In House #1792: Greg Laswell, Jill Sobule at Sundance; New Lucinda Williams

In what is quickly becoming something of a companion music festival to the events surrounding the Sundance Film Fest in Park City every year, a bevy of musicians will once again descend upon northern Utah for performances-- not all of which are intended for the likes of you and your unwashed masses. While many of the dates are not even made public, as with the case with Apples in Stereo and M. Ward shows over this past weekend (because, you know, Ben Affleck is a BIG fan), others hold a more open (if you can get in) kind of status. Whatever the case, the majority of these take place at Park City's Star Bar and are arranged through ASCAP. This year's list is impressive, as usual, and includes Alexei Murdoch, Rosie Thomas, Chuck Prophet, Ron Sexsmith, Donovan, Silversun Pickups, The Bird & the Bee, and The Album Leaf, among others, while DeVotchka, Richard Swift, David Vandervelde, Two Gallants, Brazilian Girls, and Of Montreal are/were scheduled to play other locales as part of the festival.

Two acts standing out on today's list of performers are singer-songwriters Greg Laswell and Jill Sobule, each of whom will be playing two or three sets over the course of the week. At this point the lesser known of the two, Laswell released a solid, sometimes stunning, second album on Vanguard last year entitled Through Toledo. The San Diego-based artist has also recently made a subdued take on Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," available via iTunes (hear it on today's podcast). Laswell performs today, tonight, and tomorrow at the Star Bar.



Jill Sobule has become known over the past decade or so for her wry and witty observations in songs that rarely shy away from topical content, from lesbian chic to the Christian Right to Mary Kay Letourneau. She counts five studio full-lengths to her name, the most recent coming with 2004's Underdog Victorious. Sobule plays the last of two Sundance performances this afternoon at the Star Bar.


In House #1792.
Airdate: 1/24/07
Focus: Artists playing this week in Park City at the Sundance Film Festival, including performances today from Greg Laswell and Jill Sobule. Plus, Laura Gibson in Salt Lake City tomorrow, and new music from Lucinda Williams, Norah Jones, Martin Sexton, Eleni Mandell, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Greg Laswell, from Through Toledo: "Sing, Theresa Says" (MP3)

Jill Sobule, live In House (recorded 2/27/04): "Mary Kay" (MP3)
...and live at WFUV-NYC (recorded 12/06): "Mexican Wrestler" (MP3)

Eleni Mandell, from Miracle of Five (due 2/6): "Girls" (MP3)

Norah Jones (w/M. Ward), from Not Too Late (due 1/30): "Sinkin' Soon" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #244