Friday, September 29, 2006

In House #1715: The Dukes of Ted Live From the Road; New Live Release From My Morning Jacket

Arcata, California's Dukes of Ted are anything but a typical jam band, and even that term is tenuous when it comes to describing them. The quartet combines elements of funk, Memphis stax soul, jazz, rock and latin rhythms to form a sound that is at once complex and danceable. Add to this the fact that they often do it with odd musical combinations-- saxophone and banjo, for example-- and you've got a decidedly unpredictable flair in a muscial space that often lacks such a quality. The band has toured almost constantly since forming a couple of years ago at Humboldt St. University, winning plenty of converts along the way. This weekend they play southeastern Idaho for the first time: tonight at Woody's in Twin Falls and tomorrow night at the First National Bar in Pocatello.


Also today, music from My Morning Jacket's ultimate rock & roll right-of-passage: a new double live album. Okonokos captures the Louisville-based quartet in fine and impressive live form over the course of 21 tracks, many of them sounding as good or better than the original studio versions. The collection is particularly heavy on selections from their most recent couple of efforts: It Still Moves (2003) and Z(2005), but also includes versions of MMJ classics like "Xmas Curtain" and "The Way That He Sings."

In House #1715.
Airdate: 9/29/06
Focus: The Dukes of Ted live from the road and live in Idaho this weekend. Plus a new double live release, Okonokos, from My Morning Jacket, and new music from the Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars, Josh Ritter, Akron/Family, and more.

BONUS MP3-
Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars, from Living Like a Refugee:
"Living Like a Refugee" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

Thursday, September 28, 2006

In House #1714: Band of Horses in Salt Lake City Tonight

One of the great surprises of the musical year, at least from here, has to be the wild success of Band of Horses' debut Everything All the Time. After the breakup of Seattle's Carissa's Wierd (sic), the last anyone heard of Ben Bridwell and Mat Brooke was that they were riding off into the sunset and San Diego. When they emerged some time later, no doubt after some sort of desert-trudged vision quest, there was Band of Horses, cultivating a sound not fronted by the subdued tones of Carissa's frontman Brooke, but by the surprising sepia-and-reverb drenched wail of the previously quiet Bridwell. Brooke, unfortunately, has since left the band, but Bridwell and his trio of horses soldier on, riding in to Salt Lake City's Club Sound tonight (that's called riding a horse metaphor for all it's worth, or perhaps beating a dead horse metaphor). DIY Canadian and Band of Horses labelmate Chad VanGaalen opens.


Also, the week of busy live action continues tomorrow night as The Strokes make a rare appearance in the area by playing Salt Lake City's In the Venue. The third release from the (for whatever reason) constantly maligned band, entitled First Impressions of Earth, was released back in January.

Related content: here and here.

In House #1714.
Airdate: 9/28/06
Focus: Band of Horses with Chad VanGaalen in Salt Lake City tonight, plus The Strokes tomorrow night. Also, new music from Robert Pollard, Supersystem, Polyphonic Spree, and more.

Bonus MP3-
Band of Horses, non-album demo: "I Lost My Dingle On the Red Line" (MP3)
...and from Everything All the Time: "The Funeral" (MP3)

Bonus Video-
Band of Horses' "The Great Salt Lake":


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #183

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

In House #1713: Bobby Bare Jr.'s The Longest Meow; Jerry Lee Lewis' Last Man Standing; New Solomon Burke

It might be said that the music of Bobby Bare Jr. is a warped take, at least in part, on the 1970's Nashville inhabited by his famous father. Jr. certainly spent plenty of time during his formative years within that milieu, after all, even going so far as to score a Grammy nomination at the age of five for a duet he sang with Sr. and somehow winding up on stage on the final night of the Grand Ole Opry's run at the storied Ryman Auditorium in 1974. The music he's created since has been a rebellion against that scene, but not the typical kind. Instead of rejecting the somewhat campy sounds that were his beginnings, he's embraced them, turning Nashville on its head by incorporating a variety of musical elements into the familiar territory of fiddles, pedal steel guitars, and "Ring of Fire"-style horn arrangements (an unorthodoxy not unlike his father practiced, notably on his 1973 collaboration with Shel Silverstein, Lullabies, Legends and Lies). For his latest, The Longest Meow, Bobby Bare Jr. reassembled his Young Criminals' Starvation League with personnel from acts like My Morning Jacket, Clem Snide, Lambchop, and others, for a marathon recording session last spring. "11 Songs, 11 Hours, 11 Musicians" is how it's being billed, and the results are a remarkable and typically genre bending collection from Bare Jr., with honky tonk nods like "Back to Blue" and "Demon Valley" alongside rockers like "The Heart Bionic." Psychedelic honky tonk rock, perhaps? Add to the 11 originals a particularly subdued solo take on The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind," and you've got a repeatedly enjoyable, if oddball, effort, the irony being that Bare's Nashville sounds closer to his father's than the current version would dare.

Bobby Bare Jr.


In House #1713.
Airdate: 9/27/06
Focus: New releases from Bobby Bare Jr., The Longest Meow, Jerry Lee Lewis, Last Man Standing, and Solomon Burke, Nashville. Plus, new music from Jim Lauderdale, Wayne Hancock, Old Crow Medicine Show, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Bobby Bare Jr., from The Longest Meow: "The Heart Bionic" (MP3)

Jerry Lee Lewis with Merle Haggard, from Last Man Standing:
"Just A-Bummin' Around" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #182

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

In House #1712: New Self-Titled Lemonheads, Ben Kweller

For whatever reason, was a time when Evan Dando could do no right. Despite songwriting filled with hooks, it seems it was his looks that some couldn't get past, and he had an unfair reputation as some kind of musical dilettante, culminating in the 'zine Die Evan Dando, Die. Nevertheless, the original Lemonheads initially enjoyed great success within the realm of what was the still known as "college radio" with a string of four releases from 1987 to 1990, followed by the two major label releases that put them on the map, It's a Shame About Ray (1992) and Come On Feel the Lemonheads (1993). Somewhere along the way the hectic touring schedule, and no doubt constant scrutiny, caught up with Dando, and he retreated into a self-imposed (and reportedly drug-imposed) exile following the release of 1996's underrated Car Button Cloth. He resurfaced in 2003 with the surprisingly solid solo release Baby I'm Bored.

Evan Dando

The new self-titled release from The Lemonheads is essentially Lemonheads in name only-- although the band has always really been Dando and a rotating cast of many. For the first Lemonheads effort in nearly ten years, Dando deliberately chose musicians with the direction of a loud rock record in mind. Indeed, ex-Descendents Bill Stevenson (drums) and Karl Alvarez (bass) give Dando's power-pop hooks a crunchy, meaty feel that hasn't been heard from the band since their early days. The collection of eleven new songs clocks in at under 35 minutes, meaning that most of the tunes are brief blasts of melodic rock, although there are also detours through a country waltz ("Baby's Home") and a mid-tempo meditation ("Become the Enemy"). The result is an album that will no doubt surprise and infuriate Dando's detractors from way back when-- The Lemonheads is a welcome return to form from a band many of us recall fondly.

In House #1712.
Airdate: 9/26/06
Focus: New self-titled release from The Lemonheads, plus new music from Ben Kweller, Yo La Tengo, Pernice Brothers, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
The Lemonheads, from The Lemonheads: "Become the Enemy" (MP3)

The Morning Benders from the Loose Change EP: "Grain of Salt" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #181

Monday, September 25, 2006

In House #1711: Langhorne Slim in Salt Lake City Tonight, Damien Jurado in Provo Tomorrow

A busy week of live action in the area begins today as we spotlight two shows happening along northern Utah's Wasatch Front. The first is tonight at Salt Lake City's Kilby Court as self-effacing Brooklyn singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim opens things up for Two Gallants. Langhorne appeared just last year with the solid if offbeat debut when the sun's gone down. Part sideshow man, part hay stomper, part blue-eyed soul stirrer, Slim has gained a reputation for his live shows, an odd mix of nervous banter and (generally) pedal-to-the-metal tunes about lost ladies and moonlight. He recently signed to V2 and has just released the Engine EP, a teaser of sorts for his upcoming 2007 full-length. While the new effort does not leave the manic performances completely behind (see "Honey Pie"), the other selections suggest a maturing as he pulls off introspection without irony on finger-picked tunes like "Restless."


Also today, music from Seattle-based singer-songwriter Damien Jurado, who plays Velour in Provo, UT tomorrow night. Jurado is just setting out on tour in support of his upcoming release, And Now That I Am In Your Shadow (out October 10th on Secretly Canadian). The stark new collection features help from Jenna Conrad and longtime Jurado collaborator Erik Fisher, and once again finds the genre-shifting musician back in noirish Americana territory following the comparatively more contemporary-sounding On My Way to Absence. The release marks the third for his current label and seventh overall.

In House #1711.
Airdate: 9/25/06
Focus: Langhorne Slim tonight in Salt Lake City, plus Damien Jurado tomorrow night in Provo, and new music from Eric Bachmann, Summer Hymns, Magnolia Electric Co., and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Langhorne Slim from the Engine EP: "Restless" (MP3)

Damien Jurado, from And Now That I'm In Your Shdaow:
"What Were the Chances" (MP3)
...and live In House, April 24, 2002: "Abilene (LIVE) (MP3)

Two Gallants, from what the toll tells: "Las Cruces Jail" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #180

Friday, September 22, 2006

In House Attic #2 (Random Junk)

For those of you wondering, Friday's show was pre-empted by the home station-- for no less than Idaho State Univ. Women's Soccer action. On the radio. In any case, regular shows, podcasts and the like resume next week with shows featuring the likes of Langhorne Slim, Damien Jurado, Band of Horses, Jenny Lewis, Sparklehorse, Los Straitjackets, Bobby Bare Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Solomon Burke, and more. In the meantime...

*Fall is here and with it, since we are public radio affiliated, comes the 1st Annual In House Fall Fund Drive. As you regular readers/ listeners likely know, we like to keep it a bit like your extended family's dinner table around here in that we generally resist broaching (at least directly) the subjects of religion, politics, and money. For this occasion, however, forgive us if we break the last of those taboos and ask you for your support. Help us continue to bring you the music and podcasts you enjoy here everyday, as well as the mp3s and exclusive live in studio performances we strive to deliver with our web presence. It's public radio because the majority of its funding comes from you: the public. We're offering three convenient donation options through PayPal: a general one-time donation; or payment options consisting of $5.00 per month for 6 months, and $10.00 per month for six months, respectively. Any amount gives back, and directly helps to offset the production costs of keeping this ship afloat. As an incentive, we'll open the live performance vaults to anyone donating at least $10.00, where you'll have access to exclusive live in-studio mp3s from Damien Jurado, Jill Sobule, Kelly Joe Phelps, Mike Doughty, and more. Thanks in advance for your support, and your continued reading/listening.

One-time general donation, any amount:





$5.00/month, 6 months:






$10.00/month, 6 months:





Alternately, you might consider buying an amazingly cool and original t-shirt from Threadless or some new music from Insound. Either way, your purchase through these links also helps support In House!


*Speaking of music, these are busy days at one of our favorite labels: Chicago's Bloodshot Records, where they're following up an excellent summer that saw releases from Paul Burch and Scott H. Biram with upcoming albums from Bobby Bare Jr., Wayne "The Train" Hancock, the Wee Hairy Beasties (Jon Langford, Kelly Hogan, Sally Timms, Devil In the Woodpile), and more. First among these is the third full-length from Bobby Bare Jr., The Longest Meow. Out next week, the album features help from an A-list cast of guests including members of My Morning Jacket, Lambchop, Clem Snide, and others. "The Heart Bionic" (MP3) is included.

Also coming soon (Oct. 10th) is the latest from the always outstanding Wayne "The Train" Hancock, entitled Tulsa. The album is another slice of what we've come to expect from Hancock: a swingin' affair, country style and otherwise, peppered with plenty of pedal steel, tremolo, and his throwback vocal style. "Shootin' Star From Texas" (MP3) is one of many road-themed tunes on the album. Later in October, comes the Wee Hairy Beasties' (see personnel above) Animal Crackers, an album full of tunes about ducks, squirrels, flies, and turtles-- oh, and it's for the kids (although, as Bloodshot puts it, "kids' music NEED! NOT! BE! UNLISTENABLE!"). "Toenail Moon" (MP3) is one of the songs your brood may soon be singing along to. Finally, also for the kids-- though these kids may be more of your aspiring musician types-- comes The Old Town School of Folk Music Songbook, Volume 1. Call it a primer on the history of American folk music with new performances of old tunes by the likes of John Stirrat, Alice Peacock, Danny Barnes, and Robbie Fulks, who contributes this version of "Brown's Ferry Blues" (MP3). Bloodshot shot yet?

*Elsewhere finds new music from Athens, GA trio Summer Hymns, set to release Backwards Masks come November 21st. "Pity & Envy" (MP3) is on it, though no word yet if the album will also contain pity, envy, or, for that matter, sloth.

*Could it be: September 2006 and the first of the 2007s are already beginning to trickle in? The Postmarks' self-titled full-length is scheduled for a January 23rd release on Andy Chase's UnFiltered label. The band creates sonic concoctions made up of Bacharach and French pop, among other things. "Goodbye" (MP3) opens the upcoming release.

*Singer-songwriter Damien Jurado returns to the intermountain west next week with a performance Tuesday at Velour in Provo, UT. Jurado is touring in support of the upcoming full-length And Now That I'm In Your Shadow, out October 10th on Secretly Canadian. "What Were the Chances" (MP3) is one to be found among the stark set, the autumn release of which sounds to be no accident. Also, Jurado recently covered another singer-songwriter known for autumnal sounds: here's his version of Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" (MP3)-- coincidentally, the In House live in-studio archives contain Jurado's version of another Drake tune (hint: see above for details on how you can gain access to the mp3).

*Next week marks the return of the original wild man of rock n' roll, the legendary Jerry Lee Lewis. The aptly titled Last Man Standing is Lewis' first album of new recordings in quite a spell and features him matched up with a host of musicians good (Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson), bad (Toby Keith, Kid Rock), and ugly (Rod Stewart). Lewis steals the show throughout, however. Here he is with another example of the the good on the album, teaming up with Neil Young for a rendition of "You Don't Have to Go" (MP3).

*Finally, speaking of Willie Nelson who himself has a new release due soon, if he's said it once, he's said a thousand times: stop arresting marijuana smokers! Louisiana isn't listening.


Thursday, September 21, 2006

In House #1710: Catfish Haven's Tell Me; New Tom Waits, Langhorne Slim

It's been a big year for Chicago's Catfish Haven. The trio named for the Missouri trailer park where frontman George Hunter grew up released the attention-getting Please Come Back EP back in February and have now delivered on the promise it hinted at with the recent full-length Tell Me, their first for Secretly Canadian. While obvious influences like early Springsteen (see "Another Late Night") and CCR are not surprising to hear, what intrigues here most are the soulful strains akin to Otis Redding or The Temptations. Indeed, ballads like "Down By Your Fire" and "This Time" drip with the emotion and impassioned pleas offered up by classic R&B artists of the late 1960's (long before "R&B" became a ridiculous charicature of itself). Elsewhere finds fat bass lines and head bobbing grooves, as on the lead track "Crazy For Leaving," easily one of the most enjoyable singles of the year. Catfish Haven is currently on the road, supporting the new album by touring with labelmates the Magnolia Electric Co.

Catfish Haven

In House #1710.
Airdate: 9/21/06
Focus: Debut release from Catfish Haven, Tell Me, plus new music from Tom Waits, Greg Laswell, Dani Siciliano, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Catfish Haven, from Tell Me: "Crazy For Leaving" (MP3)

Langhorne Slim, from the Engine EP: "Restless" (MP3)

Tom Waits, from Orphans (due 11/21): "Bottom of the World" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #179

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

In House #1709: Dan Bern's Breathe; New Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Dylan

Singer-songwriter Dan Bern has built a career on his idiosyncracies. Over the course of five full-lengths Bern has become well known for both his witty and biting lyrics and his nasally vocal delivery. In recent years, he's also gained a lot of attention for his heart-on-his-sleeve political songs, many of which were included on the EPs Swastika (2002) and My Country II: Music to Beat Bush By (2004). It's for this reason that Breathe, Bern's sixth album out this week on Messenger, comes as something of a surprise-- he's backed off on the political angle almost entirely and instead of topical numbers like "Bush Must Be Defeated," and "Talkin' Al Kida Blues," we get an approach that is at once more personal and universal on songs with titles like "Feel Like a Man," and "Remember Me." Perhaps the closest Bern comes to political songwriting here is the song "Trudy," oddly namedropping Barry Bonds before going on to speak of "the Christian new year" and lines like "Trudy Trudy Trudy/ I'm still on active duty/ And you know what happens when you're AWOL..." The true meanings, however, are vague enough so as to remain open to interpretation. Dan Bern will be touring almost constantly through November from New York to British Columbia, Florida to California.

Dan Bern

In House #1709.
Airdate: 9/20/06
Focus: New release from Dan Bern, Breathe, plus new music from Jerry Lee Lewis, Anne McCue, Chris Smither, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Dan Bern, from Breathe: "Breathe" (MP3) and "Trudy" (MP3)
...and My Country II: "Bush Must Be Defeated" (MP3)

Anne McCue, from Koala Motel: "From Bakersfield to Saigon" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #178

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

In House #1708: New Early R.E.M. Best Of; Joseph Arthur's Nuclear Daydream

If you're a longtime fan of so-called "alternative" or "college" music, then the early work of R.E.M. hardly needs an introduction. Beginning with 1983's Murmur the band embarked upon an impressive five-year, five-album run on the independent I.R.S. label. Those years now have a properly compiled representation with the release last week of And I Feel Fine: Best of the I.R.S. Years, 1982-1987, featuring 21 album tracks as well as a bonus disc of previously unreleased live, alternate, and otherwise selected numbers. At a time in the band's trajectory when their star has fallen off a bit with a recent string of less than great releases, this refresher serves to remind that R.E.M.'s early discography ranks well alongside that of anyone.




Also today, music from singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur's fifth album, Nuclear Daydream, released today on his own Lonely Astronaut label. Since being discovered by Peter Gabriel and signed to his Real World label on the strength of a demo cassette back in the mid-90's, Arthur has done nothing if not follow his own muse. From the sounds of things, it's taken him to another place entirely on the new effort, and the result is an album that seems to sound less like himself than he has in the past, if that makes any sense. Arthur will be touring the U.S. over the next six weeks or so in support of the release.





In House #1708.

Airdate: 9/19/06
Focus: New collection from R.E.M., And I Feel Fine: The Best of the I.R.S. Years, 1982-1987, plus a new release from Joseph Arthur, Nuclear Daydream, out today, and new music from Robyn Hitchock, Roman Candle, and more.

BONUS Vids-
R.E.M. performing "Begin the Begin" at last weekend's Georgia Music Hall of Fame induction:

R.E.M. performing "Driver 8" during a 1985 performance:

BONUS MP3s-
R.E.M., from And I Feel Fine: Best of the I.R.S. Years, 1982-1987:
"Ages of You (LIVE)" (MP3)

Joseph Arthur, from Nuclear Daydream: "Enough to Get Away" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #177

Monday, September 18, 2006

In House #1707: Headlights, White Whale, Decibully in Salt Lake City

It's a midwest invasion of sorts tonight at Salt Lake City's Kilby Court, as Headlights, White Whale, and Decibully all take the stage as part of a triple bill. Chicago's Headlights recently released their debut full-length, Kill Them With Kindness, and have been garnering rave reviews ever since. The accomplished and diverse sounding release is not surprising considering that the trio are all veterans of the Champaign-Urbana, Illinois indie scene as part of bands like Absinthe Blind and Orphans. The date finds them one third of the way through a lengthy tour that has them on the road through November.


Also tonight, also touring in support of a recent debut full-length, is White Whale, who released WWI a couple of months back on Merge. A supergroup of sorts, the Lawrence, Kansas-based band features members of the Get Up Kids, Thee Higher Burning Fire, and Butterglory, though their sound seems to retain little from any of the three.

The third act on tonight's bill is Milwaukee's Decibully, whose most recent release is the politically-tinged and interesting sounding Sing Out America. The band is also offering a new tour-only EP.

Related content: here and here.

In House #1707.
Airdate: 9/18/06
Focus: Headlights, White Whale, & Decibully in Salt Lake City tonight, plus new music from Jeremy Enigk, The Lemonheads, Sparklehorse, and more.

BONUS MP3 from today's show-
Jeremy Enigk, from World Waits (due 10/17): "Been Here Before" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #176

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Live: The Friends of Rock n' Roll
First National Bar, Pocatello, ID 9/9/06


The Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello, 9/16/06

With a shiny new EP under their belts, Portland, OR's Friends of Rock n' Roll began a national tour in Pocatello, ID last weekend. The trio, made up of Harold Muther, Winchester J. Slade, and Ronald Pickles, brought a high-energy show and a decidedly classic sound, with three-part harmonies and melodies reminiscent of everything from vintage Zombies to The Troggs to The Band.

The Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello, 9/16/06
Harold Muther on vocals and, alternately, guitar and drums.


The Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello, 9/16/06
Winchester J. Slade on vocals, also alternated with Muther on guitar and drums.


The Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello, 9/16/06
Ronald Pickles supplied the often classic R&B-infused bass lines favored by the band and sang back-up harmony.

The Friends of Rock n' Roll rounded out the night with an encore set of covers they hadn't played in years, to the delight of a dancefloor full of drunken revellers. Read more about the band's on the road exploits on their tour blog (which includes a cautionary tale about the decision to play in Iowa City).

More photos from the show are here.

Related content here.

Friday, September 15, 2006

In House #1706: Andrew Bird & Nina Nastasia in Salt Lake City This Weekend; New Joseph Arthur

Singer/songwriter/fiddler Andrew Bird hits Salt Lake City's Club Sound (In the Venue) this Sunday, as he continues to tour on the strength of his outstanding 2005 release, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Bird's work has always been intriguing, both with Bowl of Fire and on his own, but he raised the bar entirely with Eggs, which as you may recall was an In House Top 5 release of 2005 selection. Cass McCombs opens.




Also Sunday in Salt Lake City, New York City-based singer-songwriter Nina Nastasia plays at Kilby Court as she tours in support of her upcoming release On Leaving. The album, out next Tuesday, is a gorgeous, sparsely arranged collection of melancholic, autumnal tunes from Nastasia, who seems to have a way with songs in that vein. It's her fourth release overall and first on the Fat Cat label.







Related content:
here.


In House #1706.
Airdate: 9/15/06
Focus: Andrew Bird & Nina Nastasia play seperate shows this weekend in Salt Lake City, plus new music from Dr. Dog, Joseph Arthur, Pernice Brothers, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Andrew Bird, from The Mysterious Production of Eggs: "Fake Palindromes" (MP3)

Nina Nastasia, from On Leaving (due 9/19): "Treehouse Song" (MP3)

Joseph Arthur, from Nuclear Daydream (due 9/19): "Black Lexus" (MP3)

Goldenboy, from Underneath the Radio (due 10/3): "End of Forever" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #175

Thursday, September 14, 2006

In House #1705: Madeleine Peyroux's Half the Perfect World; New Los Lobos

Honey-voiced singer (and occasional songwriter) Madeleine Peyroux returned this week with her third full-length, entitled Half the Perfect World. While her voice evokes the great jazz singers of a bygone era-- most obviously Billie Holiday-- Peyroux has always shown an adventurous spirit in the selections she's chosen for interpretation on her recordings. It's no different this time around. After singing the songs of everyone from Hank Williams to Bob Dylan to Elliott Smith on 2004's Careless Love, the new effort finds her tackling tunes by Tom Waits ("The Heart of Saturday Night"), Serge Gainsbourg ("La Javanaise"), Charlie Chaplin ("Smile"), and Joni Mitchell (whose "River" features a guest appearance from k.d. lang). The mood, once again, is nice and easy with Peyroux's relaxed phrasing set over tempos that are hard-pressed to break a sweat. The most striking development here appears to be that of Peyroux as a songwriter, as she is credited with co-writes on all four of the originals that appear-- "I'm All Right," for one, is among the strongest tunes on the album. Still, whether the songs are her own or someone else's, when all is said and done it's that voice that matters most. Peyroux's is one of those rare voices that could make the phone book sound essential. Imagine, then, what she does with songwriters like these.

Madeleine Peyroux

In House #1705.
Airdate: 9/14/06
Focus: New release from Madeleine Peyroux, Half the Perfect World, plus new music from Los Lobos, Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint, Hem, and more.

BONUS MP3-
Madeleine Peyroux, from Half the Perfect World: "I'm All Right" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #174

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

In House #1704: New Richard Buckner, Magnolia Electric Co., Catfish Haven

Singer-songwriter Richard Buckner, it seems, has always been good. Whether it's been a solo recording, a song cycle based on the writing of Edgar Lee Masters, or a full band setting, his music has been consistently engaging and interesting throughout the past decade or so. His eighth full-length, Meadow (out yesterday on Merge) is an example of the latter in the list as Buckner employs the fullest band setting he has ever used, including musicians like former Guided By Voices guitarist Doug Gillard. The result is something different than his past work to be sure, and it may well be the most thoroughly consistent collection of his career. Songs like "Town," and "Lucky," show Buckner using the band to his advantage, with meaty choruses fleshed out by piano, guitar, and drums. Elsewhere, he strips it down for the album's closer, "The Tether & the Tie," nothing if not vintage Buckner. He's currently on tour in support of the new release, and has recently began keeping a road blog of his exploits, full of glimpses from the touring life both intimate and mundane, as well as cryptic statements like "...chased a feral kitten around the parking lot. Let a Grey Goose chase me around my room."

Also out this week is the second studio full-length from the Magnolia Electric Co. since frontman Jason Molina shape-shifted the band out of Songs:Ohia. While there wasn't a lot of noise from the band in the first place, the MEC bring it down a bit further for Fading Trails, a moody boozer of a release that nevertheless still manages to remain more uptempo than Molina's solo work (his Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go was also recently issued). "Don't Fade On Me," and "Memphis Moon," are but two moving examples of the Neil Young-esque country noir to be had, and while this may not be the feel good release of the year, it does sound good. Fading Trails is out now on Secretly Canadian.


In House #1704.
Airdate: 9/13/06
Focus: New releases from Richard Buckner, Meadow, and the Magnolia Electric Co., Fading Trails, plus new music from Catfish Haven, Angela Desveaux, The Be Good Tanyas, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Richard Buckner, from Meadow: "Spell" (MP3) and "Town" (MP3)

Magnolia Electric Co., from Fading Trails: "Memphis Moon" (MP3)

King Straggler, from King Straggler: "Good Man" (MP3)

Angela Desveaux, from Wandering Eyes: "Heartbeat" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

In House #1703: Yo La Tengo's I Am Not Afraid of You & I Will Beat Your Ass

It's been nearly a decade since the creative crossroads of Yo La Tengo's I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One, an eclectic modern classic of a release that established the band's sound as something more than quirky garage pop. Hoboken's finest return today with their 12th studio full-length in 22 years together, somehow entitled I Am Not Afraid of You & I Will Beat Your Ass. In a way, it's a return to the adventurous form of I Can Hear the Heart..., what with its faux bossa nova grooves (with Georgia Hubley these days sounding like New Jersey's version of Astrud Gilberto on tunes like "The Weakest Part") along side ten-minute atmospheric drones ("Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind," "The Story of Yo La Tengo") and garage revival rave-ups ("I Should Have Known Better"). One might accuse the band of lacking a unified direction, of musical schizophrenia, were it not for the fact that this is Yo La Tengo's sound. After a slight lull with 2003's Summer Sun, itself not without its gems, the band has returned at its best: diverse, playful, and full of interesting ideas. They return to Salt Lake City on October 17th.

For more YLT fun and the chance to be a part of the ass-beating, visit iamnotafraidofyouandiwillbeatyourass.com.

Yo La Tengo

In House #1703.
Airdate: 9/12/06
Focus: New release from Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid of You & I Will Beat Your Ass, plus new music from TV On the Radio, The Zebras, Slumber Party, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Yo La Tengo, from I.A.N.A.o.Y.&.I.W.B.Y.A:
"Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" (MP3)
"Beanbag Chair" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #173

Monday, September 11, 2006

In House #1702: Jurassic 5 in Salt Lake City Tonight; New Beck, The Roots

One might say that the Jurassic 5 have been carrying the torch of indie hip-hop since their inception in the late 90's. It's not too many hip-hop acts that play festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo, after all, and the J-5 have enjoyed a strong following amongst mostly indie music fans. For this reason their latest album, entitled Feedback, comes as something of a surprise as its unlikely guests and big name producers feel like a play for more mainstream appeal. The obvious example of this is the appearance of the Dave Matthews Band on the album's lead single, "Work It Out," perhaps the direct result of a backstage at Bonnaroo acquaintance. By far the most mainstream pop thing the Jurassic 5 has ever done, the song represents a huge gamble for the group as far as their established fanbase is concerned. Elsewhere, highlights include the Sugar Hill Gang-tinged "In the House," and "Radio," both of which are more along the lines of their earlier, more beginnings of hip-hop based work. The J-5 plays The Depot in Salt Lake City tonight.

Jurassic 5

In House #1702.
Airdate: 9/11/06
Focus: Jurassic 5 in Salt Lake City tonight, plus new music from Beck, The Roots, Outkast, Citizen Cope, and more.


BONUS MP3s from today's show-
Jurassic 5, from Feedback: "Work It Out" (MP3)
(courtesy
Far Too Many Robots)


OutKast, from Idlewild: "Idlewild (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me) (MP3)
(courtesy
On the Download)

Beck, from The Information: "Nausea" (MP3)
(courtesy
a soundtrack for everyone)



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #172

Friday, September 08, 2006

In House #1701: The Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello This Weekend

It's not that the Friends of Rock n' Roll are looking backward-- it's more of a looking forward through looking backward. The Portland, OR-based trio finds musical inspiration and salvation in the masters of yesteryear, hailing everyone from The Kinks to Fats Waller to the Dead Milkmen as influences. The band's self-described raison d'etre is nothing short of ambitious: to "take music back to a time when people could shake it like they meant it, rather than merely bobbing heads like zombified chickens." Indeed, it might be said that the genre has plenty of enemies around, most of them "rock" bands themselves. With a shiny new recording under their belts (available at shows only until late October), the Friends of Rock n' Roll begin a five week national tour tomorrow night at the First National Bar in Pocatello, ID. Watch for them in your town throughout September and in to October as they hit locales far & wide: Iowa to Brooklyn, Cambridge to Dallas, and much else along the way.

The Friends of Rock n' Roll

In House #1701.
Airdate: 9/7/06
Focus: Portland's Friends of Rock n' Roll in Pocatello this weekend and live from the road, plus new music from Andre Ethier, Herman Dune, The Bees (U.S.), and more.

BONUS MP3-
The Friends of Rock n' Roll, from their demo EP: "Sandra" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #171

Thursday, September 07, 2006

In House #1700: Hem's Funnel Cloud; New Bob Dylan, Chris Smither

By most accounts, 2006 had already been a busy and successful year for Hem. The New York City-based quartet released the warmly received odds & ends collection No Word From Tom back in February, featuring covers of everything from R.E.M. to the Fountains of Wayne to "Rainy Night in Georgia." Hem returned this week with their third studio effort, Funnel Cloud, an album that sounds, well, like Hem. In other words, it's another slice of gorgeous Countrypolitan pop from the band, at the center of which is the striking voice of Sally Ellyson. While retaining much of the same sound that won them praise for their first two releases, Rabbit Songs and Eveningland, the new album is a bit less deliberate in tempo and a bit less on the country lilt. Still, the songwriting, here encompassing fourteen new originals, is stronger than ever, spotlighting Ellyson's golden voice nicely on songs like "Not California," and "I'll Dream of You Tonight." It's an eloquent, disarming collection from a band that won't be the secret they have been for long.

Hem

In House #1700.
Airdate: 9/7/06
Focus: New release from Hem, Funnel Cloud, plus new music from Bob Dylan, Mark Erelli, and more.

BONUS Audio-
Hem, from Funnel Cloud:
"He Came to Meet Me" (Real stream) and "Not California" (Real stream)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #170

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

In House #1699: Scott H. Biram in Jackson Hole; New Old Crow Medicine Show

Shortly after being hit head-on by an 18-wheeler at 75 mph around three years ago, Scott H. Biram, the self-accused Dirty Old One Man Band, took to a stage in Austin, TX sporting an I.V. and several broken bones. That, perhaps, is Biram in a nutshell and more or less all you need to know if you've never heard his music. He's currently trailblazing the western U.S. in support of his latest Bloodshot release, Graveyard Shift, an album full of the unholy union of hillbilly and metal, with a bit of Haggard-esque trucker flavor thrown in for good measure. Tonight, Biram's foot pounds the stage at Jackson Hole's Mangy Moose.

Scott H. Biram

Also today, music from the third and latest release from the Old Crow Medicine Show. The Nashville-based band's Big Iron World dropped yesterday on Nettwerk and continues the band's skirting of traditional and untraditional lines. David Rawlings once again produces for the OCMS, and also had a hand in writing five of the new tunes. They've shown they know a way with a cover tune (see Bob Dylan's "Wagon Wheel" on their last release), and they do it again this time around with a unique take on "Down Home Girl," written by the same guys responsible for "Hound Dog," and "Jailhouse Rock," and most recently covered by Nic Armstrong & the Thieves.

In House #1699.
Airdate: 9/6/06
Focus: Scott H. Biram in Jackson Hole, WY tonight, and Big Sandy & His Flyrite Boys in Boise, plus a new release from the Old Crow Medicine Show, Big Iron World, and new music from The Sadies, William Elliott Whitmore, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Scott H. Biram, from Graveyard Shift: "No Way" (MP3)

Old Crow Medicine Show, from Big Iron World: "Down Home Girl" (MP3)

William Elliott Whitmore, from Song of the Blackbird: "The Chariot" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #169

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

In House #1698: Jennifer O'Connor's Over the Mountain, Across the Valley, & Back to the Stars

Over the Mountain, Across the River, & Back to the Stars is not just the third release from Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jennifer O'Connor, it's also her debut for Matador-- no small detail given that the label's roster includes the likes of Cat Power, Belle & Sebastian, and Yo La Tengo. From the sounds of things, O'Connor feels right at home as she has expanded on the promise of her first two solo releases with a personal and passionate collection of songs, many of which are informed by the death of her sister from brain cancer last October. Where sadness might be expected, we instead find a realistic take on love and life in songs like "Sister," "Dirty City Blues," and "I'll Bring You Home." Call it an unsenimental take on senimentality. O'Connor begins a busy touring schedule later this week with Mason Jennings, before going on to open shows for both Portastatic and the Mountain Goats later in the year.

Jennifer O'Connor

In House #1698.
Airdate: 9/5/06
Focus: New release from Jennifer O'Connor, Over the Mountain, Across the Valley, & Back to the Stars, plus The Like Young in Salt Lake City tonight, and new music from My Brightest Diamond, Yo La Tengo, Pinback and more.

BONUS MP3s-
From Jennifer O'Connor's Over the Mountain, Across the Valley, & Back to the Stars:
"Exeter, Rhode Island" (MP3) and "Today" (MP3)

For more from Jennifer O'Connor, check out her recent Daytrotter session.

BONUS MP3 from today's show:
The Brobecks, from Goodnight & Have a Pleasant Tomorrow:
"Goodnight Socialite" (MP3)



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #168

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Live: The Rubes
First National Bar, Pocatello, ID 8/26/06


The latest southeastern Idaho appearance from Salt Lake City's Rubes included the usual high-energy antics from the band, as they once again showed why they're quickly becoming one of the more enjoyable bills in the region.
The Rubes in Pocatello, 8/26/06

The band ripped through old and new originals, as well as an eclectic batch of covers ranging from music by the Rolling Stones to Fats Domino to Biz Markie.
The Rubes in Pocatello, 8/26/06

For most in the place, it wasn't an introduction to the band, but something was discernibly different than previous encounters. It was as if The Rubes had somehow since arrived at the decision to the turn it up to the proverbial "11", which they promptly did.
The Rubes in Pocatello, 8/26/06

At one point, singer/pianist Greg Midgley was overcome by the sheer rock-&-roll-ness of it all and hit the deck. It was one of a couple of such feats from the man who first introduced himself to Pocatello a year and a half ago by throwing himself upside down into a garbage can during a performance.
The Rubes in Pocatello, 8/26/06

The Rubes have plans for an upcoming double album, with their softer and louder sides receiving equal billing. In the meantime, the recommendation is to seek them out and quick, justice suggests that they won't be playing the musical backwaters of America forever.
The Rubes in Pocatello, 8/26/06


Many more pics from the performance here...

Friday, September 01, 2006

In House #1697: Michael Gulezian Live; New Kelly Joe Phelps

Today it's a live in-studio visit from acclaimed guitarist Michael Gulezian, in town for a performance tonight as part of the First Friday Coffeehouse Series. The self-taught Gulezian was "discovered" while still in high school by fellow guitarist Robbie Basho, who soon brought him to the attention of the great John Fahey. Gulezian soon developed a creative correspondence and mentorship with Fahey, who later made him the youngest artist to sign to his Takoma label. His latest release, Concert at St. Olaf College, is the first live album of his 25-year career.

Michael Gulezian

In House #1697.
Airdate: 9/1/06
Focus: Guitarist Michael Gulezian live In House, plus new music from Bob Dylan, Kelly Joe Phelps, and more.



PLAYLIST