The Current Music Blog: January 11, 2008 Archive

The Stream 01/11/08

Posted at 8:52 AM on January 11, 2008 by Barb Abney (1 Comments)

Are you Morrissey's biggest fan? Here's your chance to prove it!

Muse, Feist, Bloc Party and more to be featured on The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, to be released in April.

British Sea Power announce dates (Triple Rock March 21st.)

Today In Music History:
1942 - Clarence Clemons (E Street Band) was born.
1964 - Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire became the first Country album to go to #1 on the album charts.
1967 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded "Purple Haze."
1971 - Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers) was born.
1981 - Thomas Meighan (Kasabian) was born.
1992 - Nirvana appeared on SNL and Nevermind became the #1 album.
2002 - Mickey Finn (T Rex) died.
2003 - Pete Townshend issued a statement denying being a pedophile after he was linked to internet child pornography. He claimed to be doing research for a campaign against it.

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Live Blogging 01/11/08

Posted at 9:42 AM on January 11, 2008 by Barb Abney (1 Comments)

11:30 a.m. MGMT
They're playing 7th Street Entry along with Yeasayer on February 7th.
Their Letterman appearance.
More...

11:10 a.m. Rhymefest
"Get Up" features DC rapper Wale. It's on the Michael Jackson dedicated release Man In The Mirror.
The new full length, El Che will be released later this year.
More...

10:45 a.m. Local Music - The Glad Version
They're playing Big Ditch Road's CD release show tonight at The Turf Club.
More..

Song Of The Day Info - Local Music - House Of Mercy Band
Today on our Song Of The Day Podcast we're featuring House Of Mercy Band with the tune "Trouble Coming" from their latest effort, Left Behind.
Their CD release show is next Friday at 331 Club.
More info here and/or here.

9:50 a.m. - Sia
Some People Have Real Problems is The Current's CD Of The Week.
Get your own copy when you support us online.
She'll be playing The Fineline on February 29th.
More...

9:30 a.m. U2
Their 3-D movie will premier at Sundance next week.
See the trailer here.

9:15 a.m. Voxtrot
Last month they launched their own podcast.
More...

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Do the Shuffle

Posted at 12:02 PM on January 11, 2008 by Tony Lopez (11 Comments)

Everybody wants to be somebody's somethin'.

"All My Life," Steve Earle
A song from 2000's Transcendental Blues. Steve Earle is one of my heroes. There aren't many artists who have the testicular fortitude to write a song in the voice of John Walker Lindh, the so-called “American Taliban” (“John Walker’s Blues”) or bust a lusty move on the Secretary of State (“Condi, Condi”). Robert Chalmers profiled Earle last summer in the British newspaper, The Independent, with the provocative headline “Is Steve Earle America’s Greatest Living Songwriter?” I don’t know if he’s the greatest. He’s certainly the bravest. Here he is as Waylon on the greatest TV drama in the history of TV dramas, The Wire.

“Trying to Explain,” Matt Elliott
First operating under the name The Third Eye Foundation, Matt Elliott is a musician who has relied heavily on sampled sounds and drum and bass rhythms to create his atmospheric sound. This is an instrumental interlude from his 2005 album Drinking Songs, put out on the Ici Dailleurs imprint.

“We Don’t Need,” Daby Toure
This lovely tune is from Stereo Spirit, which made my year-end list of stand-out albums from foreign born artists. Toure (no relation to Ali Farka and Vieux Farka) is Mauritanian. The album showcases his love for Western style song-writing while still maintaining that West African lilt that I love so well.

“Priests Knees,” Destroyer
Just what is a “west-coast maximalist” anyway? The usually media-shy Dan Bejar did this surprisingly revealing interview for Exclaim! during the run-up to the release of Destroyer’s Rubies. I love his quirky pop sensibility and I admit, whenever a New Pornographers album comes out, I listen to his songs first. Two parts Bowie, one part Al Stewart? I don’t know if Bejar is into doing covers but “Year of the Cat,” Destroyer-style, absolutely needs to happen. Look for a new Destroyer album this spring.

“Just As I Am,” The “5” Royales
One of the early R&B and doo-wop groups, this quintet were huge hitmakers. The thing was, though, they made hits for other people. James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Shirelles, and the Mamas & the Papas all recorded tremendously popular versions of the band’s songs. Lowman Pauling, the main songwriter and lead guitarist, also inspired a generation of blues-rock guitarists with his fiery guitar work.

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Guest DJ Set 1/11

Posted at 7:44 PM on January 11, 2008 by Jill Riley

Tonight's Guest DJ set comes from DJ Christian Fritz. Christian also runs a record label called Mpls Ltd. The showcase for Mpls Ltd is next Saturday (1/19) featuring Mercurial Rage, First Communion Afterparty, Basement Apartment, DJs Christian Fritz and T. Ritter.

Guest DJ track list:
Pharoah Sanders witht he Latin Jazz Quintet "Oh! Pharoah Speak"
Chico Hamilton "MSP"
Dorothy Ashby "Soul Vibrations"
Walter Wanderley "Kee-Ka-Roo"
Cal Tjader "Mambero"
Michel Polnareff "Le Roi Des Fourmis"
Joe & Bing "Summer Sound"
Denise De Kalafe "Tengo Una Guitarra Herida"
Bob Dorough ""Three Is A Magic Number"

If you like what you hear, check out DJ Christian Fritz at the Red Stag Supper Club tonight!