but it goes on & on...

i think i am just going to start making this a regular public blog about anything and everything.

music , life, pirates. whatever

-k.

this is the end...

I think i have failed my short lived career as a music blogger.

but i think i might just have a public blog.

then again, that might not last that long either.

i'll think about it.

YouTubeWed -- #006

Yesterday was day one of my "two day, three set" manchester orchestra fun. Last night was at northstarbar in philly. Today is their Conan taping and Bowery Ballroom after.

Last night, i fell completely in musical love with the keyboardist, Chris. The way that he is on stage is completely inspiring.

Also, the way he apparently is in the van is even more inspiring.

Manchester Orchestra - Podcast #38


I don't think Bowery is sold out tonight, or at least not yet. But you should come chack them out.

Mercury Lounge. Oct 16th 2007

CMJ Festival - Jesse Lacey & Vinnie Accardi (Acoustic Set)



Setlist: (with video links)
The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot
Sowing Season
Luca
Handcuffs
Degausser
Me vs Maradonna vs Elvis
Moshi Moshi
Oh Comely

What's my age again?

Last night I was out with my family. On the drive home, I had my music turned up loud and thoughts jumped into my head. This is the result of those thoughts...


I'm 24 years old. I go to shows. I think I go to a lot of shows. There are many people who go to many more than i do, but I think I do very well for my money, job & school situations. This October alone will include nine...well, ten if I go to Manchester Orchestra on Conan O'Brien.

At the age I am now, I don't know how I should carry myself at concerts. Friday night at the Kevin show at Chubby's in Red Bank, I was easily in the Top10 of the oldest people there to see him. But still I was in the front, bopping and singing my heart out. When I go to a show I want to be up front. I like to see what it is I came for. I don't see the appeal of hanging out in the back and listening to a band that I love. If all I wanted to do was listen, I would have just stayed home and put the CD on.

For shows of a KD nature it usually isn't bad, but when I go see bigger artists, in bigger venues, there are bigger crowds. And those result in bigger lines to get in. I have never been one to care about waiting on line for a long time to get into a show. I have made friends that way and played some mean uno games. Again, I am short so I don't want to see the back of people's heads and not see the people on stage. But as I get older, I'm online with all these teenagers. At a show at the Crazy Donkey, some kids were talking about how they didn't go to shows because their friends weren't 16 yet. That is slightly disheartening and it makes me feel rather old. But for shows like Brand New at Gramercy in May 07, being up against that barricades makes the show more amazing than it could have been otherwise. ("Do it!!")

I don't look my age and I don't always feel it. Maybe it is because I still live at home and am not able to totally support myself just yet. But in a couple years I am going to be almost thirty and I'm going to have a career. Perhaps things will change then. I really don't know. But what I do know is that I am liking more music that takes place in smaller venues around the city. So the experience that I have at the Knitting Factory seeing Ingrid Michaelson in a couple weeks is going to be drastically different than the monster show that will be Brand New & Thrice at Hammerstien come Dec4th.

YouTubeWed -- #005

so, i am going to do this on time this week.

Bobo Touch - Chinese Food



i could talk about this for a good while.
but i don't want to spoil it with my words.

Notable New Releases - 10.23.07

Say Anything's double disc record "In Defense of the Genre"



i am going to go pick it up tomorrow after class

YouTubeWed -- #004

i might have well have really called it YouTubeThursday or Friday

Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead



I was going to put up take me to the riot...but after the show tonight & an interaction with someone at work, this song fits in so well. When it is played live, this song is a million times better than it is on the cd. Plus i fell in love with the new cd after hearing all the new tunes live. Now i just have to work on liking the earlier records.

They just started their current tour, so if the haven't come around to your neck of the woos already, i would look into getting a ticket

10/19/07 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Centre
10/20/07 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
10/23/07 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/24/07 - Philadelphia, PA - Trocadero Theatre
10/26/07 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
10/27/07 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
10/28/07 - Tallahassee, FL - Florida State University
10/30/07 - Austin, TX - Stubbs BBQ
10/31/07 - Dallas, TX - House of Blues

for the rest of the dates, visit their myspace

The Space. 0ct 10th 2007

Kevin Devine (& the Goddamn Strandbergs)


Setlist:
A Billion Bees (solo)
Sunday School (Miracle of '86 jam, solo)
Wolf's Mouth (solo)
Brooklyn Boy (solo)
Mr. Murphy (solo)
Flatline Blur
Cotton Crush
No Time Flat
Yr. Damned Ol' Dad
The Shift Change Split The Streets (new, faster, awesome version)
The Burning City Smoking
Me And My Friends
Inside Of Love (Nada Surf cover, solo)
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Dylan cover, with Holly Miranda)
It's Only Your Life (solo)
Tapdance (solo)
Ballgame (solo)

The Jealous Girlfriends:


Aeroplane, 1929

Highline Ballroom. Oct 9th, 2007

Kevin Devine:


Setlist:
'Big Bad Man' (one of the new ones)
Brooklyn Boy
A Billion Bees
Mr. Murphy
It's Only Your Life (i got it on my camera, but it was too big for youtube)
The Burning City Smoking
Just Stay
Yr. Damned Ol' Dad
Ballgame

Video: Ballgame

Jeremy Enigk


Setlist:
River to Sea
Cannons
World Waits
Wayward Love
Abegail Anne
Return Of The Frog Queen
Lewis Hollow
Carnival
Explain
Guitars And Video Games (Sunny Day Real Estate Song)
How It Feels To Be Something On (Sunny Day Real Estate Song)
Ocean (Sunny Day Real Estate Song)
In Circles (Sunny Day Real Estate Song)
Heaven (The Fire Theft Song)

Stalling on Stars...

my goal was always to write about a record a week after i got it but, i have had the new Stars record for two weeks and haven't said a peep about it. I don't really know what to say about it. It is good, but i don't know...nothing interesting seems to be in my head.



my friend wrote a review about it for a real website so check that out

hopefully i'll figure out something to say soon...but either way, i'll be enjoiying them thursday night at town hall. i'm excited.

YouTubeWed -- #003

I'm late again, but i blame kevin devine not myself.

Patty Griffin - Rain




On Oct 30th, Patty Griffin is putting out a dvd of her performance at the Angel Orensanz Center on the lower east side of manhattan that took place the day that her record "Children Running Through" was released. I was there that night and it was an absolutely amazing performance. I have been a fan of her's since I heard "Blue Sky" on a cd sampler i got at Lilith Fair in 1999. Finally getting to see her play that night after 7 years of being in awe of her music was extremely surreal.

This song in partcular is one of my favorite patty songs. I don't actually own the record this comes off of (cause really...16.99 at best buy is out of control) but i do have it & it is a steller record (Tomorrow Night makes me weak in my knees) Her first two records are, in my opinion, her two shining stars, but 1000 Kisses isn't one to be missed.

Show: Jeremy Enigk

so this tuesday starts my intense show schedule that i am going to try & do while spending as little extra cash as possible.

this week is back to back Kevin Devine fun, but i think what is becoming more of the highlight is seeing Jeremy Enigk.



i don't know much about him other than he was in Sunny Day Real Estate (which i never could get into) and that he is pretty much a legend in the indie scene. i'm listening to his solo stuff on his myspace now & i like it quite a bit. after learning and falling in love with Neutral Milk Hotel, i have really been wanting to get into some new tunes that are done by acts that have been around for a long while. I think some of that wish was granted when Kevin announced he was going on tour with Enigk. It gives me another opportunity to give his music a chance.

As of me writing this, there are still tickets available. so if you are in the nyc area on tuesday night, come check it out - Highline Ballroom. Kevin Devine. Jeremy Enigk. 9pm.

parlez-vous?

i took french in middle school, high school and then later for two semesters in college. i was bad at it and pride myself at being a straight C+ french scholar. but at this point in my life i like songs in french. i'm not talk about french songs done by french people. but ones by regular everyday artists, but they happen to throw in some bilingual fun

examples:
feist - tout doucement
sarah harmer - salamandre
damien rice - la fille dance

well those are the only ones i know. but i love them. on one outting to new jersey, i think i played tout doucement at least 5 times driving through staten island alone.

YouTubeWed -- #002

damn, i haven't had this thing for that long
and i'm already slacking off with it? sorry...

i really couldn't think of a good one for this week
(but i do have ones lined up for the next couple)

but this has been my song on myspace for at least the last month

Jenny Owen Youngs - Hot in Hurr



i found out about her just clicking around & being a myspace music creep (which is a normal night for me) i ripped all of the music she had off her myspace (sorry) and while it is all super good, this song is just the best out of the lot (fuck was i is a close second). she is a local girl (new jersey!) but has recently been getting some love from everyone's local celebrity blogger that apparently likes pretty music (he has also pimped out meiko a bunch of time). plus the fact that, in the right angle, she looks like your favorite detective slash hockey team tutor doesn't take away from the fun (that was a little law&order and mighty ducks humor for you).

she is actually playing tonight somewhere in jersey. then after some shows and a trip to the UK she is playing at bowery ballroom on oct 29th. if i can afford it, i might just go.

Notable New Releases - 10.02.07

like always, tuesday is album release day.
here are some that may be notable to you

* Dashboard Confessional - The Shade of Poison Trees
* The Spill Canvas - No Really, I'm Fine
* Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Magic
* Neil Young - Chrome Dreams II

i'm not buying any of these
(i've spent my day watching 30 rock on dvd. tina fey? yay!)
but they might be good so check them out

-k.

It's Been One Week - #002

The Starting Line - Direction


Opening Track: Direction [3.75mb]

This is another band that i have liked since the first record that have just put out their third full length. But I wasn't to excited for this record. However, i was pleasantly surprised. I like this much better than their last effort. While there were some songs that i do enjoy, i was never really able to get into "Based On A True Story". Maybe i was swayed by some popular opinion on the internet or maybe i loved "Say It Like You Mean it" too much. But as Kenny Vasoli sings on the new record "If S-I-L-Y-M-I is all you want/Then I'm not sure how much in common we've got"

While this is a bold claim to all the old fans, there is a deep focus through out the lyrics about Vasoli's musical self. He seems to be reflecting a lot that. Which gets a little old after a while when you are looking into it. To me, it comes of as slightly egocentric but i know it is just him refecting on the last six years of his life. However, these lyrical bumps are paired with great music, so all can be forgiven as long as i don't pay attention too closely in certain parts.

Stars - Do You Trust Your Friends?


Opening Track: Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (Final Fanasy) [4.64mb]


I really like stars. I'm really pissed that no stores around me have the new record in stock.

That being said, i can move on to the album i am supposed to be talking about. "Do You Trust Your Friends?" is a special type of album. The members of Stars handed over the songs off their album "Set Yourself On Fire" to a bunch of their musician friends and had them do some remixes on the tracks. If you don't like stars already, there is no real need to get this album and this should in no way be the first one you buy. I don't know, i find the whole thing interesting. Having a whole album of redone songs is a really neat concept, but when you listen to all 14 tracks ("What I Am Trying To Say" was broken up into two separate songs) in a row, it doesn't work as well as the original. But in moderation, they can shine like they were meant to. So when they come up on my shuffle, i don't think i'll be switching to the next track...unless two magically show up back to back.

Jaymay at Rockwood

Show Recommendation: Jaymay. October 4th. 7pm
Rockwood Music Hall. Free (plus one drink min & tip jar)



i saw jaymay back in december of last year at a kevin devine show & enjoyed her quite a bit. so like all acts i hear and enjoy, i added her to my myspace. but i really didn't think too much about her for a long while. a couple of times when i have seen kevin recently he has mentioned her, but to my knowledge she was residing in england.

however, after reading about her playing a show tonight in amNY and then seeing a bulletin about a canceled show, i checked her myspace...thankfully i saw that she is playing one of my favorite venues. there are many top notch venues in the lower east side, but for me rockwood shines bright. it is just an amazing tiny little hole in the wall establishment with what i like to call a fishbowl type layout (the entire club is viewable from the outside so those who passby can see all the happening)

i'm pretty sure that i'll be there. there are two other shows that are going on that night (brandi carlile & missy higgins) but with the lack of cover charge i don't think i can pass this one up.

YouTubeWed -- #001

(i wanted to make it YouTubeTuesdays, but tuesdays are when new releases come out and that might be too much on one day. then i was thinking about thursdays, but i don't like how that YouTubeThursdays sounds. So wednesday won because i needed a day.)

Brandi Carlile - The Story (live on conan)


I love this song for many reasons but the main one is when her voice sounds horse and crackly. And apparently when it happens live, i love it even more. It isn't perfect but i think that adds to the song. She has an amazing voice so she could have worked it to sound flawless. However, the rawness of those moments adds another dimension to the song and the feelings behind it. The record this comes off of is great as well, it upstaged her first record by miles.

She is playing two dates in new york on the VH1's 'You Oughta Know' tour with A Fine Frenzy on Oct 3rd & 4th at Irving Plaza. I'm not going to either, which i know i am going to be sad about on Oct 5th.

In The Bedroom After The War

The new album by Stars comes out today!!



I haven't heard the whole thing yet (only little bits on my birthday at matchless) but what i did hear sounded amazing. i can't wait to pick it up and see them on October 18th at Town Hall (hopefully with Brian Bonz in tow).


Also they have a dvd coming out today as well. i don't know the availability of that but if you see it in stores, you should buy it and tell me if you see me in it or for that matter Tina & Oscar (Reasons one two and three)

It's Been One Week - #001

(what i have decided is that one week after i get an album, i'm going to talk about it to the best of my ability. this will hopefully be informative, but more so encourage me to not slack in listening to the new albums that i buy)

Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Give It A Chance: The King Of Carrot Flowers Pt. 1 [1.84mb]

I am very late on the NMH bandwagon and that makes me sad. Like many of their newest fans, I heard about them through some recent covers that were done (ex: Holland 1945 by Kevin Devine and various done by Jesse Lacey). I love covers because it tends to expose me to bands that i don't know too much about. I gave Elliot Smith a try a couple months ago (also due to massive coverage once again by Kevin). While i enjoyed the songs, couldn't get into in his voice. So when i loved the covers done by NMH i wasn't in too much of a hurry to buy the album. However, hearing it on a splendid trip to Philadelphia, Mangum's voice didn't turn me off. So two days later, i swung on over to best buy and made one of the best cd purchases of my life. It was what i listened to on the ride home and basically every other time i listened to music since then. I feel like this record created a defining moment in my musical history. Which is odd because, lyrically i don't really get the record (i had a feeling it was about the holocaust and i read things later that said the same). It isn't what i am used to when it comes to songs and i think the fact that i love it so much and can't relate to it, makes me happy. I can't explain it more than that...which isn't fair, because that doesn't really explain anything.

New Found Glory - From The Screen To Your Stereo Part II


Give It A Chance: Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer cover) [2.68mb]

Like I said - I like covers. And being a fan of covers, i really couldn't not enjoy this record. I don't have any of their albums after "Sticks and Stones" but i knew this was one that i had to pick up. The most noticeable aspect for me is Jordan Pundik's voice. I heard that on their last album "Coming Home," it wasn't the same nasally voice. And they were right, it isn't the same. Originally, when i heard that, i was slightly worried. I think that every band has some type of signature thing, or a shtick. His voice was theirs. When you heard Pundik sing, you knew it was him. But when i listened to his voice come in on the first track, it wasn't the same, but it was still good...really good actually. It isn't as detrimental as i thought it was going to be. So other than his voice, the songs are all executed really strongly. There are many guests that pop into the songs, but they don't sound out of place or distract you from the songs. My personal highlight in the cameo department was Lisa Loeb's presence on "Stay (I Missed You)." The first installment of "From The Screen..." was a really spectacular selection of songs and bringing a full arsenal this time around really made this one hard to not enjoy.

Motion City Soundtrack - Even If It Kills Me


Give It A Chance: Fell In Love Without You [2.43mb]

Alright, i'm not going to talk about cover songs here (even though i heard they did a live cover once of a Tegan and Sara song which is pretty neat). I am not sure how i feel about this album. The first record, i liked a lot. I remember an interview with Justin Pierre about the album and he mentioned how none of the songs were about relationships besides maybe one. The next record wasn't heavily romance heavy. However this one is seeping in songs about romance, failed or otherwise. That isn't a bad thing, just isn't what made me love this band. With songs like "The Conversation" and "Last Night", you wouldn't think that this band had anything to do with songs like "Capital H" and "Don't Call It A Comeback." Again, this isn't a bad thing at all, but it isn't exactly what i have come to expect from them. I guess that is what happens when you mature as a band and as people. That being said it is a good album, plus you can't write songs about being footloose in velcro shoes for the rest of your life. I have seen this band in front of 20 people on a community college field and also in front of a sold out crowd at Roseland...and as long as they still perform like they did then, i don't think they will have any problem convincing crowds to come and enjoy.

Welcome home!

Welcome to my blog, Jukebox Jester. It is what i hope will become a successful resource for musical thoughts and reviews. What you can plan to find here is my thoughts of albums i buy and shows that i go to. More often than not, there will be videos and/or pictures from the shows that i go to, because i like to archive the good times.

Also bi-monthly i plan to spotlight artists or cds that i think should be given notice.

Other special themes might pop up, but i don't have any idea what those things might be yet. When i think of some cool things, i'll start doing them.