j's indie/rock mayhem - 19th september 2007

[and welcome to another semester of great music on WQFS. this semester marks a couple of landmarks. i've now spent three and a half years at the wednesday, 6pm - 8pm slot and hopefully i'll be here for awhile yet. i've sort of structured most of my life around it. and this september also marks eight years as a dj for WQFS. it was eight years ago that my friend jeremy fischer and i first sauntered into the station to launch 'j and j's indie/punk mayhem' which would change the next year when jeremy left for greener pastures across the country. this sounds kind of hokey, but i'm actually looking forward to my 10 year anniversary in two years. it'll feel like an accomplishment of sorts. oh, well.

congratulations to david moore who won a copy of jason isbell's sirens of the ditch tonight from the fine folks at BBs new and used CDs and DVDs who set us up with a copy in honor of my interview with jason being broadcast. i give away a gift certificate (or some appropriate prize) every week at the beginning of the third set (around 6:30 or a little after) so tune in and try to win.

now, shall we? onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 19th September 2007 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Art Brut - "Pump Up the Volume" [from it's a bit complicated. this song is good, but not great, until the bridge. when that guitar line sails through, it's all over. i got so excited the first time i listened to this record, this being the lead track. the best part? art brut is coming (along with the hold steady) to disco rodeo in raleigh on wednesday, october 24th. so, you might not hear me that week. all things considered.]
the Church - "Spark" [from starfish. i do so love the church and this is one of their great, jangly rave-ups.]
Matt Pond PA - "If You Want Blood" [the title track from their latest EP. one of my favorite songs of this year, no lie. and i'm not a huge fan of these guys, as i've oft said.]
Talib Kweli - "Listen!!!" [from the new eardrum, which, admittedly, though i bought it the week it came out, i haven't listened to much yet. this song was pretty good, so i'll definitely have to get my ears on it finally, but my initial scans through it hadn't given me much to work with.]
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Oakley Hall - "All the Way Down" [one of many great songs from the new i'll follow you which i reviewed this week. it's a great continuation of their prior two albums and this one tops both, i'd say.]
the Mekons - "Blow Your Tuneless Trumpet" [from rock 'n' roll, the first mekons record i ever heard. i found this randomly back in the vinyl stacks once upon a time and fell in love with it immediately. they just recently released their 20th something album, which i've heard isn't bad at all.]
Black Francis - "You Can't Break a Heart and Have It" [from bluefinger. this is a cover of a song by herman brood, the dutch punk who, seemingly, was an inspiration for the majority of this album by frank black. a pretty good song on the whole. makes me want to look more into brood as well.]
Mudhoney - "Touch Me I'm Sick" [from the kurt cobain: about a boy documentary soundtrack. i was mistaken on the podcast: this was not originally released on the superfuzz bigmuff EP, but rather just from the "touch me i'm sick" single from 1989. a great, classic song and, as a contemporary (and oft mentioned and sometimes played with) band of nirvana's, very relevant to the documentary as a whole.]

[this is where i broadcast the interview with jason isbell. he and i discussed his pre-truckers musical experience, the recording process of sirens of the ditch, his plans for future LPs, why the South is a great place to tour and a few other things. below is a link to the interview mp3 with no music involved. to hear the songs along with the interview, listen to the podcast.]

J's Indie/Rock Interview with Jason Isbell - Click Here to Listen

Jason Isbell - "Chicago Promenade" [i had been blown away out of the gate by "dress blues," but this is the song that cemented the awe i felt about sirens of the ditch. i'm still blown away by this song. consistently and thoroughly.]
Jason Isbell - "The Magician" [i haven't played this song on the show before, but it's one of many excellent ones. the magician metaphor is a nice one and this song is a grower.]
Jason Isbell - "Dress Blues" [still my favorite song of 2007. and will that change by december? we'll see.]
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Beirut - "Nantes" [from the forthcoming the flying club cup. the beirut crew has been busy - releasing two EPs since the release of their debut LP last year, but here comes their sophomore full-length. it's not due in stores until october 9th, but emusic has it way ahead of schedule. they've been snagging some great stuff way ahead of time, as we'll see a little later in the show. i like this song - the album will probably get the now departing review treatment right here in early october.]
Wipers - "Messenger" [from over the edge, the third record by this pacific northwest band. you can get the first three wipers records together in a 3-CD set that is a pretty amazing collection of some pretty vital punk. good, rarely heard stuff.]
Josh Ritter - "Empty Hearts" [from the historical conquests of josh ritter. i love this song - it's the most 'springsteen' sounding of the songs on the record. the chorus gets in your head and lays an egg. try not to be singing it for awhile after. i dare you.]
Angels of Light - "We Are Him" [the title track from michael gira's latest. i'm loving what i've heard so far - akron/family as a backing band again is genius. i keep gearing up to play tracks from the new akron/family, but just haven't gotten to it yet. next week.]
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Thurston Moore - "Never Day" [from the lovely trees outside the academy which i also reviewed this week. a great record all in all with some really gorgeous songs.]
Bjork - "Hyperballad" [from her second album, post. i've been revisiting this album recently as i had begun to recall fuzzy memories of really loving it. and i was right. it's a right brilliant record, refining the dancier tendencies of debut and the crazier, ambient, insanity that would follow homogenic. this song, especially, i find endlessly gorgeous. confession time: my copy of this record was borrowed from my friend sandra back in high school and i never returned it. she never asked for it either, so it's not like i deliberately withheld it. i should really send it back to her.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Glossolalia" [from north star deserter which i reviewed the other week. a really sorrowful, sad record that plumbs through some harrowing territory, but man is it a beautiful trip.]
Wilco - "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" [by request. from yankee hotel foxtrot. i haven't played much wilco recently and i probably won't, as they get enough play from other QFS djs and in various volkswagon commercials. but i hadn't played this song in quite some time, so the request was welcome. by the way, frank, if you're reading: i didn't find the wall of voodoo you wanted until way too late, so i'll have it next week.]
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His Name is Alive - "Come to Me" [from the new xmmer which came out this week. i've yet to lay hands on the full-length, but this song from the silver makeup EP is also from the new album. quite good stuff much in the style of the excellent detrola.]
Okkervil River - "Savannah Smiles" [another gorgeous song from the increasingly amazing the stage names. top 25 albums bound.]
the Whigs - "Violet Furs" [from 2006's give 'em all a big fat lip. this record was originally released in 2005, so here's hoping this great band is working on a new LP.]
Bob Dylan - "Oxford Town" [from 1963's the freewheelin' bob dylan. i knew a guy once who had had dinner with the woman walking with dylan on the cover of that album. i was teaching my students english ballads today, and in order to give them some 'contemporary' examples, i brought in my guitar and played a few. this was one of them.]
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Japancakes - "Heaven or Las Vegas" [from their forthcoming album giving machines. i thought these guys had split, but thankfully no! and here they come with a cocteau twins cover (thanks, chuck) from the new record. guess what? emusic already has it despite it not being released until october. so get at it.]

That'll do it for J's Indie/Rock Mayhem tonight. Come back on Friday for the Notes from Underground column and then Monday for the next album reviews. Next week might be the first 'classic' album review I've done, so sit tight. It may surprise you. or not. Until then, Go Panthers! and take care.