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The Church – Trocadero (Philadelphia) – February 15, 2011
Please see my full review here.
The Church – Untitled 23 (Second Motion)
Although I wasn’t familiar with their most recent studio album from 2009 before deciding to go see them play it (along with 1992’s Priest=Aura and 1988’s Starfish) in its entirety this past week, I like it a lot. Like other recent efforts, this one probably won’t grab you right away, but repeated listening will prove to be rewarding. The second half of the album, particularly the stretch from “On Angel Street” to “Anchorage”, is most immediately impressive and probably the album’s best tracks, but more listens reveal tracks on the first half of the album like “Deadman’s Hand” and “Pangea” (both singles) are fine tracks as well.
Anthony Bourdain – Keswick Theater (Glenside, PA) – February 14, 2011
You may be wondering why this is on here since Bourdain is a well-known chef, food writer, TV show host and author. However, he’s also a lover of fine rock and roll and has made his love for The Ramones, Dead Boys, The Stooges, New York Dolls and other artists well known to his fans. At this speaking engagement, he pointed out Rachel Ray’s New York Dolls fandom as well as her booking a SXSW showcase every year and during the Q&A session, one fan asked him if rock and roll is dead. He rightly said no, of course. You can read his list of things he enjoyed in 2010 here.
Rhys Chatham Trumpet Trio with Chris Forsyth – International House (Philadelphia) – February 13, 2011
This was a great night of experimental music and though Chatham was only backed by a guitarist and a drummer, the music was just as heavy and hypnotic as his 100-guitar orchestras as the trumpet (an instrument he’s actually been playing since the early ’80s) was given treatments unthinkable to most players of the instrument.
The Church – Deep in the Shallows (Second Motion)
I picked this double CD compilation of all of their singles after their recent show here and boy am I glad I did. Although it’s no substitute for their albums as it tends to show off their more upbeat, melodic side, it functions as an alternate history and a great introduction as well. It flows very nicely as well and tracks the progression of this incredible band from 1980’s “She Never Said” and “The Unguarded Moment” to the three singles culled from 2009’s Untitled #23.
Shudder to Think – Live from Home (Team Love)
If you’re more than a casual Shudder to Think fan, you’ll need this album. As the title implies, this 2009 live album documents their brief 2008 reunion tour and focuses heavily on their best, Dischord-era material from 1989’s Ten Spot, 1991’s stunning Funeral at the Movies and 1992’s Get Your Goat along with their final release for Dischord, a 2 song 7” with songs that were later re-recorded for their 1994 major label debut Pony Express Record. Classics like “Red House” (albeit played more like the version on 1997’s 50,000 B.C.), “Chocolate,” “Shake Your Halo Down” “Day Ditty” and “Jade Dust Eyes” are all given an airing here and despite the fact that bassist Stuart Hill and drummer Adam Wade weren’t present for the reunion, they all sound great as does later material like Pony Express Record’s “X French Tee Shirt” and “Gang of $” along with _50,000 B.C.‘s opening track “Call of the Playground”. Wisely, though, the focus is on the Dischord years, and even “About Three Dreams” (amazing on 1989’s Ten Spot and live in the ’90s but kind of a mess when we saw them here a few years ago) sounds better here, albeit I don’t know which shows these recordings were taken from.
Portlandia (Friday, IFC)
This is one of my favorite current TV shows and given the indie-rock backgrounds of Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney, Excuse 17 and now Wild Flag) and Fred Armisen (Trenchmouth), it’s natural that musical guest stars are part of the weekly sketch show series. In the most recently aired episode, Portland residents Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney), James Mercer (The Shins), Colin Meloy and Jenny Conlee (both of The Decemberists) all make cameo appearances and in an episode that aired several weeks ago, Aimee Mann and Sarah McLachlan appeared as well.
Radiohead – The King of Limbs (self-released)
After several listens of this just-released album that was only announced several days in advance and then pushed up one day, presumably to counter it leaking ahead of its scheduled official release, I can say that like every Radiohead album since Kid A, it features sparse electronics that wouldn’t be out of place on a Squarepusher or Autechre record or even on Brian Eno‘s most recent album Small Craft on a Milk Sea. As such, they haven’t changed much and they’re no longer breaking new ground (for them, at least), but this will be enjoyable to anyone who likes what they’ve done in the last decade. Given how popular and acclaimed this band justifiably is, it feels silly to review it. There’s no immediate standout like In Rainbows‘ amazing “Weird Fishes (Arpeggi)”, but at least initially I think I like this one a little more from start to finish.
Suicide – Suicide (Ze)
I’ve been listening to their self-titled second album a lot lately. If you’ve never heard it, it’s an absolute must and just as essential (if not more so) than their more acclaimed self-titled first album from 1977.
The Pop Group – Y (Radar)
Upon finding out that this amazing band will finally be hitting U.S. shores in October as part of the Portishead-curated I’ll Be Your Mirror ATP festival in Asbury Park, I spun this one twice the other day. I was ecstatic when I heard the news and can’t wait to hear these songs played live!
