CWK

I made the right choice. Cold War Kids blew me away like few live bands have in the past 5 or so years. I had only heard Hospital Beds, and the 9-5er's anthem, We Used to Vacation before heading to TT's last night, but their arsenal is rock solid. Openers Midlake did their thing exactly as I had expected them to, which is to say, conventionally. Not that they sucked, but it wasn't anything exciting. I do enjoy their new album, but live, they just seemed to be going through the motions.
The energy of a CWK set is uncanny. Guitarist Jonnie Russell and Bass-slinger Matt Maust almost impaled each other several times on the mini-stage, and drummer Matt Aveiro slammed the skins like a madman. The highlight for me was how true to album form frontman Nathan Willet's voice holds up in the live setting.
Sound Team headlined, but their merch lackey was a douchebag and their new album kind of sucks so we bounced. There is no way they could have followed Cold War Kids with anything other than mediocrity.

Seriously. Best show of the summer thusfar. See them.

You think you got it bad...

Yet again, I've fallen victim to cruel scheduling. Had tix to see A Silver Mt. Zion, whom I know I probably won't catch again anytime soon, but chose to swap 'em for a chance to see my summer band crush, Cold War Kids next door at TT's. Last time they were in town was when I had Radiohead tix, so I missed them that go round. Also, Midlake is supporting their (finally!) released Trials of Van Occupanther. Sound Team headlines.

Come forth, Bostonian VGH loyalists, and say hey.

Sound Team - In The Dark No One Can Hear You Sweat
Midlake - Head Home

Baumer

Jeff and John last week in Noho.

I have 2 tickets for A Silver Mt. Zion on Wednesday night at the Middle East, for those of you in the Boston area who would be interested. 10 bucks each. If you are planning on going and do not have tickets, please let me know as I'll meet you there and give you mine sans Ticketmaster charges. please please please.

Wilco

We were fortunate enough to catch Wilco in pretty much their only East Coast appearance, save for several dates with our friendly Canadian neighbors. Besides Radiohead in early June, this was all I really had to look forward to in terms of "summer shows". The drive out to the Pioneer Valley was well worth it, as Chicago's finest slogged through a familiar, yet inspired 2 hours of all the jams you'd expect to hear off Yankee Hotel and Ghost, some oldies and some newbies. I finally figured Wilco out while seeing them for the 4th time, and perusing the audience. They're like that dude you went to high school with who was friends with everyone. You know, the guy who drank Busch cans with the football team, taught the stoners how to roll Bob Marley spliffs, nailed that hot goth chick that no one else dared to talk to, and tickled the intelligistas by slamming the valedictorian in a debate about T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land". Wilco is just that accessible, and dynamic. Everyone can like Tweedy and company. It's that easy.

The show itself was great. Tweedy (who resembles Richie Tenenbaum nowadays) was chattier than I had remembered in past Wilco experiences. For some reason, for a band that rarely strays from "stock" setlists, save for a configuration of old tunes that cycles through night to night, they keep it pretty fresh. From what I remember, of the new songs rolled out, "Impossible Germany" was a powerhouse musically. Nels, Jeff and Pat raged a three part guitar jam, that would have been par for the course at a Phish show. Highlight of the night, as with any Wilco show for me, was "Misunderstood". Cause you know I'm just a mama's boy.

Kristy has the "Baumer" pictures, but she's gone. I'll post them when I can.

Here's some live Wilco, from "Kicking Televison", arguably the best live album of the past 10 years.

Wilco - At Least That's What You Said
Wilco - Hummingbird

BFF

In honor of Mr. Adam Saltzberg's latest East Coast jaunt, and latest foray into utter debauchery.

Ween - It's Gonna Be A Long Night

UPDATE. I listened Cookie Mountain front to back last night and it finally got through to my stress addled brain. I'd strongly suggest checking it out.

TVOTR

No-wave revivalists, avid accapella rockas and genre benders, TV on the Radio are back with the oddly titled "Return to Cookie Mountain". As a follow up to 2004's 85% brilliant Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, it's a raw, polyrhythmic trip that is eerily pretty throughout. Much like Drums Not Dead before it, Cookie Mountain is heavy on the percussion. Unlike Drums, the album lacks any lineage, which plagued (for me) their last effort. As a whole, it doesn't flow like it feels like it should. I suppose for a band that tip-toes around the confines of categorization this may happen organically. Either way, I am enjoying the album. It's dense and still contains many of those anesthetic three-part vocal harmonies like "Ambulance" (which is one of my favorite tracks of all time). If you're into Desperate Youth, my guess is that you'd dig it. I just wish I dug it more.


I can't, however, deny how cool they look on stage.

TVOTR - Wolf Like Me
TVOTR - Playhouses

gasp

my humblest apologies for the unannounced hiatus. I've been busy doing other, less enjoyable things. As for the foreseeable future, it appears that I've had an enormous chunk of time freed up for the bloggin'. so hooray for that, i say without a trace of sarcasm. fo' real.

welly well. how about a healthy serving of melancholy for a rainy afternoon?
Guillemots - Made up Lovesong #43
The Jim Yoshi Pile-Up - A Toast to the Happy Couple

have you ever felt like you need to belt out obscenities at maximum volume? i have.

RIP Syd Barrett. Why couldn't they have taken Don Henley instead?