J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 8th April 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. Had a blast with a ton of new music tonight and a bunch of classic older stuff. The year is turning up a lot of promising releases, especially this month, and the future's looking better as well. 2009 is a good year so far.

Now, before I wax nostalgic about two minutes ago, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 8th April 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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PJ Harvey and John Parish - "Black Hearted Love" [from a woman a man walked by. their first co-headlining collaboration since 1996, though they've worked together as recently as harvey's 2007 album white chalk. the av club nailed this in calling it a pretty interesting hodge podge of harvey's sounds from over the years. i'm liking this record and i bet most fans of polly jean will as well.]
Verbena - "Six White Horses" [from the ..is the alabama boys choir EP. this EP - i don't even know if it was ever in stores. i think this was a radio promo EP that was sent out as a precursor to their final album, la musica negra. it's a shame, too, as "six white horses" rivals anything on any of their albums. it's a masterful rock song that is verbena at its very essence.]
P.O.S. - "Low Light Low Life" [from never better. i'm really into this song. right now i could see it easily hanging around for the year-end best singles show. now we need to hear more of the album. viva minneapolis hip-hop!]
Public Image Ltd. - "This is Not a Love Song" [by request. from this is what you want..this is what you get! am i imagining things, or have i heard a version of this without horns somewhere before? i feel like this version was a bit weak compared to others i've heard.]
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the Thermals - "Now We Can See" [the title track from their latest. get ready because you're going to be hearing a lot of this record in the coming weeks. seriously catchy, seriously rockin', seriously good.]
Liz Phair - "Big Tall Man" [from whitechocolatespaceegg. anyone hear anything else about her forthcoming album? the one where she apparently atones for her last two records? she's got another good album in her. they were all quality until she decided to make a grab for the brass ring.]
Lake Inferior - "Spiders" [from their self-titled EP. i want these guys to come play in greensboro so i can see them. hey, guys, if you're reading - let's get you down here!]
the Twilight Singers - "Bonnie Brae" [from powder burns. afghan whigs last week, twilight singers this week. maybe greg dulli solo next?[
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Tommy Keene - "A Secret Life of Stories" [from in the late bright. more power-pop goodness from one of its finest practitioners. i want to hear this whole record.]
Whiskeytown - "Nervous Breakdown" [from rural free delivery. aquarium drunkard did a post about this in comparison to the black flag original the other week. a fun revamp of a classic keith morris-era black flag song.]
Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 - "Goodnight Oslo" [the title track from his latest. he's playing right now up a the cat's cradle in carborro. a good show, i don't doubt.]
the Wedding Present - "This Boy Can Wait (A Bit Longer!)" [from the famous NME C86 compilation. there will be a post up on aquarium drunkard about this very soon. keep looking.]
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Superchunk - "Knock Knock Knock" [from leaves in the gutter their first new release since 2001. i'm really liking the songs on this EP a lot. meanwhile, go read my thoughts about their 1994 classic, foolish.]
the Delta Spirit - "Trashcan" [from ode to sunshine. the j's indie/rock # 1 single of 2008. awesome stuff.]
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Come Saturday" [from their self-titled LP. speaking of C86 and its disciples, this band is the main reason people have been talking C86 this year. seriously good. they'll be at local 506 in chapel hill on monday, may 4th.]
Destroyer - "European Oils" [from destroyer's rubies. its the wicked guitar solo that bursts out of nowhere on this song that always got me. there's a reason this was my # 1 album of 2006.]
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Akron/Family - "Everyone is Guilty" [from the forthcoming set 'em wild set 'em free which is due out may 5th. these guys were one of the most challenging and engaging shows at the monolith festival last fall. see them live. please.]
Nicolai Dunger - "Something New" [from soul rush. i was going to play something off of his tranquil isolation album since we'd talked about it this week over at drunkard. but of course our copy was missing. curses. not loud, but deep.]
the Veils - "Sit Down by the Fire" [from sun gangs which came out yesterday. note to veils: come back to north carolina. at least so elizabeth can actually see you this time.]
the Church - "Metropolis" [from gold afternoon fix. i know someone out there tonight heard that opening mandolin line and said, "yes! he's playing 'metropolis!'" i just know it.]
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Jason Lytle - "Rollin' Home Alone" [from his forthcoming debut solo album, yours truly, the commuter. jason is the former frontman of grandaddy. i know a lot of people are happy to see him back. i'm doing a phone interview with him next week. stay tuned for details about that.]
the Shop Assistants - "It's Up to You" [probably my favorite song from the C86 compilation and by a band that put out one album and then was off into the ether. seriously gorgeous stuff, but god, it reminds me of the beginning of smashing pumpkins' "mayonaise." this song predates the pumpkins' song, naturally.]
the Odds - "Cloud Full of Rocks" [from cheerleader. more canadian power-pop goodness.]
the Seahorses - "Love is the Law" [from do it yourself. excessive? absolutely. really awesome? strangely, yes. have to love the post-megagroup projects of the other members of the band beside the lead singer.]
Justin Townes Earle - "Midnight at the Movies" [the title track from his latest solo album. i like this song a lot, even if the sticky sweetness of this is a bit cloying. nanci griffith can sing about love at the five and dime 'cos she's old enough. i'm older than earle and i think that makes some of the lines ring a bit false. but it's a good song.]

That'll do it for this week. Back next week with some more new music (I already have some - can anyone say the new Felice Brothers?) and more classic goodness. And thankfully, most of you will say, for the last time this year I get to say - GO HEELS! NATIONAL CHAMPS! Until next time, take care.