Boot: She & Him - Morning Becomes Eclectic 2010

She & Him (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward) just released their 2nd album appropriately titled Volume 2. The new batch of songs closely mirror the style and sound of their 1st album. I've heard their songs described as retro pop and that's a fair description of some of the songs but Zooey's songwriting and M. Ward's music make it fit in well with a modern day ear. My favorite songs off the new album thus far are "Me and You" and "Gonna Get Along Without You Now". They did an in studio session at KCRW in California last week. You can find the audio below.

KCRW Broadcast:
1 - Intro
2 - Thieves
3 - Me and You
4 - Ridin' In My Car
5 - Gonna Get Along Without You Now
6 - Interview
7 - Home
8 - Over And Over Again
9 - Take It Back
10 - In The Sun
11 - Outro
Download: She & Him - KCRW 2010

New to Me: Frightened Rabbit

Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit recently released their third album "The Winter of Mixed Drinks" to much acclaim. I've been listening to them a lot since first hearing their song "Swim Until You Can't See Land". Here's a mix from a pair of live performances they did at the SXSW music festival.
Frightened Rabbit - myspace page

SXSW Live Mix:
1 - Intro
2 - The Loneliness & the Scream
3 - Foot Shooter
4 - Swim Until You Can't See Land
5 - Backwards Walk (Fades Out)
6 - Living In Colour
7 - The Wrestle
8 - The Modern Leper
9 - Poke

Download: Frightened Rabbit SXSW Mix

Upcoming Show: Pearl Jam @ Madison Square Garden, NY 5/21/10

Less than a year after seeing Pearl Jam close down the Spectrum I'll get to see them at another historic venue: The Garden. I saw them at MSG a couple years ago and it was a fantastic show. This seems like an appropriate time to share a show they did at MSG back in 2003. A great setlist along with lots of energy from the band and the crowd led to them releasing it on DVD.

Setlist:
1-Love Boat Captain
2-Last Exit
3-Save You
4-Green Disease
5-In My Tree
6-Cropduster
7-Even Flow
8-Gimme Some Truth
9-I Am Mine
10-Low Light
11-Faithful
12-Wishlist
13-Lukin
14-Grievance
15-1/2 Full
16-Black
17-Spin The Black Circle
18-Rearviewmirror
Encore 1
19-You Are
20-Thumbing My Way
21-Daughter/With My Own Two Hands (with Ben Harper)
22-Crown Of Thorns
23-Breath
24-Better Man
25-Do The Evolution
Encore 2
26-Crazy Mary
27-Indifference (with Ben Harper)
28-Sonic Reducer
29-Baba O'Riley
30-Yellow Ledbetter

Download: PJ-Live at the Garden

NPR Exclusive First Listen

National Public Radio's website has a section where you can listen to selected upcoming albums in their entirety prior to their release. It's a great way to check out an album before buying it or to get an early listen if you just can't wait the extra week to hear it (like me). This week you can hear new albums from She & Him (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward), Broken Bells (James Mercer of The Shins & Danger Mouse), and The White Stripes. Coming up next week is MGMT's 'Congratulations'.

Website for NPR Exclusive First Listen

Boot: Jack Johnson @ Bonnaroo, Manchester, TN 6/14/2008

I was lucky enough to be in attendance at this particular show. It's a rare treat to have a recording of a show that you were at. Listening to it takes you back to that specific time and place. It's almost like you get to live it all over again. Needless to say I was really excited when I came across this one. Can you find me in the picture of the audience? Hint: I'm towards the back lying on a blanket. Good luck.

Setlist:
1 - Intro
2 - All At Once
3 - Better Together
4 - Hope You're Not Alone
5 - Taylor
6 - Flake
7 - Sleep Through The Static
8 - Staple It Together
9 - Monsoon
10 - Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
11 - Go On
12 - Bubble Toes
13 - Wasting Time
14 - Constellations (with Eddie Vedder)
15 - Breakdown
16 - Banana Pancakes
17 - Same Girl
18 - Horizon Has Been Defeated >
19 - Mother And Child Reunion >
20 - Good People
21 - Inaudible Melodies
22 - If I Had Eyes

Download: JJ-Bonnaroo-2008

Concert Review: Freelance Whales @ Johnny Brendas, Philadelphia, PA 3/5/10

For being on their first tour and on the verge of releasing their first album, Freelance Whales already seem to have a good grasp on putting on a live show. The array of instruments and melodies captured on their album were perfectly transfered to the stage along with some added energy. Days after the show I found out that lead singer Judah Dadone is a fellow native of Wilmington Delaware. I wish I had known that before the show, it would have gave me something to talk to him about when the aweful 2nd band sent me looking for more beer and ear plugs. I'll be looking forward to their next visit to the area. Here are a couple songs from a recent session they did.

Freelance Whales - 6 Music Session, 2/16/10
1 - Generator 1st Floor
2 - Generator 2nd Floor

Download: FW - 6MS 2/16/10

Upcoming Album Releases

Along with warmer weather, Spring is also going to bring new music from some great artists. Here are a few albums that I'm looking forward to:

Broken Bells: Broken Bells - March 9
She & Him: Volume 2 - March 23
Dr. Dog: Shame, Shame - April 6
MGMT: Congratulations - April 13
Hacienda: Big Red & Barbacoa - April ??
The National: High Violet - May 11
The Black Keys: Brothers - May 18
Jack Johnson: To The Sea - June 1

Soundtrack: 500 Days of Summer

A soundtrack with songs that are well selected and inserted at the right moments make a film all that much more memorable and enjoyable. The soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer along with the story, acting, and directing made this film a recent favorite of mine. The soundtrack fits the film perfectly. I was already familiar with some of the artists: Simon & Garfunkel, Doves, The Smiths, Feist, She & Him, and Wolfmother. Others I was introduced to for the first time. In particular, "Us" by Regina Spektor and "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap stood out and stayed in my head for days. The movie and soundtrack are well worth checking out if you get a chance.

Music For Action: Take Action on Climate Change

Just heard about this yesterday. Bonnaroo along with Headcount, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and many artists are encouraging fans to email their Senators about their concerns on climate change. They've put together a free "Best of Bonnaroo Download Compilation" available at: Music For Action. Check it out and spread the word.

Best of Bonnaroo Track list:

Wilco “Bull Black Nova”
Pearl Jam “Animal”
Jack Johnson “Inaudible Melodies”
Dave Mathews Band “Rapunzel”
Death Cab for Cutie “Cath…”
Ani DiFranco “Fuel”
Phish “Kill Devil Falls”
Gov’t Mule “Banks of the Deep End”
O.A.R. “Delicate Few”
moe. “Not Coming Down”
Raphael Saadiq “100 Yard Dash”
Bob Weir & RatDog “Throwing Stones”
The Disco Biscuits “And The Ladies Were the Rest of the Night”
The Decemberists “The Wanting Comes” in Waves/Repaid”
My Morning Jacket “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’”
Guster “Happier”
Phil Lesh and Friends “Box of Rain”