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

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

Live: Richard Swift
Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, UT 4/28/07














All photos courtesy Levi Montana Keller

View more here

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 #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

In House #1856: New Martin Sexton, Playing Salt Lake City Tonight

Over the past twenty years or so, singer-songwriter Martin Sexton has built a reputation as an artist with a consistently interesting and diverse output. One need only seek out a handful of selections from his catalog to find an artist that has rarely, if ever, conformed to anyone's expectations but his own, and he's excelled at several different genres because of it, often over the course of the same album. Seeds, his sixth studio full-length but first in seven years excluding 2005's holiday-themed Camp Holiday, is no different in this regard. Over the course of thirteen new songs and one version of a soul classic, Sexton ambles between pop, rock, folk, country, gospel, soul, and even a little jazz, showing off his trademark vocal range in the process. Whereas in the past such diversity has caused his efforts to sound pieced together, Seeds somehow keeps its overall focus amongst the genre-jumping. "Wild Angels," features Sexton backed by a choir of himself, foreshadowing the gospel inflection on the later "There Go I." "Will It Go 'Round In Circles," meanwhile, is Sexton's take on Billy Preston's classic, proving that an entire album's worth of such material from him would surely be of more use to the world than similarly-themed releases from the likes of Rod Stewart and Michael McDonald. Martin Sexton plays The Depot in Salt Lake City tonight, along with up and coming opener Jonah Smith.

Martin Sexton

In House #1856.
Airdate: 4/25/07
Focus: New release from Martin Sexton, Seeds, also playing Salt Lake City tonight. Plus, new music from Willy Mason, Mavis Staples, Wilco, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Martin Sexton, from Seeds:

"Goin' to the Country" (MP3)

Mavis Staples, from We'll Never Turn Back:

"On My Way" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #299

In House #1846: The Long Winters & The Broken West in Salt Lake City

It's a triumvirate of indie pop tonight at Salt Lake City's Kilby Court as The Long Winters, The Broken West, and Stars of Track & Field all take to the stage for one of the final shows on thier current tour together. By far the most established of the three, The Long Winters released thier third full-length album, Putting the Days to Bed, last year on Barsuk. The band serves as a showcase for the smartly-written, classic pop tunes of frontman John Roderick, who seems to contain no shortage of wit, in or out of his songs. Their When I Pretend to Fall was one of this show's top five album picks of 2003, and remains an utterly relistenable masterpiece of pop music.



The other two acts on the bill are both technically classifiable as "up-and-coming bands," though they have each managed to come a long way in a short period of time. The Los Angeles-based Broken West issued their debut album, I Can't Go On, I'll Go On earlier this year on Merge, and have not taken long to capture the attention of a diverse audience with power-pop leaning tunes that sound like that place where Big Star never met up with Gram Parsons. The Stars of Track & Field, meanwhile, hail from Portland, Oregon, where they must stand out easily among that city's generally more lo-fi musical element. Their's is a big sound full of swirling guitars, ethereal vocals, and electronic blips, making comparisons to the likes of Radiohead apt. They begin a tour opening for Joseph Arthur later this week in Montreal.


In House #1846.
Airdate: 4/11/07
Focus: The Long Winters, The Broken West, & Stars of Track & Field play Salt Lake City tonight, plus new music from Grand Archives, The Ponys, Sea Wolf, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
The Long Winters, from Putting the Days to Bed:

"Pushover" (MP3)
...and from When I Pretend to Fall:

"Stupid" (MP3)

The Broken West, from I Can't Go On, I'll Go On:

"Down In the Valley" (MP3)

"Brass Ring" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #292

Video: John Vanderslice & St. Vincent Together, Unplugged

A live, un-amped version of Vanderslice's "Nikki Oh Nikki" from Monday night's performance at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City.


As you may recall from Monday's show, the pair are currently out on tour together. Plenty more to come from that night's festivities here, including photos and a (hopefully) upgraded video of this song. Edit- So this version is a little better, but not much, thus beginning in earnest the Buy In House a New Camera Pledge Drive. Any little bit helps. Thanks in advance.

In House #1844: John Vanderslice & St. Vincent Tonight in Salt Lake City

We like to call him the busiest man in indie rock, and it's a case that can be well-argued. San Francisco's John Vanderslice has kept up a hectic schedule of producing, recording, and touring over the past decade or so, while still finding time to feed his passions for photography and cinema. He recently announced the release of a forthcoming album, his sixth, this August on Barsuk. Currently in the opening stages of a spring U.S. tour, Vanderslice and longtime collaborator Dave Douglas play Salt Lake City's Kilby Court tonight as part of a bill that will also feature the results of the duo's invitation to sing or play bass with them on stage (Vanderslice Idol, perhaps?).



Touring with Vanderslice this time out is the one-woman band St. Vincent, who is Dallas, TX's Annie Clark (erstwhile member of the Polyphonic Spree). She's parlayed a quirky, somewhat mysterious persona, a debut EP, and much blog-love over the past year or so into a debut full-length, Marry Me, out in July on Beggar's.




In House #1844.
Airdate: 4/9/07
Focus: John Vanderslice & St. Vincent play Salt Lake City's Kilby Court tonight. Plus, new music from Elk City, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, The National, Bill Callahan, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
John Vanderslice, live on Studio Brussel, Antwerp (Oct. 2006)

"Angela (LIVE)" (MP3)

"Trance Manual (LIVE)" (MP3)
...and from mass suicide occult figurines:

"Big Band Stars" (MP3)

St. Vincent, from Marry Me (due 7/10):

"Marry Me" (MP3)

"Now. Now." (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #290

In House #1838: Ted Leo's Living With the Living; Apples in Stereo in Boise, SLC

The fifth full-length from the consistently interesting, always passionate Ted Leo and his band The Pharmacists dropped last week on Touch & Go, marking the band's initial release for the label. Living With the Living once again puts Leo's fiery delivery and heart-on-his-sleeve politics on display, this go around with an unexpected element or two. "Bottle of Buckie," is pure pop jaunt, bouncing along to a vaguely Irish beat before breaking out the pennywhistle for a Lord of the Dance midsong solo that actually works well. Elsewhere the band mines the dub-tones of The Clash or The Jam on "The Unwanted Things," and even brings early Springsteen into the mix on "La Costa Brava." This being a Ted Leo album, there are politics to be had as well, and Leo's been given plenty of ammunition to work with over the past few years. "Bomb. Repeat. Bomb.," as the title might suggest, is an absolute in your face to the current American government and its war, while similar themes pop up amongst the tunes "Army Bound," (which also features a mean guitar solo) and "Annunciation Day/ Born On Christmas Day." In short, the album exudes everything Leo has become known for over the years. It's passionate and diverse. It's thoughtful and indignant. In the end, it's these qualities in the music that will reward upon repeated listens, and forgive Leo the occasional tendency to overreach. Touring in support of the new release, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists play The Venue in Boise on April 20th and Club Sound in Salt Lake City on the 21st.

Also today, music from the Apples in Stereo, currently touring in support of their recent triumphant return, New Magnetic Wonder. Robert Schneider and friends showed no signs of rust after five years between albums with their new work standing amongst some of the best from their late 90's hey day. The band plays with opening act Casper & the Cookies tonight at The Neurolux in Boise before moving on to The Depot in Salt Lake City tomorrow night.




In House #1838.
Airdate: 3/30/07
Focus: New release from Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Living With the Living, plus the Apples in Stereo play Boise and Salt Lake City this weekend, and new music from Cloud Cult, The Eames Era, Arcade Fire, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, from Living With the Living:

"A Bottle of Buckie" (MP3)

"The Sons of Cain" (MP3)

Apples in Stereo, from New Magnetic Wonder:

"Energy" (MP3)

Casper & the Cookies, from Oh!:

"Take It Away, Kathy" (MP3)

BONUS Vids-
Ted Leo & the Pharmacists' "Bomb.Repeat.Bomb.":


Apples in Stereo's "Same Old Drag":


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #285

In House #1836: Headlights, Page France Tour the Area






In House #1836.
Airdate: 3/28/07
Focus: Headlights & Page France play Boise tonight and Salt Lake City tomorrow night. Plus, new music from The National, Sufjan Stevens, Pela, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Headlights, from the Enemies EP:

"Tokyo" (MP3)
...and from Kill Them With Kindness:

"TV" (MP3)

Page France, from Hello, Dear Wind:

"Junkyard" (MP3)

"Bush" (MP3)
...and from ...and the Family Telephone (due 5/8):

"Hat & Rabbit" (MP3)

Sufjan Stevens, from A Tribute to Joni Mitchell (due 4/24):

"Free Man In Paris" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #283

In House #1834: Great Lake Swimmers' Ongiara; Laura Gibson In the Area

Upcoming from the Great Lake Swimmers is Ongiara, the band's third album full of the kinds of beautifully stark and organic tunes that an Ontario winter might produce. Frontman Tony Dekker's songs easily recall Neil Young's early work, with nods to later artists like the Red House Painters and Iron & Wine included in the mix. He's at his best when he mixes imagery that is at once geographic and lovelorn romantic on the banjo-fueled "Your Rocky Spine," an ode to natural beauty found in disparate places. Ongiara, already available digitally, gets an official release next week in Canada, in April in Europe, and finally in the U.S. in May.




In House #1834.
Airdate: 3/23/07
Focus: Upcoming release from the Great Lake Swimmers, Ongiara, plus Laura Gibson and the Magnolia Electric Co. playing separately in the area this weekend, and new music from the Avett Brothers, Paul Duncan, Western States Motel, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House #1829: St. Patrick's Day Special: The Gorgeous Hussies/ The Wailin' O'Sheas Live

We celebrate St. Patrick's Day one day early this year with two bands in one. Salt Lake City's Gorgeous Hussies miraculously transform themselves into Irish tunesmiths The Wailin' O'Sheas in the studio today, gracing us with material from both acts. In either case, the trio has been playing together for a mere eight months with an EP, last year's Oh! Hello, already to their credit. They're in the area for performances from each of their personas tomorrow night at Pocatello's First National Bar.

The Gorgeous Hussies AND The Wailin' O'Sheas

In House #1829.
Airdate: 3/16/07
Focus: St. Patrick's Day Special with a live in-studio visit from The Gorgeous Hussies and The Wailin' O'Sheas, plus music from The Pogues, The Waterboys, The Dubliners, and more.

BONUS MP3s from today's live in-studio set-
The Wailin' O'Sheas:

"The Kilborn Highroad" (MP3) (Flogging Molly cover)

"Whiskey In the Jar" (MP3)

"That Woman's Got Me Drinkin'" (MP3) (Shane McGowan & The Popes cover)

The Gorgeous Hussies:

"On the Phone" (MP3)

"Dangerously Similar" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #277

In House #1818: Dios (Malos), The Spinto Band, The Changes in Salt Lake City

It's a three for the price of one indie-pop bombardment tonight in Salt Lake City as Kilby Court hosts Dios (Malos), The Spinto Band, and The Changes, all of whom are heading towards the Noise Pop 2007 Fest this weekend in San Francisco.

After changing their name from "dios" after receiving a cease and desist from medieval butt-rocker Ronnie James Dio, Dios (Malos) released their second album late in 2005. As opposed to their first self-titled release (under the name dios), their second was a decidedly sunnier affair with head-nodders like "Feels Good Being Somebody," and "I Feel Fine All the Time." Dios (Malos) is based in southern California.

Delaware's Spinto Band released their debut full-length Nice & Nicely Done originally in 2005 before it was discovered by more or less everyone in 2006 and released on Virgin. One distinguishing characteristic of the band is their tender age, with many of them clocking in at under 19 at the time of the of the album's recording (and looking even younger).


Also on tonight's bill are Chicago's Changes, a band marked by a high-energy, slippery to define sound. Occasionally, an eighties vibe is discerned-- particularly in the places where their synthy keyboards are used to full effect. Other times, it's an almost Kinks-ish scent wafting from the band. Their second full-length Today Is Tonight was released last September.

In House #1818.
Airdate: 3/1/07
Focus: Dios Malos, The Spinto Band, and The Changes together tonight in Salt Lake City, plus new music from The Parson Redheads, The Papercuts, and more.


PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #268

In House #1816: Rickie Lee Jones in Salt Lake City Tonight

In a career marked by idiosyncrasies and a flat refusal to resort to the formulaic, singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones' latest is at once a suitable addition to that tradition and a departure of sorts away from it. The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard is certainly no less fluid and occasionally challenging than that which has come before from Jones, but its origins are somewhere else entirely. It was Jesus that was the inspiration this time around-- but not in the way one usually sees. Jones based the collection on The Words, a translation of sorts of the words of Jesus Christ done by artist and writer Lee Cantelon. The result? The Beat chanteuse becomes a Beat mystic, spiritual but not dogmatic, riffing on a character that is rarely presented as Jones does here. It's a searching, passionate, and sincere collection, one many are calling her strongest output since the classic 1979 debut. Touring in the new album's support, Rickie Lee Jones plays The Depot tonight in Salt Lake City.

Rickie Lee Jones

In House #1816.
Airdate: 2/27/07
Focus: Rickie Lee Jones in Salt Lake City tonight, plus new music from Patty Griffin, John Hammond, Graham Parker, and more. Plus, a new live track from Grace Potter & the Nocturnals.

BONUS MP3s-
Rickie Lee Jones, from The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard:

"Elvis Cadillac" (MP3)

Graham Parker, from Don't Tell Columbus (due 3/13):

"Stick to the Plan" (MP3)

BONUS Video-
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals:
"Mystery Train" (Live at the 8x10, Baltimore, Sept. 2006)



PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #266

In House #1809: New Apples in Stereo; The Shins in Salt Lake, Boise

It's been five long years since Robert Schneider's Apples in Stereo graced us with a new album, and even that one lacked the sunny, fuzzed-out pop the band had built their name upon. The unexplained gap, plus what were essentially Schneider's solo side projects The Marbles and Ulysses, caused some to begin to wonder if the Apples in Stereo would go the way of their once upon a time Elephant 6 brethren Neutral Milk Hotel, fading into a permanent hiatus. New Magnetic Wonder, the new album out on Elijah Wood's Simian label (along with co-conspirators yep roc), says no to that notion and in a big way. The album ranks well with anything Schneider's Apples have ever done, fitting in nicely in tone and substance with efforts like Her Wallpaper Reverie and The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone. In other words, it's a return to form with bouncy, psyched-out pop numbers like "Same Old Drag," and "7 Stars," alongside ambient snippets with names like "Vocoder Ba Ba," and "Droplet." The relative absence of drummer Hilarie Sidney, who split to spend more time on her own project High Water Marks, is noticeable, but she does contribute vocals and writing duties on two songs, including the splendid "Sunndal Song." The band is currently on the road supporting the new release, and will play Salt Lake City and Boise on March 31st and April 1st, respectively.


Also today, music from The Shins, who hit Salt Lake City's In the Venue tonight and Boise's Egyptian Theatre tomorrow night. The Portland-based band is, of course, touring in support of their third album, Wincing the Night Away, out late last month on Sub Pop. Not surprisingly, the generally well-received new effort has catapulted the band to new heights, marking Sub Pop's highest charting release since Nirvana's Nevermind. Despite that kind of popularity and (*yawn*) predictable hipster backlash, the album never even comes close to sucking.

In House #1809.
Airdate: 2/16/07
Focus: New release from the Apples in Stereo, New Magnetic Wonder, plus The Shins play Salt Lake City tonight and Boise tomorrow night. Also, new music from Aqueduct, Of Montreal, Yo La Tengo, and more.

BONUS MP3-
Apples in Stereo, from New Magnetic Wonder:

"Energy" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #259

In House #1805: The Broken West in Salt Lake City; New Cloud Cult

With what will undoubtedly go down as one of the top debuts of the year already underneath their harmony laden belts, southern California's Broken West play Salt Lake City's Kilby Court tonight. The band's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On, released last month on Merge, feels like that place where Gram Parsons never met up with Big Star to later inspire scores of indie rock bands. Songs like "Brass Ring," and "Hail Sunrise," are true throwbacks, with Byrds-y, canyon harmonies meeting power pop hooks one could hardly expect from a band so young. The Broken West will be touring throughout the first part of 2007, later joining the likes of The Walkmen and The Long Winters on respective spring tours.

The Broken West

In House #1805.
Airdate: 2/12/07
Focus: The Broken West in Salt Lake City tonight, plus new music from Cloud Cult, The Shins, The Parson Redheads, Albert Hammond Jr., and more.

Related content: here.

BONUS MP3s-
The Broken West, from I Can't Go On, I'll Go On:

"Down In the Valley" (MP3)

Albert Hammond, Jr., from Yours to Keep (due 3/6):

"In Transit" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #255

In House #1796: Heartless Bastards in Salt Lake City, Boise; New Tribute to The Band

Cincinnati's Heartless Bastards are a rare musical creature. It's not a lot of bands, after all, that manage to toe the line between indie, rock, and blues, and please fans of all of those styles when all is said and done. Then again, it's not a lot of bands that are fronted with a vocal powerhouse like Erika Wennerstrom, who garners comparisons to the likes of Janis Joplin and PJ Harvey for her emotionally-driven delivery. Last year's All This Time, the band's second album on the Fat Possum label, has caught the attention of a growing number of listeners thanks to steady touring and more than a few appearances amongst "Best Overlooked" types of year end lists. Much like fellow Buckeye staters The Black Keys (who also brought the band to the attention of Fat Possum), The Heartless Bastards do a lot with a little, and the trio has no problem raising a respectable ruckus. The band brings its loud and blue hues to the indie venue in Salt Lake City, Kilby Court, tonight before playing Boise's Neurolux tomorrow night.

The Heartless Bastards

In House #1796.
Airdate: 1/30/07
Focus: The Heartless Bastards in Salt Lake City tonight and Boise tomorrow night, plus new music from Xavier Rudd, John Hammond, and selections from the new tribute album Endless Highway: The Music of The Band.

BONUS MP3s-
Heartless Bastards, from All This Time:

"All This Time" (MP3)

"Into the Open" (MP3)

John Hammond, from Push Comes to Shove (out today):

"Push Comes to Shove" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #248

In House #1794: Ron Sexsmith in Salt Lake City This Weekend

Perpetually underrated singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith makes a couple of rare appearances in the area tomorrow as part of his on-going tour for his eighth solo release, Time Being. Following an afternoon performance for the Sundance Film Festival at Park City's Star Bar, Sexsmith takes his show to Salt Lake City's Urban Lounge tomorrow night. Time Being finally saw a release this month in the U.S. on Ironworks Music, the fledging label started by singer-songwriter Jude Cole and Mr. Jack Bauer himself, Kiefer Sutherland, after being issued to much acclaim last summer in Europe and Canada. In a return to form of sorts, the album sees Sexsmith once again working with Mitchell Froom, the producer behind early stalwarts like Other Songs (1997) and whereabouts (1999). Songs like "Ship of Fools," and "I Think We're Lost," show Sexsmith in vintage form, with songwriting built around the kind of thoughtful observations upon which he's built a career. Elsewhere, "Jazz at the Bookstore," and "The Grim Trucker," find Sexsmith in what is for him strange musical territory, the latter sounding as if it could have been recorded during sessions for The Beatles' White Album. It's yet another solid outing from the Toronto-based musician, and yet another reminder why his praises have been sung over the years by everyone from Elvis Costello to John Prine.

Ron Sexsmith

In House #1794.
Airdate: 1/26/07
Focus: Ron Sexsmith plays Park City and Salt Lake City tomorrow night, plus new music from Rickie Lee Jones, Elvis Perkins, Andrew Bird, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
Ron Sexsmith, from Time Being:

"The Grim Trucker" (MP3)

"And Now the Day Is Done" (MP3)

Rickie Lee Jones, from The Sermon On Exposition Boulevard (due 2/6):

"Elvis Cadillac" (MP3)

PLAYLIST

In House PODCAST #246