"Rosin Smells and Turpentine Smells From Eucalyptus and Pine"
Bitter tastes of twigs we chewed where tangled wood vines twine Trees held us in on all four sides so thick we could not see I could not see any wrong in you, and you saw none in me - Woody Guthrie
Inspired by some of my favorite Woody Guthrie lyrics, and one of my favorite interpretations, "Bobkast #20: Tangled Wood Vines Twine" is a collection of live songs recorded around the world at legendary venues, radio stations, back seats, basements, theaters and beaches. A mellow treat for those adversely affected by day-light savings.
Bobkast #20: Tangled Wood Vines Twine 1. The Arcade Fire- Wake Up (Black Session, Paris, FR 2005) 2. Mazzy Star- Flowers in December (The Metro, Chicago, USA 1994) 3. Jeff Tweedy- Remember the Mountain Bed (Vic Theatre, Chicago, USA 2005) 4. My Morning Jacket- Touch Me I'm Going To Scream pt. 2 (Cab, London, UK 2008) 5. R.E.M.- Gardening At Night (Seattle, USA 1987) 6. Fleet Foxes- Blue Ridge Mountains (Nigel Godrich's Basement, UK 2008) 7. Beirut- The Penalty (Black Session, Paris, FR 2007) 8. Department of Eagles- Herring Bone (Daytrotter, Rock Island, USA 2008) 9. Grizzly Bear- He Hit Me (Daytrotter, Rock Island, USA 2007) 10. Beach House- Used to Be (Beach, Australia 2008)
"I Woke Up Today" (Photo by IRockIRoll) There was a good chance Pianos could've burned to the ground last night. And if Port O'Brien happened to lit the spark that burned down the Lower East Side, it's safe to say that anyone in attendance would've been cool with it. That said, Port O'Brien absolutely destroyed the minds of New York hipsters, who, as usual, stood around like nothing that important was going on. Truth be told, any band that works as hard as Port O'Brien is sure to make a name for themselves. Especially with songs like "I Woke Up Today", a ravaged shanty anthem that felt like a call to arms, a definite highlight of the evening.
While I'm not too familiar with the bands catalog, another undisputed highlight was "A Fishermans Son", which featured one of the most unexpected, yet utterly smooth segues I've heard in a long time. I caught a few songs of theirs back in October when they were supporting Rogue Wave and remember feeling a sort of Arcade Fire vibe. Truth is, Van Pierszalowski bears more than an uncanny resemblance to a Mr. Win Butler. But throw similarities out the door (like when you think of My Morning Jacket/Band of Horses/ Fleet Foxes) because Port O'Brien is a savaged beast of a band with the seemingly rare ability to "take ya to church." A blood wrenching assault of banjos, tin cans, Americana guitars and shout along vocals transformed Pianos into what felt like a Depression era labor rally in Hooverville. Working class punk rock for kids who don't get skinny jeans, neon t-shirts, and guyliner.
Throughout the evening Port O'Brien kept reminding me of the Pogues, which makes sense as Van Pierszalowski and Shane MacGowan share a similar blood boiled intensity and both bands bash through a ramshackle revival of traditional folk music. Drunken shanty town sing-a-longs for sure. Port O'Brien's blue collar spirit is real (Pierszalowski works on his fathers fishing boat in Alaska every summer) and would make Woody Guthrie proud. Robert Hunter once noted the best compliment he ever received was from a coal miner in the Cumberland Gap who actually thought the Grateful Dead's "Cumberland Blues" was a real miners tune. Something tells me that the fishermen in Alaska will one day be saying the same thing about a high percentage of the Port O'Brien catalog. Expect to hear about this band changing lives in the coming years (days, months).
(Photo by Pupkin) After a short break, Delta Spirit took to what was left of the stage Port O'Brien destroyed for a set of their signature retro leaning Americana. The band, who seem to have miraculously bridged the time continuum between 2008 and sometime back before I was born, was in fine form, playing a host of new songs and selected gems from last years Ode to Sunshine. Things seem like their in full swing for Delta Spirit; their performance a lot tighter and, for better or worse, sleeker than when we caught them at Maxwell's last Fall. (Coincidently, not long after seeing Port O'Brien at the same venue.) The San Diego quintet treated the sold out (?) crowd to "House for Two", "Strangevine" and "People C'mon", amongst , including a few new tracks ("Oh Vivian", "Throwing Stones"). A very poignant show from Delta Spirit, who finished with their trademark social reform ballad "People Turn Around." Like the last time we saw the Spirit, we left wondering the same thing: Why the hell aren't these guys huge?
Port O'Brien is self releasing a new album, All We Could Do Was Sing, on May 13th. Needless to say, after last night, we are really fucking psyched about it. In the meantime you can feast your ears on a few tracks from their recent Daytrotter session, including an alternative arrangement of "I Woke Up Today" titled "Simple Way."A video of "I Woke Up Today", although incomplete, is a indicative of Port O'Brien's live show. It's bad ass.
Best summed up by the uber-excited Canadian in the front row: "Yeah!Oh My God! Holy Fuck!! YEAHHH!!! OH YEAH!! WOO HOO." He follows that up at the end of the tune with "Yeah! Holy Shit!" As articulate as this young reveler was last night, we totally agree with him. Big time goosebumps.
Oh yeah, it's Arcade Fire playing with the Boss. ENJOY!
"Paris is Burning After All" I have been anxiously awaiting the full length debut from Dallas' St. Vincent (government name Annie Clark) since Gorilla vs Bear posted her phenomenal cover of "These Days" last fall. Marry Me dropped today and is a platform for St. Vincent's talent as a multi-instrumentalist. Stirring compositions like "All the Stars Aligned", "Paris is Burning" and "Jesus Saves, I Spend" showcase her outerworldly fret work, soaring string arrangements, cryptic yet contemplative lyrics and her sweet soaring vocals. She's only 23 and has already been a member of the Polyphonic Spree, Sufjan Stevens touring band as well as opened for the Arcade Fire's.
If the dreamy piano flourishes, haunting harmonies and delicate poetics of "All the Stars Aligned" don't give you the middle school butterflies, then the melancholic cabaret act of "Paris is Burning" will convert you. The Gorilla vs Bear crew know Annie's onto big things. I agree. Big, big things. Her website is www.ilovestvincent.com. It's an appropriate domain name.
Like every other snot-nosed punk of a music resource, we love us some Arcade Fire. Their fiery, symphonic baroque-indie rock has been boiling our blood (good thing) since Funeral was released way back in September of 2004. And Neon Bible, fah-get-AH-bow-tit. Definitely no sign sophomore slump. So if you can't handle waiting for the next 7" or import or EP or bootleg to hit the proverbial streets/internet(s), then check out The String Quartet Tribute to the Arcade Fire's Funeral. Described as "an instrumental voyage through the band's dreamy and startling landscapes," this string tribute re-creates the band's instant classick Funeral in its entirety, maximizing their already orchestral sound. Download interpretations of "Rebellion (Lies)" and "Wake Up" below.
all songs are posted because we love them and think they make the world a better place. they are for sampling purposes only (duh). if you like what you hear, buy the record or see the concert!!! if you own the copyright to anything that appears on this site, contact us.
