J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 17th March 2010

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. As I was working on typing up tonight's show, extremely sad news came out over the internet - Alex Chilton, founding member of Big Star, has died at the age of 59. The Onion AV Club posted this great obituary.

It's really hard to even say how devastating Chilton's death is - especially since it happened on the eve of the first true Big Star reunion in 35 years. Chilton was scheduled to take the stage with not only long-time drummer Jody Stephens on Saturday, but also bassist Andy Hummel, who left the band after their second album and had not played with Chilton since.

Expect to see Chilton get the full treatment next week here on the show - with at least an hour, if not the entire show, devoted to looking back at his career. Until then, rest in peace, Alex.

Now, while there ain't no one going to turn me around, onward.]

J's Indie/Rock Podcast: 17th March 2010 show

Theme Song - Peaches - "Rock Show"
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Frightened Rabbit - "Nothing Like You" [from the excellent winter of mixed drinks which came out last week. can't wait for these guys at the cat's cradle on april 25th.]
Crooked Fingers - "Call to Love" [from dignity and shame, my personal favorite crooked fingers album. this song came up in between questions at trivia at the lindley park filling station last night, so it prompted me to play it. naturally.]
Decoration Ghost - "Father's Fists" [from the awesome the haze of wine and age. they're playing a few shows in the near future here in town - monday, march 22nd at westerwood tavern and friday, march 26th at CFBG's.]
Matthew Sweet - "Sick of Myself" [from 100% fun. this is the song that got me into this man and his genius guitar pop. long may he create.]
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Lake Inferior - "Addressing Parents" [from pegasaur EP. they're playing in greensboro this saturday night at the green bean! huzzah! can't wait for that fantastic show.]
Midnight Oil - "Blue Sky Mine" [from blue sky mining. i think midnight oil is a band that has never really gotten their due for being an amazing rock act for the nearly two decades they were around. just sayin'.]
the Whigs - "Kill Me Carolyne" [from the awesome new in the dark. this is one of my absolute favorite tracks on the album and for good reason. listen to it. man.]
Pulp - "Sorted for E's and Whizz" [from different class. a really late request fulfilled from weeks ago, but something felt right about this song tonight. one of my favorite deep album cuts from pulp.]
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Drive-by Truckers - "Drag the Lake Charlie" [from the big to-do. which finally touched down this week. one of the old-school shaggy dog patterson songs - a welcome return to an earlier form that i hadn't heard as much from hood in recent years.]
the Undertones - "Here Comes the Summer" [from their self-titled debut. one of the two irish bands i played tonight. i failed on this holiday theme, eh? great song. great band.]
Susu - "Calling" [from r and r and r. such a fantastic, thick, awesome record. these guys ought to come down and play with free electric state. i think that'd be a fantastic pairing, actually.]
the Roots - "Long Time" [from game theory. this is one of my favorite roots albums and this song is full of infectious word play. that's always a winner in my book.]
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Ted Leo and the Pharmacists - "The Mighty Sparrow" [from the brutalist bricks. ted was on the inaugural edition of the av club's undercover series covering "everybody wants to rule the world." go check it out.]
the Emergency - "Breakdown A Go-Go" [from the excellent how can you move?, one of the true surprise records for me this past decade. snuck up on me and was so awesome. still is.]
Free Electric State - "Six is One" [from the forthcoming caress. played an awesome show with them last friday night at the westerwood tavern. what? you didn't know i played? or that i was playing that night? better subscribe to my twitter feed then, shouldn't you?]
the Smithereens - "House We Used to Live In" [from green thoughts. some smithereens for my friend, patrick malboeuf's birthday. happy birthday!]
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Pearl and the Beard - "Voice in My Throat" [from the excellent god bless your weary soul, amanda richardson. saw these guys for the first time last saturday night at a monkeywhale sponsored show. was amazing. seriously. go check them out if they come through your town.]
the Pogues - "Streets of Sorrow / Birmingham Six" [from if i should fall from grace with god. the second irish band of the night! now it's officially a st. patrick's day party.]
Charlotte Gainsbourg - "Heaven Can Wait" [from IRM. i do enjoy this song quite a bit. she's going to be doing her first north american tour here soon. here's hoping she'll get down this way.]
the Replacements - "Darlin' One" [from don't tell a soul. not sure why this song got in my head this week, but it definitely did. consider it exercised. woo!]
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the Morning Benders - "All Day Daylight" [from big echo. man, i'm loving this record more and more the more i listen to it. can i use the word 'more' any more in these sentences? more.]
Wooden Birds - "Sugar" [by request. from magnolia. this record is a slow burner as i remember it not really grabbing me when i gave it a listen last year, but this is a nice little song, no question.]
Futurebirds - "Dirty D" [from their self-titled EP, by twitter request! i'm really digging on this band. if you're a fan of fleet foxes and that kind of hazy, southern-tinged folk rock, this is right up your alley.]
Portugal the Man - "60 Years" [from american ghetto. this makes two really winning singles off this record so far. how many more are on this thing? we're going to find out. awesome.]
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Dr. Dog - "Stranger" [from the forthcoming shame shame which will be out very soon. always love new music from the best band with the worst name.]
Titus Andronicus - "A More Perfect Union" [from the monitor. i've been reading review after review of good stuff about this album and i have to say - this is one of the best records of this year so far, i do believe. more to come.]
Andrew Bird - "Fiery Crash" [by request. from armchair apocrypha. a favorite of mine by the bird-ster.]
Massive Attack - "Safe From Harm" [from blue lines. one of those albums that just sort of sets a tone for a whole period of music. if you've never listened to it, you probably didn't or don't understand a big chunk of early 90s british indie. just sayin'. i was late to the party, too, don't worry.]

That'll do it for this week. Until next time, take care.