The Steam Engine

Album Review: Ben Sollee – Inclusions

2011-05-10T18:12:00.002-05:00

Last Friday at an in-store appearance at the Disc Exchange in Knoxville, Tennessee, Ben Sollee explained to a crowd of thirty or so people why his music is the way that it is. “People keep asking me ‘What genre is your new album?’ And I just don’t understand why I have to put a label on it. Why can’t the music just stand on it’s own?” This is a fair defense on Sollee’s part, because his music is incredibly difficult to define. There are no borders or boundaries in his musical world. This was clear on his debut album Learning to Bend, but Sollee made it even clearer on his sophomore album Inclusions. The genre-blending cellist got help from a pair of DJ’s (DL Jones and DJ 2^nd Nature) to help him crack the code on what Inclusions was meant to become, and the result is eleven freak-folk songs featuring hints of all other genres.

The opening track “Close to You” mixes an array of horns and strings over lines about feeling connections with nature and the things around him. This use of combining a mixture of instruments is seen all over the album, especially on tracks, such as “Bible Belt” and “Cluttered Mind.” Sollee utilizes percussion much more on Inclusions than he did on his debut album, and this is best demonstrated on tracks like “Hurting” and “Electrified,” with drums beats serving as the driving force of the songs. The closing track “I Need” is one of the most beautiful songs on the album, a back-and-forth verse-swapping ballad between he and Cheyenne Marie Mize

If Inclusions is proof of anything, it is that Ben Sollee does not want to limit himself to anything. After all, the man rides a bicycle to his shows as opposed to riding in a vehicle. But what really makes Sollee so unique and so inspiring is his strong belief in the healing powers of music. He sees that ability in all types of music, too. He challenges himself by taking the entire gamut of music and tries to make it unified. On Inclusions, Sollee does that brilliantly.

Standout Tracks: “Hurting,” “Captivity,” “Electrified”

Verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.

New Music Monday: I Get Around

2011-05-09T12:41:00.000-05:00

Go ahead and admit it. You missed me. I was MIA last week, but only because I've spent the last week and a half traipsing across the eastern part of the U.S. That's not an understatement at all. A little over a week ago, I left Englewood, FL and headed up to Pensacola for a night of baseball land drinking with some good friends of mine. We left Pensacola and flew down I - 10 to spend the day eating and drinking through New Orleans. Then, it was off to Baton Rouge for poboys at Dempsey's and a good nights sleep. From there it was off to College Station, TX for a wedding, but not before a pit stop in Houston. While in Houston, there was a hamburger incident. I refer to it as an "incident" because the burger I ate at Burger Guys in Houston literally changed the way I view hamburgers now and as long as I live. It was basically an entire pound of pure, unadulterated LOVE, stuffed between two perfectly absorbent buns. With each bite, I simply thanked the world for allowing this burger to exist and as the love dripped off my hands in the form of bloody grease, I smiled a bigger and more ridiculous grin (and simultaneously wondered how in the hell anyone could possibly be a vegetarian). In all honesty, I cried as I took the last bite and, as of this very moment, I'm still in mourning. Just above, to the right, is the Jesus Christ of burgers. As a testament to the sheer genius of this little nondescript burger joint in Houston, TX, we witnessed the invention of a new menu item as we finished up our little slice of heaven between two buns. The geniuses at Burger Guys invented, as we sat there, a new burger. It was a lump of lust that included a Cheetos Hollandaise topping. These guys invented their own Hollandaise sauce made from Cheetos. There were even Cheetos on the burger. CHEETOS ON A DAMN BURGER! That's just good living, man . . .

Anyway, after the burger incident and the wedding we headed north through Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio on our way to Philadelphia. We parked it in Pittsburgh for the night and headed out the next morning. Upon our arrival to the Philly area, I was reminded that you can't just walk into a store and buy a six pack. Oh no, you have to go to special stores where you can only buy beer by the case. This, boy and girls, is a completely foreign concept to me. But, there is reprieve . . .because you can buy a six pack at just about any bar in town and, as we were in Telford, PA, we stopped in at the Greenhouse Tavern for a few pints and some wings. We eventually made the genius purchase of Rolling Rock pounders, and they were divine. Oh yeah, and I ate some scrapple. From there, we had breakfast in a dive diner in D.C. then headed back down south for a pit stop in Savannah, GA, where we absolutely devoured a large platter of seafood and washed it down with my favorite beer, Red Stripe.

The next day we wandered through historic Savannah and found Vinny Van Go Go where we murdered a pizza and downed a pitcher of Yuengling. Here's an odd fact about Yuengling . . .if you order a "Yuengling" in Pennsylvania, people will look at you like you have a three foot personal massager growing out of your forehead. You have to simply order a "lager." Write that down. Just a tip from me to you so you can't say I never taught you anything. Enough about me, let's get to the music.

It's safe to say that, since I've been traveling I haven't been keeping up with the world of music. I made it a point during this trip to reconnect with some older stuff or stuff that I hadn't heard in awhile and being on the road is the perfect excuse to reacquaint yourself with great music. The only new stuff I really swam in was the new Beastie Boys album. Other than that, a lot of stuff was played. Titus Andronicus, Les Saavy Fav, Pete Yorn, Wolf Parade, Pearl Jam anniversary reissues, Bon Iver, some old school hip hop like Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul and LOTS of MMJ. I may have said this before, but there really isn't any song that comes quite as close to "At Dawn" when you first hit the road in the morning. It's, for lack of a better word, perfect. I'm not going to go on and on about that song for two reasons, 1.) i could go on forever about it, and 2.) that's the responsibility of fellow contributor, Gabrielle and although I have no regard for most people, she's a fan so she gets mad, nasty, stupid props in a totally gangsta way. But I digress . . .

I had every intention of talking about Okkervil River's new album, I Am Very Far, but I woke up this morning to an email from a friend that directed me to an Irish band that, for the most part, is basically unknown here in the states. Director is an Irish export that toes the line somewhere between the sounds of Joy Division or Interpol and early Pixies stuff with a stiff splash of the Smiths for good measure. The band, Michael Moloney (vocals/guitar), Eoin Aherne (guitars), Shea Lawlor (drums) and Rowan Averill (bass) produced their first album, We Thrive On Big Cities and within a week earned a #2 spot on Irish charts (losing out to the disappointing "Sam's Town" by The Killers at #1). Director's second album, I'll Wait For SoundMoloney said, "You can expect a much harder sound than the first album, but mixed with some of the softest, most delicate tracks we've ever recorded. I think we've captured more of the live essence of Director on this album."

I like this band. I like this band a lot and fans of Interpol or Joy Division or any other band that's remotely similar will like this band, too. If you're at all interested, let me know and I'll send you a few songs so you can decide for yourself.

Just FYI, the new Okkervil River album is really good. It seems like they've found the perfect balance between Will Sheff's powerful lyrics and the expansive music for which the band is famous. Check the album out ASAP because it's definitely worth it.

Until next week, boys and girls, keep the music loud and your drinks strong. . . .

chris

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Weeks Go By Like Days

2011-05-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

Well, hello! It’s nice to see you again! I hope you’ve all had a fantastic weekend. A few things My Morning Jacket-related have happened since last week: a live stream of the May 31^st show on YouTube (to be directed by Todd Haynes), a WFPK radio interview with Tom and Patrick, and a special single of “Holdin On To Black Metal” to be released on May 17^th! Not to mention some kickass previews for that May 31^st Louisville show and livestream!

We’ve continued to celebrate demos and covers from MMJ’s earlier years over at The Countdown, jammin’ out to “That Someone Else Was You” and a cover of the lovely Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone” - two MMJ classics that are highly recommended. Another element was added to The Countdown last week when we learned of the Circuital leak that occurred Monday, May 5th. Some of us (myself included) have decided that we’re going to hold out until the end (that is, May 31^st…did you get it?!). I intend on carrying out The Countdown with my ears virgin to Circuital. As for the rest of you, I’ve been hearing good things about the album. Enjoy it!

Forever: that's how long it would take.

forever: not as long as a day.

In the wake of this new MMJ era, let’s take a step back into The Jacket’s earlier days and check out a track off 2004’s Chapter One: The Sandworm Cometh: Early Recordings, “Weeks Go By Like Days.”

“Long is the road”

I have always been told.

How lonely can one boy be?

This simple yet stellar track from those charming “early years” is another one of those tracks that is so honest – lyrically and emotionally – that it can cut right into your heart if you let it. Youth and youth’s optimism ooze from this track as Jim claims that there is something out there worth waiting forever for.

“Long is the road”

I have always been told.

How long can one man wait?

Forever.

As I lay here, bumming on my sister’s couch (now and for the next few days), I come to appreciate these early songs, particularly “Weeks” because it has the immaturity of early MMJ, but flecks of what My Morning Jacket has become still shine through. I love this track because, at its core, it is a youthful look at love and, of course, that sweet feeling of invincibility.

Hope you all have a great week and have more than enough things to appreciate!

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My Morning Jacket - UNSTAGED 5/31 Live Stream, CONCERT FILM Announced

2011-05-03T10:45:00.001-05:00

Video almost says it all! Here are the details though:

Who - My Morning Jacket & Todd Haynes
What - A live concert stream, probably a DVD release too (speculation!)
Where - The Palace Theater, Louisville, KY
When - Tuesday, May 31st, 9pm Eastern Time
How - Magic

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Dear Wife

2011-05-02T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable weekend. With finals looming for many students around the country (myself included!), I’m sure we’re not the only ones looking forward to getting through this week. We’re getting so close to summer!

Over at The Countdown, we celebrated some interesting covers from My Morning Jacket – 1986’s “Take My Breath Away” and 1984’s “West End Girls.” Two very unlikely covers, masterfully done, and highly entertaining.

Today, let’s cover another one of those “lesser known” tracks. “Dear Wife” is one of those songs with an unknown origin (at least to most of us). Perhaps telling the story of a man and the complicated romance with his wife, “Dear Wife” simplifies the sometimes frustrating and mysterious topic of love.

Sweet, sweet dear where are you?

I am out here, somewhere, workin’ through the days

I imagine you out livin’ life and I must exclaim

“Dear wife, I miss you always”

Ain’t it strange how quickly things can change?

The track comes from 2009’s live LP “Live From Las Vegas Exclusively at The Palms” and doesn’t seem to appear anywhere else on the extensive My Morning Jacket catalog (if it does, someone please point me in the right direction!). I love getting these “new” gems, tracks that might not have made the cut on a previous studio album. Which makes me wonder about Circuital and the tracks the band decided not to include in the studio album. For instance, when will we hear a studio (or at least better-quality live version) version of “Friends Again”? That’s a good track!

I’ll be out here wantin’ you, you’ll out there wantin’ me

I’ll be back there wantin’/lovin’ you, you’ll be in here lovin’ me

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. For today, lets enjoy “Dear Wife” and its sweet and simple message: there are people in our lives who we love in such a way that it makes us accept otherwise unacceptable behavior.

Sweet, sweet dear how are you?

Well, the name of your kindness hits my brain

When you pop it in with such violence, I must exclaim

“Dear wife, I love you always”

Ain’t it great how quickly things can change?

Have a great week, everyone! The weekend will be here before we know it, and I’ll catch ya then!

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Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – Holdin On To Black Metal

2011-04-29T14:30:00.004-05:00

What a week! I knew things wouldn’t be quiet for too long. We have soooo much to get us pumped up for the weekend – how can things get any better?

First off, My Morning Jacket announced several new shows this week – including a hometown show at the Louisville Palace Theatre on Circuital’s release date, three Canada shows, and Lollapalooza and Kahbang Festival 2011! Hope everyone can make at least one of MMJ’s summer tour dates. It’s gonna be a wonderful summer.

Also on Monday, MMJ released a second single off Circuital via Facebook: “Holdin On To Black Metal.” If “Circuital” didn’t whet your appetite for Circuital, “Black Metal” sure should do the trick!

It’s a darkness you can’t deny

But it don’t belong in the grown up mind

Suppose you’ll find this place will suffice

Coming into life you needn’t cry

This dark, unruly track certainly brightened up my Monday morning this week. Inspired by the Thai-soul track “E-Saew Tham Punha Huajai” by Kwan Jai & Kwan Jit Sriprajan, “Black Metal” has the lyrical and musical fire to incite a riot – in the best possible way. In Jim James’ words, via Rolling Stone:

"I want it to sound like we're Cuban or Cambodian kids, and we're wearing berets and we're walking through an alley and we stumble upon this band, and it explodes into this crazy sing-along….”

Despite minor disapproval among some Facebook fans, MMJ clearly and respectfully pays homage to and credits “E-Saew” as an inspiration for this track. Additionally, Jim has been citing “Siamese Soul” as an influence for months! It’s unfortunate that some would assume otherwise. It’s fantastic that a band in this industry can draw from such diverse genres and time periods for inspiration. Few, if any, other bands are doing such amazing things. It is to be appreciated, not ridiculed!

Catchin’ waves on Lucifer’s beach

Takin’ shade underneath Lucifer’s tree

Gettin’ sustenance from Lucifer’s peach*

Hope you all enjoy (and have been enjoying!) this badass track and live it up this weekend!

*These lyrics are as accurate as I could get them!*

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DOWNLOAD - Kurt Vile - 2011-02-01 - Live at Luna Music - Indy, IN

2011-04-29T11:53:00.003-05:00

This guy is just cool. I think it's because he just doesn't care, maaaan. Or at least he doesn't seem to with his lazy vocals (meant in a good way), long hair and poor composure. His latest, Smoke Ring For My Halo, will easily be one of my favorite records of 2011.Catch part one and part two of these video's here and here.

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01 Hey, Now I'm Movin'

02 Overnight Religion

03 Classic Rock In Spring

04 Monkey

05 Freeway

06 In My Time

DOWNLOAD - Kurt Vile - 2011-02-01 - Live at Luna Music - Indy, IN

The General Specific

2011-04-28T23:26:00.006-05:00

- 2011 is shaping up to be the year of My Morning Jacket. In the past week, the band have announced a Circuital release show in their hometown of Louisville (I got tickets!), they released a killer new song, as well as the tracking listening to their aforementioned upcoming album, and it was also announced this week that they will be headlining a night at this year's Lollapalooza. Can it please be May 31st now?

- A great batch of artists including Paul McCartney, The Black Keys, The Stroke's Julian Casablancas, and, yes, My Morning Jacket, have been tapped to record a Buddy Holly tribute album.

- Radiohead's newspaper album for The King of Limbs has been released early.

- Ryan Adams debuted new songs last week in Los Angeles when he opened for Emmylou Harris. Oh, and it was a surprise, too.

- Jeff Tweedy shed a little light on Wilco's highly anticipated eighth LP, tentatively titled Get Well Soon Everybody.

- The Beasties Boys' Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 can now be streamed.

Check back next week!

DOWNLOAD - Bright Eyes - 2011-03-18 - SXSW - Austin Club - Austin, TX

2011-04-28T12:01:00.001-05:00

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01 An Attempt To Tip The Scales

02 Hot Knives

03 Take It Easy (Love Nothing)

04 Jejune Stars

05 Falling Out Of Love At This Volume

06 Beginners Mind

07 Bowl Of Oranges

08 Poison Oak

09 The Calendar Hung Itself

10 Road To Joy

DOWNLOAD - Bright Eyes - 2011-03-18 - SXSW - Austin Club - Austin, TX

DOWNLOAD - The Greenhornes - 2011-03-22 - KDHX - St. Louis, MO

2011-04-28T11:57:00.001-05:00

If you guys can't tell, I've been hot on The Greenhornes sound. New retro rock and roll perhaps? Listen to the slightly fuzzy, perfectly constructed guitar solo in "Go Tell Henry" or try NOT to sing "Better off without it!" every time it's sung in "Better Off Without It."

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01 Underestimator

02 Song 13

03 Go Tell Henry

04 Better Off Without It

DOWNLOAD - The Greenhornes - 2011-03-22 - KDHX - St. Louis, MO

My Morning Jacket "Circuital" Gets Track Listing, Lollapalooza Announced

2011-04-26T09:42:00.001-05:00

Circuital keeps getting more and more real. Below is the 10 song track list of My Morning Jacket's 6 record. And, it is now official that Chicago's Lollapalooza festival will play host to the gents from Kentucky as well as a slew of other fine musicians.

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01 Victory Dance

02 Circuital

03 The Day is Coming

04 Wonderful (The Way I Feel)

05 Outta My System

06 Holdin On To Black Metal

07 First Light

08 You Wanna Freak Out

09 Slow Slow Tune

10 Movin Away

LISTEN - My Morning Jacket "Holding On To Black Metal" + Hometown Show Announcement

2011-04-25T17:36:00.001-05:00

If "Circuital" and this newly released song (played via Facebook) are any indicators, My Morning Jackets 6th record is going to be one helluva a disc.

And on top of the new track, My Morning Jacket announced a Louisville, KY show the day Circuital hits the shelves, May 31st.

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New Music Monday: Jim James, Adam Yauch and My Happy Place

2011-04-25T10:27:00.000-05:00

Let me start the week right, with good tidings after the reanimated zombie Jesus celebration. I trust you all ate lots of candy and got something good in your Easter basket. If not, it's not big deal. There's always next year. I think we can all agree that this holiday is kind of ridiculous so I'm not going to devote any more time to it. If you want to know what I REALLY think about Easter, you can find out here.

So here we are, summer virtually at our doorsteps banging down the door. The flowers are blooming and the clothes are getting smaller and thinner to accommodate warmer temperatures. Festival season is upon us and I caught up on a few Coachella sets. The Black Keys, as always, burned the place down and The National were lively. Kings of Leon was pretty much locked down as always, but nothing too impressive. After watching those, I realized that in the next few months there are quite a few new albums coming out that I'm completely excited about. MMJ is out soon, Wilco is coming up. Explosions in the Sky, The Flaming Lips, Bon Iver all have new stuff set to release, as well. One of the biggest releases for me is the release of Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2 by Beastie Boys.

I know that not everybody is quite as excited as I am about this, but that's ok. I won't hold your lack to taste against you at all. But, for me, Beastie Boys have a special place in my musical library. I have just about everything they've ever done from the punk stuff on Aglio e Olio to random imports from Japan and the U.K. They remind me of how fun music an be. I have a tendency to get really "heady" when I listen to music, getting obsessive about lyrics and song constructions. I let myself get mired in the details of a song, so much so that I sometimes forget to step back and just smile at the sounds that leave the speakers and meander across the room to my ears.

We all have those songs . . .those songs that remind us to stop thinking and just get lost in the music. One of those songs happens to by "I Needed it Most," by MMJ. There's a simplicity and honesty to the song that just gets to me every time. I stare off into space, attempting to keep the smile form creeping across my face, but I can't. I hear Jim belt it out . . ."I needed it mooooooost . . . ." and I'm there. It's a perfect moment in music that I can't, no matter how hard I try, get past. No matter how bad of a mood I may be in before the song, by the end of it that mood has dissipated into the atmosphere, gone, and I'm left with a simple smile and a tiny reminder of how good music can break your heart (like Barber's "Adagio for Strings") or make your day. Beastie Boys were the very first band/group that just made me smile.

It all started on a summer day in 1986 . . .I'm kidding. I'm not going to bore you with nostalgia, but I will say that no matter where I've been, I've taken Mike D, Ad Rock and MCA with me. I've traveled quite a bit to different countries and no matter where I happened to be, I always had two things in my possession: 1.) a copy of "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac and 2.) a copy of Ill Communication by Beastie Boys. At the time, iPods had yet to hit the market, but I had this shock-proof, water-proof Sony Discman that wouldn't skip as I was making my way through the streets of London or Berlin or Rome or wherever I happened to be. It was easy. I went to a boarding school in England and travel was easy. Just grab a backpack, my book, cd and discman and hit the bricks. Headphones covering my ears, Ill Communication was the vagabond soundtrack to my travels. Incidentally, I soon discovered that the headphones that British Airways provided on their flights were the best damn headphones in the world. The bass was deep and the sound was just full as all hell. Needless to say, I would always nick a few when I was on a flight. Sue me, I was a teenager. That's me on the right and my pal, Dodge on the left. Don't ask me what I was doing, but you can ask me what was playing in the background . . .Beastie Boys. Who else?

A couple of years have passed since this photo was taken. I've graduated from high school and college and my musical palate has gotten more complicated with my discovery of the blues and outlaw country like Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash. If you scroll through my musical library you'll find tons of stuff that doesn't really go together. You'll find Beach House and Band of Horses, but you'll also find Deftones and Rage Against the Machine. You'll find Tribe Called Quest and Gang Starr. You'll find classical music and electronic stuff, as well. So much music that, at times, I have to actually REMOVE stuff from my iPod. Some things get shuffled off to make room for whatever I'm feeling on a given day. There are, however, things that NEVER leave my iPod. Jim James and the boys never leave. The Black Keys never leave . . .and Beastie Boys will NEVER leave.

I know that I didn't actually introduce any new music this week, but don't worry, I'll make it up to you next week. In the meantime, get ready for all the great albums coming out and, because I care about each and every one of you, I'm leaving you with what is, perhaps, the greatest video I've ever seen in my entire life.

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise - Free Music Videos - Top Songs

Stay frosty, boys and girls.

chris

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Where To Begin

2011-04-25T08:00:00.003-05:00

Here we are: the last week of April. We’re getting so close to hot weather, cold drinks, music festivals, and the release of My Morning Jacket’s sixth studio album, Circuital. I hope you all enjoyed the weekend and you are ready for the week ahead!

We had a pretty relaxing weekend over at The Countdown, covering the last two tracks from 2002’s Chocolate and Ice, “Holy” and “Sweetheart.” After celebrating “Chills” on today, we’ll move on to a more disorganized part of the countdown: individual tracks from movie soundtracks, covers, b-sides, and demos. If you have any requests, send ‘em my way!

Up and up and up I climb,

When I came up I was so far behind,

My head takes a lickin',

But my heart keeps on tickin,

Just the same.

Today let’s look at another down-tempo track from MMJ: “Where To Begin.” Featured as part of the 2005 “comedy-drama” Elizabethtown, “Where To Begin” is another one of those underrated tracks for which the casual MMJ-listener might have to dig a little deeper.

Round and round and round I ride,

And just when I looked I hadn't even began,

To feel the effect,

A cool, dark fever,

On the brain.

“Where To Begin” examines uncertainty, insecurity, and intuition and how the three interact with one another as it relates to life in general. How do you decide which paths to take? Which goals to pursue? And yet somehow there are certain things that you naturally know are right for your life.

It's the art of feeling naked in your clothes.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I believe Jim writes in such an ambiguous way so that meaning is conveyed but whatever meaning can transpose on to any person. Anyone could relate to most MMJ tunes, and I think this is one of the most positive aspects about Jim’s songwriting.

Have a great week, everyone! See y’all Friday.

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Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – Chills

2011-04-22T17:00:00.002-05:00

The weekend is finally here! I, for one, am especially elated that it’s finally Friday, as I am nearing the end of another hellish semester. I hope you all have something fun and/or relaxing to look forward to this weekend – be it visiting family for the upcoming holiday, seeing friends, or simply having good times as you would any other weekend. Whatever you’re doing, I hope that you all enjoy it!

It’s been a relatively quiet week this week regarding My Morning Jacket news. We’re all just fidgeting in our seats in anticipation for Circuital. I don’t know about you all, but I am wearing “Circuital” and “Octoplasm” out!

Over at The Countdown, we had a particularly unique and energetic week. Covering the first four tracks of Chocolate and Ice, including the epic, 24-minute gem “Cobra.” Yesterday we honored TV On The Radio in recognition of the tragic loss of their bassist Gerard Smith, celebrating one of their more famous tunes “Wolf Like Me.” We’ll have Smith’s family and friends (including TVotR) in our thoughts.

Still, feel that I'm getting ill.

Oh, chills.

Down on my spine 

I do on a window sill.

Still, things that go away.

Today’s track veers slightly from the usual “epic jam” Fridays in that it is more hypnotic than euphoric. Rather than leaving us feeling pumped, “Chills” leaves us relaxed and tranquil as we ease into the weekend. I guess “Cobra” wore me out over the past week!

Still, No one else lives your life. 

Except yourself. No one else lives your life.

Still, no one else lives your life.

Hope you all enjoy this wonderful track from 2005’s Off the Record single. It’s truly a soothing track that hopefully brings in your weekend with some positive energy! See you on Monday.

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DOWNLOAD - Fleet Foxes - 2011-04-20 - Live at Maida Vale - BBC1

2011-04-22T11:21:00.002-05:00

Photo by: BBC

The Friday goodness won't stop. This is STUNNING everyone. The quality is amazing. Thanks SBB!

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01 Montezuma
02 Bedouin Dress
03 Battery Kinzie
04 Sim Sala Bim
05 Mykonos
06 Your Protector
07 The Shrine/An Argument
08 Grown Ocean

DOWNLOAD - Fleet Foxes - 2011-04-20 - Live at Maida Vale - BBC1

LouFest Lineup Announced

2011-04-22T10:01:00.000-05:00

The second ever LouFest announced their 2011 daily lineup. With the unfortunate passing of TV On The Radio's Gerard Smith I'm sure there will be some sort of alteration for Sunday's headliner. If you are a Midwester looking for a fun, incredibly affordable music fest that doesn't require the planning of a Bonnaroo type deal, check it out. Two day passes are $64.

DOWNLOAD & WATCH - Ryan Adams Debut New Tunes - 2011-04-21 - The El Rey - L.A., CA

2011-04-22T09:50:00.007-05:00

Photo by: camrooz

L.A. based Emmylou Harris fans that attended her show last night the El Ray got the immensely amazing surprise of a Ryan Adams opener that included songs both old and new as well as hitting the stage with Emmylou for a version of "Oh My Sweet Carolina." The new perhaps part of his next record he's been working on with Glyn Johns? The two new songs sound truly fantastic, I hope it's a sign of things to come. All of this greatness can be watched and downloaded for your mobile listening pleasure below.

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"Dirty Rain"

New

New II

New III

"Blue Hotel"

"Everybody Knows"

"Oh My Sweet Carolina"

DOWNLOAD - Ryan Adams Debut New Tunes - 2011-04-21 - The El Rey - L.A., CA

The General Specific

2011-04-21T23:41:00.007-05:00

Here's what went down this week in the world of music.

- Wilco is finally releasing their first release on their new label, dBpm records.

- Radiohead's Record Store Day 12" can now be downloaded for free (if you bought The Kings of Limbs). It will be released on vinyl in the United States in June.

- The city of Nashville honored Jack White as Music City Ambassador last Saturday.

- Apparently, The National are Deadheads. Who would've guessed? They also released another awesome new single this week.

- LCD Soundsystem will release their epic final concert at Madison Square Garden on DVD. (Thank goodness ...)

- Along with many other bands, Arcade Fire absolutely rocked Coachella last weekend. But this was without a doubt the highlight of the weekend. They will also be hanging out at Wrigley Field this Saturday.

- The Strokes hit up Conan on Tuesday night.

Check back next week!

DOWNLOAD - MGMT - 2010-10-08 - Live at Bataclan - Paris, FRA

2011-04-19T09:27:00.002-05:00

01 Weekend Wars

02 Flash Delirium

03 Time To Pretend

04 It's Working

05 The Youth

06 Of Moons, Birds & Monsters

07 Song For Dan Treacy

08 Someone's Missing

09 Electric Feel

10 4th Dimensional Transition

11 Siberian Breaks

12 Kids

13 Destrokk

14 Brian Eno

15 Congratulations

16 The Handshake

17 I Found A Whistle

DOWNLOAD - MGMT - 2010-10-08 - Live at Bataclan - Paris, FRA

DOWNLOAD - My Morning Jacket - 2002-03-18 - Hi Ho Lounge - New Orleans, LA

2011-04-18T12:17:00.002-05:00

Photo by: ? - Not from this show

This is a reasonably famous set with Mr. Jim James doing a little boss cover at the end. Listening to these earlier recordings really blows my mind, they've come so far. Thanks LowDog for taping.

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01 Evelyn Is Not Real

02 Old September Blues

03 Just Because I Do

04 War Begun

05 Phone Went West

06 At Dawn (Jim James solo)

07 I'm On Fire (Jim James solo) (Bruce Springsteen cover)

DOWNLOAD - My Morning Jacket - 2002-03-18 - Hi Ho Lounge - New Orleans, LA

DOWNLOAD - The Greenhornes - 2010-12-08 - Morning Becomes Eclectic - KCRW

2011-04-18T11:41:00.001-05:00

These guys have such a retro feel. Their latest record, ****, is quite phenomenal but what I like even more are the bad ass jungle cat on the record cover.

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01 Intro

02 Sparrow

03 Get Me Out Of Here

04 Song 13

05 Underestimator

06 Interview

07 Saying Goodbye

08 Better Off

09 Too Much Sorrow

10 Go Tell Henry

11 There Is An End

DOWNLOAD - The Greenhornes - 2010-12-08 - Morning Becomes Eclectic - KCRW

New Music Monday: Oasis, and Everything After

2011-04-18T10:03:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I had to endure the Rockies beating up on the Cubs and my beloved Manchester United falling to Manchester City 1 - 0. "Why," you may wonder am I going on about sports when I should be talking about music? Well, I like the Cubs, so eat me. I also spent quite a bit of time in the U.K., having gone to a boarding school there. While I was there, I learned a lot of things. For example, I learned how to cheat at soccer. I also learned that I'm dangerous with a nine iron, having clocked my pal, Dodge in the head twice . . .in the same round of golf. Depending on how you look at that one, I'm either deadly good or horrifically bad. I'm going with the first option as a means of soothing any doubts I may have about my golf game.

Something else I learned in Britain is the power of a song, the power of a single song to really make a crowd stop and listen for a moment, then raise their glasses together and belt out every single syllable of a song. My experience with this began in old school English pubs with cool names, like "The Antelope" and "The White Lion." Even before we were legal to drink there, we still got in. I never had a problem walking into a pub and getting a pint. It could be my smooth charm or the fact that I've been 6'3" since I was fourteen. Basically, I was just bigger than everyone else. Not that I was fat or anything, I was just tall and usually seemed a little older than I really was. So, my young liver was about to get a serious introduction to alcohol. I exercised it like it was a muscle and, pint after pint, it got stronger and stronger. To this day if I go out with friends they tell me that I can't have eaten anything because if I have, there would be no buzzed Chris, just the one that smiles a little more.

So, as I'm training my liver for the Alcohol Olympics, I also get exposed to this sort of pub tradition that involves everyone singing together. I'm not talking campfire songs or anything like that, but the patrons would hear a random song and all the sudden, break out into a beer hazed sing-a-long. THIS, boys and girls, is how I became an Oasis fan.

We always popped into the pub for a beer or twenty because we could. Like the rest of the Brits, it was less of a party atmosphere and more of an excuse for us sit back and down a few pints in a fairly calm setting. There we were, having a pint of Guiness or, for me, it was usually Carlsberg. This place is, by no means, packed, but there are enough people there that it seemed festive enough to not worry about laughing too loud. It was then that I heard it. Noel's opening chords just sort of whispered through the air and the pub got completely silent and as soon as Liam's raspy voice belts out the first lyrics, "today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you . . ." the entire pub raises their glasses and sings along. THE ENTIRE PUB RAISES THEIR GLASSES AND SINGS ALONG. Bartender, patrons . . .I think people passing by the door poked their heads into sing, as well. I sat there, looking around in amazement. Everything stopped and for the duration of the song, about four minutes, not a single person in that pub was different. They were all the same, singing the same song, laughing and smiling for no other reason than the simple fact that a song was playing. "Wondewall" by Oasis made them happy, totally happy for a few minutes out of what could have been a totally horrible day. For those few minutes, a song made people happy and THAT, made me happy as well.

Great bands have come out of the U.K. throughout history. You automatically think of The Beatles and the Stones. Clapton is British, so he counts. The Sex Pistols, David Bowie, Queen and The Clash based their music on their working class roots and inspired an entire generation to raise their arms and salute the world with one finger. The 80's came along and saw tons of great bands leave the grey British weather behind and "invade" the U.S. Bands like U2, The Police, Tears for Fears, Genesis, The Smiths, The Cure . . .the list is too long to keep going, but you get my drift. Perhaps the kings of British music, Radiohead have been and will continue to be one of my all time favorite bands, so I think it's pretty safe to say that there's a wealth of talent in Britain.

This week's band, Flashguns is no exception. They are inherently British, and if you've spent any amount of time there, you can spot a Brit from a mile away. Even their names sound British, but this three-piece of Sam Johnston (vocals,guitar), Olly Scanlon (bass) and Giles Robinson (drums) somehow manage to incorporate the sounds of all the bands I mentioned above while putting their own jangly sound to the lyrics that are very heartfelt and sometimes bordering on Joy Division dark. Take, for example, the song, "Bells at Midnight." The intro could easily be confused with an early song by the Cure. It's upbeat, but buried in the pop tinged sound are lyrics like, "a figure of fun for you, i never put a foot out of line for you, seems like a hell of a thing to do." There's this quiet foreboding side to the songs that draws you in and the vast difference in the music and the lyrics give you the sense that something bigger is building. . . and it is.

By far, the one song that truly hooked me to these guys is a seven minute, dusty floor romp called, "Racing Race." This song just simmers and simmers on the seemingly slow motion pace to the guitar and the drums. Sam's wail just sits on top of the song giving it a desperate feel and, as the song progresses, so, too does this unidentified feeling of uncertainty. The song seems to end about four minutes in, but just seems to drag on giving off this tension that's beyond description. Sam's voice fades to the background, as if he's screaming at you from the distance and the song just meanders into this quicksand pace, just slowly fading into your speakers. After I heard it, I just leaned back in my seat, stared at the ceiling for a minute, then played it again. Because I care, I've provided you with the song.

Flashguns - Racing Race by Flashguns

I'll stop rambling now. I have a tendency to do that when I'm trying to figure something out. Check the guys out at all the regular social media spots:

Facebook

MySpace

Twitter

Until next week . . .

chris

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Cobra

2011-04-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

Hey, do you feel that? That sometimes-overwhelming surge of excitement and anticipation as the weeks pass and we get closer and closer to the very last day in May? With each new week and every update, we My Morning Jacket fans are becoming more and more anxious for Circuital’s release!

Over the weekend, we celebrated the 5^th annual Record Store Day, during which My Morning Jacket released a special, limited edition “Circuital” single on 12” vinyl. The very kind people over at Ear X-tacy even had it available online for a short period! We also celebrated two very interesting MMJ covers: “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” by The Velvet Underground and “Suspicious Minds” by Elvis Presley. What a weekend!

Cobra comes up next to me.

Anywhere he goes: he’s silently.

How do you take speaking so much?

How do you live without a lover’s touch?

Today, as we continue to celebrate tracks from MMJ LPs (and take cover requests!) on The Countdown, let’s look at track number three from 2002’s Chocolate and Ice, “Cobra.” My Morning Jacket’s longest and arguably most experimental track, “Cobra” seems to be much like The Decemberists’ “The Island” in the sense that it’s composed of several, separate sections that employ elements of vastly different musical styles. These nuanced sections tell separate stories but still blend together seamlessly.

Why does all the soap always burn like the rope?

How come? How come? How come?

Why’s all my toes always seem so cold?

How come? How come? How come?*

The genre bending that this song effortlessly demonstrates aligns right along with another of Jim James’ beliefs: different genres of music aren’t so different after all. I’ve included a live version of “Cobra,” which is a great version, but I recommend that (if you don’t already have it) you pick up the original, 24-minute track. You will not be disappointed.

Also, I’d like to take some time to introduce a new band that I’ve come across in the past couple of weeks that I’d like to share! If you’re more into the folksy, Americana, country-rock styles, then you might like English band Count to Fire. Yes, it’s English Americana! They’re about to release their first 7” single of their song “I’m The Man You Need.” I recommend checking them out on MySpace, Facebook, or Spotify if you’d like to give them a listen!

Hope you all enjoy this track (and Count to Fire) and have a fantastic week! See you Friday!

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*I'd like to thank the BH from forum for help with these "other" lryics*

Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – Circuital

2011-04-15T14:00:00.007-05:00

I can’t even believe the degree of excitement and wonder I have been feeling this week! So many amazing and thrilling things have happened over the past few days, it almost seems unreal. Let’s start with the major happenings:

-My Morning Jacket released the first single from Circuital, “Circuital.”

-Circuital is now up for pre-order, with a sweet-ass Limited Deluxe Box edition option available.

-Announcement and registration for the new, official My Morning Jacket fan club, called Roll Call.

-A hint about a forthcoming LIVE BOX SET

And just this morning, as part of my Roll Call membership, I learned that MMJ will announce additional summer tour dates! Am I forgetting anything? Am I dreaming?

What an awesome week this has been indeed! And it’s only going to get better in the coming weeks. Over at The Countdown, we’re still covering the EPs and soon will be covering more demos, covers (at request!), and b-sides. Be on the lookout!

Today, it’s probably most fitting to cover a song that is relatively new to us all: “Circuital.”

Although many of us have been listening to You Ain’t No Picasso’s bootleg, live version of “Circuital” since August (or have been lucky enough to have heard it live already!), the recently released studio version really gives us a feel for how the full-length studio album is going to sound. So far, Jim’s description of “wholesome” seems right on.

Spinning out: gracefully.

Going nowhere: quickly.

I am older: day-by-day.

Still going back to my childhood way.

As I am getting to know this track, I realize its ever-increasingly positive effect on my mood. With its tinges of classic rock styles and older MMJ, “Circuital” simultaneously introduces new concepts and styles to us. This lovely seven-minute groove is entirely optimistic about how life is circular and brings us right back to the gorgeous and haunting melody it started out with. “Circuital” itself is circuital.

Circuital:
Round and round, patiently.

Getting lost, by the guide,

And I'm all worked up over nothing….

Ultimately, I think we should let this track (and MMJ) speak for itself:

I hope you all have been enjoying this track as much as I have (and have had it on repeat for the past four days!), and if this track is any indicator of what Circuital is going to feel like, May 31^st can’t come soon enough. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

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The General Specific

2011-04-15T10:14:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the delay! Here's what went down this week.

- My Morning Jacket had a busy week. Click here to check out the pre-order packages for Circuital.

- Festival season kicks off today with Coachella; here is the webcast schedule for the weekend. They will be streaming concerts by The Black Keys, The National, Interpol, and many more.

- Looks like there are plenty of White Stripes goodies left in the Third Man vault.

- Jeff Tweedy debuted a new tune the other night at a solo gig. Maybe it will be on the upcoming Wilco record?

- Tomorrow is Record Store Day!

Check back next week!

My Morning Jacket Terminal 5 Videos

2011-04-14T11:03:00.002-05:00

All the commotion on planet MMJ has got me going crazy. But what is really driving me mad is their oh so subtle hint at a live box set on the Circuital pre-order page. Well, until we know more, I've been watching these video's to wet my gullet. Enjoy, ImTheDude326 certainly did (he's got tons of videos).

DOWNLOAD - Paul Simon - Unplugged

2011-04-13T11:08:00.002-05:00

This one is for my Hangout Friends. Get ready for a little Paul Simon on the beach! Stream his new record, So Beautiful or So What, here.

From what I can tell this entire recording was never released so I think it's safe to post...

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01 Born at the Right Time

02 Me and Julio

03 The Boy in the Bubble

04 The Coast (Breakdown)

05 The Coast

06 Mrs Robinson

07 Bridge Over Troubled Water

08 Graceland

09 Jonah

10 She Moves On

11 Still Crazy After All These Years

12 Cecilia

13 Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover

14 Something So Right

15 The Boxer

16 Homeward Bound

17 Scarborough Fair

18 Born at the Right Time

19 Me and Julio

20 The Coast (False Start)

21 The Coast

22 Filling in Time Jam

23 Late in the Evening

DOWNLOAD - Paul Simon - Unplugged

WATCH - My Morning Jacket VH1 Storytellers Videos

2011-04-13T08:28:00.000-05:00

Watching these made me feel truly incredible. I can't believe I was there...

"Golden"

My Morning Jacket |Storytellers |Free Music Videos |New Artists

"Circuital"

My Morning Jacket |Storytellers |Free Music Videos |New Artists

My Morning Jacket Madness

2011-04-13T08:25:00.001-05:00

Dammit it feels good to be back. I've been down and out the last couple of days with what I've chalked up to food poisoning. While the constant throwing up was awful the last couple of days was almost like a detox, a spring cleaning if you will. Since yesterday it's been nothing but healthy food and exercise, I feel reset. Anyways, yesterday was a BIG F*CKING day in the realm of My Morning Jacket. Here is the run down, this should get everyone up to speed:

Download the track "Circuital" from the record of the same name here. If it doesn't make you smile then stop listening to music.

Circuital is ready for pre-order in all sorts of delicious varieties. It can be pre-ordered here as a limited deluxe box, digital, CD or vinyl. I went ahead and did the limited deluxe box. You're getting some serious content for $79.99. Also available with each pre-order option is an annual membership to...

ROLL CALL! The official My Morning Jacket fan club. For $29.99 annually you get first dibs on pre-sale tickets, a nifty welcome package (t-shirt, poster, letter from band, membership card...), exclusive MUSIC as part of MMJ's Self-Hypnosis series and, when available, a special "Roll Call Only" will call line at shows. Check out all the details here.

New Music Monday: Road Tripping Through the South

2011-04-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

I've been on the road for the better part of a week now, zig zagging my way across the highways and interstates of the Southeastern part of the U.S. As I sit here typing this, I'm in an interesting little town called Englewood, FL in a house with walls that are the color of Ralph Macchio's car in "My Cousin Vinny." That's right, boys and girls. These walls are a gorgeous shade of sea foam green and some of the furniture even matches the walls. It's almost like Ben & Jerry threw up mint chocolate chip ice cream all over this place. BUT, even though I'm staring at these walls, battling an undeniable urge for ice cream, I'm in Florida. FLORIDA. . .where the sun is shining and the beach is right over there (you can't see me, but I'm pointing to a place that I would walk to from here).

On my way to Englewood, I passed through the Florida panhandle to visit one of my oldest and best friends in the world, Teeka. Over a three day, two night period in Pensacola, FL we drank. Then we drank some more. Then way played darts and drank. Then we did shots, played darts and drank. Then we drank more. Then we ate sushi and walked around a mall only to head back to her place to drink some more. Then it was rinse and repeat for the Braves/Phillies game and the Cubs/Brewers game where my Cubs commenced to taking the opening game of the three game set (but dropped the next two) and my pal Chad and I drank and got loud. At some point during the game, we were so desperate to get rid of some guy that we simply heard his comments, nodded, shotgunned a beer and split for more. The weird thing was that this Raiders fan was arguing about the 80's rollerblading movie, "Airborn." If you don't know it, look it up. Jack Black and Seth Green have small parts in it, but this guy was quoting the movie and bets were made. Yeah, it was that kind of moment in the night where you ask yourself if drinking at this particular spot is actually worth it.

We thought it was worth it, so we I decided that I would stand up, kick the raiders fan in the junk and yell, "THIS IS SPARTA." He dropped to his knees, gasping for air and Chad said, "Holy Cow," in the vocal styling of Harry Carey. He high fived me and I shouted "Cubs win, Cubs win!" and we ordered another pitcher of beer. Ok, maybe the simple assault I described above didn't really happen, but the longer this douche nozzle talked, the more it was slowly becoming a reality. Luckily, no assaults were perpetuated that night, but the Cubs won and we drank enough to make Charlie Sheen and Nick Nolte proud.

So, I told you all of that because it occurred to me that roadtrips and music have an inherent symbiosis. Each makes the other more fun because, let's be honest, blasting MMJ's "At Dawn" while you doing 75 down Interstate 10 makes life worth living. A roadtrip without music is like flying British Airways sober. Each is impossible, so you belt out the lyrics to each song that comes on as you navigate the highway and your iPod. You sing along with Jim James, then you sing along with Dan Auerbach, then you sing along with Howlin' Wolf as loud as you can and the task of getting to a destination that's six hours away by car seems to be nothing more than a mobile sing-a-long with the musicians that you love.

This week I'm finally going to talk about The Boom Bang. I say finally because I've been sort of sitting on this band for a few weeks now. "Why?" you might ask. . .I have no idea really. I've just been trying to get to all the music that crosses my path, and I'm finally getting to this band. They sound like a tornado of surf music that gets played in some guy's garage, mixed with a hint of punk sentimentality. Pause for a second and wrap your head around that combination of sounds. . .

Welcome back. So, now you have an idea of what James Smith (vocals), Tommie McKenzie (guitar), Weston Lawrence (bass), and Charles Whetstone (drums) throw at you on their debut, World War Fun. The Oklahoma foursome defy any single genre to make music that sounds like a garage band that plays loudly on the beach, then drinks more beer than you only to play more in the sand. If the Beach Boys had a head on collision with Death From Above 1979, the resulting carnage would be The Boom Bang. From the opening fuzz of "Ahh . . .Fresh Monsters," you realize that you're going to be riding along with a the sound of uncontrollable fun and there isn't a single disappointing song on the album. Knowing that these guys are from the Oklahoma City area makes them the absolute best thing to come out of OKC since Wayne Coyne and his circus of The Flaming Lips. Is that compliment too generous? Nope. Not a bit. The album standouts are, "Skateboard Devito," "Tobacular," and the Dick Dale'esque "Drive Inn."

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://theboombang.bandcamp.com/album/world-war-fun"&amp;gt;World War Fun by The Boom Bang&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Check the boys out above and if you're in Pensacola any time soon, find the bar, The Ticket No. 2 and stop in for a drink or ten. Ask for Teeka and tell her that I sent you. She'll smile because she has good taste in friends.

Until next weeks boys and girls . . ..

chris

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Sooner

2011-04-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Good morning and happy Monday, everyone! We’ve got a lot to look forward to for this week, so let’s not waste any time!

It was a second Christmas at The Countdown over the weekend, as we celebrated tracks from 2000’s My Morning Jacket Does Xmas Fiasco Style, “I Just Wanted To Say” and a cover of Nick Cave’s “New Morning.” This week, we’ll finish up Fiasco and move on to 2002’s Split (shared with good ol’ Mr. Molina).

Start out early in the mornin’,

They get up way before the sun.

With flowin’ lights the city bustles,

It truly grins for everyone.

However, today let’s cover a song that’s well into The Countdown’s future, track number two off 2002’s Chocolate and Ice, “Sooner.” Reminiscent and romantic, “Sooner” illustrates a recollection of past experiences that make this track one of Jim James’ more personal tunes. Jim has often said that he appreciates songs that are more ambiguous and can apply to many situations; however, “Sooner” clearly makes us sense his specific wistfulness. Nostalgia emanates from Jim in the most casual way.

Jake their little Jim to Xavier;

Take him to slowly to the show,

And in my eyes they show the loveliness

That brings me back to you so much.

Sooner or later they come to see you;

Feed you power in the yellow sun.

For all your days they keep you movin’

Quick as lightnin’ they’ll be gone.

Now that I’m in college I feel like I finally know what it means to long for the past. Memories from childhood will enter my consciousness quite unexpectedly. It’s the sort of lovely desire to go back in time with which all of us can identify. “Sooner” surely isn’t Jim James’ most ambiguous tune (by a long shot!), but this fact doesn’t make its meaning any less applicable to our lives.

I hope you all enjoy hearing this tune, and I look forward to continue celebrating the wonderful music of My Morning Jacket until Circuital and beyond. Don’t forget to get the first single off Circuital this Tuesday! Have a fantastic week.

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Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – O Is The One That Is Real

2011-04-08T15:06:00.008-05:00

Happy Friday to you! Hopefully the workweek totally breezed by. If not, then at least we had some exciting things My Morning Jacket-related to lift us up. Monday gave us our last, free Terminal 5 show download from MMJ. Now we have Circuital’s first single to look forward to! My Morning Jacket will be releasing a special 12” limited addition of the single that will be available solely to you lucky Kentuckians.

This week saw a new chapter for The Countdown: the EPs. We’re covering all the songs that we haven’t yet covered from 2000’s Heartbreakin Man to 2002’s Chocolate and Ice (Sweatbees is essentially a compilation). Hope you enjoy!

Always leave your televisor on.

Always give your answers by the phone.

For this lovely Friday, we’ll go with yet another undemanding track. Let’s keep it relaxed, eh? So let’s look at track number one off 2002’s Split (shared with Jason Molina’s wonderful Songs: Ohia), “O Is The One That Is Real.” I usually try not to read too deeply into the meaning of this one. Jim James might have had some kind of vague message with this song, maybe not, but let's not worry about its meaning today! What the hell is a televisor anyway? (I doubt it refers to what Wikipedia says it is, but I digress.)*

If you’re hurt: he wants to feel it.

If you’ve money: he’s your dealer.

If you’re ready for him: I don’t want to see it. Oh!

O is the one that is real.

Confusion aside, we can appreciate this for being another solid track from MMJ. What else should we expect? I hope you enjoy jamming out to this track, and I hope you enjoy the glorious weekend ahead of us! See ya Monday!

The radio is playing!

*If anyone of you fine people has an explanation for this, I’d love some clarity!

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DOWNLOAD - Iron & Wine - 2011-01-18 - Live on KUT - Austin, TX

2011-04-08T12:59:00.001-05:00

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01 Introduction

02 Tree By the River

03 Conversation

04 Rabbit Will Run

05 Conversation

06 Half Moon

07 Conversation

08 Woman King

09 Closing Comments

DOWNLOAD - Iron & Wine - 2011-01-18 - Live on KUT - Austin, TX

DOWNLOAD - The Jayhawks - 2002-12-06 - Live on KGSR - Austin, TX

2011-04-08T12:09:00.001-05:00

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01 Intro

02 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me

03 One Man's Problem

04 Two Hearts

05 Lost My Driving Wheel

06 It's Up To You

07 Settled Down Like Rain

08 Save It For A Rainy Day

09 Jennifer Save Me

10 Smile

11 Trouble

12 Say You'll Be Mine

13 Tailspin

14 Blue

15 Big White Cloud

16 Waiting For The Sun

DOWNLOAD - The Jayhawks - 2002-12-06 - Live on KGSR - Austin, TX

The General Specific

2011-04-07T16:24:00.006-05:00

- LCD Soundsystem wrapped up their epic ten-year career with a near four-hour blowout at Madison Square Garden last Saturday. Everyone from Aziz Ansari (who got roughed up from crowd surfing) to Arcade Fire was there. Watch the full concert here.

- The night before, The Strokes warmed up the Garden with a sold out show that featured a guest appearance by Elvis Costello.

- My Morning Jacket is releasing a 12" single with a new song from Circuital on Record Store Day. Too bad it will only be available in Kentucky ...

- Speaking of Record Store Day (which is next Saturday), Ryan Adams posted photos on his website of the new EP he and the Cardinals will be releasing. Luckily, those will be available everywhere.

- Neil Young is prepping a new (well, old) live album that will contain five previously unreleased songs.

- The Decemberists visit Jimmy Kimmel Live to perform "This is Why We Fight."

- Bonnaroo added more artists and released their 2011 comedy lineup early this afternoon.

- Finally! A glimpse of the Beastie Boys' short film Fight for Your Right Revisited has been released. Spoiler alert: it's awesome.

Check back next week!

DOWNLOAD - LCD Soundsystem - 2011-04-02 - The Long Goodbye - MSG - NYC

2011-04-06T11:39:00.001-05:00

Photo by: Vandelizer

Thanks as always Abe.

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01 Dance Yrself Clean

02 Drunk Girls

03 I Can Change

04 Time To Get Away

05 Get Innocuous!

06 Daft Punk Is Playing At My House

07 Too Much Love (with Phil Mossman)

08 All My Friends

09 Tired / Heart Of The Sunrise

10 45:33 (Part One)

11 45:33 (Part Two) (with Reggie Watts)

12 Sound Of Silver

13 45:33 (Part Four) (With The Juan MacLean)

14 45:33 (Part Five) (with Shit Robot)

15 45:33 (Part Six)

16 Freak Out / Starry Eyes

17 Us V Them

18 North American Scum (with Arcade Fire)

19 Bye Bye Bayou

20 You Wanted A Hit

21 Tribulation

22 Movement

23 Yeah (Crass Version)

24 Someone Great

25 Losing My Edge / Ghost Rider / Da Funk / Planet Rock

26 Home

27 All I Want

28 Jump Into The Fire

29 Twin Peeks Theme / New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down

DOWNLOAD - LCD Soundsystem - 2011-04-02 - The Long Goodbye - MSG - NYC

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Demos, Covers & B-Sides

2011-04-06T08:44:00.003-05:00

Tell Us Something Good

Some more Strokes goodness. Their big NYC show last weekend was supposed to be quite amazing.

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01 Alone Together (i) [demo]

02 Alone Together (ii) [demo]

03 Barely Legal [demo]

04 Hawaii [b-side]

05 I'll Try Anything Once [demo]

06 In Her Prime [demo]

07 Is This It [demo]

08 Last Night [demo]

09 Lifes A Gas [ramones cover]

10 Mercy Mercy Me [marvin gaye cover]

11 Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men [b-side]

12 New York City Cops [demo]

13 Someday [demo]

14 Take It Or Leave It [demo]

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Demos, Covers & B-Sides

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2007-07-??

2011-04-05T09:05:00.002-05:00

And the last DVD I converted to AVI I have for you today. The Ryan Adams trifecta.

Taped - 2007-07-??
Broadcast - 2007-08-03

01 Halloweenhead

02 My Winding Wheel

03 Goodnight, Hollywood Blvd

04 OMG,Whatever,Etc

05 Carolina Rain

06 Blue Hotel

07 How Do You Keep Love Alive

08 Desire

09 Down In A Hole

10 I Taught Myself How To Grow Old

11 Dear John

12 Let It Ride

13 Two

14 Blue Sky Blues

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2007-07-??

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2006-01-21 - Austin City Limits

2011-04-05T08:59:00.002-05:00

Another DVD I converted to AVI.

Taped - 2005-10-2005
Broadcast - 2006-01-21

Better quality than the video below!

01 A Kiss Before I Go

02 Let it Ride

03 Now That You're Gone

04 Games

05 Hard Way To Fall

06 Call Me On Your Way Back Home

07 Cold Roses

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2006-01-21 - Austin City Limits

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Whiskeytown - 1997-04-03 - Live at the High Pointe - St. Louis, MO

2011-04-05T08:51:00.001-05:00

This is a DVD I converted to AVI so I can watch on my TV via a PS3 or other media player. A young David Ryan Adams, looking dirtier than hell strumming along on that Tele'.

Audience Shot but good sound
704x528

01 Drank Like A River

02 Kiss An Make Up

03 Smoke Smoke Crack

04 What You Wanted

05 Sixteen Days

06 Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight

07 Midway Park

08 Yesterday´s News

09 I Wanna Be Your Dog

DOWNLOAD VIDEO - Whiskeytown - 1997-04-03 - Live at the High Pointe - St. Louis, MO

New Music Monday - A Port in the Storm

2011-04-04T10:30:00.012-05:00

It's funny how a little warm weather throws us into a whirlwind fever for more activity. There's something about Spring that somehow just injects a little more energy into us. I'm not above the feeling either. The weather warms up a little and all I want to do is sit outside in the sun, music blaring and a beer in my hand.

I don't know about you, but warm weather also has a certain celebratory soundtrack. The default cold weather tunes take an immediate back seat to more upbeat, festive songs that automatically fit my energetic mood. The sounds of cool weather seem to become temporarily less appealing, taking a back seat to different sounds. For example, I'm a big fan of Easy Star All Stars during the summer because they just seem to fit the weather.

If you're not familiar with this band, go check them out. They do an absolutely brilliant cover of “Karma Police.”

This week, I've got a bit of up tempo stuff from a band that is not, in any way, new to music. Their seventh studio album, yes SEVENTH, is due out June 11^th on the Champagne, IL based label, Polyvinyl (who also provides homes for some great artists like Deerhoof and Owen) and 31 Knots is a perfect band with which you can usher in the warming temperatures you feel outside.

Formed in Chicago in 1997, the three piece, Joe Haege (guitar, vocals), Joe Pellicci (drums) and Jay Winebrenner (bass) relocated to Portland, OR and the rest is history.

I sat listening for awhile, just drawn into the playful nature of the songs. The rhythms are complex and Haege has a scattered, frantic style of guitar that reminds me very much of a band that they've played with before (and one of my favorites), Modest Mouse. But that's not the only comparison I would make.

If Modest Mouse got really drunk and grew hipster mustaches and somehow had a baby with some trendy girl called Vampire Weekend, THAT is what 31 Knots would really sound like. Songs like “Candles on Open Water” (below) and “A Lot Can Tell” really take hold on the Afro inspired beats that make Vampire Weekend seem like Paul Simon's wannabe little brother. 31 Knots, on the other hand, make the sound all their own, casting aside any trend riddled sounds for the fuller, more aggressive Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures) inspired heavy drinking guitars and rolling drums in the schizophrenic, “Love in the Mean of Heat.”

If this sounds remotely appealing, head on over to Polyvinyl and check them out. You can stream lots of stuff and even pre-order the upcoming album, or just buy previous releases, both of which I strongly encourage. They've been a breath of fresh air for me over the last few days.

One more thing this week. I heard this band (who I later found out was just one guy) on some random website. I really don't know much about him and have yet to hear back from any of my inquiries, but I thought I'd share. Flashing Red Lights has a dreamy, atmospheric sound that just seems to float around you as you listen. Go get these two songs. They're free. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I find out more info. I really want to hear more of this guy's stuff.

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Tonite I Want To Celebrate With You

2011-04-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Are you ready for yet another excitement-filled week of My Morning Jacket goodness? Of course you are! I wouldn’t expect anything less. I hope you all had an enjoyable and satisfying weekend.

Over the weekend, The Countdown worked on finishing up the last few tracks off 2008’s Evil Urges. Today is Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2 Day and tomorrow will be Good Intentions Day (believe it). Then we’ll start a new segment, honoring tracks from 2000’s Heartbreakin Man. We’ll only cover the tracks that weren’t included in 1999’s The Tennessee Fire. Get ready to go back in time!

Today, I’d like to recognize a tune that is relatively short and simple as compared to many of the more popular MMJ songs. “Tonite (Tonight) I Want To Celebrate With You” is another one of those MMJ-live-staples that many of us look forward to hearing. With the Omnichord makeover of sorts that it received, “Tonite” should be appreciated if only for its simple and sweet message. Bad times are over, so let’s just have a good time. What else needs to be said?

Tonight I wanna celebrate with you.

It's foggy now and let's begin anew.

‘Cause in this land of broken dreams

Where money means most everything

I think I need to celebrate with you.*

Tonight I wanna celebrate with you.

Troubles of today are finally through
The fireworks go off tonight
It'll be just like the fourth of July
And all because I celebrate with you.

Thus I invite you to celebrate the songs of My Morning Jacket this week and for the next couple of months. It’ll be a grand ol’ time! Good luck this week.

*Lyrics are from the original “Tonite I Want To Celebrate With You” from 2000’s Heartbreakin Man and Chapter 2-Learning-Early Recordings. Other versions’ lyrics vary slightly.

***Don’t forget the final free download from the Terminal 5 shows! Then we’ll look forward to MMJ’s first single off Circuital.***

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Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket - Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt. 2

2011-04-01T13:33:00.000-05:00

The weekend is finally here! I’m sure you’ve all worked, thought, and/or celebrated hard this week(hopefully doing most of the latter). This week surely gave us reasons to be pleased—we received our fourth, free download from My Morning Jacket’s Terminal 5 shows, and we finally have a release date for Circuital! Clear your schedules and mark your calendars for May 31^st. Listening party, anyone?

As was mentioned to me on The Countdown on Monday, “now the [countdown] can truly begin!” Indeed it can. We’ll be looking forward to celebrating the next 60 days counting down to the release date of Circuital. Be sure to check the tweets and celebrate with us!

This weekend (and the top of next week) we’ll finish up the last few tracks from 2008’s Evil Urges. Many of you may be asking: Hey Gabby, what's next for The Countdown?! Fortunately, My Morning Jacket’s catalog spans much wider than their five studio albums. So, starting on Wednesday of next week, we’ll start a new chapter: The LPs. So if any of you has a copy of 2000’s Heartbreakin Man, break it out!

Oh, this feeling is wonderful: don’t you ever turn it off!

Today, I’d like to acknowledge the last full-length track (let’s not count the 5 seconds of “Good Intentions”) off Evil Urges, track number 13, “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt.2.” This “Touch Me Pt. 1” follow-up transitions seamlessly from “Smokin’ From Shootin’” and takes over a minute-and-a-half introducing us to this new, spacey groove and, of course, that lovely Suzuki Omnichord.

Feeling, why?

Oh my: human needs, heartbeats.

I can see it, all by the way you smile:

I’m smiling too, I see myself in you.

I am with it, oh man, I am wired!

Oh, my lord, yeah, now I really know why.

So, on this most fabulous of Fridays, take out Evil Urges (in whichever format you prefer), put on your best pair of headphones (or speakers), and crank that shit up! It’s the weekend! Hope you have a great one.

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DOWNLOAD - Jim James - 2005-11-05 - KEXP - Easy Street Records - Seattle, WA

2011-03-31T16:41:00.002-05:00

Thanks again for the continued support everyone.

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01 Intro

02 It Beats 4 U

03 What A Wonderful Man

04 Sooner

05 Bermuda Highway

06 Hopefully

07 Fire Alarm (story)

08 Dondante

09 Anytime

10 Into The Woods

11 Outro

DOWNLOAD - Jim James - 2005-11-05 - Easy Street Records - Seattle, WA

The General Specific

2011-03-31T16:36:00.008-05:00

Here's what went down this past week music wise:

- Mark your calendars for May 31st.

- LCD Soundsystem has been killing it during their last week as a band. Be sure to tune in Saturday night and watch their last show ever.

- Arcade Fire played a surprise show in Haiti.

- The National made a music video for "Think You Can Wait."

- Albert Hammond, Jr. reveals why it took The Strokes five years to complete Angles. They band also hit up Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night.

- New York will play host to Phish's Super Ball IX.

Check back next week!

DOWNLOAD - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2006-10-03 - The Paradiso - Amsterdam

2011-03-31T15:55:00.002-05:00

Photo by: Jason Benton

I pray he's allowing soundboard recordings throughout his acoustic Euro tour.

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01 A Kiss Before I Go

02 Please Do Not Let Me Go

03 Magnolia Mountain

04 The End

05 To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)

06 Egyptology >

07 Tears Of Gold

08 Let It Ride

09 Dear John

10 What Sin Replaces Love

11 Dear Chicago >

12 Blue Hotel

13 Beautiful Sorta

14 Arkham Asylum

15 Stella Blue (The Grateful Dead)

16 Party Clown

17 Egyptology >

18 September

19 Cold Roses

20 Egg Machines >

21 Shakedown On 9th Street >

22 Untitled >

23 Goodnight Rose >

24 Judy Garland

DOWNLOAD - Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - 2006-10-03 - The Paradiso - Amsterdam

DOWNLOAD - Local Natives - 2010-03-18 - SXSW

2011-03-31T10:04:00.001-05:00

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01 Wild Eyes

02 Camera Talk

03 Warning Sign

04 Shape Shifter

05 Airplanes

06 Sun Hands

DOWNLOAD - Local Natives - 2010-03-18 - SXSW

WATCH - New Fleet Foxes Video “Grown Ocean”

2011-03-31T08:44:00.001-05:00

Who else can't wait for Helplessness Blues? Fleet Foxes second record will be here May 3rd, pre-order a copy here.

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DOWNLOAD - Kurt Vile - 2008-08-11 - Live at WFMU - New Jersey, NJ

2011-03-30T12:59:00.003-05:00

This guy reminds me of a Petty/Vedder/Young combo. Thanks Chris.

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01 It's Alright

02 Space Forklift

03 I Wanted Everything

04 Classic Rock In Spring

05 Nicotine Blues

DOWNLOAD - Kurt Vile - 2008-08-11 - Live at WFMU - New Jersey, NJ

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Live in Cannes, FRA

2011-03-30T12:27:00.002-05:00

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01 Juicebox

02 The End Has No End

03 Red Ligh

04 The Modern Age

05 Heart In a Cage

06 12 – 51

07 Alone, Together

08 Electricityscape

09 Is This It

10 Ize Of The Word

11 Someday

12 You Only Live Once

13 Hawaii

14 Last Nite

15 Hard To Explain

16 Vision Of Division

17 Reptilia

18 Take It Or Leave It

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Live in Cannes, FRA

Album Review: Pearl Jam – 'Vs.' Reissue

2011-03-29T15:30:00.004-05:00

This is exciting for me. First off, Pearl Jam is my favorite band of all-time. They were the band that first got me into music, so I feel qualified to be writing a review about an album that was released when I was two years old. That being said, if I fail at this review, maybe I should just stick with the news. But there’s a reason why I’m writing a review about an album that came out in 1993. Today, Vs. is being rereleased along with it’s 1994 follow-up Vitalogy.

“Go,” the album’s opening track, begins with one of Jeff Ament’s most famous bass lines pounding over Dave Abbruzzese’s hard drumming. The following track, “Animal,” is where the album got it’s original title from, which was Five Against One (told you I was a fan.) “Daughter” is one of only a couple speed bumps over the course of the album. A more stripped down song, Ament plays an upright bass on the track, and it features the first time that Stone Gossard had recorded a Pearl Jam song using an acoustic guitar. The album gets back on its aggressive track with “Glorified G,” a song Eddie Vedder penned after he found out that Abbruzzese had purchased a handgun. The song features technical guitar work from Gossard and Mike McCready, and it carries on over to the next track, “Dissident.” The tom-heavy “W.M.A.” is the only part of the album where it’s easy for the listener to drift off, but if they do, they will be brought right back with the heaviest track on the album, “Blood.” “Rearviewmirror” was actually the last song to be recorded for Vs. after numerous failed attempts, but all the practice paid off in the end with this fast-paced gem about leaving bad situations. “Rats” precedes the acoustic ballad “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.” Vedder frequently dedicates this song “to anyone from a small town who needs to get out.” The eleventh track on the album, “Leash,” is one of the most underrated Pearl Jam songs of all-time. This song is a perfect example as to why they have “jam” in their name. If you don’t believe me, take a look at this (don’t you just miss grunge fashion?) The album closes with “Indifference,” which to this point in the band’s career was the quietest that Vedder had ever sung.

So why should you go out and buy another copy of an album that you probably already own? The reissue is packed with goodies. First off, the packaging is really well done. The booklet includes photos of the original lyrics for each song as well as rare photos of the band. But the reason to buy albums that you already own is for the three bonus tracks, “Hold On,” “Cready Stomp,” and “Crazy Mary.” Diehard fans already know “Hold On” from Lost Dogs, the band’s album of B-sides, and anyone who has seen them live knows the Victoria Williams’ cover “Crazy Mary.” So the only new completely new material is the three-minute instrumental jam “Cready Stomp.”

I feel like Vs. is sometimes overlooked. Sure, it did great commercially, but it was released right in between the band’s two most critically acclaimed albums (Ten and Vitalogy.) This is the album where Pearl Jam just rocks the eff out the whole way through. It is without a doubt their most aggressive album. After the massive success of Ten, this was the album that proved that Pearl Jam wasn’t just some band whose fifteen minutes of fame was starting to wind down, but a legitimate rock band that would be around for years to come.

Verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Stand Out Tracks: “Daughter,” “Rearviewmirror,” “Leash,” “Cready Stomp”

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Lost Treasures

2011-03-29T11:25:00.004-05:00

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01 The Modern Age (Version 1)

02 Hard To Explain (Version 1)

03 Barely Legal (Version 1)

04 Someday (Version 1)

05 The Modern Age (Version 2)

06 Is This It

07 Barley Legal (Version 2)

08 Soma (Version 1)

09 Someday (Version 1)

10 Alone,Together

11 Last Nite (Version 1)

12 Hard To Explain (Version 2)

13 New York City Cops (Version 1)

14 Trying Your Luck

15 Take It Or Leave It

16 Soma (Version 2)

17 Last Nite (Version 2)

18 This Life

19 New York City Cops (Version 2)

DOWNLOAD - The Strokes - Lost Treasures

LouFest Announces 2011 Lineup

2011-03-29T09:16:00.002-05:00

The second ever LouFest will be home to some exciting this year. The two day music festival in St. Louis, MO will be held August 27-28 and discount passes can be had for a cool 59 pieces of scratch at LouFest.com now!

From Festival organizer Brian Cohen:

“I think we’ve come back with a bigger and better lineup. Along with the rock and Americana we’re bringing back from last year, we’ve added hip hop, soul, and dance, while staying true to our mission as an indie music festival."

My Morning Jacket "Circuital" Gets May 31 Release Date

2011-03-28T17:34:00.001-05:00

Mark your calendars! Circuital is coming at us on May 31st with the first single headed April 12th. Don't forget to check the T5 countdown to Circuital here.

DOWNLOAD - Johnny Winter w/ Muddy Waters - 1977-03-06 - The Tower Theater - Philly, PA

2011-03-28T12:38:00.001-05:00

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Disc 1

01 Hideway

02 Cotton Gin

03 Last Night

04 See See Baby

05 Rocket

06 How Long

07 Slow Blues

08 Done Got Over it

09 Crosscut Saw

10 Talk to Your Daughter

11 Band Intros

Disc 2

01 Muddy Intro

02 Hoochie Coochie Man

03 Blow Wind Blow

04 Walkin' Through the Park

05 Deep Down in Florida

06 Blues Had a Baby

07 I Can't Be Satisfied

08 Trouble No More

09 Howlin' Wolf

10 Mannish Boy

11 Got My Mojo Workin'

12 Oh Baby

DOWNLOAD - Johnny Winter w/ Muddy Waters - 1977-03-06 - The Tower Theater - Philly, PA

DOWNLOAD - Pearl Jam & Neil Young - 1995-06-24 - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco, CA

2011-03-28T10:10:00.002-05:00

Eddie has to quit, Neil fills in. Lots of intense guitar to be had here.

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01 Last Exit

02 Spin The Black Circle

03 Go

04 Animal

04 Tremor Christ

05 Corduroy

06 Not For You

07 Speech

08 Big Green Country

09 Act Of Love

10 Throw Your Hatred Down

11 Powderfinger

12 Truth Be Known

13 Rockin' In The Free World

14 The Needle And The Damage Done

15 Hey Hey, My My

16 I'm The Ocean

17 Down By The River

18 Downtown

19 Cortez The Killer

20 Jeff Speech

21 Peace And Love

22 Rockin' In The Free World

DOWNLOAD - Pearl Jam & Neil Young - 1995-06-24 - Golden Gate Park - San Francisco, CA

New Music Monday - Dear Pinetop . . .

2011-03-28T10:00:00.005-05:00

There are a few things in this world that I truly covet. I covet the Cubs. I covet the career of Cal Ripken, Jr. I covet the writing of Kerouac and Fitzgerald. And, this should come as no surprise, I covet music. More than anything, I covet music that comes from the heart, music that embodies a polaroid snapshot in a person's life. In my seemingly infinite quest to reduce music to it's purest form, to its essence, I always come back to the blues, to songs written by men who encountered hardship on a daily basis because, when you put it into context, you realize that these guys couldn't go to "whites only" restaurants or water fountains. They recorded music at a time when they were seen as second class citizens, a time when Jim Crow dictated their participation in the public forum. Despite all the roadblocks, they still made music. They played in tiny bars throughout the south that were lovingly referred to as, "jukes." They cut records then went back to the fields where they were simply sharecroppers. But, all that aside, they made music that not only endured, but laid the foundations for every single sound, every single song, every single thing that's considered American music today.

The blues is, in every possibly aspect of the word, the beginning of music for me. Without the blues, there is no Rolling Stones. There is no Doors. There is no Zeppelin, no Aerosmith, no AC/DC, no Stevie Ray Vaughn, no Bob Dylan, no Springsteen, no Otis Redding or Public Enemy . . . for me, the blues is the absolute genesis of music as I know it today and this past week, March 21st, to be exact, the world lost a disciple of American music in Pinetop Perkins.

Pinetop Perkins died March 21st, 2011 at the ripe old age of 97. His age never stopped him as he'd just won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album. For a man born July 7, 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi, Pinetop was the undeniably perfect example of the blues. He spent more than a decade playing and touring with Muddy Waters and is, for all intents and purposes, the raison d'etre, the standard for any piano player in music today. To put it quite simply, Pinetop played the hell out of a piano. I don't care who you are, you can't deny his impact on the world of music. Without him, there never would have been a Little Richard. There never would have been a Ray Charles. There never would have been a Jerry Lee Lewis or a Stevie Wonder. That's how important this man is to music, not to mention, he was probably one of TWO living people that actually knew Robert Johnson (the other being David "Honeyboy" Edwards).

We lost a legend, a TRUE legend, and that deserves a moment of our time. Rest in peace, Pinetop. The world lost you, but we'll never lose your music.

The loss of Pinetop and and short twitter exchange I had with a friend really inspired this weeks music. My friend, the one and only Penelope Quick, is expecting her first child, a girl that she's so lovingly named Hallie Grace, after her mom and her best friend. The day that Pinetop died, we mentioned the blues and the musical education of her unborn daughter. She said, via Twitter, about Pinetop: "His piano skills were boss but I loved the gravel in his voice. I wish more young people appreciated this era of musicians." I mentioned a few other blues players and she came back with this, "& RL Burnside, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf... I'm definitely feeling a Baby Blues Mix. A playlist for my fetus. Yeah....," and I immediately began thinking of how i would introduce someone to what I consider the basis for all music today, the blues.

I'm sure that if you ask anyone who you consider to be, "in the know" about music" to name a blues song that they can. They'll mention Stevie Ray Vaughn because he was popular. The might even mention a song like, "The Sky is Crying," because it was just the absolute epitome of the blues. What they wouldn't mention, probably because they were too ignorant to actually do their homework, is that Stevie Ray Vaughn was borrowing a song or "covering" a song that was recorded by Elmore James in 1960. THAT is what gets me about people. Know what your listening to. Know the importance of each and every song because THAT is what gives us the grand idea of music.

With that, I put together a little blues for you. Have at it.

"I'm a King Bee" - Slim Harpo (1957)

This song is simply perfect, so much so that The Rolling Stones saw fit to cover it and include it on their debut album.

"Devil Got My Woman" - Skip James (1968)

Simply put, Skip James was a D-minor genius who recorded music in the 1930's, disappeared, then reappeared in the 1960's, in the middle of a "folkie movement" that he absolutely abhorred.

"My Time is Expensive" - Slim Harpo

Probably more famous for his song, "The Things I Used to Do," Harpo recorded music that, early in his career, was produced by and up and coming musician named Ray Charles.

"I Can't Quit You Baby" - Otis Rush (1956)

The song was written by the legendary Willie Dixon and was revered so much by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page that they covered it for their self-titled debut in 1969

"All Your Love" - Magic Sam (1957)

Chicago was never the same after, what some consider to be the "trinity" of the Chicago blues was spawned with Otis Rush, Magic Sam, and the icon Buddy guy reinvented the blues.

"Call It Stormy Monday" - T-Bone Walker (1947)

"Classic" isn't enough word for this song. Just ask guitar legends like Albert King and Eric Clapton. They recorded covers because it's that damn good.

"Juke" - Little Walter (1952)

Recorded when Little Walter was only 22 years old, "Juke" has become the standard for the harmonica, PERIOD.

"The Sky is Crying" - Elmore James (1960)

The song is, to put it mildly, 12 bar brilliance. Most people associate this song with Stevie Ray Vaughn, but Albert King got there before SRV. Elmore delivers a masterpiece, plain and simple. SRV was great, but Elmore made it all possible.

So, for Pinetop and the unborn Hallie Grace . . .I put together some blues for you. Some you'll know and some you may not.

DOWNLOAD - Volume 1

DOWNLOAD - Volume 2

So, at a time when we lose a legend, we're graced with new life. Listen to your mom, Hallie Grace. The woman has good taste.

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Aluminum Park

2011-03-28T07:00:00.008-05:00

Photo credit: Roderick Trestrail

Well good morning to ya! I hope you all had a grand weekend and are refreshed, ready, and pumped for the new week ahead! Last week certainly gave us a few reasons to be energized, and this week is sure to bring us more.

Over at The Countdown, we’re going to have yet another Evil Urges-filled week. We’ll celebrate tracks 6 though 10 (that’s “Sec Walkin” through “Aluminum Park”). Looking forward to enjoying these songs with all of you!

Today is Monday, so naturally we need some no-nonsense, straightforward rock’n’roll. Right, right? That’s why we’ll take another look at track number 10 off Evil Urges, “Aluminum Park.”

You can care if you wanna.

You can care if you don’t.

But c’mon it’s a big, big world now,

You gotta get what you want.

Upbeat and bright, “Aluminum Park” is one of MMJ’s most danceable and uncomplicated tunes. Its catchy chorus and major tonality could align it with one of your typical poppy-rock tracks, but this is My Morning Jacket we’re talking about. The tremendous musicianship is still apparent (see Patrick’s rhythms, vocal layering, Bo’s fantastic support on the keys, and delicious solos throughout) and, of course, Jim’s distinctive voice and screeches set this tune apart from anything you’d hear on the radio. Still, it is amazingly accessible, not to mention cheerful!

Well, it’s a little bit important to me,

You get a whole lot of what you need.

So you can ride, ride, ride on down

To the aluminum park. RIDE!

Have a fantastic week, everyone! Keep lookin’ up. J

***Also, don’t forget to get the fourth free download from the T5 shows today!***

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DOWNLOAD - Band of Horses - 2010-08-30 - Black Session - Paris, FRA

2011-03-25T16:13:00.002-05:00

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01 Intro

02 Ode To LRC

03 Compliments

04 Marry Song

05 For Annabelle

06 Factory

07 Laredo

08 Older

09 Is There A Ghost

10 The General Specific

11 Evening Kitchen

12 Blue Beard

13 No One's Gonna Love You

14 The Funeral

DOWNLOAD - Band of Horses - 2010-08-30 - Black Session - Paris, FRA

Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – Highly Suspicious

2011-03-25T15:00:00.005-05:00

Sweetpickles! This has been a very, very exciting and wonderful week for all of us My Morning Jacket fans. On Monday, we received the third of five free downloads from the Terminal 5 shows. On Tuesday, MMJ announced new tour dates for this summer, choosing to play in very intimate settings. Lastly, new Circuital track titles were revealed in the most recent issue of Rolling Stone (March 31, 2011, pg. 30). We now can add “The Day Is Coming” and “Slow Slow Tune” to our track lists.

This week at The Countdown, we began our fifth segment: Evil Urges. This weekend, we’ll celebrate I’m Amazed Day and Thank You Too Day. Definitely two of my favorite tracks off the 2008 album.

Today, let’s take a look at one of the more controversial tracks off Evil Urges, “Highly Suspicious.”

Wastin’ time home alone, dotting your “i’s”

Peanut butter pudding surprise!

Ain’t nobody care what’s going on in your mind –

But they got they eye on your prize…

I’m sure of all MMJ songs thus far, Highly Suspicious has likely faced the most resistance. Jim’s falsetto and funk overtones make this tune hard to swallow for some of you folks who appreciate MMJ’s “softer side.” However, few can argue that this is an unmistakably unique and inventive track. Another take on “Evil Urges,” “Highly Suspicious” again suggests that we should question what is right and what is wrong, only this time with regard to the law (whereas “Urges” is more faith-related).

Wasting all your time on drama, could be solving real crime

Waste away your mind too…

I’m highly suspicious of you.

Thought I'd include the VHS or Beta Remix!

Whatever your take is on this track, I implore you to take a new listen to it. If you can’t appreciate the musical stylings, at least indulge in the absurdity and deeper lyrical concepts. Enjoy yourself and have a fantastic weekend!

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DOWNLOAD - Everest - 2010-11-11 - Live at Cats Cradle

2011-03-25T12:25:00.003-05:00

01 Catalyst

02 Trees

03 Revolution Blues

04 I've Had This Feeling Before

05 House of 9's

06 The Rush

07 Let Go

08 I See It In Your Eyes

DOWNLOAD - Everest - 2010-11-11 - Live at Cats Cradle

The General Specific

2011-03-24T18:51:00.004-05:00

Here’s want went down this past week music wise:

- My Morning Jacket announce a bunch of tour dates.

- Radiohead are giving out a newspaper next Monday?

- An Eddie Vedder solo album is indeed in the works.

- The Strokes hit up Letterman.

- You can still watch LCD Soundsystem's final concert ever even if you don't live in New York.

- Start saving your pennies. Record Store Day is going to be insane this year.

Check back next week!

DOWNLOAD - Cold War Kids - 2007-06-01 - The Forum - Sydney, AUS

2011-03-24T11:26:00.000-05:00

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01 Passing The Hat

02 Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (traditional)

03 We Used to Vacation

04 Saint John

05 Hospital Beds

06 Red Wine, Success!

07 Robbers

08 Every Valley Is Not A Lake

09 Hang Me Up To Dry

10 Hair Down

11 Well, Well, Well (John Lennon Cover)

DOWNLOAD - Cold War Kids - 2007-06-01 - The Forum - Sydney, AUS

DOWNLOAD - Spoon - 2011 - Take Away Show - Blogotheque

2011-03-24T10:18:00.001-05:00

Really amazing, bare bone acoustic jams from one of the best rock and roll bands out there.

01 Black Like Me

02 The Ghost of You Lingers

03 Got Nuffin'

DOWNLOAD - Spoon - 2011 - Take Away Show - Blogotheque

Fourth Anniversary Week Starts Today

2011-03-24T09:23:00.000-05:00

I seriously I can't believe this thing has been active for four years today! Today will kick off a massive flurry of downloads concluding next Thursday (no weekend action, sorry!).

Thanks to everyone that I'v spoken with, exchanged emails with, shared music with and experienced music with. It's truly been a pleasure and I look forward to the future.

Whatever Wednesday

2011-03-23T13:30:00.003-05:00

Whatever Wednesday is going to be a recurring segment that focuses on...nothing at all! Just read to read, no point, no motive, just music and words.

-Jason

=============

My job is to tell it like it is, or was, or whatever.

Photo by Enrico Molino

Foxy hero gets by with a little help from his friends

Okay I’ll let you in on a secret that I have only told a selected few, I have a crush on Robin Hood. Why would you keep that a secret you might ask, while envisioning a grim, but sexy Russel Crowe fighting for the poor... Okay, so let’s say it’s not just Russel Crowe, let’s say it’s every incarnation of Robin Hood, including the animated Disney fox. Yup, clearly my taste and sanity can be questioned, but stick with me, the story gets better.

Since this here Steam Engine is all about music, I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of music Robin Hood would listen to if he were to visit this time and age and this is what I came up with.

Do you need anybody?
First of all Robin Hood is the poster boy, for good reason, but where would he be without his band of merry men? Just as one does not simply walk into Mordor, one does not simply confront corruption locally, while leading an uprising against the crown, at least not all alone. Naturally Robin’s first playlist pick would have to be a tribute to his friends and what better song than With A Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles? However, since Robin recently saw the 2007 movie Across The Universe, he went for a slightly different version, sung by Joe Anderson and Jim Sturgess. Call it blasphemy, call it crazy, but it’s what Robin told me, I’m only conveying the message…

With A Little Help From My Friends, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson

My country 'this of thee
While the Robin Hood gang likes rowdy protest music as much as the next noble outlaw, once they get back to the camp after a long day of fighting, they prefer a calmer type of music. Robin likes to get his guitar out (is there anything that man can't do?) and play a wistful tune from the soon-to-be-found New World (he can tell the future too!), by troubadour Ani DiFranco

My Country 'Tis Of Thee, Ani DiFranco (camp music)
Roosevelt Room, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (iPod while fighting music)

Would you be an outlaw for my love?
Though friendship and revolutionary action is most important to Robin Hood, nothing is more important to him than a certain Lady. Rarely has there been a more romantic scene than the one where Robin confesses his love for Marian with the simple but achingly heartfelt: Marian, my darling, I love you more than life itself. So the last and most important pick has to be a song about love, namely Thirteen and Robin prefers the Elliott Smith version, it’s just how he rolls.

Thirteen, Elliott Smith

My Morning Jacket Announce Tour Dates

2011-03-22T14:57:00.002-05:00

Well, along with My Morning Jacket's next record, Circuital, looks like we'll be getting a summer tour. They've already been confirmed for about every major festival under the sun and now they've announced a hefty amount of other gigs. I'll definitely be in Chicago, maybe Red Rocks (because it would be awesome).

What I find interesting is that most of the non festival dates are in theaters despite it being a summer tour. Perhaps the new material is best suited for a more intimate setting?

Also, check out the amazing free downloads they're giving away leading up to Circuital here. The recordings are from the holy T5 shows.

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04/17 – Lexington, KY - Memorial Coliseum at University of Kentucky

05/20-22 – Gulf Shores, AL - Hangout Festival

06/02-05 – Ozark, AR - Wakarusa Festival

06/02-05 – Hunter Mountain, NY - Mountain Jam

06/09-12 – Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Music Festival

06/17 – Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre

06/22 – Los Angeles, CA - Pantages Theatre

06/24 – Oakland, CA - Fox Theater

06/26 – Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre

06/28 – Portland, OR - Edgefield

06/29 – Vancouver, BC - Orpheum

06/30-07/03 – Quincy, CA - High Sierra Festival

07/11 – Toronto, ON - Kool Haus

07/12 – Montreal, QC - Metrpolis

07/14-17 – Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival

08/04 – Morrison, CO - Red Rocks

Start Your Week Right: With My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

2011-03-21T12:09:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday, everyone! Spring is officially upon us, and I hope you had some beautiful weather over the weekend, wherever you are. If not, hopefully Lay Low kept your spirits high.

This week at The Countdown, we’re finishing up with the last two tracks from 2005’s Z, Knot Comes Loose Day (today) and Dondante Day (tomorrow). Then we’ll be moving on to 2008’s Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket’s fifth and most recent studio album. I can hardly believe that we’re already into the fifth segment of our countdown (almost two months in!).

Nuanced and lyrical (well, more “wordy” than previous albums), Evil Urges faced mixed reviews from both fans and critics. Many believed that My Morning Jacket had changed “their sound” or genre by adding funk and R&B influences. However, who wants to keep making the same album over and over again? Bands are supposed to experiment and progress to new, creative levels. It shouldn’t be a shock when a band makes music that is new and different (that’s what they’re supposed to do). What do you guys think?

To start off your wonderful week, let’s check out Evil Urges’ opening (and title) track “Evil Urges.”

The things they say are evil urges, baby

They be part of the human way

It ain’t evil if it ain’t hurin’ anybody

Exploring the topics of religion and self-regulation, “Evil Urges” can make one question his or her own views about what morality actually is. Musically, what stands out most in this track is Patrick’s ever-impressive rhythm (especially with the bass kicks) at the track’s start. From then, we are led into this new world that MMJ has created: Evil Urges. Jim’s falsetto, major tonality, and beautiful arrangement of orchestral strings make this track refreshing and fantastic to someone who thinks he has generalized MMJ’s “sound.”

I’m not saying, I’m not saying that I want it someday.

I’m not saying, I’m not saying that I want is somehow.

Oh, I’m ready for it now!

(Isn’t Patrick’s hair stunning?)

I hope you all have a great week! Don’t be too hard on yourself.

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New Music Monday - Feeling Like Spring . . .

2011-03-21T11:17:00.001-05:00

It's starting to feel a bit like spring outside. It seems as if winter has left the building and it's about time. It's almost like March Madness drove winter into a whole somewhere. This is probably the only time of the year that I will keep a television on constantly. It doesn't matter that my team isn't in the tournament. It's just the excitement of the "one and done" tournament atmosphere. Win and keep playing. Lose . . .and you're done, going home until next year. You may like basketball and you may not, but you can't deny the built in excitement. Anyway, enough about sports . . .

Do you ever get obsessed with a song, obsessed the point that you listen to it over and over and over? Well, I have and I still do. It doesn't even have to be a new song, just a random song in general. For the last few days, I've really only listened to two songs. For me, that's just crazy talk. Two songs? That's it? Yep . . .just two. Normally, I"m all over the musical map in the course of a single day. I'll meander through an album, then jump to another, back and forth, covering a lot of ground genre-wise. I may start the day with Pete Yorn then jump to Blackstar. After that, it's on to The Black Keys, then Buddy Guy (if you're not familiar, check out the video and you'll see why both Hendrix and Clapton were such big fans. Check out Buddy's Blues (Chess 50th Anniversary Collection) for the old school stuff, and Sweet Tea for more recent recordings) and maybe even ending up with Jamey Johnson or Shooter Jennings (true outlaw country that would make Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash proud ) and so on. You get the picture.

I've been obsessed with these two songs:

I'm thoroughly convinced that The National can do no wrong . . .period.

For some odd reason, this song just popped in my head the other night. Deftones happen to have done quite a few amazing covers and this is definitely one of them.

Ok . . .enough rambling. This weeks band is pretty damn good, so let's get to it.

It's hard to imagine that California Wives basically began as a side project for Jayson Kramer (vocals, keys, guitar), Dan Zima (vocals, bass, guitar), Hans Michel (guitar, keys) and Joe O'Connor (drums), but they quickly realized they had something between them, something cohesive . . .something that just made perfect sense (none of the California Wives are actually wives . . .or even women for that matter). Combining two things that I dearly love, music and Chicago, California Wives produce a sound that could easily be compared to The Police or New Order. As a huge fan of The Police, I'M IN!! There's also an element of their sound that could easily be compared to Nada Surf. Somewhere in the melodies and the hooks are stirring, beautifully written songs that somehow just float through your ears long enough for you to get lost in them with an ease that's not seen in music much anymore.

Their EP, "Affair" is five songs that really capture the bands dynamic. Sandwiched between the rousing beach worth opener, "Blook Red Youth" and the absolutely perfect bookend, "Photolights," are three additional songs that sound like they could provide the soundtrack to the changing of winter to spring. Fitting, considering the weather, huh? These songs are each perfect examples of how music an sound warm and inviting without being some sort of unbearably cheesy Don Ho version of what good music can be. This band deserves to be heard, so buy their EP and let everyone you know who appreciates music have a listen.

You can find California Wives on Facebook, MySpace and on Twitter and on their Official website, where you can also stream the EP, "Affair."

Spread the word, boys and girls.

chris

p.s. i've had the pleasure of posting some guest playlists on one word titles. if you'd like to so one, let me know. i always love knowing what others are listening to and this is the perfect opportunity. email me HERE if you'd like more info!

Kick Off Your Weekend Right: With My Morning Jacket – Lay Low

2011-03-18T15:00:00.007-05:00

What a wonderful week this has been! Music-wise, at the very least, so many exciting things occurred this week. The release of J. Mascis’ first solo record this past Tuesday (I recommend picking it up), and in My Morning Jacket news, we received a second “Circuital Countdown download,” a new tour date, and the SXSW premiere of Danny Clinch’s film, Louisiana Fairytale, in which MMJ appears!

We’ve had a great week over at The Countdown as well, coasting right along into the second half of Z, today being Into the Woods Day (which I discussed in Monday’s post). This weekend we’ll celebrate Anytime Day and Lay Low Day. Check the tweets for delightful links, lyrics, fun facts, and more! Exclusively My Morning Jacket-related, naturally.

Lay low why don’t you now?

Lay back awhile and I’ll show ya –

I got the good that you want.

No need to go and hunt something else.

It’s difficult to discuss tremendously ass-kicking guitar solos and duets without mentioning track number eight off the Z album, Lay Low. From Patrick's opening pulse and the entrance Carl and Jim’s call-and-response guitar thereafter, it’s easy to feel how Lay Low is going to build up to something memorable.

Law low if the feel is right,

I got all that I want here in you tonight,

And we’ll pass out on the bedroom floor,

After goin’ like this so long.

This appealing groove, not to mention sexy lyrics, captivates us and takes us somewhere. You think you like what you’ve been hearing for the first half of the tune? Well, prepare to be completely BLOWN AWAY by the second half. Lay Low changes gears from logical, rhythmic patterns into an overflowing, passionate feast of melodic variety that is truly mesmerizing.

So, “in an open car, or wherever you are,” turn up the volume and enjoy yourself! Have a great weekend, everyone!

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