Live: Bishop Allen
Doug Fir, Portland, OR 8/3/07









More to see here.

A Conversation with John Vanderslice

We spent some time recently with San Francisco-based musician, producer, and all-around nice guy John Vanderslice. He talks film, photography, and Emerald City, the new album out last week on Barsuk.


Stream: A Conversation with John Vanderslice

New Blitzen Trapper Video: "Devil's a Go-Go"

From their recent Wild Mountain Nation onslaught.

New Menomena Video: "Rotten Hell"

From this year's friend & foe release. This pretty much rules.

In House #1877: The Hold Steady in Boise Tonight


The Hold Steady

In House #1877.
Airdate: 5/24/07
Focus: The Hold Steady with The Heartless Bastards in Boise tonight, plus Patti Smith covers The Decemberists, and new music from Buffalo Tom, Superdrag, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House #1875: The National's Boxer; New Adult Swim Compilation

A couple of years ago, The National released what would prove to be a truly slow burn of an album with their third effort, entitled Alligator. Although it hit stores early in 2005, it received little more than a casual reception. By the time the end of the year lists were upon us, however, Alligator had worked its way into more than a handful of top fives. Others still wouldn't discover its brilliance until well into 2006. No chance of a similar scenario unfolding this time around, as The National's Boxer has been at the top of the "much anticipated" list for many for the last couple of months. A bit moodier and more reserved than its predecessor, the album is marked in its brooding dignity, as Matt Berninger's words and vocals once again cast a dark musical hue. Songs like "Fake Empire," "Mistaken For Strangers," and "Start a War," are moving even before one deciphers the cryptic lyrical snippets which comprise them, and the deliberate intensity is perhaps best coupled with the liquor of your choice. Measured, intelligent, and occasionally caustic, Boxer is music that requires listening. The rewards will follow. The National embarks on a North American tour beginning next week in New York.

The National

In House #1875.
Airdate: 5/22/07
Focus: New release from The National, Boxer, plus selections from a new compilation from Adult Swim, featuring music from Broken Social Scene, The Raveonettes, TV On the Radio, Sound Team, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
The National, from Boxer:

"Fake Empire" (MP3)

"Slow Show" (MP3)

Selections from Warm & Scratchy, presented by [adult swim]-

The Raveonettes: "Dead Sound" (MP3)

The Brother Kite: "Half Century" (MP3)

TV On the Radio: "Me-I" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #313

In House #1874: The Meat Puppets Play Salt Lake City Tonight

Just ahead of their first studio release in seven years, The Meat Puppets play Salt Lake City's Urban Lounge tonight. The rather legendary trio, including the brothers Kirkwood, Curt and Cris, return in July with Rise to Your Knees, perhaps an apt description following a 25+ year career that has seen the band hit plenty of low points. Cris Kirkwood, in particular, has weathered his share of stormy events, including a well-publicized heroin addiction and the overdose death of his wife, and a bizarre run-in with a post office security guard that left him shot in the back and in prison. Following his release last year, the Kirkwood brothers announced plans for a regrouping of sorts and began work on the new album, their eleventh. The album finds them settling back in to the comfortable sound of much of their more polished, post-SST work, with songs like "On the Rise," and "Enemy Love Song," playing to the pop side of things before the psychedelic guitar noodling of "Disappear." Rise to Your Knees drops July 17th to be exact on the Anodyne label.

The Meat Puppets

In House #1874.
Airdate: 5/21/07
Focus: New music from The Meat Puppets, playing Salt Lake City tonight. Plus, new music from The Shaky Hands, Backyard Tire Fire, The Mendoza Line, and more.

BONUS MP3-
The Meat Puppets, from Rise to Your Knees:

"Rise to Your Knees" (MP3)

Two Gallants, from The Scenery of Farewell (due 6/19):

"Seems Like Home" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #312

M. Ward (with Jim James & Neko Case) Plays Conan

Portland, Oregon troubadour M. Ward delivered a stellar version of "Chinese Translation," on Friday night's episode of Late Night with Conan O' Brien. Enjoy (until NBC has it removed).

In House #1872: Page France's ...and the Family Telephone


Page France

In House #1872.
Airdate: 5/17/07
Focus: Recent release from Page France, ...and the Family Telephone, plus new music from Benni Hemm Hemm, Vandaveer, Sea Wolf, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #311

In House #1871: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Plays Salt Lake City

A couple of years back, L.A.'s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club surprised everyone with the soulful and largely acoustic musical about-face that was Howl. Immersing their music in country, blues, and even gospel flavors, BRMC essentially recreated their sound, transforming themselves from a frantically-paced, multi guitar layered, Jesus & Mary Chain-compared rock & roll act to an old world, gospel-tinged trio with a bit more on their minds. Plenty of harmonica, slide guitar, and good old fashioned soul-searching propelled Howl to one of the best-sounding releases of the year. Two years later, and the band is back to their rock & roll ways, albeit tempered with a few of the new-found elements employed with such success for Howl. Baby 81 finds the guitars plugged back in but doesn't necessarily rock with wild abandon. Instead, bluesy moments like album opener "Took Out a Loan," come across like a louder, less classic blues driven version of The Black Keys, while other moments suggest the influence of past acts like The Stooges and The Rolling Stones. Despite all of the volume, which is generally (much) higher this go around, there are moments of comparatively delicate texture to be found within: Robert Turner's piano turn that drives the rather epic "Window," for example. For the most part though, it's a loud and loose return to form, which is fine, except that Howl suggests that their real strengths lie elsewhere. BRMC plays In the Venue in Salt Lake City tonight.

BRMC

In House #1871.
Airdate: 5/16/07
Focus: New release, Baby 81, from the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, also playing Salt Lake City tonight. Plus, new music from Spoon, Electrelane, The Ponys, The Arcade Fire, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #310


Coming soon: Our Filter Tourzine report from tonight's BRMC show

In House #1869: Wilco's Sky Blue Sky; New Track a Tiger

Once upon a time, with efforts like A.M. and Being There under their belts, Wilco was considered at the forefront of the alt-country movement. That began to change a bit with 1999's Summerteeth, with nods to the lushly orchestrated pop of Brian Wilson in the mix, before the band excused themselves almost entirely from the genre on their two 21st-century releases, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. It's ironic then that the tweak to Wilco's formula this time around, the flavor switch that differentiates their new Sky Blue Sky from their previously recent work, is at the very least a nod to the rootsy beginnings they strove so hard to get away from. The band's sixth studio album (or eighth is you count the Mermaid Ave. volumes they released with Billy Bragg) is a creation culled largely from the influence of folk-leaning material from the 1970's, The Band to The Dead to Neil Young. Which is not to say there aren't some gloriously experimental moments here: "Walken," "Impossible Germany," and "Hate It Here," all have their moments of enjoyable difficulty, though it's generally tempered with warmer tones than you'll find on most of A Ghost Is Born. Whether one takes this as a creative step backward, or more of a coming full circle, the results are once again consistently great, unpretentious pop. In short, more distinctly American music from this most American of bands, which, in the context of this discussion at least, is the ultimate compliment.

Wilco

In House #1869.
Airdate: 5/14/07
Focus: New release from Wilco, Sky Blue Sky, out tomorrow, plus new music from Track a Tiger, Ian Hunter, Nick Lowe, The Mother Hips, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #309

In House #1867: Elliott Smith's New Moon; New Jason Collett, Page France

It's been over three years since the mysterious and untimely death of Elliott Smith, and almost four years since his last public performance at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. It's easy to romanticize and martyr Smith-- the delicacy of his music and often dark intimacy of his words lend themselves to an Earthly afterlife reserved for the likes of Cobain and Drake, Morrison and Joplin. That's unfortunate because it's a largely contrived and easy myth that begins to inaccurately define Smith and his work, much like it does these artists before him. What tends to be lost in all of this storytelling about the musician, ironically, is the music itself.

Out this week on the label that released some of Smith's most revered work (kill rock stars), New Moon features two discs and twenty-four tracks worth of material culled from outtakes, demos, and home recordings made during his most consistently brilliant period, 1994-1997. These were years spent in Portland near the end of his involvement with Heatmiser that saw him creating the DNA for what would later become his first two releases, Elliott Smith and either/or, each held in high regard but particularly so for fans of Smith's less polished, less produced material. There are early versions of songs here that would become well-known later on, including unadorned takes on "Miss Misery," and "Pretty Mary K," as well as some diamonds in the rough (ocasionally, very rough) like "High Times," "Whatever (Folk Song in C)," and the Americana-leaning "Georgia Georgia." Also included is a stunning version of Big Star's "Thirteen," previously made available on the soundtrack to the film Thumbsucker. New Moon is a welcome reminder, however bittersweet, of the rare and affecting quality of Smith's work, and another testament to the argument that he was the greatest songwriter of his generation. In as much as that matters.
Elliott Smith

In House #1867.
Airdate: 5/10/07
Focus: New posthumous two-disc collection from Elliott Smith, New Moon, plus a new EP from Jason Collett and new music from Page France, Shannon Wright, and more.



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #308

In House #1866: The Avett Brothers' Emotionalism


The Avett Brothers

In House #1866.
Airdate: 5/9/07
Focus: Upcoming release from the Avett Brothers, Emotionalism, plus new music from Ray's Vast Basement, Bright Eyes, Bill Callahan, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #307

In House #1865: The Clientele's God Save the Clientele; Morrissey in Salt Lake City





In House #1865.
Airdate: 5/8/07
Focus: New release out today from The Clientele, God Save the Clientele, plus Morrissey in Salt Lake City tonight and new music from Travis, Ladybug Transistor, and more.



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #306

In House #1864: Dinosaur Jr.'s Beyond; New Comas

It's apparently the going thing right now, this whole "gettin' the band back together" bit. From The Police to the (Smashing) Pumpkins, James to the Jesus & Mary Chain, the old are new again, and only a small percentage of reunionees seem to be doing it for reasons other than the fact that their core audience is more upwardly mobile now than they were back in the heyday. Of course, it's one thing to tour and play the summer festivals with a catalog of old favorites and entirely another to actually record new material, the sheer act of which drives ridiculously meteoric expectations destined for a fiery crash in the used bin. This is what makes Dinosaur Jr.'s Beyond such a remarkable achievement. It's a recording reunion roughly nineteen years in the making, but somehow makes good on the promise of the band's original line-up (J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, and "Murph"). And then some. In fact, one who didn't know any better would be hard-pressed to claim that songs like "Crumble," and "Been There All the Time," aren't vintage Dinosaur Jr. recordings as they feature Mascis' trademark world-weary delivery amongst an amalgam of gloriously fuzzed-out pop. Undoubtedly, the trio-- in particular the traditionally warring Mascis and Barlow-- have benefited both from touring since originally reforming a couple of years ago, and world views that are undoubtedly more nuanced and relaxed than they were in 1989. Beyond dropped last week on the Fat Possum label, while the band begins an extensive North American tour later this week beginning on the west coast.

Dinosaur Jr.

In House #1864.
Airdate: 5/7/07
Focus: New release from Dinosaur Jr., Beyond, plus new music from The Comas, Menomena, Modest Mouse, Buffalo Tom, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Dinosaur Jr., from Beyond:

"Almost Ready" (MP3)

"We're Not Alone" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #305

In House #1863: Cyril Barrett Live

The story of Cyril Barrett, at least as his subject relates to this radio show, goes back a while and calls for a bit of back story. Late in 1999, when KISU was still in its initial months of operation and carried no local programming, a CD mysteriously appeared in the studio. It was modest looking, an unflashy black silhouette on brown, and from a personal standpoint I expected little if anything from it. From the first strains of Larry Barrett's The Big Slowdown, however, it was clear there was something else entirely going on (note- Larry Barrett has since taken the name of his father, Cyril). In short, I was completely floored by the album, a simply-recorded, mostly introspective batch of tunes fleshed out by guitar, cello, harmonica, and mandolin as it featured Barrett aided by a group of friends that included Pam Barger (Pretty Mary Sunshine, Two Nice Girls, Frownland), Lori Goldston (Black Cat Orchestra), Emily Marsh (Black Cat Orchestra), and Tucker Martine (production credits for The Decemberists, Laura Veirs, et. al.), among others. Needless to say, the music's been a constant for me over the past seven years or so, and it's enjoyed a generous share of spins on the show during that time.

As for the man behind it, it turns out he was born and raised in Pocatello, though the last quarter century or so found him in Seattle, serving for part of that time at least as the manager of musical watering hole Hattie's Hat. Aside from The Big Slowdown, he's released three other full-lengths on Germany's renowned Glitterhouse label, all of them prior to 1999. A couple of years back, Barrett made the switch to Tucson, Arizona, and a creative scene that finds him rubbing elbows with Howe Gelb, Calexico, and Neko Case, among others. It's an absolute treat today, then, as we're joined by Cyril Barrett in the studio for a performance and interview that represents his only performance in the area this go around. We only had to wait seven years.

Cyril Barrett in Europe, 2003

In House #1863.
Airdate: 5/4/07
Focus: Cyril Barrett live in-studio, plus new music from the Avett Brothers, the Meat Puppets, John Doe, and more.

BONUS MP3s, from today's live set-

"The Ballad of the Sunset Hotel" (MP3)

"One Day in Texas" (MP3)

...and from The Big Slowdown:

"Hilltop Monks" (MP3)

In-studio photos of Cyril Barrett here

PLAYLIST

In House #1862: An Interview with The Broken West's Ross Flournoy

Easily one of the most talked about debut releases of the year, The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On came out on Merge in February to much praise. The L.A.-borne band's first full-length mixes the indie sound of peers like The Shins with influences straight from your parents' vinyl stash-- if you had cool parents (think Big Star, The Byrds, and Gram Parsons). The band has spent the better part of the year thus far on the road, including a super-pop trifecta bill with Stars of Track & Field and The Long Winters. We caught up with Broken West frontman Ross Flournoy following a performance last month at Salt Lake City's Kilby Court to discuss their expectations prior to the debut's release, their comparatively aged fanbase, and summer touring plans (including slots opening for the Fountains of Wayne and The National).

The Broken West last month in Salt Lake City

In House #1862.
Airdate: 5/3/07
Focus: An interview with Broken West frontman Ross Flournoy, plus new music from Bishop Allen, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Sea Wolf, and more.

An Interview with The Broken West's Ross Flournoy (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #304

In House #1860: Portland's Bridging the Distance Covers Compilation



In House #1860.
Airdate: 5/1/07
Focus: 100% covers edition, featuring music from the new Bridging the Distance: A Portland Covers Compilation with selections from The Decemberists, Viva Voce, The Minders, Britt Daniel, and more. Plus, new covers from R.E.M., Golden Smog, and The Magic Numbers.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #302

In House #1859: The Detroit Cobras' Tied & True

The first thing one notices when it comes to the music of the Detroit Cobras, and it'd be nearly impossible not to, is the belt-em-out vocal muscle of frontwoman Rachel Nagy. She remains the engine that drives the band on their recently released fourth album, Tied & True, out now on Bloodshot. While she remains at the top of her game when it comes to high-energy material, delivering songs like "As Long As I Have You," with an emotionally-charged swagger, the band turns it down a notch in places this go around and Nagy doubly shines as a voice that is smoky and sultry. The Detroit Cobras will be touring throughout the summer in support of the new release, including August dates in Boise and Salt Lake City.

In House #1859.
Airdate: 4/30/07
Focus: New release from the Detroit Cobras, Tied & True, plus new music from The Avett Brothers, Kings of Leon, Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #301

In House #1857: Laura Veirs' Saltbreakers; Richard Swift in Salt Lake City This Weekend

It's been a busy four years or so for Laura Veirs. The singer-songwriter has released three excellently-crafted and well-received albums, each more high profile than the last, toured exhaustively in their support, endured a failed relationship (which is well-documented in her new material), and made the move from Seattle to Portland. Of course, it's just such a schedule that has allowed her to go so far so quickly as she has organically grown her fan-base one at a time. Her latest effort, Saltbreakers, is also the third album with her current backing band (also called, you guessed it, The Saltbreakers), and a lineup that includes Tucker Martine, who also produced the album. Understandably, the band is close and it tends to come through in the music as they flesh out Veirs' whip-smart songs to great effect. Most impressive on the new release are the instances of new sonic exploration, sounding far more removed from 2005's Year of Meteors than a mere two years. "To the Country," features Veirs' ghostly call and response with the Cedar Hill Choir, with flourishes of solo fiddle further removing the song from Veirs' past repertoire. Elsewhere, "Phantom Mountain," rocks out like she never has before, adding garage-fuzz guitars and bombast. Following a string of European dates, Veirs begins a US tour May 8th in Chicago.



Also today, music from Richard Swift, who plays Kilby Court in Salt Lake City this Saturday night in what will be his final U.S. performance before he heads to the U.K. for a series of dates in early June. As his sound indicates, Swift is a true throwback, a pure pop songwriter that finds common ground amongst the likes of Paul McCartney (the good, 70's, songwriting version) and Tom Waits, among other artists of yesteryear. Maybe it's that circular taste thing working, but he somehow channels those retro leanings into a finished product that sounds entirely fresh and intriguing. Not one to be pigeon-holed into one decade, Swift broke ground on the 1980's earlier this year when his version of Prince's "Paisley Park," appeared as the B-side to his "Kisses For the Misses" single. His most recent full-length is this year's excellent Dressed Up For the Letdown.

In House #1857.
Airdate: 4/26/07
Focus: New release from Laura Veirs, Saltbreakers, plus Richard Swift plays Salt Lake City this weekend. Also, new music from Elliott Smith, Chrisopher Blue, Winterpills, Andrew Bird, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Laura Veirs, from Saltbreakers:

"Saltbreakers" (MP3)

Richard Swift, from The Novelist/Walking Without Effort:

"As I Go" (MP3)
...from the Kisses For the Misses 7":

"Paisley Park" (MP3) (Prince cover)

Elliott Smith, from New Moon (due 5/8):

"Pretty Mary K (Other Version)" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #300