The Current Music Blog: September 20, 2006 Archive

Steve's 'Gator: Your Morning Cuppa

Posted at 7:01 AM on September 20, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis

Down Memory Lane, Right on Future Trail

Posted at 9:30 AM on September 20, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis (2 Comments)

When Bob Feldman died last January, we were worried about the venerable Red House Records label that he ran with a steady hand and a noble vision. Today over at Pulse of the Twin Cities, Dwight Hobbes reassures us that the internationally renowned label, headquartered in St. Paul, not only survives but it thrives, with neo-folk upstarts like The Pines recently signing on.

Also, this: the label got its name because co-founder Greg Brown "gigged out of and lived in a small, red house in the country, outside Iowa City, Iowa (so much for the folksy notion that the label was named to honor the houses of the world’s oldest profession)."

Wait, that's what a "red house" means? Note to self: Removing doorbell won’t work. Paint house white ASAP.

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Like Digging For Potatoes, No. 2: Ben Folds

Posted at 4:00 PM on September 20, 2006 by Hans Eisenbeis

Making the rounds late in the day: This tuber of Ben Folds playing Postal Service's "Such Great Heights." We have to say Ben doesn't add much to the song--but then we have to further say that Iron and Wine's version is by far our favorite, even better than the original. So that tells you what you're dealing with here.

Anyhoo, what's cool about Ben's version is that 1) he makes his piano sound exactly like a synthesizer by allegedly throwing bath towels across the strings; 2) he is accompanied by unknown persons playing what look like wooden spoons, calculating machines, and a roll of paper towels; 3) near the end, he appears to be playing his BlackBerry as an instrument as well.

Lo-fi multi-tasking, the Ben Folds way!