The fine folks behind T&T and UP coughed up some serious loot for me to unleash alter-ego DJ Everything Bagel Toasted with Schmeer, and an Ice Coffee...Keep the Change! on the public. And this is exactly what is going to happen tomorrow night at Bruar Falls. Alex Bleeker, La Big Vic and Sweet Bulbs will also be there.
The long awaited Guided By Guided By Voices compilation courtesy of the ever wonderful Wild Animal Kingdom is now available for auditory delight. A collection of sixteen tracks from the GBV canon by a bakers dozen+ of artists that, if you are reading this, you might enjoy. Enjoy a taste with Martin Courtney's take on "Kicker of Elves" and "As We Go Up We Go Down." Also, grip Alex Bleeker & Evan Brody's take on "Motor Away."A few weeks back, in the midst of the World Cup, we rangled a few friends over to view the semi-finals while broadcasting Sunday Brunch on Newtown Radio live from Bobka HQ. It was hot. Very hot. Especialy since our Comfort Zone had just perished. It didn't matter much though, as Budweiser's popped and friends played songs while footballers scored 'sick' goals. The word 'sick' was thrown around a lot. It was a grand afternoon, captured by Ray Concepcion. Take a peek at Alex Bleeker's performance, with more to come very soon.
Group Tightener are on point again with their latest release, a fresh 7" from lead Freak and Real Estate low-end commander Alex Bleeker. While it's oft silly to judge a record by its cover, the cover of the These Days says it all. Suburban Freewheelin'. Both fitting and touching, the cover transports the listener to a place where rock and roll myth and ethos are mere everyday realities. The Q104.3 classics that built the foundation for much of what we call rock and roll are so ingrained in our minds that its often hard to look away and think of a world where they didn't exist. It's clear Bleeker's got them on his mind, as he unabashedly, and unironically, channels the spirit that birthed so much of the music we now take for granted. Listening to "These Days" it's clear that Jackson Browne's original, written for Nico, is a fond touch point. {ED Note: however, Bleeker's version of "These Days" is not a cover. It first appeared on the Underwater Peoples Winter comp.} It's a tune we all know and love. It's part of our collective cultural psyche, yet Bleeker finds a path in the tune that's never been explored, choosing to wander around the edge, while subtly highlighting his influences and idols. The end result; a brand new, completely different, but still familiar tune that plays with the idea of turning off/on our audio memory. "Getting By" is similar and works in its "I swear to God I've heard this before" head scratchery. Harnessing the vibe of Grateful Dead's late career hit (and most identifiable song) "Touch of Grey" and driving it down the same roads the Feelies explored while recording The Good Earth. Playful and introspective, the new Group Tightener release finds Bleeker moving away from the no-frills Freaks LP and carving a niche for himself as a songwriter unafraid of tackling sounds and ideas many would think cliche, turning them into feel good anthems for youths who only heard "Touch of Grey" years after Jerry passed.
Took over the air waves this Sunday for the weekly addition of our Sunday Brunch program, but with vibes high and the sun even higher, things swung in an interesting direction. Gone were proto-hypno jams and scuzz-pop balladry, replaced with hi-fi, soul kicking Dad Rock. Swinging from Bowie to Roxy Music to Traffic to Bruce (with Jackson Browne) before finally finishing with a solo set by Alex Bleeker, the afternoon felt like a complete homage to the tapedecks that provided the soundtrack to many family road trips and backyard parties. Come back for more next Sunday at 2pm on Newtown Radio. 
Photos: Erez Avissar
From the Church show last December. This track, and many more (from the Church, as well as the ever-increasing Chocolate Bobka archive) will be available on The Report DVD, which is sort of like the videos we post online, but super-high, barely compressed quality that's sure to look lovely on your television. This is a project we have been working hard on for the past few months, and we couldn't be more excited to send it out into the world. So excited that we made this epic trailer to wet your taste buds:
The Report, if you don't already know, is a 100+ page bi-annual journal, compilation and DVD package, containing the weirdest, wisest musings on culture, art and music. Contributors include Dent May, Ben Chasny, Rob Mitchum (Pitchfork), Devin Wolfe (Naturalismo), Justin Gage (Aquarium Drunkar), Molly Sarle (Mountain Man), Matt Mondanile (Ducktails, Real Estate), Sawyer Carter Jacobs (Underwater Peoples, Family Portrait, Emilie Friedlander (Visitation Rites, Arthur Mag, Tiny Mix Tapes), Madalyn Merkey (Irma Vep Tapes), and Cian Traynor (SeeWhatYouHear, Guardian), amongst many, many others. The cassette compilation, which also comes as a digital download, features a bevy of exclusive unreleased tracks, as well as songs that simply were overlooked or are soon to be released.
It's been a few weeks since the show at the Church in McGolrick Park. Nevertheless, it's an event that I'm more than happy to take a look back at. It helps even more when you've got photographers like Rez Avissar to remind you how special of an evening it was. His shots in this phenomenal set that truly captures the cozy, communal spirit of the evening. Hats off to Rez.
Liam the Younger
Alex Bleeker and the Mountain Man Singers
Mountain Man
Going to be a special evening. Bring blankets, yoga mats to sit on. Baked goods will be sold on the premises. BYOB. Click here to see a large scale, beautiful rendering of the work, done by Mike Mahon.
