It's been awhile...

Hello.  I apologize for the lack of posts/updates on here lately.  I've been really busy and all of my free time has been devoted to the following project.  Check it out and help us if you can, and we'll get back to the Beat soon.

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Top 10 Things to do while the National is opening for Arcade Fire

Matt Berninger, shown here, talking about something called a 

blood buzz that apparently happens in Ohio.

The National are opening up for Arcade Fire for a brief stint, including three shows here in Chicago at the UIC Pavilion and one down in Indianapolis (I'm lucky enough to be attending the Easter Sunday Chicago show and the Indy show at White River State Park).   So, in honor of fellow Indiana native, David Letterman, I've put together a list of the Top 10 things to do while the National is opening.  I love the National's music, and a couple of their members put together one of the greatest compilations of all time (Dark Was the Night), but their lead singer doesn't even sing.  It's just warbled talking over awesome background music.    He makes Johnny Cash's vocal range sound like Jeff Buckley's.  Rumor has it, the band initially just recorded conversations between William Shatner and David Bowie for the vocals on their first album, but they ran into copyright issues.  I heard they also turned to books on tape for vocals, but those just weren't literary enough, so they found this guy.  So here we go...

The Top Ten Things Things While the National 
is Opening for Arcade Fire:

10.  Convince everyone around you that it's not the National opening, but instead, the crowd is supposed to sing a version of "The National Anthem" before Arcade Fire comes out; they just ran out of room to print it all on the ticket.

  9.  Play a game of stadium-wide "I Spy." (If you really want to vex your competition, just say "I spy, with my little eye...a skinny white dude, with a goofy looking haircut" every time).

 8.  Every time Berninger talks between songs, yell "Enough with the a capella!!  Back to the band!"

 7. Bring a bucket.  When he starts singing, sit on the open end and fart into it.  See if the people around can tell which is which.

 6. Start Arcade Fire Oh-oh-oh "Wake Up" chants until your wish finally comes true.

 5.  The National has been closing most sets of late with steady snoozer, "Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks," which Berninger closes with the ever so poignant lyrics "I'll explain everything to the geeks." Cheer for this song (even though the lyrics are so wretched that it may go against the grain in every inch of your heart and soul) until they play it and your wish finally comes true.

 4.   Check out UIC's vaunted basketball heritage in the lobby. (They went to the NIT tournament in 2003!!!)

 3.  Talk along to that one song you know.

 2.  Two words: Stadium Laps.  Get your American flag, take off your shirt, and just run laps around the stadium.  It's great cardio, and what's more NATIONAL than that?

 1.  Drugs.

Have more ideas?  Hit me with them below.

ATTN: Vinyl Heads

If you're like me, you really appreciate music on vinyl. It's bulky, cumbersome, and beautiful. The sounds you get out of vinyl resurrects albums to the way they were meant to be heard. Vinyl has enjoyed a recent resurgence and there are a lot of things happening right now to aid you in your vinyl ventures.

For one, 97.1, the Drive (Chicago radio), is running an amazing event the next couple of days.  They are counting down the 100 greatest classic rock albums of all time by playing an entire side of each album uninterrupted on vinyl.  The greatest thing you can ask of a radio station is to teach you something, and with this feature, the Drive teaches not only great albums, but also, in playing an entire side, refreshes the hits, and introduces b-sides.  Would you have known that Tom Petty hits "Free Fallin," "I Won't Back Down," "Runnin' Down a Dream," and "Yer So Bad" all happen back-to-back-to-back-to-back to open the album Full Moon Fever that was released in 1989?  I certainly wouldn't have.  Or that you would innately recognize the majority of the songs on the Grateful Dead's American Beauty?  I certainly had forgotten.  It's an amazing feature the the Drive is airing from 7am-Midnight for Friday and Saturday.  Head HERE for the part that has already played, and HERE to listen along.

Also, Saturday and Sunday, CHIRP ((Chicago Independent Radio Project) Radio hosts a record fair at Chicago Journeymen Plumbers, 1340 West Washington Boulevard. It runs from 10am-5pm both days. The admission is $7/or $5 with any ad that mentions the record fair. There is a special pre-admission on Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 8am-10am. It is $25 and gets you reentry all weekend long. Go HERE for more details.

And finally, next Saturday, April is Record Store Day. On this day every year, artists and record labels release a slew of rare, limited, and new material to help drive the economy of local record stores. This year's date features new and old material from the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Panda Bear, the White Stripes (RIP), the Grateful Dead, Phish, Pearl Jam, The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, the Beach Boys and many, many more. Go HERE for a complete list.

It's a very exciting time to be into vinyl, and these are just a few of the reasons. Good luck.

The Best Album I Missed from 2010

Justin Townes Earle-Harlem River Blues

There were a few great albums that slipped through the cracks last year as always happens, but the one I most regret missing out on was Justin Townes Earle's Harlem River Blues.  Perhaps it was recent trip to Nashville, or my country roots from Indiana, but rockabilly and Americana sounds have really been doing it for me lately.  I've always been into alt-country from Wilco and early My Morning Jacket back to Uncle Tupelo, early Blitzen Trapper, and ultimately, back to Neil Young and Johnny Cash (keeping country cool since it was cool).  At 28, Justin Townes Earle, a REAL country musician, has endured three lifetimes worth of triumph, tragedy, addiction, and brilliance. The son of Steve Earle with a well documented drug history, Earle's legend precedes him.  He had a drunken fight incident in Indy with the owner (aptly named, Tufty) of Radio Radio (he is currently banned, an honor Think Tank and my good buddy Ryan Millbern share with him, albeit for much different reasons).  Earle seems to be on the up and up since exiting rehab however, again touring and even appearing on Letterman (no fights there, you're welcome Paul Shaffer).

Earle's latest effort, Harlem River Blues, is a mature album that reveals the depth he has picked up from his trials and triumphs.  The opening title track channels Johnny Cash as his rockabilly best, a foot stampin', head bobbing number, where Earle's baritone and twang meld perfectly.  Here's JTE (also named one of GQ's best dressed men...ladies?) live on Letterman performing "Harlem River Blues:"

Justin Townes Earle-Harlem River Blues



The finger-plucked "One More Night in Brooklyn" follows with a flamenco edge and arrhythmic jitters in the background that sound like a train trying to leave the station but just can't get the wheels rolling. The rockabilly continues with "Move Over Mama," which is as much Jerry Lee Lewis as it is Dwight Yoakam. Here Earle flirts with dirtier themes, only to reveal a simplistic innocence describing coming home to a woman in bed with her legs open wide. This could go a variety of directions (let's not get carried away), but the chorus reveals "Move on over, Mama I'm comin' home, woman you've been sleeping in the middle of the bed too long."

Justin Townes Earle-Move Over Mama


From here things slow down a bit, as Earle's most mature songs to date take the helm, revealing subtleties in his song craft that few others possess. "Wanderin'" may as well have been written by his hero, Woody Guthrie, a perfect tale of a ragamuffin wanderer with a need to keep moving, moving from the past, moving from the present. "Slippin' and Slidin'" follows with a boozy woozy sound that reflects Earle's battles with various substances. New Orleans horns drool all over this underwater plunder as Earle's lyrics tell the tale of another relapse.

"Christchurch Woman" fis a straightforward take on a character battling with his deficiencies searching for a woman of the church to come lift him out of it. This is one of the most poignant songs Earle has written to date, almost a confessional, coming to terms with his deficiencies and his desires. The band sounds great on this take, as the horns put a layer of Calexico over Wilco sound (Calexilco?). "Ain't Waitin'" is another boot scooting number, getting back to the rockabilly sound that opened the album.

The album's penultimate track, "Rogers Park," is another brilliant piece of songwriting. Chicago residents will recognize this description of the Northside neighborhood, which Earle confirmed at a recent Metro show, used to be his home. Starting with a slowed down Bruce Hornsby sound, and building in tempo and reflection toward a "Walking in Memphis" sound, this track slowly builds.  It paints a vivid picture of a long, stark Chicago winter, and the isolation one feels when trapped in its seemingly never-ending depth.

Justin Townes Earle-Rogers Park


A gospel hymnal reprise of the title track closes the album with a sing-a-long of the album's catchiest tune.  Overall, this is an incredible album, and I'm sorry that I missed it in the year it came out, but am elated that it came to me when it did.  While the slower numbers may not do much for a lot of runners, the poignancy of Earle's lyrics somehow kept me engaged from top to bottom on a number of runs.  Even when the music slows down, he has you hanging on every word, and while lyrics come in and out of consciousness on a run, his simplicity and earnestness draw you in.  If the slower ones aren't working, the more upbeat "Harlem River Blues," "Move Over Mama," and "Ain't Waitin'" would be good tunes to slide into the middle of a mix to keep you plodding along.

Go here for a complete list of my top albums from last year. Are there more albums I missed? Tell me about them!

Kings of Leon, Let's Bury the Hatchet...

Disclaimer: I apologize for my lack of contributions lately.  I've had a debilitating calf injury that has been holding me back for over a year, and finally, I had to succumb to it and take a break.  I have 6 weeks of rehab scheduled, and should be back on the trail in a month.  In the meantime, I've planned a few posts that I'll be making to keep this rolling.  Even though I cannot currently run, I still have a feel for how music would sound on a run, still listen to music while doing other workouts, and will NOT be creating a blog titled "Rehabbing with the Beat."  Without further adieu, let's get back to the Beat...

For those of you who know anything about me, you know that for the last few years, I have personally led a crusade against all things Kings of Leon.  I got so tired of hearing how their "sex was on fire," how they "could use somebody," that I had to lash out.  Bill Simmons (the Sports Guy) posted a time log about a recent trip to Vegas where he heard the song "Use Somebody" so much, that his once neutral opinion of them had turned to hatred.  This excerpt pretty much sums up my sentiments:

"Heading into this weekend, I wasn't for or against these guys. I had no opinion. Within 25 hours 
in Vegas? I hate them with every fiber in my body. We get it, Kings of Leon: You could use 
sum-BAH-dayyyyyy. Heard you loud and clear. And I understand you're hoping it's someone like you, 
someone like you, someone like you … believe me, I hope you find this person. Because if you don't, 
I'm going to kill everyone in a 25-foot vicinity. Now go away."

And a few hours later, he summed up my entire year after just 33 hours in Vegas:

You know that I could use sum-BAH-dayyyyyyyyyyyyyy! It only took 33 hours in Vegas for me to 
work up a hatred for Kings of Leon that rivals only the way I feel about cancer. 

So yeah, I hated them.  I even went as far as to create a facebook fan page called "Kings of Leon are the New Nickleback," find it here.  But I'm writing today to call a truce.  Many may find this hard to believe, after I have denounced them for so long, but a lot of things have come to light.  First came Joe at Groovin' High Records (my primary record store, Joe runs it and is the only employee there, I have given him the moniker "Wizard," based on his knowledge of all music, a consummate professional with a universe of knowledge), who constantly played the new album, Come Around Sundown upon my visits to the shop around its release.  Joe is also massively into Pearl Jam (my adolescent idols), and they too have endorsed and toured with KoL.  They have also toured with The Black Keys, Band of Horses, and Neil Young, all heroes of mine.  Other people had always told me, "Yeah, the new album sucks, but their old stuff is awesome."  I didn't care.  I was put off not only by the music, but also the people that were into it (see: Dave Matthews fans in the 90's/00's), that I couldn't give it a chance.  Even though a favorite band of mine who has enjoyed a similar vault to the top, My Morning Jacket, had released a string of amazing albums leading up to the somewhat disappointing and super-produced Evil Urges, I still could not give KoL a chance.

All of those facts are auxiliary next to the music.  After a summer of saturation, it was easy to hate everything about them (not to mention feuds with demigods Arcade Fire, requests at festivals for their own showers and bathrooms separate from all other groups, and the pigeon poop incident), the music was tired, and annoying.  However, WXRT (93.1 the second best station in Chicago), keeps feeding me a steady diet of Come Around Sundown, and it features some epic jams, remnant of U2, Pearl Jam, and My Morning Jacket.  The percussion drives and hits hard, pushing a workout to the max as the music swells and flourishes.  I caught a recent show on Palladia (an amazing Comcast channel), that documented their return for a show in their hometown of Nashville.  Maybe it was my sudden love for all things Nashville, but they didn't even come across as annoying.  They actually seemed like people I wouldn't mind hanging out with.  Despite reports of Caleb Followill improvising lyrics for this album, none are as annoying as "Sex is on Fire" or "Use Somebody," and take on a cryptic meaning like he knows something more than you (a great component of any great rock lyricist, you don't always understand, but you feel it, and you do understand that whatever it means, they are feeling it more than you ever could, and even if it means nothing, you're still convinced that it must mean something).

So yeah, Kings of Leon, let's bury the hatchet...for now, but I still won't be seeing them live anytime soon:

Kings of Leon-Sex on Fire (LIVE!):

Wow, can anyone believe that it's the first of April already?  What a significant day.  How time flies!  Happy April 1st everyone!

Radiohead: King of Limbs (to be continued....maybe)

So, the new Radiohead dropped a day early and the interwebs are all aflutter. It's been out a few days, and already there are lovers, haters, and overzealous speculators. They are all eager to chew this up and spit out their opinions of it across the web.  "It's only 37 minutes..." "Where's the band?" "Is this only first half?" (maybe)  As with anything Radiohead does, this has spawned a great deal of hype.  And hey, it's the NEW RADIOHEAD, why shouldn't it?

I have listened to it 4 or 5 times, twice on a run, and in the middle went back to their previous release, In Rainbows, to try to decipher this latest step in their evolution.  While it's drawn a lot of Amnesiac and the Eraser (Thom Yorke's solo album) comparisons for it's seemingly minimal approach, there's a lot more to uncover from King of Limbs than that.  If you take away the more upbeat songs from In Rainbows ("15 Steps," "Bodysnatchers," two songs that my pal Casey always said never seemed to completely fit in with the rest of the album anyway), this album does not seem nearly as minimal in contrast.  There are a lot of live things happening here, and while Thom and Jonny are clearly at the forefront of this album (when are they not?), the other members reveal themselves in the subtle shifts of this album.

Gone are the days of overt crescendos in Radiohead (OK Computer mastered it, and Kid A/Amnesiac bent it, Hail to the Thief twisted and turned it, In Rainbows minimized it, and now King of Limbs has all but eliminated it).  They are now happier creating shape-shifting songs that subtly slide and fall into place.  It takes patience to uncover and appreciate it.  Rather than sounds that move up and down, this album's shifts happen side to side.  King of Limbs is not immediately gratifying, nothing jumps out and makes you scream the way a "2+2=5" did, but with each listen its complexities reveal themselves.

As far as running goes, this one is similar to Amnesiac in that it's a good one to zone out to.  As mentioned, it has even less overt crescendos than Amnesiac (remember "You and Who's Army" or "Dollars and Cents?" Hoooo daddy...), but it's frantic dubstep beats provide enough background to keep you rolling.  The aptly titled "Bloom" starts things off, and it bubbles up to the surface with flitters and glitches before the warmth of Thom Yorke's apprehensive vocals rise above it.

Radiohead-Bloom


At only 8 songs in length (maybe), the album slips by quickly at 37.5 minutes.  "Mr. Magpie" and "Little by Little" follow a fairly traditional song cycle with verses, choruses, and bridges (OH MY!).  They offer a standard amount of reticence and tension that we expect from Radiohead.  "Feral" sneaks up with haunts remnant "the Gloaming."  When listening on headphones, "Feral can be downright terrifying at times, as Thom Yorke's warped vocals sneak up behind you and tap on your ear drums from all angles (not to mention that is sounds like the background vocal from about the 1:32 mark on is repeating "Bieber," quite possibly the most horrifying sound ever in a Radiohead song).  "Feral" is the most innovative, "Ok, I've never heard anything like THAT before" moment of the album, and it really opens the door to a really strong closing of the album (but wait, didn't we just get started?). 

The "single," "Lotus Flower" follows.  It's good.  Here's the video (scroll down to the bottom of this post for a classy remix of Thom's dancing to Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies"):

Radiohead-Lotus Flower



"Lotus Flower" is followed by "Codex," the sexiest Radiohead song in years.  It sounds like "Talk Show Host" (that song from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack), sneaked into bed with "Pyramid Song."  This song is just built for a climax of a movie where everything is revealed and becomes clear to the protagonist.  It's haunting, clear and beautiful, a cleansing comedown of a late album track.

Radiohead-Codex


"Giving Up the Ghost" is a really interesting number as it combines campfire guitar strums with hand percussion and layered voices to create a rich atmosphere in a song that sounds as much like Neil Young as it does "How to Disappear Completely." The album closer (maybe), "Separator," provides a subtle poppy farewell with a melody and optimistic mood similar to Amnesiac b-side "Worrywort."

Overall, as the opening track-title suggests, King of Limbs ultimately blooms, it just takes some time.  It's not going to carry you to new heights running (there's not a standout track that I'm just dying to see live or put on my Shuffle for those moments when I fear I can't go on), but the mood shifts are great enough that this album will keep you engaged.  One of the strong rumors surrounding this release is that this is only the first half.  Due to the announcement that it will be a double vinyl album (albeit 10" discs, similar to the Kid A/Amnesiac reissues), many people feel it has to be longer than 8 songs.  Not to mention, Thom's cryptic lyrics in the album closer (maybe), "If you think this is over, then you are are wrong," which he repeats over and over near it's conclusion.

If this was in fact their plan, it is as usual brilliant, because being Radiohead, and becoming huge just before the internet era, has afforded Radiohead a great deal of luxury in releasing albums.  They are one of the few bands in the world that can do whatever they want right now.  They could release half of an album, let everyone praise and pan it as a complete work, then double its length for the physical release, throwing everything into a tailspin.  (They quasi- did this with Kid A/Amnesiac, with all cuts from the same sessions divided into 2 albums).  And even if this is the entire new Radiohead album (there are undoubtedly b-sides and outtakes), it's like my great-grandmother always used to say, "More Radiohead is better than less Radiohead."

And speaking of more Radiohead...

As promised, Thom Yorke dancing to Beyonce:



Go run.

The Go! Team: Music to Go By

With the whirlwind of news in the last couple of weeks, LCD retiring (?), White Stripes (?!) breaking up, Arcade Fire winning the big one (?!?), and new Radiohead album Saturday (?!?!) the staff (of 1) here at Running with the Beat doesn't know whether to sprint 6 miles or retire as well.  We run on, however, and albums like the Go! Team's latest, Rolling Blackouts, certainly help clear up this myriad of mixed emotions.  Rolling Blackouts is the Go! Team's third effort after nearly a 4 year layoff.  After their breakout debut, Thunder Lightning Strike, and an uneventful sidestep with Proof of Youth (an album subpar of the standard set on their debut, with less hooks), the Go! Team triumphantly return with an album that is seemingly BUILT for running.  

The Go! Team-T.O.R.N.A.D.O.


The Go! Team know how to bring it.  Their blend of rapping/chanting/singing lyrics over layers of horns, rock, and hip hop beats sounds like Girl Talk, if Girl Talk were an actual band.  From the opening song, "T.O.R.N.A.D.O." it is evident that the horn section will be a prominent feature of this album.  In fact, most of the album's more triumphant moments utilize powerful horn hooks to take the sounds over top.  "T.O.R.N.A.D.O." kicks the door open with fist pounding fury, and rolls in to the more poppy "Secretary Song," a forgettable song until, once again, those horns kick in around the 2:30 mark.  As with many songs on the album, "Secretary Song" gets better as it goes, and just when you think it couldn't get more powerful, or catchy, they throw another layer at you, which bodes well for running, it just keeps pushing you harder. 

Similarly, on the masterpiece "Apollo Throwdown," the song starts jangly enough, but keeps building, and each time you think it has reached the chorus, the Go! Team piles on more.  As I mentioned in the initial posting of this song, this song will have you wanting to shadow box down the streets and high five everyone you pass.  I would love for someone to make a highlight reel of Apollo Creed in the ring to this song, when the horns and strings kick in, you instantly get a boost that carries you into the stratosphere, transcending space and time, aches and pains, thoughts and worries until its conclusion.

The Go! Team - Apollo Throwdown-


Thankfully the 60's doo-wop of "Ready to Go Steady" follows to even things out a bit.  This one could have been released in 1963 (minus a few layers), and if you're wanting to sell your mom on the Go! Team, this would be the number.  Catch your breath quick though because "Bust-Out Brigade" follows with the conquering bombast of an even more inspirational "Gonna Fly Now."  If Sly ever decides to make a Rocky VII (!?!?), this would be the soundtrack.  It's like "Gonna Fly Now" on steroids, a promenade of horns that once again, will have you shadowboxing down the streets, a great song for ANY triumphant moment in life.

The Go! Team - Bust-Out Brigade-


Rolling Blackouts runs deep too.  There is hardly a dud.  The initial single (featuring Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino), "Buy Nothing Day," doesn't appear until the midway point of the album.  While filled with super hooks and being really driven, this song doesn't really add up to "Apollo Throwdown" for me as a lead single, but its manic pace will not slow you down one bit, the tremolo guitars taking the place of the horns to provide a substantial boost.  After this they slow things down with a couple of instrumental tracks but the album never falls off.  Even the slower tracks provide a chance to take in the landscapes that surround you, as they are a perfect score to slower moments of reflection on the course (and to catch your breath from the bombast of previous tracks).  Tracks like "Voice Yr Choice" offer even more horns.  On this one, the horns on this one probably provide the biggest contrasting boost to the rest of the song, once again, providing a fist pumping anthem., and the title track opens with a sludgy Clouds Taste Metallic Flaming Lips-like gutter bust of guitar/drum splatters that carries right into the send off track, "Back Like 8 Track," the perfect anthemic sendoff into whatever these guys and gals have in store for us next.

Overall, I think this is one of the best albums I have ever run to, as mentioned, it seems like it is built for running/working out.  Lyrics?  I have no idea what they are even saying most of the time, but the chants provide another amazing layer over the epic sounds that lay underneath. Beyond running, this music is straight party music too. As I mentioned, it's so dense, it sounds like Girl Talk, if Girl Talk were a real band.

It's a beautiful day (in Chicago at least), get out and run, hopefully to this album.  It will assuredly push you to new heights.  There are moments in this album where you transcend everything and it just carries you for blocks (or miles) at a time, the ultimate mark of music to work out to.  Expect a RWTB review of the new Radiohead King of Limbs (which drops Saturday), early next week.  Preordered it, and plan on taking it for a test drive on either Saturday or Sunday.

Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom.  If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn.  ~Charlie Parker

Go Forth!!!

It's cold out there and running conditions are less than savory, but just remember:

Rocky and his 2 fists could not have ended the Cold War without running in a little snow.




Have a good, productive weekend.

Where Do All the Shadow People Go? Nashville.

Just took a weekend trip to Nashville, the proclaimed "Music Capital of the World," and it lived up to the hype.  The history is unprecedented as legends, heroes, and ghosts await around every corner.  Because of its country music heritage and it's location in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains, Nashville has the feel of an Old West town. On the first night, we hit up the bars on Broadway (Tootsie's, Second Fiddle, Paradise Park, etc.) and it was a great way to start the trip.  This is the strip where everyone from out of town goes (if I lived there, I would probably end up avoiding it, much like locals in Chicago know to avoid Wrigleyville at certain times). Drinks were stiff, short, and prices were what I expected. I had heard the live music really is incredible on that row, and it was. Every bar featured a different live country, rock, and/or rockabilly band that was top notch. Great times up and down that strip.

Saturday was the real history lesson though. We took a tour of the Ryman Auditorium that was one of the highlights of the trip. Originally a church, it was converted to a music hall with the Grand Old Opry in 1943, and since has been referred to as the "Mother Church of Country Music." I have seen footage of Wilco, Neil Young, Johnny Cash (the Johnny Cash television show was filmed here), and more at the Ryman, and the tour brought it all home. We went with the upgrade to get the backstage guided tour and it was well worth it. You definitely get a better sense of the history back there. From Ryman building it in the 1800's (a story in of itself), to the Opry taking it over from 1943-1974.  Standing in the dressing rooms (each room is named after a country legend), where everyone from Hank Williams to Neil Young to Arcade Fire have stood, adds a lot of weight to the experience, even for the casual country fan. Here's the view from backstage, where countless stars have waited in the wings to rock the Ryman (every seat in the house are the original church pews from the building's inception):

My only regret was not being able to see a show at the Ryman.  I will be making a trip back soon.  Already this year's lineup boasts the likes of: Bright Eyes, Social Distortion, Fleet Foxes, and Interpol.  It's one of the few places where music and musicians are given the reverence they deserve, a true holy land for musicians.

Later that day, we hit up Jack White's Third Man Records HQ and did a quick tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Third Man rests in a small warehouse in a dingy part of town.  It's a tiny shop, but worth the stop just to see all of the White Stripes memorabilia (R.I.P.).  At the Hall of Fame, the "Family Tradition: The Williams Family" exhibit, which chronicles the history of the famous country family of Hank Williams and beyond (badass Hank Jr. a.k.a. Bocephus, Hank III, Jett Williams) was of particular interest. I grew up on Bocephus, and have always had a tender appreciation for the original country artists like Hank Sr., so this exhibit was incredible to see.

The plaques of the members of the Country Music Hall of Fame were also a great part of the experience, although I was a bit shocked to find that Vince Gill IS a HOF'er and Garth Brooks and Reba McIntyre are NOT.  Really CMHOF?  Eh...what do I know...back to rock and roll...

We closed out the trip Saturday night with an epic Dr. Dog show at the Cannery Ballroom. Openers "The Head and the Heart" were incredible (thanks for the tip Corey), and Dog was in classic form, rocking hard with tighter harmonies than ever. Also, for the first time in about Dog 7 shows, I got to see them play their cover version of Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart it Races," which really set the night off (not that "Shadow People" didn't).





Dr. Dog-Heart it Races



It seems the more produced Dog's albums become, the less I really cling to them. I like their new ones a lot, but the just don't resonate the way earlier, more raw, albums still do. Their live show, however, just keeps getting better. There are a lot of bands that are twice as good live as they are in the studio, but Dr. Dog is 100 times better LIVE. I'm not sure I've moved more at a concert in the last year. I simply wish they captured more of this live, raw energy in the studio. My Morning Jacket, in preparing their new album, have proclaimed a more live approach in the studio recording than they used on their previous, somewhat disappointing effort, Evil Urges, which gets me real excited. Hopefully Dr. Dog follows suit. Unpolished, noisy, and rocking is when the Dog are at their best.  Here's an excellent video from Dr. Dog from their latest release, Shame Shame, titled "Shadow People."  I was checking out the vinyl the other day and just realized that Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys is given a co-writing credit for this song.  Makes sense.  The video reminds me of the Big Lebowski, but in a roller rink (a great one to run to, by the way):




We'll get back to running this week. Blizzards and vacations thwarted my efforts last week. Lots of new music to test drive though. Hit that follow button up at the top left. Already following? Tell a friend. It won't hurt one bit. It's cold out there, but as Olympic great Jessie Owens said:

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

Go Do.

I recommend listening to Survivor's 'Eye of the Tiger' on your commute home today. It may be the only thing that saves you.

Sonic Youth: In through the side door.

I came to Sonic Youth all of the wrong ways. It's almost embarrassing how long it took me to grasp it.  In college I was a big fan of Pearl Jam, so much so in fact, I embarked on a 13 date tour with the band with my roommate (at the time and for the next 8 years), Casey.  I worked all summer to pay for the trip, mowing, working for my dad, even painting a friend's house to have just enough money to go.  We started in North Carolina and made our way down the coast all the way to West Palm Beach, eventually over to New Orleans, and back up to Indiana.  We felt fortunate that this tour was even happening, as a tragic incident that summer at Roskilde, left Pearl Jam threatening to never tour again.   
Opening for the band for each of these dates was Sonic Youth.  I knew that they were a hallmark band of the 80's and 90's and that Eddie Vedder loved them.  Back then, that was enough to pique my interest in a band, but I pegged it as something weird that I probably just wouldn't understand.  Casey was more into that scene at the time, and informed me that they had just taken on a new member and that their sound was noisier than ever.  We went to a side show that they did in Chapel Hill, that was in a tiny, dingy club, just in the hopes that EV would show up.  It was a weird, noisy experience with projectors, static, and people with Pearl Jam shirts or skinny jeans everywhere.  I ended up picking up their subsequent album after the tour (after seeing a band 13 times, no matter how noisy you think they are, it does start to register), Murray Street, and some of the songs like “Empty Page” and "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style” settled deep into my psyche, but still, I never considered myself a fan of the band.

Sonic Youth-Empty Page:


Soon after this, Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came out, and revolutionized my sonic senses.  I had no idea at the time, but that new guy from Sonic Youth was Jim O'Rourke, who Wilco brought on to put the finishing touches on the album (a.k.a. "ruin" it).  O'Rourke became a full time member of Sonic Youth for albums Murray Street and Sonic Nurse as well as to produce Wilco's follow up a ghost is born.  As he vacillated between these bands, his influence on both became more evident.

Murray Street and ghost... are sister albums, two bands stripped down (SY of their gear, victims of theft; Wilco having lost 3 members in a year and a half) creating albums full of noise, 70's grooves and interlacing guitar crescendos.  The noise freak-out at the end of SY's "Karen Revisited" is not far from Wilco's 15 minutes of feedback that conclude "Less than you Think" (that breakdown in "Karen Revisited" could also be described as the birth of modern day Animal Collective, with Panda, Avey, and Geologist emerging from the rubble of jagged guitar feedback).  Fittingly, SY released Sonic Nurse just two weeks before a ghost is born, further showing O'Rourke was in the thick with both of these bands at this time.  This was a golden era for not only Sonic Youth and Wilco, each at their own creative apexes, but also for O'Rourke.

I have been running to this entire album a lot lately.  As previously mentioned, it's a great one to get lost to in the depth of a January Chicago winter.  There will be times where you get lost in the nuances and/or the noise, but it always seems to reel you back in with an amazing hook on a climax that you may not have seen coming.  Top running tracks include: "Disconnection Notice" (it starts slow, but a 2 minute building bridge takes care of that to carry you into the stratosphere), "Rain on Tin," (another one with an epic bridge that will call to mind Wilco's "Impossible Germany" with it's Television-like guitar synchronicity). You may get lost in the 11+ of "Karen Revisited" as the noise takes you to a far away, perhaps disconcerting place, but you will not regret waiting it out for "Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style" (a steady builder that yearning to burst apart, finally succeeds by ascending into noise suitable for the climax of any run). 

Sonic Youth-Radical Adults Lick Godhead Style:


For another taste of these artists check out the Tweedy/O'Rourke/Kotche (Wilco's drummer) collaboration Loose Fur, who also released a self titled avant rock album in 2003.

Happy Birthday to Big Steve Prefontaine in the Sky

A big happy birthday to one of the most inspirational American runners of all time, Steve Prefontaine, who's madman racing and training style still inspires runners and athletes around the globe.

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."

"Some people create with words or with music or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone run like that before.' It's more than just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better than anyone else. It's being creative."

 
-Steve Prefontaine

Go Do.

(Elliott) Smith Westerns...

So Pitchfork is sucking these guys new album (Dye it Blonde) off, and they're local, so I decided I would take them on a little test run. They are fun, it comes across like Elliott Smith on happier drugs, but to be honest, it didn't really do that much for me. They have that Beatles' pop sense, with all the psychedelic sounds on top, but it all just seems kind of flat (even though a lot of their guitar solos/riffs sound like George Harrison skyrocketing off into "Free Bird" - see "Still New"). Honestly, there's just not much of an edge to it, and there seems to be nothing that I haven't heard before.

Much like the Shins album Wincing the Night Away of 2007, and Vampire Weekend's Contra in 2010 (both sunshine-y pop discs released in the dead of winter), I think it will be a better listen on a breezy summer day. However, for a January run, it just didn't cut it. I found myself skipping ahead to Sonic Youth's Murray Street for something to carry me home on the back stretch (once again, more on the SY album soon). This is just an initial take, but it didn't do a lot for me the first time around (and not in an "I don't get it" kind of way, but more of a "I get it, and I've gotten it 1000 times before" kind of way). Beatles fiends should definitely check it out, though. It is some symphonic pop (MGMT comparisons are unavoidable), picking up where Smith (Elliot, not Western) left off on From a Basement on the Hill with warped Abbey Road-ian outtakes. Much like with Basement, with each track you can point to a Beatles band/solo song that corresponds. I hope it continues to grow and that the layers unveil themselves with more listens, and that it's just a little too juxtaposed for January.

Here's a track "All Die Young," which sounds like George Harrison run through a Mazzy Star filter.

Smith Westerns-All Die Young (from Dye it Blonde):




Also, in the meantime, here's an amazing video featuring a new Panda Bear cut, "Atiba Song:"

ATIBA EVANS Panasonic GH2 Skate from skatefairy on Vimeo.

Don't Go Running to Gordon Lightfoot

Don't go running to Gordon Lightfoot's Did She Mention My Name? anytime soon. You will end up laughing hysterically and not running very far. Songs like "The Last Time I Saw Her" and "May I" will cut any run short due to gasping for air between chortles. "May I" is a children's carnival of a ride with ridiculous lyrics explaining rules of a game that entail: "Finders keepers losers weepers, ring-a-round-the-rosey and catch you if I can" (sure you may write a great scene for Pistol Party while listening to it, but that does nothing for a run). I didn't make it far enough to listen to songs like "Pussywillows, Cat-tails" or "Something Very Special" featured on side two, but I can only imagine that they will provide the same. So I repeat: DO NOT RUN TO GORDON LIGHTFOOT'S DID SHE MENTION MY NAME? WHILE RUNNING.

Here's "May I" by Gordon Lightfoot-A final warning, DO NOT RUN TO THIS ALBUM (unless you like side stitches and hyperventilating):

7 Miles on Murray St.

Just posted my longest run since spraining my ankle last summer. I procrastinated big time on my weekly goal of 15 miles, and had to crank out 7 today. It was fun. I picked a route I normally run, added some distance to it, and went the opposite direction I usually go, just to mix it up. I've been on a huge Sonic Youth "Murray Street" kick lately. It's great winter music: bleak at times, icicle guitar sounds melting together, with really gradual builds that creep up on you and keep you going. Great stuff to get lost to on a cold, January run. Lots more about this album later this week, but for now, here's the opening track, "The Empty Page."


Sonic Youth-Empty Page:

The GO! TEAM!!!

I've mentioned the new Go! Team album a couple of times on here, but I keep running to it, and it keeps getting better. It's dense, so it all kinda goes by in a blur the first few times, but once it starts sinking in, it really carries you a long way. One of the early highlights is "Apollo Throwdown," which is aptly named. A lot of this album could be the soundtrack to a new Rocky movie, no doubt, but Apollo Throwdown simply invokes images of Apollo training and dancing around the ring. (It really makes me really wish that Sly would have gone back and made a prequel between Rocky II and III where we could have seen Apollo in his prime, because he was never a bad guy, the story just caught him at the wrong time).

Just when you think the song has peaked and couldn't be more catchy, a new layer emerges to transcend your tempo to a Rocky III training montage on the beach speed (without all of the man hugging and bromance that emerged from Rocky and Apollo when Rocky finally got it. I will not be missing this tour whenever and wherever it hits the Midwest. I'm hoping my buddy Danny, is famous for amazing concert get-ups (see the picture below for how he dressed at Titus Andronicus) goes dressed as Apollo Creed for this show. I will pay for the costume as long as I promptly get it back after the show.

The Go! Team's new album, Rolling Blackouts, is out in the States on Feb. 1st, mark it down as a definite purchase.

The Go! Team-Apollo Throwdown (Not every post on here will be about Rocky, I swear):

JTE

Not much to do with running, but this Justin Townes Earle song has been in heavy rotation at the Clark/Brent residence:

Friday Run

I went for a run in conditions that could only be described as the Rocky IV-outdoor-training-montage-in Russia-esque (Rocky had altitude and inclines, but never had to run on Clark Street in January in Chicago).  The snow was coming down at a ridiculous rate, to the point where you couldn't see a block ahead.  The winds were double-crossing, seemingly in my face at every corner (only in the Windy City).  And while most men were cowering next to their Friday night fireplaces, I was raging the streets on a wicked 3 mile course.  I had the shuffle on, and luckily "Everlasting Light," the opening track from last year's Black Keys' effort Brothers, came on early.  I turned off shuffle and rode the album straight through.  Clark Street, being angled, is always the most treacherous as the winds can really open up and wreak havoc in inexplicable ways.  Luckily, "Tighten Up" came on during this stretch and carried me through to Irving Park and I survived.  One of the more terrifying/rewarding jaunts I've had. 

Just go.

The Black Keys-Tighten Up (Do not attempt to listen to this on your computer while running.  Go download it):

Top Albums 2010

12.  MGMT-Congratulations - A lot of people were down on this album because it didn't pack the hits that the first one did.  While there are many bands that I rely on simply to keep producing hits, this album provided an interesting enough sound that I was more intrigued than ever by MGMT's potential.  They reached a level of sophisticated pop in songs like "Someone's Missing," "Flash Delirium," and "Siberian Breaks" that was more mature than anything off of Oracular Spectacular.  In the end, this may not go down as their best album, but it was certainly a major step in the direction they are heading.  Nevertheless that direction may be compromised as there have already been whispers that their record label will have more input into their next recording, and that they aren't that concerned about it <http://tinyurl.com/22v2dwt>, which is scary.

Warm Up With: Someone's Missing, Flash Delirium, Siberian Breaks

11.  Jamey Johnson-Guitar Song - I grew up on country music, in fact my first 7 concerts were Reba McIntyre with my mom (feel free to judge away at this point).  When I was a kid, I loved true grit country performers like Hank Jr., Cash, Willie, etc. and I still do.  However, when the modern day pop machine took over the the country scene, it turned me off to "new" country in general.  So listening to Jamey Johnson was a bit strange at first.  Before delving into this triple album, I had to break through the stigma about country music that had built up in my mind for the last 15 years.  This was a surreal feeling, as he wrote the album after the typical country music theme of hitting "rock bottom."  Johnson is clever, a great story teller, and has a badass take-care-of-it-myself persona, what more could you ask from your country singer?

Warm Up With: Lonely at the Top, Poor Man Blues, Macon

10. Free Energy-Stuck on Nothing - Steady 70's grooves that stick inside you.  This album comes out of the gates strong.  The first 4 songs are steady and a great way to get out of the gate.  It curtails a bit in the second half, as moments aren't as memorable (Ben Kweller seems to be hiding on side two), but nonetheless a great one to run to and just get lost on as it rolls.  Great party background music too.  Sweet stomp rock that no one will complain about, but someone will definitely ask who is playing.

Warm Up With: Free Energy, Drewam City, Bang Pop

9.  Kanye West-My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Sure, it's cool to like the Kanye this year, but the bottom line is, the first time I put this album on and ran to it, I went for 6 miles (the first time I had done so since spraining my ankle in the summer).  The production is truly amazing, blending genres, musicians, and spoken word for a really powerful mix.  While sometimes I'd rather him just keep his mouth shut and let the music play ("Runaway" is amazing background music, but when he starts singing about douchebags, I wish I could just turn the vocals off...how long is the term douchebag going to remain in our canon of words to call idiot people?  My friend John Leadley has a theory that the only people that still use the term douchebags are douchebags themselves...and I tend to agree.  Hemingway....), lyrics on songs like "Power" and "Monster" totally make up for it.

Warm Up With: POWER, All of the Lights, Monster

Titus Andronicus-The Monitor - American.  Rock.  Music.  It takes some patience to get there sometimes (half of the album's songs are over 7 minutes), but when the blitzkrieg kicks in, Titus will blast your teeth out.  A more produced affair than their debut, Titus expand on their sound with production and muscle throughout.  Equal parts Stooges, the Boss, and Mike Watt.

Warm Up With: A More Perfect Union, Titus Andronicus Forever, Four Score and Seven

7.  LCD Soundsystem-This Is Happening - Another solid, sophisticated effort from LCD.  Great driven tracks.  It lacks that "play anytime party hit" ("Drunk Girls" will quickly annoy, "Dance Yrself Clean" is amazing, but it takes a little too long to get there) but the driven sounds are still there and every song pretty well matches up with a previous song from a previous album, but is better.  "Dance Yrself Clean" is the album opener of the year.  As mentioned in the singles list, it takes awhile, but when it explodes, there's no turning back until the end when you want to start it over from the top.  You would never guess that (besides "Drunk Girls"), there is nary a song under 6 minutes on this album.

Warm Up With: Dance Yrself Clean, All I Want, I Can Change

6.  Jonsi-Go - This is the sound of springtime coming to life, of everything black and white being painted in color.  It comes out of the gate with strong driven pop numbers before backing it up with more contemplative sounds.  The live experience of a lifetime.

Warm Up With: Go Do, Animal Arithmetic, Boy Lilikoi

5.  Sleigh Bells-Treats - Muscle and aggression.  Get it jumping with this one and never slow down.  The perfect amalgamation of all things tough in music.  Laser beam guitars, stomp box beats, and in-your-face chants.

Warm Up With: Tell Em, Riot Rhythm, Rill Rill, Crown On the Ground

4.  The Roots-How I Got Over - A lot of people gave the Roots a lot of shit when they signed on to be the house band for Jimmy Fallon.  It didn't make much sense at the time, Fallon is a moron who got by on SNL doing what seemed to be Adam Sandler impersonations, and is terrible at interviewing people.  An unconventional move for such a talented band to say the least.  However, it turned out to be one of the most monumental moves they have made.  The show gave them the chance to collaborate with a plethora of other musicians who ended up on this record (Jim James/Monsters of Folk, the Dirty Projectors, John Legend, and freak-folk freak Joanna Newsome).  Their sound is tighter than ever as they clearly derived many grooves from background segments on the Fallon show.  The show has survived, they have brought a strange musical credibility to it, which almost makes it worth watching  (I would love to go back and see where many of these songs were born from segments of the show).  A true melding of genres that they never could have pulled off before all of these collaborations from the show.

Warm Up With: Dear God 2.0, How I Got Over, Right On, The Fire

3.  The Black Keys-Brothers - Based on the lists from the last two years, the Black Keys must be the best rock band in the world.  Is it possible to dislike them?  Their output over that time has included a Dan Auerbach solo record, the rock-rap revivalist record BLAKROC, and now this masterpiece Brothers.  The production tricks Auerbach has picked up from working with DangerMouse on the BK's previous album, and from the working with producers from the BLAKROC sessions, really pay off here as their sound is tighter and tougher than ever.  Patrick Carney's drum work doesn't even sound human anymore, his beats are so tight that you just assume it's a machine.  As they have done in the past, this album runs a little long, and wanders off course towards the end with a lot of mellow numbers, but where would the world be without a BK cover of Jerry Butler's "Never Gonna Give You Up," or the solemn confession "I'm Not the One?"  I'll take more Black Keys any day.

Warm Up With: Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, She's Long Gone, Sinister Kid

2.  Sufjan Stevens-Age of Adz - This one came out of nowhere.  Moments after Sufjan released a surprise EP,  he announced a new album would drop in the same month, and then posted the album online.  And as stated before, no one else in the world could have created this album.  It's dense textures demand multiple listens.  At first, it's so abruptly different and shocking (he could have at least gave us warning it was coming, so we had time to prepare) that it all blend together, overwhelming the listener.  With each successive listen, however, the layers unfold, revealing an unbelievable melding of his best electronic work over the years with his more recent orchestral soundscapes.  Every bleep and blip leaves you wondering, how did one person do it?  Even if he's not playing every instrument, he had to tell someone else how to play it.  He delves deep into his own psyche and addresses many of the institutions that have become a large part of his image.  As far as running goes, it's an amazing ride, the last track alone (clocking in at over 25 minutes) is the perfect song to crank 3 or 4 miles out to.  This one was really close to taking over the number one spot for 2010, and one day, when fully absorbed, it might.

Warm Up With: Age of Adz, I Want to be Well, Impossible Soul

1.  Arcade Fire-The Suburbs - So it all comes down to this.  Anticipation can often lead to severe disappointment, but this one lived up.  Upon initially hearing it would be titled The Suburbs, I wondered how interesting it could be and how much it could apply to my life (not being from the suburbs and abhorring most things suburbia), but this album connected more than any album I can remember.  It's strength is in its subtleties.  Much like Funeral, upon first listen, it doesn't wallop you over the head with a single or an overtly "rock" anthem.  You know you are unearthing something special, but it takes a lot more time to absorb than most albums.  As the themes pile up upon each other, and the steady beats keep pulsating inside of you, this album wins again and again.  Much like Radiohead's OK Computer, Arcade Fire have mastered the crescendo within a song across a wide spectrum of sound on this album.  "Modern Man" is minimalist, but it still builds, and while nowhere near the crescendo in "Suburban War", they are both equally effective at evoking emotions with a rising of sound.  So many of the songs on this album ("Half Light," "Suburban War," "We Used to Wait," "Rococo") no other band in the world is capable of making.  With its eclectic blend of 80's synth, Bruce Springsteen stompers, and Radiohead apocalyptic dream-scapes, this is the album of the year.


Warm Up With: Start with The Suburbs, and end with the Suburbs (continued)