Episode 13 - Late Night Conversations

Just posted the latest episode of Late Night Conversations...   the theme of the show is "Queer Music". A sorely unrepresented and undiscussed topic on the show, but that has been addressed after having on a very special guest to guide through this sensitive subject.  

I can't thank Sonia enough for participating on the episode last night.  Especially in the song selection process... there were so many artists we wanted to include and looking back at the selected playlist, I'm so incredibly jealous of the diverse song selection she put together.  My picks feel predictable and stale...   I can already think of 5 other artists I wish I had featured instead.   

I guess we'll have to do another episode...

Soul Asylum - Grave Dancers Union

Stopped into the office on Saturday to help build a production environment for a project that is slated to officially go live on June 16th...  The office is filled with co-workers who volunteered to sacrifice about 8 hours of their weekend to help get this software off the ground.

I've opted to not pump music through the headphones and just play music that everyone can work along to.  I have a sense of what everyone likes to listen to and I can pretty much play a recognizable album from the 90s and make everyone happy.

I pulled out a favorite of mine that I haven't heard in a while...  Soul Asylum's - Grave Dancers Union.  An album that has a handful of memorable singles and a couple of great deep cuts that never seem to get enough attention.

Example: Without a Trace - The song features one of my favorite opening lyrics: 
I fell In Love with a hooker
She Laughed in my Face

The song has a theme that I always take a strong liking too...  it talks about picking up and leaving a place without notice.   I don't know why I fantasize about this so much...  but it's soothing that I think about with great regularity.  

The album also features a song called New World, a swelling power ballad that seems to be missing from musical artists I listen to these days.  I many need to sit and dwell on that comment.... 

Anyhoo, the album brought back a number of great memories, if you haven't heard this in a while I highly recommend it.

Stand out tracks:

Artists: Soul Asylum
Album: Grave Dancers Union
Producer: Michael Beinhorn
Label: Columbia
Recorded: The Powerstation and River Sound

Detachment Kit - Of This Blood

Saw that one of my dearest friends in Detroit (Emo V.) graduated from college this week!  She's been going to college (off and on) for a number of years now and it delighted me to no end to see her in a cap and gown.

This deserves to be pressed on vinyl

A few weeks before leaving Detroit, I got to spend a random Friday night spinning albums and sharing stories with her and one of the albums/artists she introduced me to that night was the Detachment Kit.

A band that is often compared to Built to Spill/Modest Mouse...   which I sorta get.   I kinda think  that they sound like a Nirvana album that never happened - but could have.   Before you think that makes no sense - I beg you to hear the album in its entirety and remember that Kurt had wanted to expand the sound of the band.  

The best part of this album can be found in the middle...  Ricochet/Chronology/Pill Cake should always be heard together and in that order.

Shout out to you Christina!  I hope we get to catch up by phone soon.

-Emo D-

Stand out tracks:

Artists: Detachment Kit
Album: Of This Blood
Producer: Greg Norman
Label: French Kiss Records
Recorded: ?

They Might Be Giants - Flood

Today's album of the day selection, came about in an unusual way.  I was at the office and had a co-worker ask if I could play the They Might Be Giants album that had "Particle Man" on it...  

I haven't listened to Flood in nearly 20 years...  so I was kinda eager to hear a number of tracks on the album.  If you haven't listened to it in a while, you may discover that it's a strange listen.

There's a number of tracks that are under 2 minutes...  the sound and subject matter of the songs run the gamut.  There's songs bout Racist Friends and Minimum Wage...  

There's also a number of amazing songs like Birdhouse in Your Soul.   

If you're unfamiliar with the band, this is possibly the best album to start with.  It's possibly their most accessible album to jump into.

Stand out tracks:

Artists: They Might Be Giants
Album: Flood
Producer: They Might Be Giants, Alan Winstanley, Clive Langer
Label: Elektra
Recorded: Skyline Studios

Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah

When I thought about albums I knew I would get around to hearing in 2014, I kinda looked forward to spinning the self titled debut from Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah.

A band that received an overwhelming amount of buzz through blogs in the Mid 00's and then after releasing their second album(some loud thunder), they sorta fell into obscurity?  I actually wanted to listen and do a write up of the second album first because I'm sorta fascinated by how this band and Tapes and Tapes kinda came and went.

I haven't listened to this album in nearly five years.   I vaguely recall my ex-discovering it in the stacks and she began to listen to it with some frequency.   I forget what bands she said they sounded like, but I was surprised to not hear her say the Talking Heads.

I'm totally guilty of listening to CYHASY, closing my eyes and picturing David Byrne fronting this band.

Gotta say that I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed revisiting this record.  It's always a little weird to hear something that reminds you of an ex girlfriend but I actually had a number of memories from when I first discovered the band come rushing back.  

Stand out tracks:

Artists: Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
Album: Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
Producer: Adam Lasus, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
Label: Self Released - no label in United States
Recorded: Fireproof Recording, Machines With Magnets


Brendan Benson - Lapalco

Have you ever heard people talk about the first time they listened to the Replacements album TIM or Liz Phair's EXILE IN GUYVILLE?

I love that there's an orange tabby on this cd that looks a lot like amos

There's always a twinkle in their eye because those albums have this indescribable 'romantic' quality to those records.  Records that I have a very strong affection for, but I wasn't really old enough to enjoy them the way people in their 20s or 30s got to enjoy them when those albums came out.

I'm not entirely sure how well known Brendan Benson is outside of Detroit...  he was a key contributor to the Raconteurs (w/ Jack White) but I think he's relatively unknown to most.  In 2002, he released a record on a small upstart label called Startime International that I had my eye on after picking up releases from the Walkmen and the French Kicks.

When I heard that Brendan Benson was actually from Detroit (the label was releasing work from East Cost/NYC artists) I was kinda surprised that I was hearing about him for the first time...  I mean, there were so many bands in the city that were gaining attention because of the success of the White Stripes - but somehow this guy was relatively unknown.

This album received an incredible amount of positive press.   Like the albums TIM and EXILE IN GUYVILLE - it also has a very romantic quality to it.  I know that because I lived in Detroit at the time that this album came out, makes me incredibly bias to the album - but I'm having a hard time thinking of any other albums that I fondly remember making a bigger impact on me in my 20s.  This album was my TIM and Exile in Guyville.

Stand out tracks:

Artists: Brendan Benson
Album: Lapalco
Producer: Brendan Benson, Jason Falkner
Label: Startime International
Recorded: ?

The Eames Era - Heroes and Sheroes

Named after the celebrated designers Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames Era are a band I discovered when uncovering the origins of the Generationals.   I don't know how impactful they were before they decided to disband, but this album is freakishly good.

If you're in dire need of addressing your "pop" tooth, I highly recommend this album.  A number of tracks are incredibly clever, like the song Watson on Your Side.

I've been slowly putting together a short list of tracks featuring female leads for an upcoming podcast and I kinda had the band pop into my head.  

I haven't gotten around to actually owning this album in my personal collection, but intend to remedy that in the near future.  I need to confirm if this was ever pressed on vinyl first tho'.

Stand out tracks:

Artists: The Eames Era
Album: Heros Sheroes
Producer: 
Label: ?
Recorded: ?

TOOL - Undertow

Not entire sure what possessed me to listen to Undertow today...  I've had the band Tool on my mind for a few days now.  I attended a Spurs playoff game a few days ago and while at the AT&T center I saw a photo of their 2008 (?) performance that I had attended.

I always love the look on peoples faces when they see the inner sleeve art on this album.

I don't really go out of my way to listen to Tool as much as I did when I was in high school or in college, but I've always had a soft spot for them.  I once heard them be described as a "Satanic Rush" band...  and I disagreed with it until I slowly came around to agreeing with that assessment.

While listening to Undertow this morning, it's a little hard to not think about the video Sober.  The video made an incredible impact on me...  despite having burtonesque qualities to it, I found myself wanting to become obsessed with the band.

Another interesting thing about this record is that it was produced by Sylvia Massy...  if you're not familiar with her or her work, I highly recommend that you read up on her.

An incredible amount of credit should be given to Sylvia to helping Tool fully record the bands early sound.

Looking really forward to revisiting some of their other albums this week...

Stand out tracks:

  • Sober
  • Prison Sex

Artists: Tool
Album: Undertow
Producer: Sylvia Massy, Tool
Label: Zoo Entertainment
Recorded: Sound City, Grandmasters Recorders

Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs

Have a very busy Saturday planned ahead of me...   not only will I be going to the Alamo City Comic Con Toy Show this morning, I will also be driving out to Austin to catch the Cloud Nothings and the Men at the Mohawk.

Sleeve art by Jay Ryan (www.birdmachine.com)

I will also be getting to spend the day with my niece which means we'll get to play a for a few hours in the apartment this morning.

I amazed by how well she's taking to music.  She's only 17 months old and every time she comes over, I always try to expose her to some new.  Something that sounds very different from her last visit, just so see if she dances to it.

Today's selection is Andrew Bird's - Mysterious Production of Eggs.  My favorite album that Andrew Bird has ever released and it also features sleeve art by one of my favorite poster artists - Jay Ryan.

Hobbes took a liking to the music.  She waltzed around to the song Savoy, which tells me that she has an appreciation for rhythm.  I'm fascinated by her attention span...  she can focus on things for lengthy stretches, but often stops to take cues from who ever is keeping an eye on her.  There's something really great about seeing her play, then stop in her tracks to acknowledge something being played in the background.  

Stand out tracks:

Artists: Andrew Bird
Album: Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Producer: Andrew Bird, David Boucher
Label: Righteous Babe
Recorded: ?

Under the Influence - Episode 12, Late Night Conversations

Just recorded a very special episode of Late Night Conversations...  In addition to debuting Tony Weakland, we got to talk about musical artists that influenced our tastes and lives.

Looking incredibly forward to having Tony back for show that will exclusively look at Hip Hop.

This photograph was taken in my dorm room at University of Detroit Mercy - circa '98

This photograph was taken in my dorm room at University of Detroit Mercy - circa '98