HALF DUG-”s/t”

I dunno much about Half Dug, they seem pretty D.I.Y., but I’m digging their sound. Kinda Seattle meets the Grateful Dead and Fugazi, if that conjures any images for you.

If it doesn’t, then listen to these:

Seeing Through

My Reflection

PICTURE OF THE DAY

10 *more* REASONS TO LOVE MY BLOG

1. More Than This (Roxy Music)-Division Day

2. One More Song the Radio Won’t Like-Kathleen Edwards. From her stellar “Failer” album.

3. More Than Shapes (Acoustic; Live version)-The Long Winters. * Any interest in my posting more from this show?

4. No More Mosquitoes-Four Tet.

5. More Than This (Roxy Music cover)-Bill Murray. I love this. Looooove it. Makes me wanna go see Lost In Translation again.

6. More Than a Feeling (Boston)-Of Montreal

7. We Got More Soul-Dyke and the Blazers. One of my favorite classic soul groups–At their best, they were at least as good as James Brown himself.

8. Hit Me Baby One More Time (Britney Spears cover)-Chad Michael Murray(?). I’m actually not sure who this is, or where I got this. Feedback please!

9. More Soup Moka Only Featuring MF Doom. What the hell is the Masked Genius up to these days? I heard some disturbing stories that he wasn’t performing live–he had a stand-in or something.

10. How About I Love You More-Mull Historical Society. This is such a cute, sweet little song.

10 REASONS I LOVE THE DEADSTRING BROTHERS

I had the privilege of seeing The Deadstring Brothers last night at a tiny place here in Arlington known as The Iota Club. There couldn’t have been more than 40 people in the audience, including the opening act. I haven’t seen a tighter, more talented ensemble in a very long time. I always enjoyed their recorded work, but live . . . The songs are just blueprints for scorching guitar work, powerful rhythms, and some of the most enthusiastic vocals I’ve ever heard. On wax, you don’t hear how amazing talented Spencer, their lead guitar player, really is–nothwithstanding that he looks like a 12-year-old Joey Ramone.

They mostly performed material from their new one, and the title track was smoking hot. Other highlights were a rough and raw “Black Coffee;” a “Blindfolded” that shook the rafters; and “You Look Like the Devil.” And when they whipped out a cover of The Band’s “The Shape I’m In,” they blew the bricks out of the walls and sent them flying into the street. Dogs caught on fire and babies fell from the sky. My only regret is that when they asked for suggestions on what to play, I didn’t shout out “Where Are All My Friends?” I fucking love that song.

If you get a chance to see them, don’t ask any questions. It’s not country, it’s not blues, it’s rock and roll of the sort the Rolling Stones made before 1974. If you’re not a regular reader, or if you never downloaded these songs before, your assignment is to do so now. Now, dammit! Their newest album is one of the best of the year so far, and if you don’t like them, you just haven’t heard them yet.

1. Silver Mountain

2. Lonely Days

3. Heavy Load

4. Where Are All My Friends?

5, 6., 7. Go here for a few live tracks from an in-studio performance

8. Sacred Heart

9. Get Up Jake

10. Stream a few more, including “No Hiding Love,” at their Myspace page.

Drop me a comment and tell me I’m right.

And here’s 10 more reasons I’m glad I saw them:

10. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
9. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
8. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
7. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
6. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
5. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
4. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
3. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
2. The Deadstring Brothers rock.
1. The Deadstring Brothers fucking rock.

THE HOURLY RADIO-”Gun in Hand” (EP)

The Hourly Radio are a cool band, who just released a new EP–digitally, and FREE! Help them harken in the new world of music! They’re unlocking a new song every day until they hit the road. Check it out at their site!

GUN IN HAND EP tracklisting:
1. Gun In Hand
2. Dear Ears (Remix by Shiny Toy Guns)
3. He Said She Said (Remix by Michael Jurin of stellastarr*)
4. Closer (Remix by The Pipes Bros)
5. Not A Victim (Remix by Joel Habbeshaw)
6. Crime Does Pay (Remix by Dance Robots, Dance!)
7. Crime Does Pay (Remix by DJ Will Eastman)
8. Crime Does Pay (Remix by Terrorist Chic)
9. Crime Does Pay (Remix by Joel Habbeshaw)

THE TOP 10 PRINCE SONGS . . . aka 10 REASONS I DIG PRINCE COVERS

Everybody’s talking about Radiohead these days. Radiohead Radiohead Radiohead. But there was an artist who went online first–who refused to be a SLAVE to the major labels, took his act on the net, and even gave away his CD at shows. Yeah, that was the artist known as Prince who was formerly known as the Artist who was formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known As Prince who was formerly known as Prince who was formerly known as Prince Rogers Nelson, who also calls himself The Purple One.

A.K.A. Slave Shave.

Here’s my picks for the top 10 Prince songs. With covers!

P.S.-I’m sure you will disagree with one or more of my picks. Don’t be nasty, just drop a comment!

10. Nothing Compares 2 U. It’s a great tune, and it’s been covered by dozens of folks, but nobody made it their own like Sinead O’Connor. Of course, I’m not posting her studio version here. Buy it. But this one, you might not be aware of . . .

Nothing Compares 2U – Stereophonics (link courtesy of Retro Music Snob).

9. Darling Nikki. I love this song more for what it represents than for the actual tune–Prince has certainly made better songs musically, but this one broke a few barriers and it’s funny as hell.

Chickenhead Nikki-Cam’Ron and Prince (Tapemasters Inc.)

Darling Nikki-Foo Fighters

8. Partyman. The classic Batman soundtrack, one of the greatest soundtracks in history, spawned this phenomenal dance track.

Partyman (Dance 12″)-Prince.

7. Raspberry Beret.

Raspberry Beret-Hindu Love Gods (Warren Zevon and the R.E.M. band!)

6. I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man-Goo Goo Dolls

I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man-My Morning Jacket

5. Seven. Lots of you probably haven’t even heard of this song, but it’s brilliant. Off his Glyph album.

4. When U Were Mine. Cyndi Lauper also did a hot version of this tune.

When U Were Mine-Tegan & Sara

3. Sign O’ The Times. Lots of folks may find this song corny, but it was one of the first Prince songs that I put on repeat over and over right after I heard it. Another fantastic song from that double album was the highly underrated and brilliant Starfish and Coffee.

Crazy Times-Prince vs. Gnarls Barkley

Thug-A-Cated 4 Life (starfish and coffee)-Papoose

2. Purple Rain. G’head, tell me why I’m wrong. Then listen to that blazing solo. Then try to tell me again.

Live version.

1. When Doves Cry. Simply the greatest divorce song ever.

When Doves Cry-The Be Good Tanyas

When Doves Cry-Ani DiFranco

When Thugs Cry-Joe Budden

When Doves Cry-Damien Rice

When Doves Cry-Barenaked Ladies

Let Me Know-Cam’Ron and Prince (Tapemasters Inc.)