J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 11th November 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. A rainy and blustery night which, unfortunately, kept our planned guests, Lake Inferior, from being able to join us. Hopefully they'll be able to come and join us another time, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go check out their EP release show tomorrow night in Chapel Hill at Local 506. Their new Pegasaur 10" is a really awesome EP and well worth picking up.

Continue sharing your picks for the best albums and singles of the year here on the blog - either in comments or by emailing me. I'd love to hear what you guys think the best music of this year has been. The Top 25 Albums and Best Singles shows will be on December 16th and 30th, although I'm not sure in what order I'm going to do them yet. Usually do the singles first, so maybe that's what we'll do. I'll let you know soon.

Now, before everything blows away in this sub-hurricane, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 11th November 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Jarvis Cocker - "Further Complications" [the title track from his latest, which also has a nifty new video that is around on the interweb. watching it reminded me of what a great album opening song this is. i think you agree. don't you?]
the Libertines - "Horror Show" [from up the bracket. since i had to settle for something off of the lesser libertines record last week, here's something from their excellent debut. diggin' that a clockwork orange reference in the title.]
Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Some Trees (Merritt Moon)" [from why there are mountains. obviously i really slept on this record and i'm kicking myself for not going to see the pains of being pure at heart even more now knowing these guys were opening. sigh.]
the Veils - "Killed by the Boom" [from sun gangs. this record grows on me more and more with each listen. it was a disappointment, a bit, at first. now i'm not sure about that interpretation at all. good job, finn.]
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Lake Inferior - "Johnny B" [from pegasaur, the new 10" EP that is having its release show tomorrow night, thursday, november 12th, at the local 506 in chapel hill. can't wait to see these guys live again. one of north carolina's most interesting and fun bands.]
Mansun - "Stripper Vicar" [from the UK edition of attack of the grey lantern and also available on the US "take it easy, chicken" single. this is one of the tracks that was removed for the US version. i'm still wondering why. one of those things.]
Ramona Falls - "Melectric" [from intuit, the debut album from this band which is a project of brent knopf of menomena. since menomena hasn't put out a new record in the last couple of years (guys? c'mon.), it's good to hear some new music from one of its members.]
Roadside Graves - "Far and Wide" [from my son's home. one of my favorite records of this year, unquestionably. they're working on a new EP early next year. i'm salivating already. check out this sweet live performance of "ruby" from the hear ya website.]
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Built to Spill - "Planting Seeds" [from there is no enemy. love the slightly anti-commercial nature of the song - love that bill hicks reference, too. god rest his soul. i was just listening to some of my bill hicks records the other day. crazy (and sad) how accurate some of his attacks still are.]
Beck - "Atmospheric Conditions" [from one foot in the grave. one of my favorite and unique beck records. sadly out of print, but well worth hunting down if you've never heard it.]
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - "I'm Not Gonna Cry" [from the daptone gold label sampler that is out now. 23 songs sampling the best of daptone records - sharon jones is, unquestionably the real star here, but there's a lot of great stuff on the collection. this song and its horn line kills me though. slays me.]
Wye Oak - "Talking About Money" [from the knot. really, truly one of my favorite records of this year and it's giving some stiff competition in the top ten.]
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the Clientele - "Never Anyone But You" [from bonfires on the heath. wow, this is just a classically good clientele record. you'd think them maintaining such a unique and consistent approach would get old, but it really doesn't somehow.]
Kris Kristofferson - "Sunday Morning Coming Down" [from me and bobby mcgee. kristofferson has a new record out, and aquarium drunkard did an interview with him about it last week. it's a good read. he's got a great sense of humor and is one of our great living songwriters, no doubt.]
the New Pornographers - "Jackie, Dressed in Cobras" [from twin cinema, one of my picks this week for the decade series over at aquarium drunkard. read about why i think it's one of the decade's best.]
the Raveonettes - "Bang!" [from in and out of control. there's not a bum track on this album, is there? c'mon. save me the suspense and just tell me.]
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the Duke and the King - "Summer Morning Rain" [from nothing gold can stay. this is the new project of simone felice, former member of the felice brothers. huckleberry finn allusion aside, this is a lovely song. i'm behind on it, but we'll hear more.]
Paul Westerberg - "Baby Learns to Crawl" [from stereo, another of the decade picks i wrote about over at aquarium drunkard this week. it is, seriously, my favorite westerberg solo record, so go check out why i named it a best of the decade.]
Flesh for Lulu - "Postcards from Paradise" [from long live the new flesh. westerberg does a sloppily glorious cover of this on the stereo album, so i thought i'd throw in the original - quite a sharp little song in its own right.]
Magnolia Electric Co. - "Lawyers, Guns and Money" (live) [from their daytrotter session, a cracking cover of the warren zevon classic. they do it some justice. if i had a band, i'd cover this song, too. it has to be a ton of fun to play.]
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Echo and the Bunnymen - "Shroud of Turin" [from the fountain. this is a really, really good song. i have to listen to the rest of the album and see if it's as sharp. i've heard that the post-reunion albums for the band have actually been really solid. any thoughts?]
White Rabbits - "Percussion Gun" [from it's frightening. get it? bunnies? rabbits? haw! this is a really good album, produced by britt daniels of spoon, and ranks up there for the best of this year, no doubt.]
John Prine - "Sam Stone" [from his self-titled debut. it was the first song that came to mind when i thought of veteran's day material. that and the next song..]
Jason Isbell - "Dress Blues" [from sirens of the ditch. i know that the soldier in this song doesn't make it home, but it's just as important to remember the people who never got to be veterans. i know that's memorial day's purpose, but it's good to never forget it. war has a price.]
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Mountain Man - "Animal Tracks" [gorgeous harmonics on this single from this all female group. this song is only available on a single, i believe, but check out this about them at aquarium drunkard.]
Sun Kil Moon - "Carry Me Ohio" [from ghosts of the great highway. another of this week's decade picks over at aquarium drunkard. granted, i've never spent a lot of time listening to mark kozelek's music, but this song is gorgeous and i can start to see why people adore him so much.]
Of Montreal - "So Begins Our Alabee" [from the sunlandic twins. another of this week's decade picks. certainly an interesting one as this isn't the of montreal album i hear named a lot when it comes to talking of their best material. i've not been a huge fan of theirs, honestly, but they produce some really interesting and unique music. and i don't mean that in a 'damning with faint praise' way. they are one of a kind.]
the Low Anthem - "Charlie Darwin" [from oh my god, charlie darwin, one of this year (and last's - got reissued this year) best records that i didn't know about until way later. it's such a solid album. amazing live show. and a new video for this song. check it out.]

That'll do it for J's Indie/Rock Mayhem this week. Tune in next week for more music goodness and in two weeks for the annual Thanksgiving show. Until then, Go Panthers! (you guys gave New Orleans a hell of a game - we'll get 'em in January when they come to Charlotte), and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 4th November 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. Really great stuff this week, so just a few notes.

This week marks the first podcast recording done with our new digital outlet for recording and the sound quality is so much better. Those of you who listen to the podcast, I hope you enjoy the better sound and I appreciate you sticking with it these few years despite the so-so sound.

I'll be playing gee-tar again this Friday, November 4th, at the First Friday Indie Market here in Greensboro, downtown, on the corner of Elm and MLK. I'll be playing between 6pm and 7pm, so come down and say hi and, you know, tip me if you want.

Now, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 4th November 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Arctic Monkeys - "Crying Lightning" [from humbug. the majority of reviews of this record have seemed mildly disappointed. maybe it's a junior album curse since they avoided the sophomore slump? they're still a great band and i like this song quite a bit.]
Sixteen Horsepower - "Brimstone Rock" [from low estate. i do really miss sixteen horsepower. woven hand is interesting, but just not the same. sigh.]
Telekinesis - "Tokyo" [from their self-titled debut. such a fantastic album that it will undoubtedly be on my top albums and singles of '09 shows. michael lerner is a treat.]
Mission of Burma - "1, 2, 3 Partyy!" [from the sound the speed the light. is there anything really to say about mission of burma anymore that hasn't already been said? they're just a great, great band.]
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the Raveonettes - "Heart of Stone" [from in and out of control. speaking of songs bound for the best singles list. holy crap, this is a great song. is this entire record as good as these singles i've been playing? anyone had a listen to it?]
Semisonic - "Brand New Baby" [from the pleasure EP. my friend, sara, sent me a mix tape many a moon ago with a hodge podge of semisonic on it, including this song. at the time (thanks to "closing time") i didn't much care for them, but sara convinced me i was wrong with that tape. i feel like credit should be given where necessary - she also introduced me to josh rouse on that tape and got me to reconsider fountains of wayne. man, i owe her.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Concordia Country Jubilee" [from at the cut. i don't think i can say enough good things about the chesnutt show i witnessed last saturday down in wilmington. that band he has out on tour is just incredible to witness. i'll be doing a write-up of the show later this week at aquarium drunkard, so check it out when you can.]
Lake Inferior - "How the Wars Are Won" [from their self-titled EP. the guys in lake inferior will be joining me in studio next week for an interview. can't wait to have them up and enjoy one of my favorite north carolina bands goin'. stay tuned for that next week.]
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Superdrag - "Everything'll Be Made Right" [from their latest, industry giants. i've been kind of hot and cold with superdrag. they seem like the kind of band i'd love, for many reasons. but this song was really good. so maybe i'll give them another chance. any fans?]
Tommygun - "Flames in Winter" [by request. from their flames in winter album. now defunct winston-salem, NC band that made some pretty righteous rock in their day.]
Blur - "Death of a Party" [from their self-titled record. this album threw me for a huge loop back in the day. i was a huge fan of the britpop-heavy sound of blur and when they shifted with this record, i was honestly a bit upset. 'cos, you know, those are the types of things that upset you when you're a teenager.]
Polvo - "Lucia" [from in prism. a little over eight minutes and one of my absolute favorite songs from this album. it's got such a great hook in the middle. oh, man, it's still stuck in my head even now. so good.]
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Finn Riggins - "Shaky" [from the excellent vs. wilderness. any band who can effortlessly and, without kitsch, incorporate steel drums into their sound gets a tip of the hat from me. so, hat tip, guys.]
My Morning Jacket - "Bermuda Highway" [from at dawn, another of aquarium drunkard's decade picks as one of the best albums of the decade. read the piece here. they've been one of the most impressive bands of the 2000s, artistically, no doubt.]
Volcano Choir - "Island, Is" [from unmap. this is the collaboration between bon iver's justin vernon and fellow wisconsin musicians, collections of colonies of bees. this is one of the most approachable tracks on the album as far as singles go, but it's a pretty interesting listen.]
Kurt Vile - "Hunchback" [from the excellently named childish prodigy. he's playing tonight (probably right now) at local 506 in chapel hill along with his band the violators. quick! get there!]
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Califone - "Polish Girls" [from all my friends are funeral singers, their latest record. i love this band. i really ought to get on the members' previous output as red red meat, so i've heard.]
Heartless Bastards - "Out at Sea" [from the mountain. heard their show with wolfmother here in NC last night was stellar and quite awesome. been awhile since i've seen them live - last winter, i think, so it's time i see them again.]
Reverend Glasseye and his Wooden Legs - "One More Smoke" [by request. from black river falls. the first time i ever heard the good reverend was when my friend jared was playing them on QFS back in the day. so this is another dedication to him to go along with the spacehog the other week.]
the Velvet Underground - "Who Loves the Sun" [from loaded. i bought the VU albums in the order they were released, and it took me awhile to get around to buying loaded, but with songs like this, it was worth the wait. so poppily delicious.]
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Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Living North" [from why there are mountains. wow. where have i been? these guys are great. i've heard the name a ton, but never the music. man. they were nice enough to sit down and talk about their favorite albums of the decade over at aquarium drunkard.]
Unrest - "Cath Carroll" [from perfect teeth. more revisiting of one of my new favorite bands of the late 80s/early 90s. teen beat records was so fantastic.]
NoahJohn - "First Communion" [from water hymns. my pick this week for the decade list. read about it here. this is a seriously gorgeous record and i've had a hard time putting it down the last two weeks.]
Bombadil - "Oto the Bear" [from tarpits and canyonlands. a truly fantastic song from north carolina's bombadil. though it did make me think of simon smith and his dancing bear for various reasons. great stuff.]
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the Henry Clay People - "End of an Empire" (live) [a live in-studio recording of an unreleased song. can't wait for them to come back through NC and to put out a new record.]
the Libertines - "What Katie Did" [by request. from their self-titled second album. caller wanted to hear babyshambles, but i could only find the libertines and not the better libertines album either. kind of disappointing. oh, well.]
Big Ditch Road - "The Jackson Whites" [the title track from their last EP. a really great band whose work i enjoy far too much. i can't remember what blog it was that turned me onto them via the gorgeous "st. lonesome," but i forever owe you a huge debt, nameless blog.]
Bruce Springsteen - "O Mary Don't You Weep" [from the seeger sessions. the other AD decade album from this week. i'll admit that i didn't spend a lot of time with this album when it came out, but this song is a doozy and it's quite possible i need to fix that time-spent problem. read about it here.]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with the guys from Lake Inferior here in studio, until then, Go Panthers! Get them Saints! And take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 28th October 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. My show was a little far away from Halloween this year to go all out on the Halloween theme. In fact, it'll be that way for the next couple of years, but fear not, I still laced the show with some Halloween themed bits of fun. Hope you enjoy.

If you haven't been following our Decade posts over at Aquarium Drunkard, you really ought to check them out. The four main writers are going through their favorite albums of the decade between now and the end of the year, and we're having a blast. I'm playing tracks from each of the albums that go up during the week here on the show, but the articles are even more interesting, so go catch up if you haven't been following along.

Now, while there's still talk of a winning season for the Panthers...somewhere...onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 28th October 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Girls - "Lust for Life" [from their self-titled debut. you know, obviously stolen titles are kind of endearing in a way. the 'mats' let it be, for instance, and the title of this song is no exception. it helps that it's a really great song. helps a lot, actually.]
Mclusky - "Without MSG I Am Nothing" [from the difference between me and you is that i'm not on fire, one of my contributions to this week's decade pieces over at aquarium drunkard. click here to check it out. i love this record - every nasty, snarky, caustic bit of it.]
George S. Irving - "The Hearse Song" [from a audio reading of scary stories to tell in the dark. this series was essential reading when i was growing up, and it still is. remember that woman? yeah, i thought so. i thought i'd insert a few of these throughout the show as is my usual want during the halloween season.]
the Raveonettes - "Breaking Into Cars" [from in and out of control. i need to give this album a listen, really. i hadn't written the raveonettes off or anything, but i'd become progressively less interested in their work over the years, but i like everything i've heard off this so far.]
the Reigning Sound - "Stick Up for Me" [from the excellent love and curses that came out a little earlier this year. great classic sounding rock and roll. this and the obits record may be the best straight up rock albums this year.]
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Finn Riggins - "Wake" [from vs. wilderness. this is a downright fun record and though they aren't gracing us here in the east coast with any tour dates right now, if you get a chance to check them out, it's a fantastic show.]
Adam and the Ants - "Antmusic" [from kings of the wild frontier. so one of the great things about eMusic striking a deal with sony is access to sony's back catalogue at eMusic's really awesome prices. thus, this album. there's a dated sound to adam ant, but you know what? it's still terrific music.]
George S. Irving - "The Slithery-Dee" [from scary stories to tell in the dark. it came out of the sea, you know.]
Nirvana - "Molly's Lips" (live) [from the new gussied-up reissue of their debut album bleach. added on to the remastered album is a complete live show from 1990. it's got great sound quality and catches the band at their energetic early peak. and here they are tearing through their excellent cover of the vaselines' classic that wound up on incesticide. not a bad thing to pick up for big fans.]
the Vaselines - "Son of a Gun" [from enter the vaselines. so why not follow-up a cover with an original? nirvana also covered this vaselines song on incesticide and i'm fairly sure i might never have heard the vaselines without nirvana. weird circles music moves in.]
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Lake Inferior - "Addressing Parents" [from the forthcoming pegasaur 10" EP. they'll be having an EP release party at local 506 on thursday, november 12th and if you want to catch one of north carolinas best newer bands, this is the show to see. for real.]
Fugazi - "Cashout" [from the argument, another of aquarium drunkard's decade albums. read about it here. i love this fugazi record. if the band never recorded another album, it would be a fitting end to their career together. it's a perfect synthesis of everything they had developed over their years together.]
George S. Irving - "Room For One More" [another from scary stories to tell in the dark.]
Mos Def - "Auditorium" [from the ecstatic. featuring a killer verse from slick rick. this will be on my year-end best singles show no question.]
Echo and the Bunnymen - "Shroud of Turin" [from their latest the fountain. it doesn't sound quite like the old echo, but man, it's actually really good. the two songs i've heard at least. here's to bands growing older gracefully.]
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Vic Chesnutt - "Philip Guston" [from at the cut. vic, along with the band that recorded this record - the silver mt. zion orchestra, guy picciotto (from fugazi) and members of godspeed you black emperor - will be at the soapbox in wilmington this saturday night, halloween. and so will i. i really cannot wait to see this show.]
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs - "And Your Bird Can Sing" [from under the covers vol. 1, their beatles cover from that covers album. sweet and hoffs will be at the carborro arts center on thursday, november 5th. i believe there are tickets still available - i guess they'll be doing mostly music from their new album of 70s covers.]
George S. Irving - "Wait 'Til Martin Comes" [from scary stories to tell in the dark.]
the Low Anthem - "Dignity" [their cover of bob dylan's "dignity" which you can get as a free download if you sign up for the band's mailing list. not a bad trade if you ask me.]
the Alcazar Hotel - "Lucky" [a great song from chapel hill's alcazar hotel who will be playing here in greensboro tomorrow night as part of this month's dotmatrix project free concert at the green burro downtown starting at 8pm. they'll also be joined by the fantastic pinche gringo, so get thee down there. this will be the last dotmatrix show of 2009 as they take a two month break to recuperate.]
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El Perro Del Mar - "Gotta Get Smart" [from the new love is not pop, sarah assbring's third album as el perro del mar. the early reviews on this thing are good, so we'll hear more. i like this song.]
Tiger Bear Wolf - "I Can't See the Light" [from their self-titled record which was also named as one of aquarium drunkard's decade - best albums of the decade. read about it here. are people just coming alive to this band? i got a call tonight raving about this song and how nasty and awesome the guitars were. i agree. i've agreed since this band started. greensboro, represent.]
Wade Denning and Kay Lande - "Halloween" [from halloween - songs and stories. this isn't available on CD, but thankfully vinyl rips of it exist. my elementary school music teacher had us listen to this every halloween. when i found a copy i nearly fainted.]
Lucero - "The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo" [from 1372 overton park. i like this song a lot, people. a whole lot. lucero will be at the visulite theatre in charlotte on tuesday, november 17th.]
Q and Not U - "So Many Animal Calls" [from different damage, my other entry this week in the decade list over at aquarium drunkard. read about it here. i sorely miss this band. a lot.]
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Paul Westerberg - "Ghost on the Canvas" [from pw and the ghost gloves cat wing joy boys EP. i haven't played this song off the EP yet and i guess it's perfect for the halloween show. hey, ghosts, alright.]
A.A. Bondy - "Oh the Vampyre" [from when the devil's loose, bondy's fantastic sophomore album from earlier this year. fit the theme well also. huzzah for themes.]
Califone - "Alice Marble Gray" [from all my friends are funeral singers. i really like califone a lot, if it hasn't been apparent on the show from time to time. their new one is still getting into my head, so we'll hear more.]
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J's Indie/Rock Halloween Mash-Up - "War of the Great Dancing Macabre Pumpkins" [a mash-up i put together years ago that has become an annual staple here on the show. it takes music from romantic composer, charles camille saint-saens, and his "danse macabre" piece and dialogue from the original war of the worlds radio broadcast and a vinyl recording of it's the great pumpkin, charlie brown. enjoy the weirdness and fun. happy halloween!]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with more awesome music and some nice memories of seeing Vic Chesnutt. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 21st October 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. My first two hours of just music in quite a few weeks, so I was itching to get as much out as I could. I think the show tonight is really good, but you'll have to judge for yourself.

The end of the year is approaching and that means J's Indie/Rock Top 25 Albums of the Year time. If you have suggestions about what the best records of this year have been, leave 'em in comments or email them to me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what's been driving your ears into divine bliss this year.

Now, while I can still taste the curry from my hot dogs, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 21st October 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Lucero - "Halfway Wrong" [from 1372 overton park. maybe this is the record to get me into lucero. so far, these songs are doing it for me. we'll see. what do y'all think?]
the Afghan Whigs - "Fountain and Fairfax" [from gentlemen. one of my all time favorite songs by anyone, anywhere. period. just simply jaw dropping.]
Bombadil - "Sad Birthday" [from the new tarpits and canyonlands. great to hear these guys back. sad i've still never seen them live though. i have got to fix that. check out their stint at daytrotter.]
Future of the Left - "Arming Eritrea" [from travels with myself and another. probably my favorite aggressive/heavier record of this year. love falkous' snark all over the place again.]
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Vic Chesnutt - "Flirted With You All My Life" [from at the cut. he'll be at the soapbox in wilmington on halloween evening. i'm hoping to see him as he'll have the north star deserter/at the cut band in tow with him. woo!]
the Replacements - "Within Your Reach" [from hootenanny. thought this song, both thematically and drum-wise, made for a good back-to-back pair. good segue too, i think.]
Finn Riggins - "Shaky" [from vs. wilderness which you can read my review of from earlier last week. it's a really solid record and really, honestly, the best of their career so far. check them live if you can. the steel drums are worth it.]
Pylon - "Crazy" [from chomp more, the new re-issue of their album chomp put out by DFA records. good to see one of the most overlooked athens bands getting their well earned due.]
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Built to Spill - "Hindsight" [from there is not enemy. i'm liking this album a lot so far - more than you in reverse, to be truthful. not that that album was awful, but it just didn't grab me immediately the way the others have.]
Spacehog - "Mungo City" [from the chinese album. this is for jared, who i know listens to the podcast, and who i'm fairly sure i remember enjoying spacehog back in the day. as often as you listen, i ought to throw you a bone more frequently.]
Animal Collective - "The Purple Bottle" [from feels. this was one of aquarium drunkard's decade albums over the past week - the best albums of the 00s that we're writing up. check out the review.]
Cat Power - "Lived in Bars" [from the greatest, another of the aquarium drunkard decade albums that you can read about here. this is a great album that my friend laura turned me onto last year. i hadn't really given cat power much of a listen until then. glad i did.]
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the Raveonettes - "Heart of Stone" [from the new in and out of control. this song is bangin'. i had read that their new one was a great leap in quality for them and these songs are on point. the best thing they've released since their debut.]
Stephen Malkmus - "Jenny and the Ess Dog" [from his self-titled debut solo record. he's made better solo records, but this holds as one of the best songs he's written, full of great characters and snarky little jokes a plenty.]
Jurassic 5 - "The Influence" [from quality control. one of my entries for this week's decade posts. check it out here. i love this album, but really i'll go to bat for any of their albums. except feedback. not for feedback.]
Air - "So Light Is Her Footfall" [from the new love 2. a nice little record. i'm not a huge fan of air, but i've enjoyed their music over the years, even if it didn't make me go crazy or anything. this is a good single, definitely.]
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Wye Oak - "Siamese" [from the excellent the knot. one of the best albums of this year, i do believe.]
Explosions in the Sky - "Your Hand in Mine" [from the earth is not a cold dead place, another of the aquarium drunkard decade pieces. check out the write-up. i'm not always big on instrumental stuff, but this is a beautiful song.]
the Avett Brothers - "January Wedding" [from i and love and you. i like this song quite a bit. it has that melancholic sweetness that so much of their best music has. see "pretty girl at the airport" for proof.]
Guided By Voices - "Twilight Campfighter" [from isolation drills, my other decade pick for the week. i do so love this album and it's quite possibly at the top of my guided by voices album list. maybe. check out my write-up.]
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the Whigs - "In the Dark" [the title track from their forthcoming album which isn't due out until early next year, but they've released it as a teaser. they'll be at local 506 in chapel hill in december, so make sure you catch these guys live. amazing live show.]
Liam Finn and Eliza Jane - "Long Way to Go" [from the fun champagne in seashells EP. eliza jane is a member of finn's touring band and she adds a nice touch to this record.]
Califone - "Polish Girls" [from all my friends are funeral singers, the new album from this fantastic band. i can't wait to sink my teeth further into this record.]
the Microphones - "I Want Wind to Blow" [from the glow, pt. 2. the last of this week's decade entries. this is a record i've never spent much time with, but i like what i've heard. it's a thinking man's record, that's for sure. you have to spend time with it. focused time. check out the review.]
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Tom Waits - "Get Behind the Mule" (live) [from the forthcoming glitter and doom live tour album. there is a sampler of the double album that you can get over at tom's label's site. it sounds like it will be well worth picking up.]

That's it for this week. I'll be back next week with more fantastic new and classic music. So until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

Now Departing:Finn Riggins - Vs. Wilderness

Finn Riggins
Vs. Wilderness
(Tender Loving Empire ; 2009)

There's something to be said for compact, layered rock and roll. Boise, Idaho's Finn Riggins, back with their second full length for Portland, Oregon's Tender Loving Empire, has created just that ideal type of album. In an age where bands are pounding you over your head for attention at all moments, a concise, unique record is all the more advantageous. With eleven tracks coming at 40 minutes, Vs. Wilderness is an album that should get Finn Riggins all the attention they deserve from listeners.

One of the more unique things about the album, and most releases by Tender Loving Empire, are the hand-made CD cases and in-house art designs that are eye-grabbing and unique. In a day when labels are moving away from physical product in general, it's nice to see a label that makes it worth it to track down their physical wares.

Vs. Wilderness is bookended by a set of instrumentals - "Rush of Animals (prelude)" and the closing "Rush of Animals," but in between is some hearty, mid-fi (if there is such a thing) rock that shakes and churns. First proper song, "Battle," surges with hypnotic, repetitive guitar lines and chorused vocals from the three band members. There are shifts in tempo, more instruments than you'd think three people could play at once and the undeniable urge to tap feet. The record never loses any of its energy or pace from there on. Even when it takes side trips for distorted keyboard driven funky romps ("Dali") or steel-drum melody inflected ballads ("Shaky"), the record keeps its energy firmly in hand.

Having seen the band live before, I can certainly attest to the energy carrying over to their performances, and this record is their best documentation of that fury yet. Finn Riggins is part of a dynamic, small-label indie-rock movement that continues to put out inventive, unique and passionate music - that goes for Tender Loving Empire as much as it does for all the countless other labels around the country producing music this engaging and exciting.


Rating: E(xcellent)

(Rating scale: A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y)

Judge For Yourself:

Finn Riggins - "Shaky"

Finn Riggins - "Wake"

Order Vs. Wilderness from Tender Loving Empire or download it at eMusic.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 14th October 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. It always feels good to get back after a week off and this week was no exception. I was joined in-studio by Cara Craig and Mike Wallace, co-organizers of this year's Greensborofest. It was fun to have them up and to get a listen to just a small handful of the bands who are going to be playing the four day event, starting tomorrow, Thursday, October 15th at Dana Auditorium here at Guilford College at 8pm. All the shows are free, so make sure you get out and celebrate Greensboro music.

Now, while the going's good, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 14th October 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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A Place to Bury Strangers - "It Is Nothing" [from the new exploding head. i saw these guys live last week and was completely wowed by their stage show. they get called out for channeling jesus and mary chain and things like that, but i hear touches of big black and public image limited in what they do as well. in other words, it's very good.]
Brother Ali - "The Preacher" [from us. i haven't paid a lot of attention to ali before, though that's to my detriment seeing as the rhymesayers scene from minneapolis is one of the best hip-hop scenes in the nation, without question.]
Spoon - "Small Stakes" [from kill the moonlight. one of the ongoing decade albums over at aquarium drunkard where we're going through our favorite albums of the 2000s. read the piece on it here. i'll be featuring the albums that went up the previous week here on the show each week. so stay tuned.]
Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Rise" [from eating us. i got this song stuck in my head the other day. maybe it's because i'm longing for the summer again in the midst of this cold, grey autumn rain we've been in the middle of for the last week. i guess i'll have to turn on my heat tonight finally. or else crank this album.]
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Lake Inferior - "Johnny B" [from the forthcoming pegasaur 10". one of my favorite north carolina bands right now and they're doing an album relese show for this EP on november 12th at the local 506 in chapel hill. i'll be there. no doubt.]
the Church - "Columbus" [from heyday. in honor of monday having been columbus day. such a complex holiday for so many reasons. at least we got an awesome song out of it.]
Built to Spill - "Planting Seeds" [from the new there is no enemy. they'll be at the cats cradle in carborro this sunday, october 18th, so go check out one of the best live shows out there. wish i were going. show overload that week.]
the Bronzed Chorus - "Underpass Sunrise" [from i'm the spring. i don't get into instrumental bands very often, but these guys are a lot of fun everytime i go see them live or give the records a listen. greensboro, represent.]
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Finn Riggins - "Furs" [from the new vs. wilderness. we had their last album in rotation up here at QFS and this new one is even more fantastic. we'll be hearing more.]
Danger Mouse and Jay-Z - "Change Clothes" [from the now legendary the grey album. this was my first entry for the aquarium drunkard decade series. this album seriously changed a lot about music, or at least was the most public face of that change. read my piece here. great, great stuff.]
the Glands - "Livin' Was Easy" [from their self-titled 2000 album. this was the head drunkard's first entry in the decade series and honestly i've never listened to this band before, but i need to get on it after hearing this. check it out here.]
Bon Iver - "Skinny Love" [from for emma, forever ago. this really is one of the most beautifully crafted albums this decade and i agree every bit with people who put it on their list of best albums. check out j. crosby's piece on it here.]
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the Flaming Lips - "Convinced of the Hex" [from embryonic. i'll be honest - i've not really been super jazzed about new flaming lips albums in awhile. yoshimi.., for all its glory, was underwhelming for me and at war with the mystics was practically unlistenable. but embryonic, while not hearkening back to my favorite flaming lips era by any means, is at least challenging and interesting. i'm still trying to figure out what i think of it, but it's certainly one of the most unique releases of this year.]
My Morning Jacket - "Mahgeetah" [from it still moves. another of the decade posts from aquarium drunkard. i've never been as keen on this album as i was on at dawn, but a great song is a great song and this one in particular is pretty moving. my morning jacket is a band that has truly laid out some masterful work this decade.]

[Here's where I did an interview with Cara Craig and Mike Wallace, co-organizers of this year's Greensborofest. Greensborofest is a yearly four-night festival that celebrates everything great about Greensboro music - all the shows are free, at different venues and feature a range of styles. Greensboro fest has a great lineup and Cara, Mike and I talked about how long the festival has been going, how they got involved, who all is playing and what to expect. A fun time with fun people. Also, since we didn't play bands from these nights, Saturday night's show starts at 8pm at the Green Bean with Basalt, Sugar High Gang and Rough Hands and then continues at Westerwood Tavern at 11 with Mutant League. Sunday afternoon also features an early show, 5:30pm, at My Favorite Things with Our Horse Jethro, JP Smith Jazz Unit and Sundrone.]

Romancer - "The World is Exploding" [romancer is a band featuring former members of health and is a pretty great little group. they'll be playing thursday night at dana auditorium at guilford college. 8pm start time.]
Secret Message Machine - ? [sorry for not knowing the name of this song, but you can ask the band themselves on thursday night at the guilford college show alongside romancer, yank yer blue jeans and computer geek salad.]
Casual Curious - ? [another apology for not knowing the song name, but ask the band on friday night at 8pm when they play at the lyndon st. artworks along with workday schoolnight, genghis khan, pens and needles, and treason; a dj dance party will follow also with l in japanese, tim trouble and harley lyles.]
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Kaleidoscope Death - "Cinder" [another excellent band. they'll be playing on sunday night at legitimate business alongside low sky, resister, pinche gringo and torch runner. show starts at 8:30.]
Lucero - "The Devil and Maggie Chascarillo" [from 1372 overton park. i've never really gotten into lucero the way some people have, but i like what i'm hearing on this album. maybe it'll change my tunes. the love and rockets references don't hurt either.]
Sunny Day Real Estate - "In Circles" [from the diary re-issue. both this album and its follow up, LP2, have gotten nice reissues. this is one of my favorite songs by them, so of course it gets a play.]
Travis - "Writing to Reach You" [from the man who. this was my second contribution to the aquarium drunkard decade pieces and the comments were interesting. glad there were a number of folks who shared my love of this album. especially this song. man, it's brilliant.]
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Vic Chesnutt - "Dick Cheney" [from skitter on take-off. this is vic's second new album of this year, this one a collaboration with jonathan richman. this song sounds mostly like vic with himself, but it's a fantastic analysis of our former vice president. vic and his at the cut / north star deserter band will be at the soapbox in wilmington on halloween, a saturday evening. i'm thinking i'm heading down there to catch him because that backing band and those albums are too much to believe.]
J.K. and Company - "Christine" [from suddenly one summer. i'm really blown away by these tracks and you can check them out over at drunkard. i'd never heard of this 1968 album and band, but it sounds so far ahead of its time in weird, exciting ways. i love it. you could've told me it was recorded this year and i wouldn't have batted an eye.]
Unrest - "West Coast Love Affair" [from perfect teeth. a band that only really put out two LPs in the early 90s and then were done, but it's an amazing mix of early 90s indie, power-pop, krautrock hypnotism and sunny vocals. we will have to hear a lot more.]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with my first interview-free show in some time and tons of new music. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 30th September 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - an interview heavy edition! I was lucky enough to have both 2/3rds (or 4/6ths) of Holy Ghost Tent Revival with me and then, to continue the Save the Monkeywhale Fest theme, Monkeywhale.com founder Harvey Robinson and Monkeywhale.com contributor and Eating the Invaders member Matty Sheets. Tons of great Monkeywhale related talk and good music all around.

Don't forget that I'm MCing nights 1 and 2 of the Monkeywhale fest - Night 1 is at Solaris downtown and kicks off around 9; Night 2 is at the Blind Tiger (along with night 3) on Friday and starts around 9 also. Saturday night (night 3) starts at 6, with an extra big lineup. All three nights are $7 each and well worth it. Go check out the lineup!

I won't be up here next week as I'll be off to Durham to see the hilarious David Cross performing. I'm not sure who'll be filling in for me yet, but they'll be amazing, no doubt. I'll be back on Wednesday, October 14th for the normal hullabaloo.

Now, before Delhomme throws another interception, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 30th September 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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the Clientele - "I Wonder Who We Are" [from the forthcoming bonfires on the heath, due out next tuesday, october 6th, on merge records. i love this opening track. i've been enjoying the r&b textures the band has been inserting more frequently into their stylized retro-pop. it's gorgeous stuff.]
the Tragically Hip - "Poets" [from phantom power. my favorite hip record and, whether you remember it or not, this song actually got some play on american alt-rock radio stations when the album was out. interesting that this was the single, but really, listen to the album and you probably won't find a better single.]
Passion Pit - "Little Secrets" [from manners. when it comes to the best singles of this year, i probably won't put "sleepyhead" on the list since it came out last year on an EP, but i'll certainly pile this song in there. it's a gem and a half.]
Paul Westerberg - "Drop Them Gloves" [from the pw & the ghost gloves cat wing joy boys EP. this is the rocker of the bunch and it's a doozy.]

[Here's where Holy Ghost Tent Revival joined me in studio. Ross, Steven, Hank and Patrick (sans Matt and Mike) were terribly fun to talk to as we alternated talk about their origins, musical foundations and interests with mentions of their opening night headliner for the Save the Monkeywhale festival on Thursday at Solaris downtown. We took a listen to a good chunk of their forthcoming Family EP. Unfortunately, since I was busy talking shop with those guys, I didn't get a chance to really listen to the songs enough to comment, but what I heard was great. Here's the run-down.]

Holy Ghost Tent Revival - "Alcohol" [from the family EP. as are all the others. while you're at it, check out the band's monkeywhale video for a nice slice of their personality and music.]
Holy Ghost Tent Revival - "Someone Too"
Holy Ghost Tent Revival - "Goodbye or Goodnight"
Holy Ghost Tent Revival - "Cardinal Directions"

[Next, I was joined in studio by Monkeywhale.com founder Harvey Robinson and Monkeywhale.com contributor Matty Sheets. Matty's band, Eating the Invaders, will be playing the opening night of the festival along with Holy Ghost Tent Revival, at Solaris. I talked with Harvey about his origins in film, where the idea of Monkeywhale came from, how $3.33 is a year's profit (sort of), the genesis of the festival and where the site goes from here. Matty jumped in with some commentary about the site, his work on it as a blogger, his work with Harvey on some short films and some other things as well. All in all a really awesome interview. I played some Monkeywhale/Monkeywhale Fest related artists in between chunks of the interview.]

Filthybird - "Warm Womb" [from southern skies. click here to check out their monkeywhale video.]
Citified - "Pencil Me In" [from the fantastic absence. click here for their monkeywhale video - one of the early ones!]
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Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers - "Scissor Tales" [from her fantastic songs in the night album. sadly, she won't be at monkeywhale fest, but that won't keep you from checking out their video.]
Birdmonster - "Forever Gone" [from blood memory. i really want to see these guys live sometime, 'cause I get the feeling they'd be rather awesome.]
the Breeders - "Divine Hammer" [from last splash. i love all things breeders, but this song is in my top 3, without a doubt. perfect.]
the Mountain Goats - "Psalms 40:2" [from the forthcoming the life of the world to come due out next tuesday. it's a really strong record, though not as full-banded as his last few. still strong. i'm loving hi-fi darnielle.]
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Girls - "Lust for Life" [from their self-titled album. this one snuck up on me, but it's every bit as good as people say it is. we'll be hearing a lot more. probably top 25 bound.]
the Flaming Lips - "Kim's Watermelon Gun" [from clouds taste metallic. there'll be a review of this going up on drunkard soon. i'm hearing the new lips record is really good. anyone else heard it yet?]
Times New Viking - "Half Day in Hell" [from born again revisited. i'm still not sure what i think of times new viking's approach to burying their pop songs, but it's unique, i'll give them that. you almost strain to hear the melody. keeps ears pinned in.]
Polvo - "Right the Relation" [from in prism which i reviewed over at aquarium drunkard this week. it's a really sharp record and way better than i expected it to be. seriously, folks. get your ears on it.]
A.A. Bondy - "A Slow Parade" [from when the devil's loose. one of my favorites from his latest. make sure you catch him live when he comes through your town.]

That'll do it for this week. See you out at Save the Monkeywhale Festival the next three nights! I'll be back in two weeks. In the meantime, my happy wishes to Matt (of Tiger Bear Wolf; #3 album of 2005) and Kristina (of my friends; #1 in awesomeness, every year) who are getting married this Saturday. I'll be at the wedding, but they deserve a public huzzah. Huzzah! See you at Monkeywhale, Go Panthers! and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 23rd September 2009

[Welcome to another great edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. So much amazing music on the show tonight. I'm truly excited about it.

I want to go ahead and give a plug for the upcoming Save the Monkeywhale Festival coming up next Thursday through Saturday, October 1st - 3rd, here in Greensboro at a couple of venues. I'll be emceeing nights # 2 and 3 at the Blind Tiger (night # 1 is at Solaris). You might remember my interview in Monkeywhale's early days (read: last November) and if you haven't kept up with them, they're making some amazing work. The festival is a fundraiser for them and features a ton of great bands. Please make sure you come out to one or more of the nights and say hey if you see me as, undoubtedly, I'll be there all three nights.

Now, while I'm loaded and ready, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 23rd September 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Langhorne Slim - "Say Yes" [from be set free. the lead track from his, honestly, very very good new album. i'd like to see him live again at some point since the last time i did - opening for avett brothers a number of years back - i had no idea who he was.]
Buffalo Tom - "Summer" [from sleepy eyed. this song feels strangely appropriate for the end of summer/beginning of fall for some reason. i do so love buffalo tom, though. so maybe i'm just telling myself that.]
St. Vincent - "Save Me From What I Want" [from actor. yeah, one of this year's best albums, without question. where will it end up on the list? time is coming soon!]
Ladyhawke - "My Delirium" [from her self-titled debut. this will end up on the j's indie/rock best singles of 2009 also. and not just because of the great video. it's just endlessly hooky. that chorus. man.]
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Arctic Monkeys - "Potion Approaching" [from humbug. josh homme really did bring out the darker side of the monkeys for this record - i'm still wrapping my head around what i think of it versus the first two albums, but so far, so good.]
Devin Davis - "Iron Woman" [from lonely people of the world, unite! one of my favorite singles of this decade. what a perfect pop song is what i'm saying.]
Obits - "Widow of My Dreams" [from i blame you. bitchin', bitchin' music. seriously. how can you not crank this on a warm fall afternoon with the windows down? answer: you can't not do it.]
Big Star - "Lovely Day" (demo) [one of the extras from the keep an eye on the sky boxset. there's so much good stuff packed into this thing for big star fans. oh, man. well worth the pick up price.]
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Paul Westerberg - "Dangerous Boys" [from the pw + the ghost gloves cat wing joy boys EP. stealthily released on tuesday without any fanfare really. it's a sharp six song collection and you can check out my review over at aquarium drunkard as well as sample another one of the songs.]
Band of Horses - "Islands on the Coast" [from cease to begin. ah, the album that made me actually like band of horses. i was really slow to warm up on their first album, but this one slew me. this song especially.]
Roadside Graves - "My Son's Home" [the title track from their excellent album out on autumn tone records. really one of the most affecting records i've heard all year.]
Shudder to Think - "X-French T-Shirt" (live) [from the new live from home LP that was recorded during their reunion tour last year. this is really one of those bands that has such a devoted cult following, but really may not make much sense outside of the 90s. but here they are anyway. nostalgia is big business, folks.]
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the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Ramona" [from the young adult friction EP. they'll be playing at the local 506 in chapel hill next tuesday, september 29th. i'm super excited to see them again as they tore it up at pitchfork festival this summer.]
Kathleen Edwards - "Summerlong" [from back to me. oh, mercy, how i will forever love this song. it seems to fit into late summer/early fall as well and, honestly, makes me immediately go back in time. we're getting our best of the decade stuff together over at aquarium drunkard and i think i'll be writing about this album at some point.]
Megafaun - "The Fade" [from gather, form and fly. one of my favorite singles of this year. my boys in megafaun are awesome, aren't they?]
The Xx - "VCR" [from their self-titled debut. i'm still trying to figure out what is going on here. this is truly one of the more unique indie records to drop this year and it has me a bit confused. i just need to listen more, obviously.]
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Yo La Tengo - "Periodically Triple or Double" [from the new popular songs. i really wanted to play "autumn sweater" tonight and thought about making it a double bill with this new song, but eh, what'cha gonna do?]
Son Volt - "Bandages & Scars" [from okemah and the melody of riot. an album that has truly taken years to grow on me. i really didn't like it much when it first came out, but now i think it's really quite solid.]
Phoenix - "1901" [from wolfgang amadeus phoenix. gotta love that title. one of the best out and out pop records of this year, especially the first half. viva the french.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Philip Guston" [from at the cut which finally dropped this week. he's playing in wilmington, north carolina on halloween this year and i'm fairly sure i'm heading down that way to catch him and this really amazing band on tour.]
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Mission of Burma - "Forget Yourself" [from the sound the speed the light. the third in a line of really exciting reunion records. bless this band.]
Teenage Fanclub - "Everything Flows" [from their debut album a catholic education. the first track from their first album. can you imagine opening your career with a song like this?]
Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers - "Songs in the Night" [the title track from her debut album. a really strong songwriter and overall great musician. let's revisit those monkeywhale videos, shall we?]
J. Tillman - "Crosswinds" [fleet foxes member with his new solo album year in the kingdom. he was doing solo work before fleet foxes and his solo work is pretty uniformly beautiful. even if he did steal my first initial.]
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A.A. Bondy - "When the Devil's Loose" [the title track from his latest. bondy was seriously great at local 506 last week. make sure you catch him on tour 'cos this band he has out with him is seriously great.]
that dog. - "She Doesn't Know How" [from totally crushed out - one of my favorite records of the 90s and it's because of songs like this one. hauntingly gorgeous indie rock that they just don't make anymore.]
the Damnwells - "Like It Is" [from one last century. viva la damnwells. their golden days documentary is finally out on dvd. i can't wait to finally see it.]
Jim White - "Diamonds to Coal" [from last year's transnormal skiperoo. this song is everything that is really awesome about jim white's songwriting. truly.]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week at the same time with, probably, some Monkeywhale Fest appropriate music. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 16th September 2009

[Welcome to a very special edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. While the exact date is lost to the mists of time for me, this week is, more or less, the ten year anniversary at WQFS. It was in September of 1999 when I first came up into the studio and proceeded, along with then DJ cohort Jeremy Fischer, to do seven straight hours of programming as several DJs after us failed to show up into the wee hours of the night. Trial by fire. The ensuing ten years have been nothing short of a blessing and I feel even more energized and excited now to come up into the studio each week than I did back then. Having this show (and this blog, which is celebrating its six year anniversary this month) helped me get to experience a lot more in the musical world - a trip to South by Southwest, meeting some of my very favorite artists, getting the opportunity to write for the fantastic Aquarium Drunkard, and tons more. I also feel like I become a better DJ every week. It really is an art form and I am always striving to improve my craft from show to show.

I have you, readers and listeners, to thank for the feedback, suggestions, encouragement and support over the past ten years. So I want to indulge for a second and personally thank some people who have been great help and support in particular: my parents, Wayne and Martha Neas, for sending me to college somewhere so fantastic and for always supporting my musical endeavors; past WQFS general managers and management - especially Will Dodson, Tim LaFollette, James Fishwick, Michela Maxwell, Devender Sellars, Jeff Irving and Beth Bass; fellow current and former DJs - especially Kelly Davis, Moose, Marcus, The Rogue Squadron Hangar Bay, Wesley E., Jody Campagna, Lynn and her late husband, Ray, Mike Pettipas, Tom Ivey, Chuck Carroll, Mike Smith, Kathy Clark, Eugene Sims, David Butler, Steve Price, Elizabeth and Beyond, D.L., - all of you showed me what great dedication to craft could look like; long time and recent listeners - especially Cromer, the M.I.A. Stan (last bastion), Frank, Mark on the Blue Ridge, Heather - your feedback and calls always make the shows even better; and lastly, but so far from leastly, the incomparable Mad Dog, whose show has always made me work harder and made loving indie-rock seem like the most natural thing in the world - you've gone from being one of the DJs I enjoyed talking with about music the most to one of my absolute great friends - thank you for all the moments of the last ten years.

I'll be having some live music in studio next week as Scott Pryor stops by for a visit prior (no pun) to his playing at Guilford's Homecoming next weekend. He's a great songwriter, so make sure you tune in for that.

Now, while I collect myself, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 16th September 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Arctic Monkeys - "Crying Lightning" [from humbug. i love this band, but i'd been behind on picking up their latest. the video for this song is pretty righteous though, i must say.]
Television - "See No Evil" [from marquee moon. is this album ever anything less than amazing? especially the remastered edition from a few years ago. the sound is so much better and the songs leap off the CD in new ways that make the songs even better.]
Brendan Benson - "Garbage Day" [from my old familiar friend. one of my absolute favorites from this album - great smacks of soul and r&b mixed with benson's sharp lyrics.]
Blitzen Trapper - "Black River Killer" [one of my favorite tracks from their furr album but now also the title track on their new seven song EP. we'll take a listen to some of the other songs in the coming weeks.]
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Birdmonster - "Yuma" [from blood memory. so far, this record is matching up well with their album from last year - quite a solid band.]
School of Fish - "King of the Dollar" [from their self-titled 1991 debut. i was wrong on the podcast and claimed this was school of fish's only album, but that's not true. they had a sophomore effort in 1993 before josh clayton-felt left the band. great song. seriously great song.]
the Antlers - "Bear" [by request - from their album hospice. accidentally played a song i wasn't supposed to play, but oh, well. not bad. interesting stuff.]
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Come Saturday" [from their self-titled debut LP. they'll be at the local 506 in chapel hill on tuesday, september 29th and i'm so incredibly excited to see them.]
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Polvo - "The Pedlar" [from in prism. can't stop talking about how great this polvo album is - the individual tracks are solid, but as one record, it's fantastic. get your ears on it.]
Jay Reatard - "My Reality" [from watch me fall. i honestly hadn't paid a ton of attention to reatard's rise into indie prominence, but this new record is super.]
J's Indie/Rock First Times - Jody Stephens - Click to listen [i did an interview with jody stephens of big star over at aquarium drunkard and it was a super pleasure talking with him. he was kind enough to share his first concert story and it's a humdinger - the rolling stones. with a sad follow up story that winds up with him never seeing the beatles live. alas.]
Big Star - "September Gurls" [from radio city. the new box set, keep your eye on the sky, has a bunch of awesome additional material, studio and live.]
Mos Def (feat. Slick Rick) - "Auditorium" [from the ecstatic. really one of my favorite singles of this year and a fantastic turn by slick rick in a really awesome return by mos def.]
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Vic Chesnutt - "Coward" [from at the cut. if you didn't catch my interview with him at aquarium drunkard, go get it. it's one of my most favorite interviews that i've ever done. seriously.]
Unwound - "Mile Me Deaf" [from the a single history collection of 12 and 7" singles. by request.]
Son Volt - "Methamphetamine" [from the search. this song was easily one of the highlights of the show at the cat's cradle sunday night and, in a lot of ways, the turning point, energy wise, of the show. it felt like it took awhile to warm up, but this song turned it on.]
the Raincoats - "Lola" [from their self-titled album which is gettin' all dudded up and reissued. my only exposure to the raincoats is through kurt cobain's liner notes to incesticide which mention them, but i've honestly never heard them. sounds like nico doing the kinks with beat happening as her back-up band.]
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Mission of Burma - "1, 2, 3 Partyy!!" [from the sound the speed the light. so, mission of burma has put out, what, double the amount of material they did in their first incarnation? and from what i can tell, the new stuff is just as good. craziness.]
Toad the Wet Sprocket - "Fly from Heaven" [from dulcinea. toad is a band i've listened to for ages and ages. and this was the album that introduced them to me. i've always loved this song in particular - its biblical story told from an all-too-human perspective. beautiful lyrics, too. ah, toad.]
Wye Oak - "I Want For Nothing" [from the knot. a sleeper record for the year's 25 best. seriously. and i never expected it from them. shows what i know. i love being surprised.]
Langhorne Slim - "Leavin' My Love" [from be set free. so far, every thing i've heard from this album is gold. i first saw langhorne live about 4 or 5 years ago, and i've been really surprised with the quality output since then.]
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A.A. Bondy - "Mightiest of Guns" [from when the devil's loose. saw bondy up at local 506 last night and he was, literally, the best i've ever seen him. i'm starting a movement to get him to actually come play greensboro. he said all i need is 50 people and he's in. who's game? go read my interview with him if you're not sure and then you'll be convinced.]
Wire - "Three Girl Rhumba" [from pink flag. i don't play wire as much as i ought to really. being as they're one of the most original bands in the annals of rock and roll. but anytime i play this song i have to play...]
Elastica - "Connection" [from their self-titled debut. the band that ripped a thousand bands and created, in my mind, one of the best albums of the 90s. who cares if half of it's plagiarized? it's amazing.]
Zero Boys - "Livin' in the 80s" [from vicious circle. 80s punk from indianapolis. name me another band i would know from indy. someone. quick.]
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the Feelies - "Fa Cé-La” [from crazy rhythms which, along with its follow-up, the good earth, got a much deserved re-issue this week. i always associate these guys with the embarrassment, mostly because they are two bands i was told about at similar times and told i should listen to them.]
Beth Orton - “I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine” [from trailer park. we talked the other week about the late ellie greenwich, a brill building songwriter who died the other week. this is another composition of hers and boy, it’s a beaut. reminds me of this ray bradbury story.]
the Low Anthem - “To Ohio” [from oh my god, charlie darwin. gorgeous, gorgeous music.
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the Replacements - “Here Comes a Regular” [from tim. there’s something about this song that always enters my mind when someone dies. and this past friday, with the passing of jim carroll, it came into my head again.]
the Jim Carroll Band - “People Who Died” [from catholic boy. carroll’s passing was sad, but what a dynamic and amazing life he lived. his art is amazing to say the least, and this song is a stone cold all time classic. the link above goes to our memorium post on AD which is a re-posting of my dissection of two versions of “people who died.” take a read. rest in peace, jim.]

That’ll do it for this week. I’ll be back next week with Scott Pryor and more next music. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 2nd September 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. We're in the middle of training schedule here at WQFS, so I was joined in-studio by trainee Parker. He took over the board during the second hour, but I was telling him everything to play because, yes, I'm controlling. He did a good job, so I'm sure you'll be hearing him on the air this fall.

I'm playing a set of my original music this Friday, September 4th, at the First Fridays Indie Market down on the corner of Elm St. and Martin Luther King (near the bust of MLK) downtown. I'll be playing from 5pm - 6pm, so come on down and say howdy and listen to some of my stuff. I might be playing again later in the evening, but that's not certain right now, so make sure you catch me at 5pm if you're planning on coming down.

Now, since my fantasy football draft is completed, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 2nd September 2009

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Polvo - "Right the Relation" [from in prism which finally came out this week. and yes, it's as good as they're saying. very, very good.]
Pulp - "The Night That Minnie Timperley Died" [from we love life, their last album before going on permanent hiatus. that's the nice way of avoiding breaking up properly, i suppose.]
Ladyhawke - "My Delirium" [from her self-titled album. this song is ridiculously catchy and may be one of my singles of the year - i'm certainly behind on getting on it. and i love the video. it's such a great update on such a classic 80s sound that it's brilliantly original.]
Obits - "Fake Kincade" [from i blame you. great, great song and really one of the best albums of this year, too.]
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the Mountain Goats - "Psalms 40:2" [from the forthcoming the life of the world to come. every song on the record is named after a biblical passage and is a lot more stripped down than the most recent mountain goats records. but it's really sharp.]
the Replacements - "Who's Gonna Take Us Alive" [a let it be-era track that was a favorite of mine from the cassette bootleg days. the internet has made it so much less..exciting..in certain ways, to find stuff like this.]
Art Brut - "The Replacements" [from art brut vs. satan. waxing self-detrimentally about only just now getting into the replacements. i was totally into them back in 1996. you know. five years after they'd broken up.]
the Minus 5 - "Scott Walker's Fault" [from killingsworth. excellent song from the new album, featuring colin meloy on vocals. the minus 5 and the steve wynn IV will be at the cat's cradle in carborro on saturday, september 26th. ought to be fun.]
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J's Indie/Rock First Times - Vic Chesnutt - Click to Listen [i did an interview with vic chesnutt that you can read over at aquarium drunkard and he was kind enough to do a my first time piece for me. ah, the power of rock and roll. and breasts. mostly breasts.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Philip Guston" [from the forthcoming at the cut. at the aquarium drunkard interview, you can get an exclusive download of this song. the new album is dynamite. seriously.]
Blur - "The Universal" [from the great escape. the first blur album i bought and still one of my favorite blur singles. great video, too.]
Decoration Ghost - "The Haze of Wine and Age" [one the demo recordings from their work with snuzz. if you didn't catch the live performance of the band on the show last week, well, it's not too late.]
Patterson Hood - "Back of a Bible" [from murdering oscar (and other love songs). threw this song on a mix CD this week for someone and was reminded just how good this solo record is.]
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Birdmonster - "Forever Gone" [from blood memory. new birdmonster! terribly exciting when unexpected things wind up in your inbox. look forward to hearing more.]
Steely Dan - "My Old School" [from countdown to ecstacy. this was easily one of the most fun songs i've ever played on rock band. seriously. play some steely dan on that game and see how much fun you have.]
Wye Oak - "For Prayer" [from the knot. more from their excellent sophomore album.]
the Roadside Graves - "Far and Wide" [from my son's home. as i said on the podcast, i've been reading tweet after tweet where people see these guys live and are completely converted into fans. i was the same way. although, honestly, the record did it for me pretty much first.]
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A.A. Bondy - "A Slow Parade" [from when the devil's loose. new bondy hit the stores yesterday and it's fantastic. my interview with him will be up later this week on drunkard, so keep an eye out.]
Track a Tiger - "Glad to Be Scattered" [from woke up early the day i died. my unofficial #1 single of 2006. what're these guys up to now-a-days? ]
the Delta Spirit - "Lovers' Waltz" [by request. from their daytrotter session. played this a couple of weeks ago and got a request for a replay last week. it's an excellent cover of an excellent song by an excellent band.]
The Xx - "Crystaline" [by request. from xx. gotta grab this album off of eMusic and see what all the fuss is about.]
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Yo La Tengo - "Here to Fall" [from popular songs. the lead track from their latest. i'll tell you - yo la tengo were great at pitchfork. they're playing at the carolina theatre in durham, north carolina in october. i'd bet it'll be a blast.]
Michael Penn - "Don't Let Me Go" [from mp4: days since a lost time accident. another song from this week's mix CD i was putting together. this is probably my all-time favorite penn song, though i'm not sure why. it's probably my favorite penn album, too, while we're at it.]
Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks" [from veckatimist. parker picked out the grizzly bear, so we went with it. i'm just not on the gb bandwagon. good music, but nothing i'm flipping over.]
Great Lake Swimmers - "Pulling on a Line" [from lost channels. this, however, is a great and lovely song. i really need to play more of them.]
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Citified - "Landlocked" [from absence. bound for this year's top 25, i'd wager.]
the Clean - "In the Dreamlife You Need a Rubber Soul" [from mr. pop. the title of this song is a little ham-handed in its allusion, but it's still really good.]
Blossom Dearie - "The Shadow of Your Smile" [from live in london. i only 'discovered' blossom dearie about a month or so ago when lee posted a video of her on facebook. she died in february of this year. just an amazing and unique voice. c'est la vie. but i threw this song on that mix CD also and it kind of makes me float off into some dimly lit autumn place when i listen to it. and that's a good thing.]

That'll do it for this week. Check back next week as I host some more trainees and tons more new music. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.