we saw: Alela Diane @ MHoW

"Your Hands Bring Me Sweet Lavender"
(photo by Dan and Happy)
If the traditional "She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes" were a rugged theatrical drama in the vein of Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Alela Diane's canyon folk would be an obvious choice for the soundtrack. The Nevada City native and friends (and family) took Music Hall by storm on Saturday night, making the Brookyln venue feel more like an early evening at a Summer folk festival in a lush California valley than a club on the edge of an industrial waterfront. Alela's wondrous voice was in full command of the audience, and the band, as she delivered To Be Still gems like "Every Path" and "The Alder Tree's", as well as a fitting cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Gold Dust Women", with an effortless ease that can only come from singing your entire life. While her band channeled the spirit of the Canyon, lending Alela's songs the rhythms of a steam-powered freight train, it would have been nice to have heard some material from The Pirate's Gospel, or simply a solo tune. That said, I am still in awe of her and her voice, and you can be too courtesy of the (in)famous NYC Taper, who captured her nearly identical show from the previous night at the Bowery Ballroom.

Download Alela Diane's 2/27/09 performance from the Bowery Ballroom. (NYC Taper)

Bobkast #16:...And You In Your Autumn Sweater

"Yes, Yes, Yes It's My Autumn Almanac"
*a magical forest near kilkenny city, republic of ireland.
(Photo by Edward Dullard)

September 21 marks the Autumnal Equinox, which means this is your last chance in 2008 to successfully balance an egg on end. It also means the rolling Green Mountains of Vermont will erupt in technicolor magic, wool sweaters will return from moth ball covered chests in the corner of basements and pumpkin seeds will be salted and subsequently roasted. But the best part of fall is the way whiskey warms your belly on aimless jaunts through leaf plastered forests, bundled in flannel and wool (herringbone). Oh yeah, and you in your autumn sweater.

Bobkast #16: ...And You In Your Autumn Sweater

1. Mark Mothersbaugh- Kite Flying Society
2. Camera Obscura- Let's Get Out of This Country
3. The Kinks- Autumn Almanac
4. Jim James- Gideon (Live @ Newport Folk Fest)
5. Fleet Foxes- Mykonos
6. Magnetic Fields- Abigail, Belle of Kilronin
7. Blitzen Trapper- Furr
8. Ra Ra Riot- Winter '05
9. Jenny Lewis- Acid Tongue
10. Oxford Collapse- Featherbeds
11. Okkervil River- Lost Coastlines
12. Pavement- Folk Jam
13. Sufjan Stevens- Tahquamenon Falls
14. Micah P. Hinson- Yard of Blonde Girls
15. Yo La Tengo- Autumn Sweater

Bobkast #16: ...And You In Your Autumn Sweater [PC: right click+save as; Mac: option+click]

we saw: Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper

"Turn the white snow red as strawberries in the summertime"

(Photo by JuicyGoo)
We knew last night's Fleet Foxes show was going to be amazing, and now we can confirm... utterly amazing. While lead singer/songwriter Robin Pecknold prefaced their set by letting the crowd know he had the flu and had puked right before hitting the stage, his sore throat and headache didn't seem to affect his vocal, which was spot on all evening. We're also happy to report that the bands majestic harmonies are as eerily dreamy as they are on record. Cathartic and wonderstruck, like a magical revelation through a dream.

The show kicked off with the gorgeous acapella "Sun Giant" and within seconds all questions regarding Robin's voice were gone. The crowd was silent. Eyes were wide open like children on a snow day. "Sun Giant", the opening track on the recently released EP of the same name, segued perfectly into "Sun it Rises", the opener on the bands leaked, and soon to be released (June 3) eponymous full length debut. Other highlights included an utterly pristine version of "Oliver James", a heart wrenching cover of "Katie Cruel" (video which we posted yesterday), a fan requested "Blue Ridge Mountains" and the pastoral insta-classic "White Winter Hymnal."

After a set that felt like being baptized in fresh mountain water, it's safe to say that Fleet Foxes blend of high lonesome balladry and CSNY harmonies is going to be pointing alot of kids to the forest. Like Justin, we agree that Fleet Foxes remind us of the criminally under rated, and often forgotten, David Crosby record If I Could Only Remember My Name, as well as After The Gold Rush era Neil Young.

All in all, we were blown away. Like, totally blown away. The band seemed to feel the same way, amazed at the sincere and righteous reaction from the glowing New York crowd. Not to mention, all the singing along.

After the show we got a chance to catch up with lead Fox Robin Pecknold, who had just turned 22 at midnight and was drinking Emergen-C to heal his aching flue. While we can't stress enough how impeccable Pecknold and Co. sound live, we really hope he gets back to a 100% so crowds in the rest of the country get to bask in the light of his warm voice. We also caight up with multi instrumentalist and co-harmonizer Casey Wescott who let us know that the vinyl release of Fleet Foxes will include the Sun Giant EP. That makes 2xLP's we couldn't be more excited to hear on the ole phonograph.

Oh yeah, Blitzen Trapper played too. They rocked out the title track from last year's Wild Mountain Nation, as well as the albums "Country Caravan", "Devils A-Go-Go" and "Sci-Fi Kid." They were pretty darn good, but, unfortunately, couldn't compare to the Fleet Foxes, who were utterly jaw dropping. I've often heard that the Who refused to go on after Hendrix at Monterey Pop, fearing that he would suck all the wind from the audience. Honestly, I'd hate to be in any band that has to play after Fleet Foxes. It's just not fair.

Fleet Foxes- Oliver James
Blitzen Trapper- Stolen Shoes (Daytrotter Session)

tonight: Fleet Foxes & Blitzen Trapper

"Over near Tennessee"

Backstage Sessions : Fleet Foxes - Katie Cruel (Cover) from Hard to Find a Friend on Vimeo.

We're super duper excited to see Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper tonight at the Bowery Ballroom. As of a few minutes ago the show still hadn't sold out, but expect that to change by show time. This will be Fleet Foxes first show in New York, and from what we've heard, it sounds as if we could be in for a very magical evening. Not to mention that Blitzen Trapper put out one of my favorite records of 2007. Ola Podrida is also on the bill. Oddly enough, the last time we saw them was back in October at Maxwell's on the same bill as Port O'Brien. It's all coming full circle. Weird. Anyway, if you're in the area be sure to hop a train, plane or automobile down to Delancy St. for what is sure to be a memorable evening.

McG's Best of 2007

"And the Beat Goes On..."

2007. Hmmm, what can I say? Well it was a damn good year for new music and it all started in 2006 with early leaks from The Shins, Of Montreal and LCD Soundsystem, albums which still resonate a year later, which says a lot given our fickle ADD blog-fueled music scene. 2007 will surely be remembered as the year indie went mainstream, with Neon Bible and Wincing the Night Away debuting at #2 on the Billboard charts and Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank popping in at #1, something I never would have dreamed of listening to "Wild Pack of Family Dogs" in high school. Which goes to show people aren't stupid, when they hear something good they immediately gravitate towards it (ie. Feist).

The year was dominated by French electro (Daft Punk, Justice, Ed Banger Records), Swedish Indie Pop (Jens Lekman, Shout Out Louds, Taken By Trees), the Italo-Disco revival (Glass Candy, The Chromatics, Italians Do It Better Records and Sally Shapiro) and, once again, Brian Wilson's LSD influenced hypnotics and harmonies (Panda Bear, Miracle Fortress).

The blog world blew up the Black Kids, helped Columbia grad's Vampire Weekend score a deal with XL on the strength of a Blue CD-R (and one of the most beautiful 7" singles I've ever seen). Not to mention The Explorers Club getting picked up by Secretly Canadian/JagJaguwar cousin Dead Oceans and Grand Archives, project of former Band of Horses member Mat Brooke, inking with Sub Pop. On those signings alone 2008 is shaping up to be just as action packed as '07, giving us no time to sleep. With that said here are my lists, I hope you enjoy and have a kick ass rest of 2007. Check back tomorrow when I'll have a stocking stuff (aka .zip file) of all the years best songs to keep you sane for the rest of the year.

Artist of the Year

James Murphy/LCD Soundsystem- Not only did President Murphy hit us with the colossal Sound of Silver but 2007 also saw the proper release of his Nike/iTunes collabo, the heart pounding 45:33, which gave birth to one of the best songs of 2007, "Someone Great." ("I'm wishing we could talk about it..."). Murph could've rested on his laurels and just toured with the Arcade Fire and !!!, but no he kept releasing compelling material under the LCD moniker, including the All My Friends EP with covers by Franz Ferdinand and John Cale as well as A Bundle of Stuff EP which features remixes by Soulwax and Carl Craig, among others... And then he & LCD drummer Pat Mahoney went and put together the funkiest, finger pointing collection of head hunting disco I've ever heard. As best said through Chic "I feel your love coming on, like the calm before the storm, your love is out to get me."

Favorite Albums of 2007 (in no order)

Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

Bon Iver- For Emma, Forever Ago

Panda Bear- Person Pitch

Blitzen Trapper- Wild Mountain Nation

The National- Boxer

Glass Candy- B/E/A/T/B/O/X

Jens Lekman- Night Falls Over Kortedala

Vampire Weekend- Blue CD-R

James Murphy & Pat Mahoney- Fabriclive.36

Favorite Mix (Non Fabric/DJ-Kicks/Radio 1 Essential Mix)

Bullion- Pet Sounds: In the Key of D

Best Podcast

Mad Decent- Can't Forget Dilla

DJ/Producer/Remixer of the Year

XXXchange (of Spank Rock)- Bjork- Earth Intruders remix; Thom Yorke- The Eraser remix; Kid Sister- Control; Kid Sister- Let Me Bang; Spank Rock Fabric.Live 36

Best Demo (three way tie)

Grand Archives

Black Kids

The Explorers Club

Best Concert

Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem @ Red Rocks

Best DJ Set

James Murphy @ Hiro Ballroom, CMJ week

Bands I Wish I Had More Time to Absorb
The Acorn
Yeasayer
Burial
Santogold

best beieve da hype: Blitzen trapper

"Join that Wild Mountain Nation/ You Can, You Can"

Psychadelic angels Blitzen Trapper have been receiving alot of praise for their new record Wild Mountain Nation. And while hype can prove both positive and negative for a young band, these scruffy gypsy bums from Portland are living up to it, and I mean L-I-V-I-N. No need to dismiss Blitzen Trapper as a Pitchfork branded flava of the week (8.5). Wild Mountain Nation is a platform for the 24-track loving, caravaning, jingle janglers to show off their righteous melodies, broken-jawed arrangements and kick-ass chops, proven on gems like "Wild Mountain Nation", "Future & Folly" and "Summer Town". The twangy pop of "Country Caravan" opens with a woozy pedal steel guitar riff reminiscent of the Shins "Gone for Good," and reveals why the Portland sextet has garnered comparisons to the Grateful Dead's country exploits (think "Dire Wolf"). "Sci-Fi Kid" invokes Bowie, Mellow Gold-era Beck and retro synths in a rapturous cornucopia of new-wavey rock. Always one to keep it interesting, the boys Blitzen follow "Sci- Fi Kid" with a hushed, lo-fi harmonica fueled bluegrass stomper ("Wild Mtn. Jam). These guys have a knack for rockin, whacked out alt-country, albeit an obscured, oddball's interpretation of Nashville's claim to fame. Like a cake with early-
Wilco frosting, Neutral Milk Hotel sprinkles and Gram Parsons-era Flying Burrito Brothers gumdrops. They can rock all bluesy like Exile/Sticky Fingers-era Stones and harmonize like the stoned Beach Boys. A unique, musical representation of dirty cowboy boots, paisley handkerchief neckties, day-glo face paint and the summer sun setting on the forest.

Blitzen Trapper- Sci-Fi Kid
Blitzen Trapper- Country Caravan