J's Indie/Rock Mayhem - 5th January 2011

[Welcome to another edition of J's Indie/Rock Mayhem. I have bad news again in that the recorder, again, wasn't functioning, so there is no formal podcast again this week. I can only apologize. I may try and recreate this show, but honestly, it's such a tedious endeavor to do so, I just doubt that I'll get around to it. Hopefully things will be back to normal next week.

Some awesome interviews coming down the pipe for the show, but one of the things I'm most looking forward to is the beginning of a new, monthly feature. I haven't given it an official name yet, but Ryan Snyder from Yes! Weekly is going to start joining me on the last Wednesday of each month to do a little album critiquing. We're going to look at a couple or a few records a month, play some tracks, give our thoughts, give it the up or down, yea or nay, and just have a good time talking music. I'm really looking forward to it. More details as we get closer.

Also, I didn't learn this until tonight, so I didn't play anything on my show to promote it. Oddly, I thought about playing this band earlier this week, out of the blue, for no reason, but that's hindsight. Jason and the Scorchers will bring their legendary cowpunk to the Garage in Winston-Salem this Friday, January 7th. I will definitely try to be there.

Now, onward.]

MYTY KONKEROR - "'sus Envy" [from i miss the future. one of two bands on the show tonight that got here via cold email submissions. it's hard to get me to pay attention to those random emails, i know, but hey, sometimes it works. this is some good stuff and we'll hear more.]
Radiohead - "Let Down" [from ok computer. i was talking with someone who had never really heard radiohead (i rescued them from a cave) and was telling them about this album. so naturally i dug it out and went through a few days of singing along to every song. so, here we are.]
Gang of Four - "Never Pay for the Farm" [from content. the new album drops later this month. this first month is an embarrassment of riches for new releases. seriously.]
Let's Active - "Every Word Means No" [from afoot. was going to play something off of cypress, but i put that off for next week in favor of this rip-roaring classic. also, puppies and indie-rock!]
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the Veils - "The Stars Came Out When the Lights Went Out" [from the forthcoming troubles of the brain EP. i was just thinking the other day how long it'd been since the last veils record and how i missed them so. prayers answered.]
Megafaun - "Carolina Days" [from heretofore. so, it's not official, so i probably shouldn't say anything and jinx it. but, let's put it this way. don't be surprised if this band is live on the show in two weeks. just sayin'.]
Cold Water Shave - "One Horse Blues" [from the grand ol' uproar. and, this is toally official, so don't be surprised at all when these guys drop by the show on february 9th to talk about their new EP. snuzz is coming with 'em, too! can't wait.]
Teenage Fanclub - "Ain't That Enough" [from songs from northern britain. i was all set to play "verisimilitude" from grand prix when i saw our copy of this album and remembered how note perfect this song is. you're welcome.]
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Dirty Gold - "California Sunrise" [from their self-titled EP. this is a brotherly duo from san diego that haven't graduated high school yet. and sheesh. their EP is coming out on autumn tone records later this spring, so get ready for it. check it out.]
the Tallest Man on Earth - "The Wild Hunt" [the title track from his latest. for melissa who actually liked him when i played him last week.]
Paul Westerberg - "Silent Film Star" [from the mono disc of the stereo/mono album from 2002. apparently they did a second run of the "mr. f" 7 inch singles and i, again, missed out. anyone have one they want to sell me?]
Adam Thorn and the Top Buttons - "Through That Hallway" [by request. from the new self-titled album. adam will be at CFBG's tomorrow night, thursday, january 6th, along with pinche gringo and ghost beach. rock and roll, GSO.]
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the Twilight Singers - "Blackbird and the Fox" [from their forthcoming album dynamite steps which is due out on february 15th. you can stream another of the new songs, "on the corner," over at spin's website.]
Jolie Holland - "Your Big Hands" [from the living and the dead. speaking of people who need a new album. maybe she's got one coming since she's going out with alejandro escovedo on tour. and kyp malone. oddest and most awesome concert pairing i've seen in some time. thursday, january 27th at the cat's cradle.]
Japan - "Don't Rain on My Parade" [from adolescent sex. mick karn, bassist of japan, died this week at the age of 52. i've never played japan on my show before, and honestly haven't heard much of their stuff, but obviously i have some listening to do. rest in peace.]
Stealers Wheel - "Stuck In the Middle With You" [same for gerry rafferty who died this week. aside from recording the most famous saxophone solo in history, he also sang on this little number. rest in peace.]
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the Love Language - "Blue Angel" [from libraries. two chances to see this awesome band soon. saturday, january 15th at the cat's cradle in chapel hill and then saturday, january 22nd at the blind tiger in greensboro with holy ghost tent revival. get out and rock.]
Lake Isle - "Anodyne" [from wake up. they're playing this saturday, january 8th, at CFBGs along with come hell or high water.]
the Walkmen - "Blue as Your Blood" [from lisbon. playing next wednesday, january 12th at the cat's cradle in chapel hill.]
Alejandro Escovedo - "Anchor" [from street songs of love. playing at the cat's cradle on thursday, january 27th, as i mentioned with jolie holland and kyp malone.]
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the Spruce Campbells - "With You" [from the lessons we learned from ghosts. the other cold contact email band this week. parts of this band remind me of the male/female singing dynamic of velocity girl, even in the music. though i'm not crazy about the guy's voice. i went with this song because it's pretty much all the female singer. i'm digging it.]
Tiger Bear Wolf - "Bed Down" [from their eardrum obliteratin' self-titled album. rock and roll really doesn't get much better than this.]
Destroyer - "Chinatown" [from the forthcoming kaputt. out january 25th on merge records and, well, we'll be talking about it on the new record review feature on the show on the 26th.]
Pavement - "Carrot Rope" [from terror twilight. i don't know why this song launched into my head today, but it did. i think i was heating my lunch at the time. were there carrots invovled? i don't believe so.]
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the Damnwells - "Werewolves" [from the forthcoming no one listens to the band anymore. well, yeah. another great song from what will probably be another great record. don't the damnwells ever get tired of writing great songs? check out the video and song.]
the Flying Burrito Brothers - "Sin City" [from the gilded palace of sin. saw adam thorn cover this back in the fall and felt like it was time to break out the original. anyone have a copy of the cover version beck did on that parson's tribute record back in the early-early 00s?]

That'll do it for this week. Until next week, when hopefully the podcast will be back up, take care.