The first track from indie roots-rock collective, the Monsters of Folk (My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Bright Eyes' Connor Oberst, M. Ward and Mike Mogis), is available for free download on the group's Web site:
http://www.monstersoffolk.com/
The track has the trademarks of M. Ward's production - warm, layered acoustic guitars and reverbed vocals, with a fuzzed out electric guitar solo melting the top of mix (complete with a Jack White-esque octive-shifting wammy-pedal affect).
It's a track that would have livened up portions of both My Morning Jacket's last LP "It Still Moves," or feel at home on a Wilco record. James sounds like the principle singer on this track, but the quartet chimes in for the chorus.
The LP is due Sept. 22.
Showing posts with label jack white. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jack white. Show all posts
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Waiting
Several bands seem to be distracted by over-productive side projects, detours or, who knows? I need new albums by the following:
Spoon — The Austin, TX band last released 2007's excellent "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga," continuing an epic run of four near-perfect albums (it was their sixth full-length over all). The boys have been busy, front man Brit Daniels produced the White Rabbits' good new album "It's Frightening." It sounds (big surprise) a lot like Spoon — shades of the Walkmen — with unusual percussion occasionally replacing standard drum kits, captured studio chatter and sparse pianos fulfilling some of the rhythm duties. "It's Frightening" has some great sounds, it needs more great songs. This sounds harsher than I intended. It's a good record with some absolute standouts, namely "Percussion Gun," and "Company I Keep." Definitely worth checking out, especially for any Spoon fan.
Spoon drummer Jim Eno recently produced Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears' garage-soul riot "Tell 'Em what Your Name Is!"
Spoon will also headline each night their own three-day festival of sorts (named Spoon x3) at Stubbs in Austin from July 9-11. Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears, ... Trail of Dead, Low, Dale Watson and Atlas Sound open on select nights.
All this Spoon news and yet, where's a new album? I haven't heard anything about the band in the studio, or writing fresh material, so a new one will probably be a ways off, but I always like surprises.
White Stripes — The band's last effort, "Icky Thump" was alternately brilliant, hum-drum and down-right awful. On two tracks, White's fashionation with the UK unfortunately translated into bag-pipe informed Scottish doodles. Since the spring '07 "Icky Thump" release, Jack White has arguably been the busiest man in rock 'n' roll. His other band, The Raconteurs, released 2008's mainstream-leaning grower "Consolers of the Lonely." His other other band The Dead Weather (he's at the drums this time) is set to release its debut next month. In the meantime, he managed to start a record label, Third Man Records, with a new Nashville facility featuring a vinyl record store, performance venue and studio. He also toured with the Raconteurs and is starting a new tour with the Dead Weather. All this doesn't leave a lot of time for the White Stripes.
But, in a recent interview, White said last month he is working on new White Stripes songs for an album that isn't “too far off. Maybe next year.”
UPDATE: This may or may not be complete bullshit, but apparently White allegedly maybe sorta might have also hinted at working on a solo album on top of it all.
Sufjan Stevens has also stayed busy, laying his indelible orchestration on the Welcome Wagon's debut ( a Brooklyn husband/wife duo singing original church songs — though you'd never know it unless you listened to the lyrics). The songs are good, but it's Stevens' production and arrangements that prove the album listenable for folks who otherwise keep things secular.
I'm pretty sure Stevens also released a Christmas album, I didn't bother.
His last full length of originals, 2005's "Illinois," is one of the best albums of the decade. More, please.
The Hold Steady — Yeah, yeah it's only been 11 months since the release of "Stay Positive," but dammit I'm greedy. And it's the band's fault they kept up a pace of an album every 1.25 years. Now they're locked in. They've been touring nonstop during that same time span, and I haven't heard anything about new songs. Figure it out, Craig. They did contribute a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" to the War Child charity album this year, and released their first live album "A Positive Rage" packaged with a documentary DVD.
Spoon — The Austin, TX band last released 2007's excellent "Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga," continuing an epic run of four near-perfect albums (it was their sixth full-length over all). The boys have been busy, front man Brit Daniels produced the White Rabbits' good new album "It's Frightening." It sounds (big surprise) a lot like Spoon — shades of the Walkmen — with unusual percussion occasionally replacing standard drum kits, captured studio chatter and sparse pianos fulfilling some of the rhythm duties. "It's Frightening" has some great sounds, it needs more great songs. This sounds harsher than I intended. It's a good record with some absolute standouts, namely "Percussion Gun," and "Company I Keep." Definitely worth checking out, especially for any Spoon fan.Spoon drummer Jim Eno recently produced Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears' garage-soul riot "Tell 'Em what Your Name Is!"
Spoon will also headline each night their own three-day festival of sorts (named Spoon x3) at Stubbs in Austin from July 9-11. Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears, ... Trail of Dead, Low, Dale Watson and Atlas Sound open on select nights.
All this Spoon news and yet, where's a new album? I haven't heard anything about the band in the studio, or writing fresh material, so a new one will probably be a ways off, but I always like surprises.
White Stripes — The band's last effort, "Icky Thump" was alternately brilliant, hum-drum and down-right awful. On two tracks, White's fashionation with the UK unfortunately translated into bag-pipe informed Scottish doodles. Since the spring '07 "Icky Thump" release, Jack White has arguably been the busiest man in rock 'n' roll. His other band, The Raconteurs, released 2008's mainstream-leaning grower "Consolers of the Lonely." His other other band The Dead Weather (he's at the drums this time) is set to release its debut next month. In the meantime, he managed to start a record label, Third Man Records, with a new Nashville facility featuring a vinyl record store, performance venue and studio. He also toured with the Raconteurs and is starting a new tour with the Dead Weather. All this doesn't leave a lot of time for the White Stripes.But, in a recent interview, White said last month he is working on new White Stripes songs for an album that isn't “too far off. Maybe next year.”
UPDATE: This may or may not be complete bullshit, but apparently White allegedly maybe sorta might have also hinted at working on a solo album on top of it all.
Sufjan Stevens has also stayed busy, laying his indelible orchestration on the Welcome Wagon's debut ( a Brooklyn husband/wife duo singing original church songs — though you'd never know it unless you listened to the lyrics). The songs are good, but it's Stevens' production and arrangements that prove the album listenable for folks who otherwise keep things secular.
I'm pretty sure Stevens also released a Christmas album, I didn't bother.
His last full length of originals, 2005's "Illinois," is one of the best albums of the decade. More, please.
The Hold Steady — Yeah, yeah it's only been 11 months since the release of "Stay Positive," but dammit I'm greedy. And it's the band's fault they kept up a pace of an album every 1.25 years. Now they're locked in. They've been touring nonstop during that same time span, and I haven't heard anything about new songs. Figure it out, Craig. They did contribute a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" to the War Child charity album this year, and released their first live album "A Positive Rage" packaged with a documentary DVD.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
New Band. (!)
Niice.Jack White has teamed up with Kills front-woman W (aka Alison Mosshart), Jack Lawrence (bassist for the Racontuers and Greenhorns) and QOTSA member Dean Fertita to form the Dead Weather. The link
above lets you listen to a track or two.
I'm psyched.
I have never really cared for Brendan Benson, or his contributions to Jack's other side project the Raconteurs, and
I'm excited to see what Jack can do with some fresh blood. According to Pitchfork, Jack is playing drums and singing with this, his third band, and the debut LP is already due for a June release.
If I had to make up a label for the Kills, I guess I'd call them a fashion-blues (or maybe punk-blues?) duo. Their 2003 debut "Keep on Your Mean Side" combined arty nihilism, stomping-dirt guitars, drum machines, lots of sex and cig smoke for one nasty/awesome record. (The best chorus on the album is "Fuck the People.) Other sweet Kills tracks include "Fried My little Brains" and "Monkey 23." Their newer albums have been a little more boring, but still, they are pretty sweet.
This pairing does make perfect sense, the best parts of two blues/rock duos joining forces? I guess the Black Keys are next.
According to Stereogum, the new group coincides with the grand opening of the new offices for his Third Man Record label. The place includes a vinyl record store, photo studio, dark room, and performance stage. Who want to move to Nashville with me?
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Candy Cane Children
If you are as sick of Christmas music as this grinch is, you should enjoy the White Stripes' offering to the yuletide canon.
The 2002 rarity "Candy Cane Children" currently plays on the whitestripes.com homepage automatically one click past the Betty Page RIP tribute photo. The track (I believe) was released as a vinyl single only and has never appeared on any album. It's short, but sweet vintage Jack and Meg.
Photo courtesy of whitestripes.com
Photo courtesy of whitestripes.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)