John Wesley Harding's Cabinet Of Wonders Came To City Winery - Pictures, Review

Last Saturday night, we stopped in at City Winery for the second installment of John Wesley Harding's Cabinet Of Wonders residency. If it's to be believed, the lineup was even more star studded than the last time, and as such the crowd was (or at least felt like) twice as packed like sardines. Harding was in top form, both with his comedic intros, and with his own tunes.  It felt like (although we didn't keep count) that he and his band spent slightly less time in the spotlight than at the last show.

After a few tunes from Harding, the stage opened to Emma Straub, who recounted a tale of traveling with the Magnetic Fields to Montreal.  As the merch-transport team with her husband, the pair encountered any number of difficulties as they attempted to cross the border to our northern neighbors.  The story was a light, if not a tad self-effacing, look into the real world of rock and roll.

Straub was followed by our biggest surprise of the night: The Hold Steady's Craig Finn.  Finn was debuting material from his forthcoming solo work, and it blew us away.  We've never been able to latch on to the hold steady, and felt it lacked something in the musical depth department.  Finn's set was the complete opposite, reminiscent of Springsteen or Dylan, and completely captivating.  It didn't exactly hurt things that he closed with a Jagger solo track, "Evening Gown", and completely ruled every second of it.

Finn was briefly followed by Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Harding, whose vivid and gripping reading provided a stark contrast to the whimsy of Straub's piece.  Unquestionably, Harding is gunning for the "serious" author vibe, and succeeding more than a little bit.

Serious readings beget serious rock and roll, and Hamilton Leithauser was up next, delivering an all-covers set in the absence of his band, The Walkmen.  His Beach House and Kinks covers were rock solid, but our fave had to be the touching and gentle rendition of Sinatra's "When The Wind Was Green". It was a simple and beautiful arrangement, and highlighted to a T the awesomeness of Leithauser's voice.

Up next was a 1-2-3 punch of John Hodgman, John Darnielle, and Eugene Mirman.  Hodgman led off with a satirical list of ghosts to watch out for this halloween.  While not a knock out success, it was quirky and enjoyable, and reminded us that this guy is worth far more to the world of comedy than just being a commercial celebrity.

Darnielle's set followed, and as always, was energetic and loaded with rock solid musicianship.  The Mountain Goats have never been to our taste exactly, but the crowd was clearly delighted, and it can't really be argued that Darnielle is not a force to be reckoned with.  The stage is clearly his home, and always will be as long as he has any say in the matter.

Eugene Mirman's set was, as always, laugh out loud funny.  It was an epic throwback (complete with props) to Mirman's high school days, and it was an utter success.  Just ten minutes of Mirman was enough to make us realize why Harding has chosen him as a Cabinet of Wonders regular, and left us eagerly awaiting more.

The evening closed with an unannounced act, as Roseanne Cash took the stage.  While she didn't have as devoted a following in the audience as some of the announced acts, she was unquestionably revered, simply for her presence and undeniable street cred.  Her set was, as might be expected, an especially straight-ahead country affair, that left us walking away from the evening more than satisfied.

All this fun was followed by an announcement earlier this week that Harding intends to once more take the Cabinet on the road, and we have to say: go, go, go!  It's like no other rock show out there, and truly is a throwback to the variety shows of yore.  It will be unexpected, you will be delighted, and it will be more than worth your time.

Many more photos at the HAD Archive

John Cale - Fear

Lately, we've been listening to a lot more John Cale. A LOT more. Maybe it's the recent announcement of his new EP Extra Playful, or maybe it's just the fact that obsessions happen when they do, and this one is happening now. Regardless: it's time to share.

Cale is best known as a multi-instrumentalist and co-writer for the original lineup of the Velvet Underground, and no doubt, that's an incredible body of work. But even more incredible, frankly, is his run as a solo artist.  During the past 40 years, Cale has released a treasure trove of records that are some of the most rewarding experimental pop around. Some of his best known works (Paris 1919, for one) are somewhat part of the mainstream, but many of his most fantastic records (for some unknown reason) remain relegated to the worlds of collectors and enthusiasts. Case in point: 1974's Fear.

In one sense, Fear is pure, classic John Cale:  dark melancholy, experimental riffs, pop sensibility, and thorough experimentation all rolled into one. But somehow, it's also something more. Compared to his other records, Fear has a rawness and originality that is less trite and produced, but at the same time offers up a melancholy that is touching without going over the edge into the darkness. In short, the record is an expert balancing act of Cale's many artistic qualities.

To further add to the awesomeness, Fear is backed by an all-star band culled from Cale's peers. In addition to Cale's own masterful instrumentation (which is far reaching and diverse), he is joined by Eno, Phil Manzanera, and Richard Thompson to name a few. The band serves to further flesh out Cale's arrangements, and offers up a rock and roll record that still manages to be full of relevance and emotional honesty, coupled with a full dose of sonic experimentation.

John Cale can undoubtedly be difficult at times, and a large degree of this has to do with the fact that he is a man who operates in extremes.  At times, he can't always manage to reign in his experiments and impulses enough to make them accessible, and at others he is so poppy it becomes saccharine.  Granted, once they are breached, these records are well worth while, but getting there can be a long journey. Fear, by contrast, gives a tangible example of what happens when Cale manages to keep everything under close watch:  all of his strengths merge together, and create a record of undeniable greatness.

mp3: John Cale – Fear Is A Man's Best Friend

An Horse Played Highline Ballroom - Pictures, Review

On Saturday we stopped into the Highline Ballroom for what would be our sole foray into the madness that is CMJ.  While there, we caught a stunning set from Australian duo An Horse.  The pair were on tour supporting their latest (fantastic) release Walls, and delivering a brand of rock and roll goodness that is truly unique.

It must be said from the start, that An Horse can make noise.  Just a drum kit, two vocalists, and a single guitar.  And yet, much like The White Stripes, they manage to flesh out the sound expertly and take on many roles at once.  Part of this is sourced in the intricate beats and meaty guitar hooks, but even more is sourced in the band's vocals.

While Kate Cooper takes on the lead vocals, it's difficult to necessarily call them "lead", as they are so often intersected with those of drummer Damon Cox.  The interplay, harmonies, and rhythm of their vocal delivery is fantastic, and serves to underpin their fantastic instrumentation and technical skills.  It also manages to illustrate just how close the two musicians have become.

If it's possible, An Horse made an even better impression this time around than they did on the tour for their first record Rearrange Beds.  On that tour, they delivered a unique and magical version of their own songs, fresh from the studio.  This time, things were just as fresh, but also instilled with a confidence and swagger that made the performance more gripping, and the music more vivid.  It was evidenced not only in our assessment, but also in the vested crowd who assembled, that An Horse are a band on the upswing.

More pictures at the HAD Archive

Ryan Adams - "Petal In A Rainstorm"

Last week Ryan Adams dropped his much-anticipated record Ashes And Fire, and like many, we were more than a little excited.  So excited, in fact, that we went all-in and bought the super-deluxe edition of the record.  Not only were we amped to support Adams in his latest venture with PaxAm records, but the record also came with a cool flexi-disc featuring "Petal In A Rainstorm".

The flexi-disc is a "technology" that was invented in the heyday of the vinyl era, intended to allow delivery of music, minus the heft of a giant vinyl disc.  Sound quality is certainly questionable, but the low-fi vibe and the history of the format as one typical to fan club "exclusives" made it all the more attractive to us.  Put differently: we can't ignore a good nostalgia trip.

But, to the point: the track is outstanding.  Amidst the gentle hum of the flexi-disc's static, the song is Adams at his very best: simple, yet perfectly melodic, and all over a gently loping beat.  The arrangement is slowly built up over a bass, drum kit, and organ, until it ends almost as quickly as it has begun.

The flexi-disc is a terribly fragile technology, which wears out after only a handful of playbacks.  Thankfully, there's digital recording to the rescue, and our copy can remain (relatively) unscathed, despite our love of the song. So have a listen, and don't be afraid to play it a second time, or a third.  For once, digital is your friend.

mp3: Ryan Adams - Petal In A Rainstorm

Jay-Z - "Reminder"

We know it's Friday, we know you need a good weekend jam, and we're here to help. Helping alongside is none other than your friend and ours, Jay-Z.  "The Reminder" is culled from 2009's The Blueprint 3, and starts out as what seems like a straight ego piece. Bragging and swagger, Jay seems to be wasting our time over a thin beat. But Jay hits his stride in the second verse, the beat starts to flesh itself out against his flow, and Shawn Carter fully delivers the goods.  Happy Weekend.

mp3: Jay-Z - Reminder

The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Demo)

The upcoming release of The Beach Boys' SMiLE sessions has us digging through our archives like maniacs, catching up on all the material that we've collected over the years in regard to the notorious "lost" album.  Ranging from demos, to session tapes, to fan-compiled versions of the album, there's more than any rational human would like to dig through.  However, in that dreck there are also gems, and the demo for "Surf's Up" is among our very favorites.

The track itself is no stranger to Beach Boys fans:  it would surface later on an album of the same name.  However, that version was produced and manicured:  a bizarre combination of simplicity attempting to seem complex.  By comparison this demo, recorded by Brian Wilson solo at the piano, reveals the very fundamental reason the song is so amazing.  Rhythms, melodies, transitions: all of them combine to make this version the very best it can be.

The demo first surfaced on a 1960's TV show (click through for video - embedding was disabled) previewing the never-to-be album, and for a long time that unmastered outtake was all that fans would have.  However, with the release of the Good Vibrations box set, a full mastered version was released in all it's simplistic goodness.  And it is so, so, worth it.  So sit back, relax, and have a listen.  Surf's Up!

mp3: The Beach Boys - Surf's Up (Demo)

New John Cale On Tap For November, New Year - mp3, Video

John Cale is one of those slow-grow pleasures.  At first seemingly inaccessible, and at times overly droll, once you've gotten hooked, he is an undeniable addiction.  Cale has been steadily delivering albums for the past 40 years; There have been duds and there have been winners, but one thing is for sure: it's always interesting.

That interest is exactly the reason that we were so stoked to discover that Cale has a new EP on tap for the day after Thanksgiving, entitled Extra Playful (cover above).  What's more, details of a forthcoming full length album are apparently on their way, adding all the more excitement to the announcement!

While we have yet to hear the full EP, we can tell you from two tracks we've heard ("Catastrofuk" above, "Perfection" below) that Cale is in some seriously poppy form.  Oddly, for a man who has some real street cred as an experimental composer, Cale is one of the best writers of old fashioned rock and roll out there.

On these two tracks, granted, there are moments of Cale's expanded musical palette, but the overall vibe is one of dead-solid songwriting.  "Catastrofuk"offers up some crunchy guitars and an easy going chorus, while "perfection" offers something of a slow-groove lounge vibe.  Check them out for yourself, and we're pretty sure you'll be just as excited for this record as we are.

mp3: John Cale - Perfection

New Music - Motopony

With the breadth of folkie indie pop that's floating around out there, it's easy to dismiss any artist who falls into the genre as being not worth your time.  It's easy, and it's a mistake, a case which is easily proved by one listen to Motopony's self-titled full length debut.

At first listen the disc has the potential to fall into every pitfall of the recent indie-folk trend: too sweet melodies, gentle acoustic guitars, and delicate percussives.  However, the cliché quickly falls away as one is presented with arrangements of growing complexity, and progressively more ragged textures. As the record continues, the percussives take on an electronic feel despite their analog origins, and the fuzzed out bass adds grit to the record's sweetness.  

And yet, none of this robs the record of its folkie foundation.  In fact, it serves to strengthen it as being a record that has all the insights and possibilities of classic tradition, but encapsulates them in modernity.  Motopony have already had a fair bit of attention in their native Seattle, and we can understand why.  After one listen, we were ready to play again.

Motopony are at Bowery Ballroom tomorrow night, Wednesday October 19th.

mp3: Motopony - I Am My Body

Stephen Malkmus Drops Video For "Senator"

Stephen Malkmus' Mirror Traffic has been available for almost two months, yet it's only today that its lead single, "Senator", has gotten a proper video.  And proper it is:  the vid is a hilarious send up on the song's title character, a corrupt politician played by none other than Jack Black.

The video, as might be expected, is pretty damned over the top.  It features such notable moments as Black doing lines of coke, shocking himself in the groin with a cattle prod, and humping the floor at a hipster party.  On top of that, the videos conclusion is...well...just watch it for yourself.  Happy Friday.

mp3: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - "Senator"

Brian Eno Live In 1974

Brian Eno's early 70's work after he departed Roxy Music is some of his most beloved.  During those years, he created a number of seminal records that served to inform glam, the avant garde, and the experimental for years to come.  Two of those records in particular, Here Come The Warm Jets and Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy, yielded rock opuses the likes of which Eno has never achieved again.

Studio masterpieces of colliding textures and stylistic juxtapositions, the records offer not only some of the most creative rock music of all time, but also one of the masterful realizations of "studio as instrument".  With the help of overdubs, synthesizers, and other custom devices, Eno created records that are seemingly unachievable in a real world environ.

This made it all the more surprising, then, when we discovered that in 1974 Eno created a band called The Winkies, and took some of the tracks from Here Come The Warm Jets on to a live stage.  Interestingly, the live show works perfectly:  the carefully-crafted synth guitar interplay is replaced by a more crunchy blues guitar lead, odd solos are even odder in a live capacity, and Eno's vocals are dead-on at every turn.  In short, it's totally killer.

We managed to turn up a compilation of seven live tracks (one below) through various online sources, and we imagine you can do the same.  We guess that you'll come to the same conclusion we did.  Namely:  Why didn't Eno do this sort of thing more often?

mp3: Brian Eno - The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch (Live 1974)