The Weepies– Say I Am You

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Sorry about the leave of absence, the past week has been pretty hectic with the summer winding down. This week is going to be busy as well, but I will update the site as much as possible. After this week, things should be back to normal.

Today, I have been listening to The Weepies non-stop. They are getting somewhat more known in the Indie scene, I guess partially because of Grey’s Anatomy, so you may or may not know them. I’ve known some of their music for a while, but for some reason I never took the time to fully listen through their two albums.

It’s hard to say exactly who Deb Talan reminds me of… maybe a folkier Frou Frou. I’ve read a few reviews that say she sounds like Joni Mitchell, but I don’t really know Joni Mitchell’s music, so I’ll just go with a folkier Frou Frou, even though I’m sure there are better comparisons. Regardless, I like her voice a lot. The Weepies gentle folk-pop melodies are a great addition to any day… Especially a rainy day, as it has been today in Chicago.

Here’s an interesting Bio from the bands myspace:

“Girl walks into a bar…
Her name is Deb Talan. She’s an up and coming singer/songwriter who has garnered tremendous word-of-mouth support and critical praise for her debut CD, Something Burning. Boston’s legendary music venue Club Passim has become her performing-home, but tonight she’s there to check out a new songwriter she’s been obsessing over, a musician from New York City named Steve Tannen. She’s been listening to his debut CD, Big Señorita, non-stop for about a month.

Guy walks into a bar…
His name is Steve Tannen. He’s at Club Passim in Boston to play a show supporting his debut release, Big Señorita. He’s been playing rock and roll in NYC dive bars for a couple of years, but since the release of his solo CD he’s garnered tremendous word-of-mouth support and critical praise. He’s nervous because Boston is a new town for him, but he’s even more nervous once he looks out at the crowded room and instantly recognizes the pretty young woman down front as singer/songwriter Deb Talan. In a word, he’s intimidated; he’s been obsessing over her debut CD, Something Burning, non-stop for about a month.

Deb Talan and Steve Tannen began writing together the first night they met and soon formed THE WEEPIES. “We were fans of each other. When we met, there was an electric connection that made us both nervous. After the show, when everyone went home, we stayed up all night playing songs for each other, drinking a bottle of wine and trading an acoustic guitar back and forth in a tiny apartment,” says Talan. “That night has lasted four years so far,” adds Tannen.”
It fascinates me how life events can be so random, and yet seem so planned. If Deb Talan never heard Steve Tannen’s album and they weren’t both in just the right place at just the right time, these songs would never exist.

Say I Am You:

The Weepies – Gotta Have You

The Weepies – World Spins Madly On

Ben Kweller’s “Ben Kweller” is a Winner

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Yesterday I heard Ben Kweller’s yet to be released (Sept.19) album in full, and must say, it really impressed me. It impressed me not only because it’s great music, but Kweller played each and every instrument on the album. This is probably my favorite Kweller album to date, and from what he says, he feels the exact same way.

It’s a hard pick, but if I had to choose my two favorite tracks off the album, I would have to say Nothing Happening and Magic. I’ve always been a fan of instrumentals between verses, and Kweller has definitely succeeded doing this in several of his songs. The song Thirteen has an instumental with a harmonica that is a great addition to the song. Nothing Happening has a faded guitar instrumental, and Magic also has an instumental with a xylophone and guitar. This Indie pop makes any nice summer day that much nicer.

Ben Kweller album shows that he has matured a lot. Like he says, “I’m just singing about things that are more important than just saying ‘sha sha’ or ‘la la’.” Now do yourself a favor. Check out these songs, and pre-order this album today! As an added bonus, you’ll be automatically entered to win a grand prize trip to see Ben live, with VIP tickets and backstage access.
Ben Kweller:

Ben Kweller – Nothing Happening

Ben Kweller – Magic

I was fortunate enough to see Ben Kweller at Lollapalooza this year. If you have a chance, go see him. Here is a list of his U.S. Tour dates:

September 2006
13 – Houston, TX – Meridian
14 – Austin, TX – La Zona Rosa
15 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theatre
16 – Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival
19 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theater
22 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon
24, 25 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
28 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
29 – Bellingham, WA – Western Washington University
30 – Seattle, WA – Showbox

October 2006
3 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
4 – Boulder, CO – Fox Theatre
6 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
7 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
8 – Milwaukee, WI – The Eagles Club
11 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall
12 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
13 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s
14 – Nashville, TN – Rocketown
15 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
18 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
20, 21 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
22 – Boston, MA – Avalon

Derby- This is the New You

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Last year I discovered the Portland band Derby, and have enjoyed listening to their catchy melodies ever since. They are one of those kind of bands that are just really fun to listen to. Since I live in Chicago, I’ve unfortunately never had a chance to see Derby in concert, but listening to their album, This is the New You, I can tell that this band really enjoys making music. I’m also impressed that the band produced its own album. Making good music is challenging enough, but producing is a big job in itself. If you like The Shins, than you will probably like Derby.
Bio:
Derby is Nat Johnson (lead vocals, guitar, bass), Dave Gulick (vocals, rhodes, organ, guitar), Isaac Frost (drum/percussions), and Wayne Miller (bass). Nat and Dave started playing together as dorm mates at University of Oregon. Isaac joined the band after graduating from Oregon State University, and soon after that, Wayne joined.

Fun facts:

Gulick came up with the name Derby, while watching an English Premier Soccer game between Manchester United and Manchester City. The announcer called the game a derby (cross town rivalry).

The band has a tour van named “The Green Submarine.” In Johnson’s words “It’s green, it’s huge, it smells like wet dog, and we love it. It could use some gold dubs, but we’ll deal as long as we can still get the ipods to work through the tape deck.”

This is the New You:

Derby – Parade

Derby – Qualities

Derby – Proving

Visit Derby’s Myspace to listen to more music, and to find where to buy the album.

Ryan from Holopaw can use your spare change!

This past Sunday night, Ryan Gensemer from Holopaw was randomly and badly beaten up in Chicago. Sounds like he will be okay, but he had his jaw broken in three places, got a concussion, and sustained some kidney damage.

Search in your pockets, and behind your sofa cushions for any spare change you can muster up to help Ryan pay for his huge medical expenses. No matter if it’s three bucks or three hundred, it will make a difference.
Here is what was released by the band:

Hello All,

Unfortunate news to report. Our dear friend and bandmate Ryan “Beachwolf” Gensemer was savagely beaten in Chicago on Sunday night. Random violence at its worst. He had his jaw broken in three places, got a concussion, and sustained some kidney damage.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many musicians, he has no health care. None of us have the financial resources to help him out to any real extent, either.

So, in light of this terrible event, we are soliciting donations to help him pay off what would appear to be an astronomical medical bill. Anything would be greatly welcomed.

We are not in the business of begging, but this circumstance calls for any effort we can think of.

If you would like to help, send him wishes, or learn more about the situation, please send an email to helpbeachwolf@gmail.com.

Thank you and best of best to all.

URL: holopaw.net/holopaw

The Chillest Song in the World

Red House Painters

Don’t believe me? Look for yourself in the Guinness Book of World Records. Right there, you will see Red House Painters’, “Song for a Blue Guitar” listed as the chillest song in the world. All I am saying about the song is that you have to listen to it. If I were to give a dollar to everybody who disliked the song, and took a dollar from everyone who liked it, I would be a rich, rich man. Not many people have heard of the Red House Painters, but you may actually know the lead singer, Mark Kozelek, without knowing that you know him… He landed the part of the bassist in the movie “Almost Famous”. Some of Cameron Crowe’s assistants were big fans of the Red House Painters, and listened to their music a lot while filming “Jerry Maguire”. Crowe heard the music, and had Kozelek come in. If you check out more music by the band, which I highly recommend that you do, you may notice that their songs are longer than the average song. All that Kozelek had to say about that is “why are people perfectly willing to sit through a three hour movie, yet a seven minute song is too long?” Enjoy.

Red House Painters- Song for a Blue Guitar

Work it Out? It’s more like “Get it Out”.

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The Jurassic 5/ Dave Matthews Band song “Work It Out” has been stuck in my head the whole day. Just when I thought I would go “crazy” if I heard Gnarls Barkley one more time…

I don’t know if the song has hit corporate radio yet, but I guarantee you it will be the most played song on your local Clear Channel in no time.
Here, have a ball.

Jurassic 5 & Dave Matthews Band – Work It Out

Watch the Music Video for Work It Out

WARNING: It seems that Jurassic 5 and Dave Matthews Band are big Bush supporters, so if you are a liberal, I wouldn’t watch this.

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-David

The Scourge of the Sea

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If you like the Mountain Goats or Clem Snide, than there is a new band out there for you–Kentucky trio, The Scourge of the Sea. For the last few weeks I have been extensively listening to the bands songs Waterwings, My Sweet One, and Smitten Kitten. Waterwings is one of those kind of songs which make me question why such beautifully written lyrics aren’t more standard throughout the music community. In my mind, The Scourge of the Sea has raised the bar with catchy music that coincides with thoughtful lyrics…something you don’t see often these days. My Sweet One, is more of a pop song, and kind of reminds me of The Format. It is one of my new favorite songs. Visit the bands myspace, and be sure to buy this album. You most definitely will not regret it.
Bio
Living in the heart of downtown Lexington, Ky, The Scourge of the Sea features Andrew English, Justin Craig and Robby Cosenza (currently of the Apparitions and formerly of Pontius CoPilot-recently named one of Kentucky’s top 10 in Filter magazine alongside Will Oldham, My Morning Jacket, Slint and Loretta Lynn) Since forming in the winter of 2004, the band has continued to maintain an increasingly loyal and healthy following on their own, from rock clubs to art galleries, attics to festivals.

I like the way the band formed. I read in a Paste interview that Cosenza was house-sitting for a friend who lived next door to English. “I heard music and singing and guitar playing, and it was pretty amazing,” says Cosenza. “So I listened to him for like 45 minutes, sitting outside his door. Then I knocked on the door and said ‘Hey man, let’s be a band.'”

Make Me Armored:
The Scourge of the Sea – Waterwings

The Scourge of the Sea – My Sweet One

The Scourge of the Sea – Smitten Kitten

Send For Help

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Sometime last year, I heard my first Send For Help song, Burmese Tiger Pit. It instantly became one of my new favorites to listen to, and over the next several months I definitely wore it out.

Send for Help comes out of San Francisco. The band formed in late 2004 after singer/songwriter/guitarist George D’Annunzio moved from Ohio to SF, and met up with guitarist Mike Damiani. Send For Help has opened up for bands like Pinback, We Are Scientists, and Bishop Allen. Their sound reminds me a lot of Rogue Wave.

Send For Help has a full-length album coming out soon, and it will be nice to be able to get a full taste of the band, as all that has been released so far is a five track EP. I’ll keep you updated.

Oh yeah, and if you like what you hear and live in San Francisco, you should check out their show August 12. They are playing at a SFBC (Bike Coalition) benefit concert. Hey, even if you don’t live in San Fransisco hop on a plane and go to the concert. Be spontaneous. Do something adventurous! I would, but I’m so broke, I eat crackers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Get more info on the concert and the band at their myspace.

Send For Help – Burmese Tiger Pit

Send For Help – We’ll Get Away