J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 25th November 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - the Thanksgiving special. As always, my show falls on the day before the Thanksgiving holiday, so it's up to me to spend two hours talking about things for which I'm thankful. This year's show is pretty fun and chock full of great stuff.

I'll keep it short and sweet - jam on this stuff while you jam on some stuffing. Onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 25th November 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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A.C. Newman - "Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer" [from get guilty. one of my favorite singles - of course, any newman album is a single factory.]
Obits - "Widow of My Dreams" [from i blame you. again, a single factory from this year. love this record.]
the Replacements - "Little Mascara" [from the re-issue of tim from earlier this year. i sometimes forget how great this song is, and people rarely mention it as one of the album's best songs, immediately overshadowed as it is by "left of the dial" and "here comes a regular." but great it is.]
Built to Spill - "Hindsight" [from the excellent there is no enemy. this album is chock full of great singles, too. that's my focus tonight, isn't it?]
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Real Estate - "Beach Comber" [from their excellent self-titled debut. the thankful theme of this set is bands i learned about on the 'net this year. this is a prime example of a recent pick-up. of course, where do i hear most bands this year? it's not so exceptional anymore.]
Egyptian Lover - "What is a D.J. If He Can't Scratch" [from on the nile. not only did i hear this on the 'net, but it also sets up another thing i'm thankful for: sampling.]
Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf - "Red Light Green Light" [from big shots. this song uses a sample from egyptian lover's song to excellent effect. rest in peace, charizma.]
Echo and the Bunnymen - "Think I Need It Too" [from the new album the fountain which is quite good. quality bands that are around this long still making good records make me very happy.]
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Frightened Rabbit - "Swim Until You Can't See Land" [from their forthcoming, still untitled album due out early next year. this is already available as a single oneMusic and from other places. the theme of this set is great concerts i saw this year and these guys blew me away at the pitchfork festival.]
Lambchop - "Slipped, Dissolved and Loosed" [from OH(ohio). i talked last week about what a great live show these guys were at the merge records 20th anniversary festival - totally stealing the show from the headlining acts, planted firmly in the middle of the night as they were.]
the Low Anthem - "Home I'll Never Be" [from oh my god, charlie darwin. easily one of the most beautiful live shows i've seen in years and if you can see these guys live, get on it.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Coward" [from at the cut. not only one of my favorite albums of this year, but one of my favorite live shows. vic and his band was in rare, amazing form when i saw them at halloween.]
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Bear in Heaven - "Lovesick Teenagers" [from beast rest forth mouth. the late competitor giving a run for the top 5 albums of this year? you bet. this set had the theme of requests by friends who i am thankful for. this goes out tochris.]
James McMurtry - "Talkin' at the Texaco" [from too long in the wasteland and this goes out to jeremy. he was inspired by the new stephen king novel which apparently makes numerous references to this.]
Blackalicious - "Deception" [from nia. this goes out to michael who requested it weeks ago and i'm a bad friend and am just now getting around to it. love you, man.]
Arlo Guthrie - "Alice's Restaurant Massacre" [and this goes to rachel who requests this so her family can listen to it at thier annual night-before thanksgiving family get together. and why not?]
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Telekinesis - "Great Lakes" [from their self-titled debut. this was a sampling of this week's aquarium drunkard best of the decade albums. this album isn't on the list, but it's unquestionably on the list of the best of 2009.]
the Constantines - "Soon Enough" [from tournament of hearts, the decade review of which you can read here.i've never listened to them much, but i love this song.]
the Roots - "Quills" [from phrenology which you can read about here. this was the piece i wrote about for this week. seriously one of the best albums of the decade, hip-hop or not.]
the National - "Fake Empire" [from boxer. i often feel guilty if my favorite song from an album is the opener, as ifi'm slagging the rest of the album. but holy crow "fake empire" is just such a perfect song. read the decade piece and see for yourself.]
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Lemonheads - "The Outdoor Type" [from car button cloth. i mistimed my close to the show, but i did want to play this, one of my favoritelemonheads songs. during the 4 o'clock hour that i covered today i played the lemonheads' "rudderless" from it's a shame about ray, but i'll play the lemonheads all the time. good stuff.]
Beck - "Harry Partch" [long story short, this is the most awesome response to a diss i've ever heard. read the whole ridiculousness here and then try not to think beck is most assuredly the man.]

That'll do it for tonight's show. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and we'll (hopefully) be up here next week with the guys from Lake Inferior. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 18th November 2009

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - the last before the holiday season gets into full swing next week. I'll be doing my annual Thanksgiving show next Wednesday night, but will also be holding down the fort in the 4pm - 6pm slow that afternoon also. So tune in for some Early Mayhem from 4pm - 5pm, Democracy Now! from 5pm - 6pm and J's Indie/Rock Mayhem at the usual time of 6pm - 8pm. And, tentatively, in two weeks time we'll have the guys from Lake Inferior up here finally. So lots of good stuff coming your way in the next few weeks.

Let's cut to the chase. Onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 18th November 2009 Show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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A Place to Bury Strangers - "It Is Nothing" [from exploding head. one of the loudest shows i've seen in some time. and quite a great stage show for a small venue, too. not something bands always go all out on in smaller clubs.]
the Love Language - "Lalita" [from their self-titled debut. just found out this week that the love language will be playing here at guilford on saturday, december 5th. get excited as we're working on a great opener as well. stay tuned.]
the Undertones - "Teenage Kicks" [from their self-titled debut. i didn't play it seven times like john peel did the first time, but man, it still warrants that kind of play. what a song.]
Liam Finn and Eliza Jane - "Honest Face" [from the champagne in seashells EP. don't know if they're out touring for this right now or not, but i'm definitely excited for finn's proper follow-up to his i'll be lightning album.]
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the Clientele - "I Wonder Who We Are" [from the excellent bonfires on the heath. i know i've said this before, but their consistency is so rewarding, it's crazy. every album has a different feel, but without huge changes in their sound. it's awesome.]
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings - "How Long Do I Have to Wait?" [another song from the daptone gold collection from daptone records. these songs are so ridiculously good.]
the Church - "Metropolis" [from gold afternoon fix. not always my favorite church album, but this song is way up there on the list. as are a good number of others from this album.]
the Avett Brothers - "The Perfect Space" [from i and love and you. the brothers are on late night with jimmy fallon tonight, so tune into your local NBC affiliate to see some home grown north carolina music in action.]
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the Mountain Goats - "Psalms 40:2" [from the life of the world to come. i haven't seen the mountain goats but once and it was a mostly solo show from darnielle. still, i'd love to see him in these recent years with this span of fantastic albums, this one not excluded.]
Obits - "Fake Kinkade" [from i blame you. one of the most rocking records of this year. i have to tip my hat to joe g. for raving/ranting about this record for a good bit before i heard it.]
Drive-by Truckers - "Carl Perkins Cadillac" [from the dirty south, one of this week's decade picks over at aquarium drunkard. go and read my piece on it. this is my favorite truckers' album and it was my co-#1 album of the year back when it came out. the other #1 was my other album pick this week. coming up in a bit.]
the Rosebuds - "Boxcar" [by request. from birds make good neighbors. good to hear people requesting the old rosebuds stuff, too, 'cos it's fantastic. seriously. what a band.]
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Bear in Heaven - "Wholehearted Mess" [from beast rest forth mouth. wow. i just got this record this week and while i haven't made my way through it yet, this song is serious. we'll be hearing a lot more, for sure.]
Vic Chesnutt - "Society Sue" [from skittering on take-off, the second new album this year from chesnutt. this one was recorded with jonathan richman (yes, that jonathan richman) and is pretty good from everything i've heard.]
Egyptian Lover - "I Cry (Night After Night)" [from on the nile. like "prince meets kraftwerk" read the review i read. that's so dead on that it's painful. oh, my god, this stuff is awesome.]
the Heartless Bastards - "Early in the Morning" [from the mountain, a record that has gotten the band quite a bit of press this year. good for them as they are very, very deserving.]
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Califone - "Funeral Singers" [from all my friends are funeral singers. i'm a late-comer to califone, but their 2007 album roots and crowns won me over in a serious way. this one is doing the same all over again.]
the Streets - "Dry Your Eyes" [from a grand don't come for free, my other decade pick this week over at aquarium drunkard. go and read my piece on it. it's a really astounding record, all in all.]
Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions - "Trouble" [from her newest, through the devil softly. she sure takes her sweet time with music anymore, but man, this is seriously good. well worth tracking down for fans of mazzy star, obviously.]
the Replacements - "I'll Be You" [by request. from don't tell a soul. the only replacements song to ever crack the top 40. you guessed it. at #40. still one of my favorites, even if i still think some of the lines are alternatingly clever and trite.]
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Real Estate - "Fake Blues" [from their self-titled debut. one of the new albums that pitchfork has been flipping their wigs over. pretty good, honestly. we'll be hearing more.]
Lambchop - "National Talk Like a Pirate Day" [from OH (ohio). the main reason i played this is because the phenomenal lambchop show from the merge records 20th anniversary festival this summer is being released as a CD and DVD. here's a sneak at their closer - and yes, that's my quote at the beginning. hah!]
Autolux - "Turnstile Blues" [from future perfect, another of the decade picks from drunkard this week. go and read the piece on it. i, admittedly, had never heard these guys before and i was completely blown away. i might just have a new addition to a list of my favorite bands of this decade. jeeze, louise.]
Of Montreal - "Faberge Falls for Shuggie" [from hissing fauna: are you the destroyer? yet another of montreal album from the drunkard decade list. go and read the piece on it. i'm not a huge fan of of montreal, but these songs are catchy. if i like egyptian lover, i should dig this, right?]
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Blair - "Kamikaze" [from the forthcoming die young which will be out at the beginning of next year. i do so love this particular song, you know.]
Sufjan Stevens - "Chicago" [from come on feel the illinoise, another of the drunkard decade picks from this week. go and read the piece on it. i've always had a hard time getting into sufjan stevens also, honestly, but this is a pretty good song. i just have a hard time getting deep into it. oh, well. i'm not perfect. you heard it hear first.]

That'll do it for this week. I'll be back next week with the traditional Thanksgiving show and lots more goodness - on extra early starting at 4pm until 8pm next Wednesday night. Until then, Go Panthers!, and take care.

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.