These are by no means new, but creative and still highly enjoyable.
Blondie vs The Doors, "Rapture Riders":
LCD Soundsystem (who killed with Nilsson's "Jump Into The Fire"), doing Joy Division's "No Love Lost":
John Cale (co-founder of The Velvet Underground, thankyouverymuch) covers LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends":
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Showing posts with label LCD Soundsystem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LCD Soundsystem. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Best of 2007, Part X
In the immortal words of Soul II Soul: Back to life, back to reality / Back to the here and now, yeah. The holidays have come and gone once again, and the middleCoast offices are back open for bizness.
To finalize the mC staff member Best (and/or Worst) Lists of 2007, we present the conclusion of the:
Top 20 Albums of 2007 (Nos. 10-1)
Number Ten (10)
Artist: The New Pornographers
Album: Challengers
Label: Matador
Release Date: August 21, 2007
On their fourth full-length, the Canadian supergroup puts on a clinic in how to craft brilliant pop music. Neko Case and Dan Bejar, fresh from making two of the best albums of 2006 on separate projects, reunite with Carl Newman and the boys to produce a mature and cohesive collection of power pop and rock anthems few bands of today even attempt. "My Rights Versus Yours" is quintessential New Pornographers, while "All the Old Showstoppers" and "Unguided" are bittersweet tales that will challenge even the most afflicted shoegazers to raise their eyes and fists to the sky.
Number Nine (9)
Artist: Spoon
Album: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Label: Merge
Release Date: July 10, 2007
Album title notwithstanding, Spoon have created their best album to date with Ga [et cetera]. Wallpapering our ears with sounds stemming from Motown ("You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" and "The Underdog") to Memphis ("Don't Make Me a Target"), the design remains complete and beautiful. Whether pounding on the keys or crooning into the mic, Britt Daniel finally gives us everything he's got, holding back only when appropriate ("The Ghost of You Lingers"), and the precision and detail Spoon has become so gifted at cultivating into pop tracks manifests itself in some of the most soulful rock in years.
Number Eight (8)
Artist: Band of Horses
Album: Cease to Begin
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: October 9, 2007
In 2006, Band of Horses burst onto the Indie Rock scene with one of the top releases of the year, Everything All of the Time. Despite that success, co-founder Mat Brooke departed in order to spend time with his other band, Grand Archives, leaving Ben Bridwell to begin again. Now, with new Horses Rob Hampton and Creighton Barrett, Bridwell gives us a sophomore release replete with all the swirling sing-alongs, good ole boy twang, and heartfelt ballads that made the debut so tantalizing. On "Ode to LRC" when Bridwell exalts in his crystal clear tenor, "The world is such a wonderful place", the beauty of melody and harmony make us inclined to believe this simple truth.
Number Seven (7)
Artist: Yeasayer
Album: All Hour Symbols
Label: We Are Free
Release Date: October 23, 2007
With the most promising debut of the year, Brooklyn's Yeasayer mix and match a veritable smörgåsbord of influences and derivatives. "Sunrise" and "2080" are psychedelic pop gems in the vein of The Beta Band or Spiritualized, but tracks like "Ah, Weir"and "Many Waves" venture into experiments in Middle Eastern and African musics. Combined with their pitch-perfect harmonizing, they manage to pull off the rare album that is simultaneously art-/experimental-/post-rock AND accessible. Despite the journey through such worldly sounds, at no point does Symbols feel pretentious or condescending. Instead, the kool kids are friendly and inclusive, and we can all tag along for the ride.
Number Six (6)
Artist: Blonde Redhead
Album: 23
Label: 4AD
Release Date: April 10, 2007
The haunting melancholy that drenches 23 seems to make for perfect rainy-day music. The alternating vocals from Kazu Makino and Amedeo Pace provide a tender framework for their lush and yearning tracks. Each song feels consistently and continually anxious, like the jilted lover counting the days passed since loneliness struck. What surprises, though, is the point when that dejection and despair start to feel good. Attachment to the gloom fills the void and becomes cathartic, and soon the album sounds just as lovely even on a sunny day.
Number Five (5)
Artist: Peter Bjorn & John
Album: Writer's Block
Label: Wichita
Release Date: February 6, 2007 (US)
When was the last time you could hear a song - a song featuring whistling, no less - over and over and over again on the radio, in commercials, in movies and still NOT get sick of it? "Young Folks" miraculously pulls off this feat, and it may not even be the best song on Writer's Block. After the brief instrumental opening of the title track, "Objects of My Affection" leads off the album with a coming-to-terms anthem, declaring a heartening self-awareness. We then get to enjoy the aforementioned "Young Folks", followed by similarly poppy "Amsterdam", which (perhaps intentionally) leads into the mellow "Start to Melt". The next few tracks continue the wistful dream-pop before another standout, "The Chills", alters the direction of the final few songs with its echoing vocals laid over percussion and bass-driven melody that calm and quiet the soul. The mingling of the earnest and energetic pop with the brooding atmospherics will ensure the album's place as a modern-day classic.
Number Four (4)
Artist: LCD Soundsystem
Album: Sound of Silver
Label: Capitol
Release Date: March 20, 2007
Disco-punk king, James Murphy, makes the best music around for white kids to dance to. What he's also managed to accomplish with Sound of Silver, though, are some of the most touching pop tunes of the year. The humor in "North American Scum", for example, when Murphy points out that "New York's the greatest if you get someone to pay the rent" balances with the bittersweet elegy of "Someone Great" because at the surface and at the base are the sonic grooves that keep moving forward. Bringing Side 1 to a conclusion (not accidentally) is "All My Friends", a new wave throwback that would fit alongside the best New Order track. The transition from adolescence into adulthood is a difficult one rife with poor decisions and a tendency to latch onto immature behaviors; what comes across with "All My Friends" is the acceptance of mistakes and realization that there aren't really any right answers, so there can't be any wrong answers, either. So just keep dancing.
Number Three (3)
Artist: The National
Album: Boxer
Label: Beggars Banquet
Release Date: May 22, 2007
I could've easily rearranged my Top 3 albums in any order, as Boxer is quite possibly the best of the year. Matt Berninger's plaintive baritone recalls Leonard Cohen, as do many of the short stories disguised as songs. The dense arrangements and emotive tones call for deep introspection, while the intimate and personal lyrics provide the basis for each listener to relate in his or her own way. The album contains wholly different meanings for each listener taking the time to pay attention. By being dramatically specific, The National's reach widens and expands to dramatically universal territory.
Number Two (2)
Artist: Arcade Fire
Album: Neon Bible
Label: Merge
Release Date: March 6, 2007
When the revolution comes, Arcade Fire will be on the front lines, leading the charge. The ebullience and theatrics of Neon Bible alternate between anthemic arena-rock and the state-of-affairs despair. "Keep the Car Running", "Intervention", and "No Cars Go" certainly provide a fair comparison to Springsteen, as do the multi-instrumental orchestrations permeating throughout. Win Butler and company maintain their originality, however, with experiments into more progressive song structure and arrangements, such as "Black Wave / Bad Vibrations" and "Ocean of Noise". The result is a lush and enthusiastic collection of fist-pumpers that play like gospel music to indie kids. Music is undoubtedly a religious experience, and Arcade Fire open their arms wide to inspire faith.
Number One (1)
Artist: Radiohead
Album: In Rainbows (Disc One)
Label: self-released
Release Date: October 10, 2007 (online)
I've hesitated writing about In Rainbows for a couple months now. First of all, the novelty of Radiohead's online release allowing fans to choose their own price has come off as revolutionary and a slam against record companies. Whether or not this method will result in any sort of industry sea change is still to be determined. Unfortunately, the hullabaloo surrounding this topic has detracted from the music itself. Which is my other hesitation in writing on it. As a Radiohead fan, it's quite difficult to critique without any bias. The original 10 tracks of Disc One have played over and over again in my home and in my head. What I'm trying to determine is if my initial reaction is accurate. You see, I'm inclined to say that In Rainbows is very simply the best Radiohead album yet. What that means, then, is that In Rainbows is better than OK Computer and better than Kid A; and in this humble fan's opinion, OK Computer and Kid A just happen to be two of the greatest albums ever recorded in the history of modern music. So to say that In Rainbows is better than those two classics is to also say that it is one of the greatest albums of all time. A difficult claim to make just three months after its release.
What I will claim is that In Rainbows is the band's most mature and sophisticated album to date. Combining the digital-rock gloom of Kid A, the subtle textures of OK Computer's balladry, the jazz-inspired wanderings of Amnesiac, and the night rain-drenched cool of Thom Yorke's The Eraser, In Rainbows finally feels like the next logical step for the world's foremost musicians. Yorke's pained but hopeful lyrics and vocals, Jonny Greenwood's post-classical compositions, and Phil Selway's underrated beats that keep pace for songs that live outside of time - all anchored by Nigel Godrich's production - are simultaneously advanced and grounded.
Certainly, parallels to previous albums exist: the digi-rock of openers "15 Step" and "Bodysnatchers" recall "Idioteque" and "Myxomatosis (Judge, Jury & Executioner)", respectively, while closer "Videotape" shares the minimalist denouement of Kid A finale, "Motion Picture Soundtrack". But there is a buoyancy to the new tracks that hadn't existed so fully on prior albums. The paranoia remains, and maybe gravity does always win, but it doesn't always have to get you down. Even this album's title implies a light at the end of the tunnel: in rainbows we glimpse those shades of vibrant color that shine through the bleak landscape after the storm.
-JasonToo
To finalize the mC staff member Best (and/or Worst) Lists of 2007, we present the conclusion of the:
Top 20 Albums of 2007 (Nos. 10-1)
Number Ten (10)
Artist: The New PornographersAlbum: Challengers
Label: Matador
Release Date: August 21, 2007
On their fourth full-length, the Canadian supergroup puts on a clinic in how to craft brilliant pop music. Neko Case and Dan Bejar, fresh from making two of the best albums of 2006 on separate projects, reunite with Carl Newman and the boys to produce a mature and cohesive collection of power pop and rock anthems few bands of today even attempt. "My Rights Versus Yours" is quintessential New Pornographers, while "All the Old Showstoppers" and "Unguided" are bittersweet tales that will challenge even the most afflicted shoegazers to raise their eyes and fists to the sky.
Number Nine (9)
Artist: SpoonAlbum: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Label: Merge
Release Date: July 10, 2007
Album title notwithstanding, Spoon have created their best album to date with Ga [et cetera]. Wallpapering our ears with sounds stemming from Motown ("You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" and "The Underdog") to Memphis ("Don't Make Me a Target"), the design remains complete and beautiful. Whether pounding on the keys or crooning into the mic, Britt Daniel finally gives us everything he's got, holding back only when appropriate ("The Ghost of You Lingers"), and the precision and detail Spoon has become so gifted at cultivating into pop tracks manifests itself in some of the most soulful rock in years.
Number Eight (8)
Artist: Band of HorsesAlbum: Cease to Begin
Label: Sub Pop
Release Date: October 9, 2007
In 2006, Band of Horses burst onto the Indie Rock scene with one of the top releases of the year, Everything All of the Time. Despite that success, co-founder Mat Brooke departed in order to spend time with his other band, Grand Archives, leaving Ben Bridwell to begin again. Now, with new Horses Rob Hampton and Creighton Barrett, Bridwell gives us a sophomore release replete with all the swirling sing-alongs, good ole boy twang, and heartfelt ballads that made the debut so tantalizing. On "Ode to LRC" when Bridwell exalts in his crystal clear tenor, "The world is such a wonderful place", the beauty of melody and harmony make us inclined to believe this simple truth.
Number Seven (7)
Artist: YeasayerAlbum: All Hour Symbols
Label: We Are Free
Release Date: October 23, 2007
With the most promising debut of the year, Brooklyn's Yeasayer mix and match a veritable smörgåsbord of influences and derivatives. "Sunrise" and "2080" are psychedelic pop gems in the vein of The Beta Band or Spiritualized, but tracks like "Ah, Weir"and "Many Waves" venture into experiments in Middle Eastern and African musics. Combined with their pitch-perfect harmonizing, they manage to pull off the rare album that is simultaneously art-/experimental-/post-rock AND accessible. Despite the journey through such worldly sounds, at no point does Symbols feel pretentious or condescending. Instead, the kool kids are friendly and inclusive, and we can all tag along for the ride.
Number Six (6)
Artist: Blonde RedheadAlbum: 23
Label: 4AD
Release Date: April 10, 2007
The haunting melancholy that drenches 23 seems to make for perfect rainy-day music. The alternating vocals from Kazu Makino and Amedeo Pace provide a tender framework for their lush and yearning tracks. Each song feels consistently and continually anxious, like the jilted lover counting the days passed since loneliness struck. What surprises, though, is the point when that dejection and despair start to feel good. Attachment to the gloom fills the void and becomes cathartic, and soon the album sounds just as lovely even on a sunny day.
Number Five (5)
Artist: Peter Bjorn & JohnAlbum: Writer's Block
Label: Wichita
Release Date: February 6, 2007 (US)
When was the last time you could hear a song - a song featuring whistling, no less - over and over and over again on the radio, in commercials, in movies and still NOT get sick of it? "Young Folks" miraculously pulls off this feat, and it may not even be the best song on Writer's Block. After the brief instrumental opening of the title track, "Objects of My Affection" leads off the album with a coming-to-terms anthem, declaring a heartening self-awareness. We then get to enjoy the aforementioned "Young Folks", followed by similarly poppy "Amsterdam", which (perhaps intentionally) leads into the mellow "Start to Melt". The next few tracks continue the wistful dream-pop before another standout, "The Chills", alters the direction of the final few songs with its echoing vocals laid over percussion and bass-driven melody that calm and quiet the soul. The mingling of the earnest and energetic pop with the brooding atmospherics will ensure the album's place as a modern-day classic.
Number Four (4)
Artist: LCD SoundsystemAlbum: Sound of Silver
Label: Capitol
Release Date: March 20, 2007
Disco-punk king, James Murphy, makes the best music around for white kids to dance to. What he's also managed to accomplish with Sound of Silver, though, are some of the most touching pop tunes of the year. The humor in "North American Scum", for example, when Murphy points out that "New York's the greatest if you get someone to pay the rent" balances with the bittersweet elegy of "Someone Great" because at the surface and at the base are the sonic grooves that keep moving forward. Bringing Side 1 to a conclusion (not accidentally) is "All My Friends", a new wave throwback that would fit alongside the best New Order track. The transition from adolescence into adulthood is a difficult one rife with poor decisions and a tendency to latch onto immature behaviors; what comes across with "All My Friends" is the acceptance of mistakes and realization that there aren't really any right answers, so there can't be any wrong answers, either. So just keep dancing.
Number Three (3)
Artist: The NationalAlbum: Boxer
Label: Beggars Banquet
Release Date: May 22, 2007
I could've easily rearranged my Top 3 albums in any order, as Boxer is quite possibly the best of the year. Matt Berninger's plaintive baritone recalls Leonard Cohen, as do many of the short stories disguised as songs. The dense arrangements and emotive tones call for deep introspection, while the intimate and personal lyrics provide the basis for each listener to relate in his or her own way. The album contains wholly different meanings for each listener taking the time to pay attention. By being dramatically specific, The National's reach widens and expands to dramatically universal territory.
Number Two (2)
Artist: Arcade FireAlbum: Neon Bible
Label: Merge
Release Date: March 6, 2007
When the revolution comes, Arcade Fire will be on the front lines, leading the charge. The ebullience and theatrics of Neon Bible alternate between anthemic arena-rock and the state-of-affairs despair. "Keep the Car Running", "Intervention", and "No Cars Go" certainly provide a fair comparison to Springsteen, as do the multi-instrumental orchestrations permeating throughout. Win Butler and company maintain their originality, however, with experiments into more progressive song structure and arrangements, such as "Black Wave / Bad Vibrations" and "Ocean of Noise". The result is a lush and enthusiastic collection of fist-pumpers that play like gospel music to indie kids. Music is undoubtedly a religious experience, and Arcade Fire open their arms wide to inspire faith.
Number One (1)
Artist: RadioheadAlbum: In Rainbows (Disc One)
Label: self-released
Release Date: October 10, 2007 (online)
I've hesitated writing about In Rainbows for a couple months now. First of all, the novelty of Radiohead's online release allowing fans to choose their own price has come off as revolutionary and a slam against record companies. Whether or not this method will result in any sort of industry sea change is still to be determined. Unfortunately, the hullabaloo surrounding this topic has detracted from the music itself. Which is my other hesitation in writing on it. As a Radiohead fan, it's quite difficult to critique without any bias. The original 10 tracks of Disc One have played over and over again in my home and in my head. What I'm trying to determine is if my initial reaction is accurate. You see, I'm inclined to say that In Rainbows is very simply the best Radiohead album yet. What that means, then, is that In Rainbows is better than OK Computer and better than Kid A; and in this humble fan's opinion, OK Computer and Kid A just happen to be two of the greatest albums ever recorded in the history of modern music. So to say that In Rainbows is better than those two classics is to also say that it is one of the greatest albums of all time. A difficult claim to make just three months after its release.
What I will claim is that In Rainbows is the band's most mature and sophisticated album to date. Combining the digital-rock gloom of Kid A, the subtle textures of OK Computer's balladry, the jazz-inspired wanderings of Amnesiac, and the night rain-drenched cool of Thom Yorke's The Eraser, In Rainbows finally feels like the next logical step for the world's foremost musicians. Yorke's pained but hopeful lyrics and vocals, Jonny Greenwood's post-classical compositions, and Phil Selway's underrated beats that keep pace for songs that live outside of time - all anchored by Nigel Godrich's production - are simultaneously advanced and grounded.
Certainly, parallels to previous albums exist: the digi-rock of openers "15 Step" and "Bodysnatchers" recall "Idioteque" and "Myxomatosis (Judge, Jury & Executioner)", respectively, while closer "Videotape" shares the minimalist denouement of Kid A finale, "Motion Picture Soundtrack". But there is a buoyancy to the new tracks that hadn't existed so fully on prior albums. The paranoia remains, and maybe gravity does always win, but it doesn't always have to get you down. Even this album's title implies a light at the end of the tunnel: in rainbows we glimpse those shades of vibrant color that shine through the bleak landscape after the storm.
-JasonToo
Monday, December 17, 2007
Best of 2007, Part I
Lists!
This week, middleCoast will be providing you, the reader, with staff member picks for the Best (and/or Worst) Lists of 2007.
We begin at the beginning:
JenniferToo's Top 10 Live Shows of 2007
10. Satellite Party :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Satellite Party, a.k.a. Jane's Addiction. So what if I happened to be standing within five feet of a hundred or so port-a-potties when I heard "Jane Says" live for the first time. It was still freakin' awesome. Just like Perry in his white suit. Out of this world.
09. Yeah Yeah Yeahs :: August 4th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Now it is entirely possible that Karen O did, in fact, eat her glove, but I'm not so sure. Regardless, this show was intense. How you could have so much energy in 95 degree heat wearing leather is beyond me. But these guys didn't show any signs of slowing down. And Karen O's voice was piercing. And I love the chicks that rock. We need more of 'em.
08. Silversun Pickups :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
This was such an unassuming show. It was mid-afternoon on Day 1 at Lollapalooza. I was a big fan of their album, but knew nothing of the band. In fact, I was under the impression that the lead singer was a girl. The stage was one of the puny side stages that were brutally hot. AND we were looking right into the sun while standing on pavement. Not my ideal concert setting. But I was blown away nevertheless.
07. LCD Soundsystem :: September 28th :: Starlight Theater, Kansas City
06. Pearl Jam :: August 5th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
05. Daft Punk :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Do I really need to say anything here? I didn't think so.
04. The Flaming Lips :: September 12th :: Uptown Theater, Kansas City
03. TV on the Radio :: March 17th :: VooDoo Lounge, Kansas City
I'm fairly certain I was the most excited person upstairs at the VooDoo Lounge. These guys are one of my favorite bands - I haven't heard a song I don't like. And their live show was fantastic. Their voices are honestly some of the most beautiful instruments I've ever heard. And, no lie, the guitarist's hand was blurry he was strumming so fast.
02. My Morning Jacket :: August 5th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
I'd be okay if these guys were on the list every freakin' year. The purple suits were unexpected, but the jamming was not. I am constantly in awe of Jim James and his ability to be so raw and hard on one song, and then so beautiful and soft on another. And the Boys Choir? Come on.
01. Arcade Fire :: September 28th :: Starlight Theater, Kansas City
As I mentioned above, these guys played the outdoor venue along with LCD Soundsystem. When their set first started, I was a bit concerned. They didn't sound like much after LCD Soundsystem blasted us with "New York I Love You". But it didn't take long for them to impress me. The show was honestly hard
for me to watch - I couldn't figure out who to focus on. Regine was beautiful, floating all over the stage playing every instrument while she sang like a lark (sorry, that's cheesy, but amazingly fitting). Win was so passionate and there is so much emotion in his voice. Then there's Will, who never stood still. He was playing the mic stand one minute and ripping a book to shreds the next. But the music was so so good. And with a closer like "Wake Up", these guys earned my number 1 spot.
When not blowing her children's college tuition on live shows, JenniferToo is entertaining us with the tales of Stinkerbell & Cindersmella.
-
This week, middleCoast will be providing you, the reader, with staff member picks for the Best (and/or Worst) Lists of 2007.
We begin at the beginning:
JenniferToo's Top 10 Live Shows of 2007
10. Satellite Party :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Satellite Party, a.k.a. Jane's Addiction. So what if I happened to be standing within five feet of a hundred or so port-a-potties when I heard "Jane Says" live for the first time. It was still freakin' awesome. Just like Perry in his white suit. Out of this world.09. Yeah Yeah Yeahs :: August 4th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Now it is entirely possible that Karen O did, in fact, eat her glove, but I'm not so sure. Regardless, this show was intense. How you could have so much energy in 95 degree heat wearing leather is beyond me. But these guys didn't show any signs of slowing down. And Karen O's voice was piercing. And I love the chicks that rock. We need more of 'em.08. Silversun Pickups :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
This was such an unassuming show. It was mid-afternoon on Day 1 at Lollapalooza. I was a big fan of their album, but knew nothing of the band. In fact, I was under the impression that the lead singer was a girl. The stage was one of the puny side stages that were brutally hot. AND we were looking right into the sun while standing on pavement. Not my ideal concert setting. But I was blown away nevertheless.07. LCD Soundsystem :: September 28th :: Starlight Theater, Kansas City
So technically LCD Soundsystem and The Arcade Fire was one show. But they were so different
and so amazing that they each deserve a mention. I had seen LCD Soundsystem just a few months prior at Lollapalooza. I remember the show being really upbeat and highly entertaining, but I don't remember much more. Okay, actually I remember thinking "that's the guy singing?" But I might have been a tad overwhelmed with good music. Regardless, I was excited when I heard they were opening for The Arcade Fire. The show ROCKED. I saw them at Starlight here in KC and I was a bit leery of seeing the show outdoors (granted, I know nothing about acoustics, but it seemed like the sound might dissipate as it traveled through...okay, whatever). But LCD Soundsystem had no trouble at all being heard clearly. And loudly.
and so amazing that they each deserve a mention. I had seen LCD Soundsystem just a few months prior at Lollapalooza. I remember the show being really upbeat and highly entertaining, but I don't remember much more. Okay, actually I remember thinking "that's the guy singing?" But I might have been a tad overwhelmed with good music. Regardless, I was excited when I heard they were opening for The Arcade Fire. The show ROCKED. I saw them at Starlight here in KC and I was a bit leery of seeing the show outdoors (granted, I know nothing about acoustics, but it seemed like the sound might dissipate as it traveled through...okay, whatever). But LCD Soundsystem had no trouble at all being heard clearly. And loudly.06. Pearl Jam :: August 5th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Let me take you back a little: the year, 1992; the place, Lollapalooza, St. Louis, MO. I was 17
and in love with Eddie Vedder (even though he's about 6 inches shorter than me). They were just on the brink of becoming the huge success that they are today. Eddie was still performing acrobatic feats as they performed and I knew every single word to every single song. Jump to August 2007, once again Lollapalooza. Fifteen years later and these boys are still as hardcore as ever. Granted, the venue and the crowd size was a bit less ideal (seriously, claustrophobia was tapping me on the shoulder). But the show rocked just as hard. I sort of fell off the Pearl Jam bandwagon somewhere after Vitalogy, but it didn't take much to convert me. Then you add some fireworks and Dennis Rodman to the mix...
and in love with Eddie Vedder (even though he's about 6 inches shorter than me). They were just on the brink of becoming the huge success that they are today. Eddie was still performing acrobatic feats as they performed and I knew every single word to every single song. Jump to August 2007, once again Lollapalooza. Fifteen years later and these boys are still as hardcore as ever. Granted, the venue and the crowd size was a bit less ideal (seriously, claustrophobia was tapping me on the shoulder). But the show rocked just as hard. I sort of fell off the Pearl Jam bandwagon somewhere after Vitalogy, but it didn't take much to convert me. Then you add some fireworks and Dennis Rodman to the mix...05. Daft Punk :: August 3rd :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
Do I really need to say anything here? I didn't think so.
04. The Flaming Lips :: September 12th :: Uptown Theater, Kansas City
This was my first indoor, small-venue Lips show. The show was at the Uptown Theater in KC. With its intricate carvings and surreal paintings it was a perfect setting. The show was an experience - it was uplifting, exhausting, exhilarating and dreamlike. And, come on: Wayne + Lasers + Mirrors + Balloons = Magic.
03. TV on the Radio :: March 17th :: VooDoo Lounge, Kansas City
I'm fairly certain I was the most excited person upstairs at the VooDoo Lounge. These guys are one of my favorite bands - I haven't heard a song I don't like. And their live show was fantastic. Their voices are honestly some of the most beautiful instruments I've ever heard. And, no lie, the guitarist's hand was blurry he was strumming so fast.
02. My Morning Jacket :: August 5th :: Lollapalooza / Grant Park, Chicago
I'd be okay if these guys were on the list every freakin' year. The purple suits were unexpected, but the jamming was not. I am constantly in awe of Jim James and his ability to be so raw and hard on one song, and then so beautiful and soft on another. And the Boys Choir? Come on.01. Arcade Fire :: September 28th :: Starlight Theater, Kansas City
As I mentioned above, these guys played the outdoor venue along with LCD Soundsystem. When their set first started, I was a bit concerned. They didn't sound like much after LCD Soundsystem blasted us with "New York I Love You". But it didn't take long for them to impress me. The show was honestly hard
for me to watch - I couldn't figure out who to focus on. Regine was beautiful, floating all over the stage playing every instrument while she sang like a lark (sorry, that's cheesy, but amazingly fitting). Win was so passionate and there is so much emotion in his voice. Then there's Will, who never stood still. He was playing the mic stand one minute and ripping a book to shreds the next. But the music was so so good. And with a closer like "Wake Up", these guys earned my number 1 spot.When not blowing her children's college tuition on live shows, JenniferToo is entertaining us with the tales of Stinkerbell & Cindersmella.
-
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
This'll wake your ass up
Anyone who's ever seen Goodfellas (and if you haven't seen Goodfellas, go punch yourself) will recognize this Nilsson track. We at middleCoast, however, have recently stumbled upon an LCD Soundsystem remake of the classic, and if it doesn't get you going in the morning then you need to lay off the crack pipe:
LCD Soundsystem -- Jump Into the Fire, mp3
Enjoy.
-jToo
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LCD Soundsystem -- Jump Into the Fire, mp3
Enjoy.
-jToo
-
Monday, August 06, 2007
I'm a Lollapaloozer, Again
Well, once again three days of Lollapalooza has rocked my socks off, melted my face, and left me dazed and confused. So before the brain cells burn out or fade away, the final lineup:
Friday -
Bang Bang Bang
The Polyphonic Spree
Electric Six
MIA
Silversun Pickups
Blonde Redhead
Satellite Party (aka Jane's Addiction, aka Porno for Pyros)
LCD Soundsystem
Daft Punk
Saturday -
Tapes 'n Tapes
Stephen Marley
The Roots
The Hold Steady
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Spoon
Muse
Sunday -
The Black Angels
Lupe Fiasco
Kings of Leon
Peter Bjorn & John (unfortunately the speakers blew after only three songs)
!!!
My Morning Jacket
TV on the Radio
Pearl Jam
Dang.
Will post more when brain recovers. Also have pictures...
Enjoy your rock bubble...
Friday -
Bang Bang Bang
The Polyphonic Spree
Electric Six
MIA
Silversun Pickups
Blonde Redhead
Satellite Party (aka Jane's Addiction, aka Porno for Pyros)
LCD Soundsystem
Daft Punk
Saturday -
Tapes 'n Tapes
Stephen Marley
The Roots
The Hold Steady
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Spoon
Muse
Sunday -
The Black Angels
Lupe Fiasco
Kings of Leon
Peter Bjorn & John (unfortunately the speakers blew after only three songs)
!!!
My Morning Jacket
TV on the Radio
Pearl Jam
Dang.
Will post more when brain recovers. Also have pictures...
Enjoy your rock bubble...
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