I've Heard the New My Morning Jacket Record. And ...

I've spent the first part of my day listening to a highly guarded stream of Evil Urges, the new My Morning Jacket record, and I think it's a safe bet this is going to be their fan base-dividing record. Frontman Jim James has recently stated that he's hoping for a Radiohead-style trajectory for MMJ, and while it's no Kid A, it's a strange one. Prince seems to be a prevalent influence (ain't no shame in that, to be sure), along with semi-psychedelic '60s pop. Their signature reverb saturation is still present, but it's noticeably reigned in.

I like it and the fact that they are so steadfastly committed to creative growth, but it's gonna take some further digestion and adjustment to the fact that it doesn't have the instant appeal that Z and It Still Moves did. Still, there are few big guitar American rock bands that can rival them, and by all accounts, their live shows just keep getting better and better. Their publicist announced tour dates today, and they are scheduled for McCaw Hall (in the Seattle Center) for September 28.

And speaking of big guitars, I can't for the life of me figure out how I missed this announcement, but Judas Priest are heading here this summer...July 22 at WaMu Theater, to be precise. Fears of older metal bands sucking live are highly justifiable, but in the case of Rob Halford and company, go ahead and bet the farm. His range is entirely intact and KK Downing and Glen Tipton have no trouble keeping up. The only drag? This isn't part of the quadruple bill of beauty that other cities are getting: Motorhead, Heaven and Hell (Dio-era Black Sabbath), Testament and Judas Priest. No fair!

And now, for your afternoon amusement, I present Rob Halford, singing in court during one of the most tragic and stupid "metal-is-satanic" moments ever:

Topics: Concert News and I Heard This

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Dance Dance Revolution: NPR Edition

Moby remixed the Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! theme song, featuring vocals by DJ Kassel and Sir Sagal. See, NPR listeners can be hip, too. (Moby claims he was totally hung over when he created this little lark.)

Topics: I Heard This

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The Night Marchers

Man, I love me some John Reis. My red vinyl copy of Drive Like Jehu (like the one pictured above) is one of my most prized possessions, and virtually every project he's tackled (Rocket From the Crypt, the Hot Snakes, et. al.) since the demise of that insanely influential band has impressed me as a smart continuation of his talents. When I heard he was hitting the studio and the road with a new band, I was thrilled.

Sadly, this new effort is leaving me a bit cold. In the Night Marchers, Reis is joined by past cohorts, including Hot Snakes alums Gar Wood and Jason Kourkounis. That sounds good on paper, and the Marchers' debut, See You in Magic, is solid and tuneful, but the band lacks the ferocity and conviction of Reis' other projects. You can listen to tracks from the record over here and render your own verdict.

That said, you still can't fuck with the ammunition all of those players bring to their live game, so I really hope that their show at Chop Suey next Wednesday proves me entirely wrong.

Topics: I Heard This

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Chris Cornell Covering Michael Jackson

Though I may be pining for the highly unlikely possibility of a Soundgarden reunion at this summer's Sub Pop Festival, I can't say that anything Chris Cornell has done since that band dissolved has done much for me. I still love the guy's voice, but within the context of Audioslave, I'm just not interested. The subsequent solo stuff hasn't done much for me either. It's all just too safe sounding.

However, this cover of him doing "Billy Jean" just came to my attention (strangely, via the cannibalistic nature of American Idol performances). It's pretty intriguing and seems like the sort of thing that Rick Rubin would have suggested, had he been involved.

Incidentally, Cornell has recently stated that he'll be working with Timbaland on his next solo record, which strikes myself and a few other media outlets as rather hilarious, but who knows...

Topics: I Heard This

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What I Was Reminded Of On I-5, Listening To KZOK

Two things I was reminded of last night, driving on I-5, listening to KZOK.

First: The riff for Dire Straits' "Money for Nothin'" is totally badass (something I'm sure Mike Seely will back me up on). It sounds less like a guitar and more like a Japanese motorcycle revving up.

Second: I love Heart. And why are they "opening" for Journey at White River?

Topics: I Heard This

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I Heard This: Marion Brown Quartet

I spent most of last week in Port Townsend (or, as Seely dubbed it "Pete" Townsend). I had no idea the town was home to Quimper Records, the oldest indie record store in Washington State.

I found a 180 gram vinyl copy of the Marion Brown Quartet's ESP debut. Brown is one of those sadly overlooked geniuses of the 60s avant garde jazz scene (or, the "New Thing", if you will). Like most people, I was familiar with Brown only because he blew alto for Coltrane on Ascension.

But this debut proves he had far more to say. The lithe, melodic, 22-minute opener "Capricorn Moon" is the real stunner here, simply because it sounds like nothing else and is really uncharacteristic of most 60 avant garde jazz. Not only is Brown's playing lean and lyrical, but Rasheid Ali's percussion work is laid-back and mystical...a very strange but alluring piece of music pretty much void of all meaty blowing and skronking. Not since I first heard Coltrane's "Out of this World" has a jazz workout put its hooks into me the way "Capricorn Moon" did. So much so that when the 22-minutes were up, I didn't flip to Side B. Instead, I lifted the needle, led it back to the beginning, and listened all over again.

Topics: I Heard This

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From the Dept. of Shows to Look Forward to: Kelly Stoltz

High Dive's booking is looking stronger all the time, and I'm especially looking forward to late April and early May. The DT's are there on April 19, the Heavy Hearts are playing their record release and the High Dive's 3rd anniversary party on April 26, and on May 4, Kelly Stoltz will be there. I've never had the chance to see Stoltz, and he's very easily my favorite artist on Sub Pop right now. I hate loose use of the terms "genius songwriter" and "channeling Brian Wilson", but those cliches fit perfectly in his case:

Now if only the High Dive could shake their status as "Seattle Venue with the Worst Bathrooms" (and yes, I'm counting the Comet in that evaluation).

Topics: I Heard This

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I Heard This: Neutral Milk Hotel at the Market

Was just walking down the steps at the Market, when I encountered a young white guy with dreads playing Neutral Milk Hotel on his acoustic guitar. This gentleman had homemade compact discs in his guitar case that had the name Morning Glory written on them. I'm not sure I'd ever heard a busker play Neutral Milk before, so of course I tipped him handsomely. Rock on.

Topics: I Heard This

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I Heard This: Lenny Bruce Live At Carnegie Hall

What: Lenny Bruce Live At Carnegie Hall
When: Last night
Where: My apartment
Why: Because I'm a freak for stand-up comics.

Seriously, I'm a nut for stand-up. I can't imagine a more important talent to have than the talent for making people laugh. Moving folks via music, acting, etc., is one thing...moving them into fits of laughter with nothing but your mouth is another. The more I watch stand-up performances, the more I'm intrigued less by the jokes and more by the sense of timing and the natural rhythm of language. Here, dig Richard Pryor on cocaine:

And dig Carlin on what lame-asses white people are:

Now, below is the guy they owe it all to, as everyone knows. There aren't many great clips of Lenny Bruce on YouTube, but this will give you an idea of the kind of verbal jazz trip the guy was onto. His Carnegie Hall show is like listening to Ornette Coleman...he gets on a trip and his language turns automatic. Sometimes his free-association doesn't make any sense, but jesus, the man turned language into electricity!!

God bless amphetamines.

Topics: I Heard This

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I Heard This: The Smiths

My next door neighbor and dear friend Angela is one of my favorite people. The reasons for this are too numerous to expound upon here (as any of her super-fan regulars from the Tin Hat will testify), but I'll just break it down to the basics:

1) Despite her questionable vegetarian lifestyle, she always politely tries what is offered to her when traveling, which is quite often. On a recent trip to the Philippines, the girl ate snails.

2) Because of her vegetarian lifestyle, the apple tattoos on her arms are actually adorable and appropriate.

3) She never ventures onto the internet, unless it's she's had too much to drink and demands that I watch Youtube videos of Patti Smith with her. Other than that, I guarantee you she won't even know I wrote this post about her. "Pitch-what?" "Whose-Space?" It's refreshing.

4) She apparently can't clean her house without listening to "Big Mouth Strikes Again" by the Smiths. About once a week, as soon as I hear Morrissey crooning to his sweetness that he was "only joking", I know that Ang is about to bust out the vacuum. I find a strange comfort in this. So, in honor of Angela, who will never see this, here' s the Moz:

In related Morrissey news, his publicist issued a statement today with the complete details of the judgement rendered in his libel suit against Word Magazine, who foolishly reprised implications made by NME that Morrissey is racist. Big mistake on their part; full text and elaborations on his intentions to go after NME next are after the jump.

Continue reading "I Heard This: The Smiths"

Topics: I Heard This

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