberance of indie excellence in the form of Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at the aptly named Coffeehouse in Normal, IL. They're playing out with local boys Ohtis and the show will apparently start at 8PM. According to Ohtis' MySpace page, tickets will be 5 bucks at the door, which is a steal.

I spend a fair amount of my time on Fridays working from The Coffeehouse, so I can personally vouch for it's awesomeness as an intimate venue to take in a sweet rock show. I was so surprised when I saw that a band like SSLYBY was coming to Normal, and playing at my local haunt no less. I've been looking forward to tonight for the past month or so, and I'm sure it'll be a good time. So again, if you're in the area, you should definitely brave the cold weather to see this great band. Oh, and I have it on pretty good authority that Ohtis puts on a hell of a show as well, so it's really a win-win.

Check back tomorrow for my thoughts on the show, and hopefully some of our usual multimedia fare.

"Dead Right" Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

SSLYBY: Official Facebook Buy

Ohtis: Official MySpace Buy

And here are some other fun pictures of SSLYBY courtesy of their official site. Enjoy!