How's My Living?

Rocky Votolato, “Television of Saints”

Sarah — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:26:08 +0000

Rocky Votolato is another former kinda-punk rock singer (Waxwing, Lying on Loot) who discovered that he also had an aptitude for dreamier, more sentimental folk rock over the past ten years. Television of Saints is a fan-funded album via Kickstarter, and is a bit more bare-bones than some of his other releases. The songs and arrangements are simpler, leaning mostly on Votolato’s vocals and guitar. The subject matter is, for the most part, less heavy than his previous releases, which have touched frequently on his personal struggles with depression and mental illness. The album gives us a happier, more satisfied Votolato, which shows in the easy, folky groove that the songs all seem to settle into. Most of the songs sound similar and are missing the angry undercurrent that’s run through other releases and his live show. That’s not a negative; it’s just a different sound that he’s going for, this time around. Some of the fullest songs are the ones with an emphasis on a full band sound. With this album being entirely crowd-funded, it’s no surprise that it’s not as full as it could have been. I would have been interested to see what he could have done with an even bigger budget, although I’m always a fan of the stripped-back approach. It’s a comfortable album, over all, not taking many risks, but where it succeeds is in the heartfelt lyrics and performance from Votolato.

Rocky Votolato stops by Schubas tomorrow night. The show starts at 9:00 pm and tickets are $15.

Rocky Votolato: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter | Store

Concert Review: Andrew Bird, Auditorium Theatre, 5/12/12

Sarah — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:56:03 +0000

Andrew Bird took the stage on Saturday night to a packed Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, after a rousing set by local punk rock marching band Mucca Pazza. There’s always something special about seeing Bird back in Chicago, on home turf, even if he hasn’t reliably called Chicago proper home in some time now. There’s a different comfort level — this is his place with his people, which can be both anxiety-provoking and exhilarating at the same time. Bird has talked in the past about how he is often more nervous in front of a hometown crowd, but if that’s still true, it wasn’t evident at all as he confidently weaved his way through a nearly two-hour set.

I’ve seen Andrew Bird over twenty times in the past few years. I’ve seen him five times in four states since the beginning of the year; it will be six in five come July and Forecastle. Few artists inspire me to that sort of obsessive level of following: state hopping and airports and bus terminals and barely-cobbled-together road trips. He could play the same songs every show and I’d still probably go; there’s something about his music that I’ve still not really been able to put my finger on, all these years later, that keeps drawing me back in.

I say all of this not to let my Superfan Flag fly (it does that anyway) but to say that in all the times that I’ve seen him, I’ve never seen him quite so relaxed and at ease with the audience as he was at this show. Perhaps, for once, he wasn’t ill. Perhaps it’s the nice weather. Perhaps it’s just that life is finally going Bird’s way, after years and years of grueling hard work. Perhaps it’s because the tour’s over — Chicago was the last stop on this leg. Whatever it is, it’s working for him, because this show was nearly flawless. (I wondered, back in March, what it would be like to see a show where he was at or near 100% — this might have been it.) He was in top form, with strong voice and clear whistle, and it sounded to me like he was doing some new, interesting things with harmonies (both vocally and on violin) throughout the show.

The bulk of the set was given over to songs from his new release, Break It Yourself. The album, with only a few exceptions, fits into a comfortable, low key groove. It was a perfect vibe for the 3900+ capacity seated show: a rock show, but often in the most gentle of ways. (Sometimes, I miss jumping up and down and shouting, huge outdoor festival style, along with “Tables and Chairs” — we were so tired of being mild, like a battle cry, a reminder, a pledge — but, let’s face it, I would have just complained about my knees hurting, anyway.) There were moments where the energy edged higher than comfortable: a slightly quicker-than-usual “Orpheo Looks Back” (and the layered, looped vocals at the end still give me chills), leading single “Eyeoneye”, a combination of live rarity “Dear Dirty” and Alpha Consumer cover “The Crown Salesman”. That song-merge came with the always delightful explanation of “Dear Dirty”‘s origins: a discarded letter found in the street, the lyrics taken near verbatim from it. Bird’s deadpan recitation of the letter makes the story worth it, no matter how many times I hear it.

The actual, physical performance of the new songs still seems to be settling in with Bird. It’s not that they’re lacking confidence, but they’re missing the … ease of theatricality? that comes so easily to older songs. I never got to see songs like “Tables and Chairs” and “Fake Palindromes” when they were new to the set, but I imagine that once upon a time, they were a bit stiff, less fluid than they are now. Those songs are performances, full-body music, magic. The newest songs aren’t there yet, but they will be, and I can’t wait to see it.

Local 30-piece punk rock marching band Mucca Pazza opened for Bird; you may have seen them previously in the music video he did for “Fitz & the Dizzy Spells”, off of Noble Beast. I was skeptical at first, but they quickly won me over. The group on stage is very clearly having fun, but they are excellent performers, too. A friend that I attended the show with has seen Mucca Pazza many times over the years and said that this was the best performance she’d seen them do. As a former marching band member, by the end of their performance, I was wondering who I’d have to impress to let me put on a uniform and twirl and shout with the rest of them. (Need a woodwind player, Mucca Pazza? Call me!) So I’m sorry, punk rock marching band, for judging you before I’d even seen you. I was wrong, you were awesome. (I can’t wait to see them again, somewhere that I can actually take photos that will at least sort of capture their magic.)

Andrew Bird: Official Website | Facebook | MySpace | Twitter | Store

Set List
Instrumental
Why?
Instrumental (riff on the Afro Jam instrumental?)
Danse Caribe
Desperation Breeds
Polynation
Lazy Projector
Orpheo Looks Back
Lusitania (with Nora O’Connor)
Near Death Experience Experience
Eyeoneye
Bein’ Green (The Muppets)
Give It Away (with Nora O’Connor)
Effigy
Dear Dirty / The Crown Salesman
Plasticities
Fatal Shore
Tables and Chairs
Encore
So Much Wine (Handsome Family; with Nora O’Connor)
Goin’ Home (Charley Patton)
Fake Palindromes

This Week in Great Music: 5/14 – 5/20

Sarah — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:41:41 +0000

Monday, May 14
Robbie Fulks, Fountains of Wayne Hancock; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, May 15
Amy Ray, Shadowboxers; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $15-18

Wednesday, May 16
Damien Jurado, JBM; Schubas. 8 pm, sold out
Jenny Dragon, Nina Ferraro, Scuttlebuggs; Martyrs. 8 pm, $7

Thursday, May 17
Mayer Hawthorne & the County, the Stepkids; Park West. 7:30 pm, sold out
Rocky Votolato, Kevin Long; Schubas. 9 pm, $15-17
Mark Lanegan Band, Sean Wheeler & Zander Schloss, Apteka; Metro. 9 pm, $19-21
Here We Go Magic, Hospitality, Dolphins; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $12

Friday, May 18
Joe Pug, Bailiff; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $15
The Dirt Daubers, the Lawrence Peters Outfit, Angela James; Hideout. 10 pm, $8-10

Saturday, May 19
Scott Free’s 12th Annual Alt-Q Festival, ft. JC Brooks, Daphne Willis, Alix Dobkin, Nhojj, E Nina Jay, Band Practice. Old Town School of Folk Music (West, 4544 N Lincoln). 7 pm, $18-22
Bonnie Raitt, Marc Cohn; The Chicago Theatre. 7:30 pm, $39.50-75
This Land is Our Land: A Centennial Concert Celebration of the Legendary Woody Guthrie, ft. Tom Morello, The Klezmatics, Holly Near, Toshi Reagan, Son Del Viento, Jon Langford, Bucky Halkner, Kevin Coval, The B.S. Brass Band, Metro. 8 pm, $26-56
Truth & Salvage Co., Musikanto; Schubas. 9 pm, $13-15
Joe Pug, David Wax Museum; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $15

Sunday, May 20
Bonnie Raitt, Marc Cohn; The Chicago Theatre. 7:30 pm, $39.50-75
Hoots and Hellmouth, Cloudbirds; Schubas. 8 pm, $10-12
Mariachi El Bronx, Two Gallants; Double Door. 9 pm, free with RSVP.

CHIRP Playlist: May 11, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 12 May 2012 15:58:39 +0000

You can hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time.

9:55 PM Orcas Carrion from Orcas (Morr Music)
9:50 PM Andrew Bird Danse Carribe from Break It Yourself (Mom + Pop)
9:45 PM Sea of Bees Broke from Orangefarben (Team Love)
9:41 PM A.C. Newman On The Table from The Slow Wonder (Matador)
9:38 PM Waco Brothers & Paul Burch Give In from Great Chicago Fire (Bloodshot)
9:32 PM Lucy Wainwright Roche Chicago from 8 More (self-released)
9:28 PM Gemma Ray Runaway from Island Fire (Bronze Rat)
9:24 PM Melissa Ferrick House On Fire from Goodbye Youth (Right On)
9:20 PM Marissa Nadler Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning from Marissa Nadler (Box of Cedar)
9:17 PM Shelly Fraley Come On, Let Go from Into the Sun (Hinterland House)
9:14 PM Advance Base More Trouble from A Shut-In’s Prayer (Orindal)
9:09 PM Nina Simone I Put A Spell On You from Anthology (RCA)
9:07 PM Muddy Waters You Can’t Lose What You Ain’t Never Had from Folk Singer (Chess)
9:03 PM Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings 100 Days, 100 Nights* from 100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone)
9:01 PM Nick Waterhouse Is That Clear from Time’s All Gone (Innovative Leisure)
8:56 PM Sad Brad Smith Love Is Not What You Need from Love Is Not What You Need (self-released)
8:53 PM Gabriel & The Hounds What Good Would That Do? from Kiss Full of Teeth (Ernest Jenning)
8:49 PM Hush Arbors Up yr coast from Aureola (Thrill Jockey)
8:44 PM Rocky Votolato One Day You Won’t Be Here from End Like This EP (Second Nature)
8:40 PM A.A. Bondy American Hearts from American Hearts (Fat Possum)
8:38 PM Diamond Rugs Totally Lonely from Diamond Rugs (Partisan)
8:32 PM Azure Ray Shouldn’t Have Loved from Drawing Down The Moon (Saddle Creek)
8:29 PM Santigold The Riot’s Gone from Master of My Make-Believe (Atlantic)
8:25 PM Keren Ann Aéroplane from La Biographie de Luka Philipsen (EMI)
8:20 PM April Smith and the Great Picture Show Drop Dead Gorgeous from Songs for a Sinking Ship (self-released)
8:15 PM Alabama Shakes You Ain’t Alone from Boys & Girls (ATO)
8:11 PM Big Star Thirteen* from #1 Record/Radio City (Ardent)
8:08 PM Los Lobos Kiko And The Lavender Moon from Just Another Band From East L.A.: A Collection (London)
8:04 PM Scott Lucas & The Married Men There You Are from Blood Half Moon (The End)
8:00 PM Peter Wolf Crier Down Down Down from Inter-Be (Jagjaguwar)

Father John Misty, “Fear Fun”

Sarah — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:34:21 +0000

Father John Misty is the newest project from former Fleet Foxes drummer J. (Josh) Tillman, although the album for the most part doesn’t sound particularly Fleet Fox-y, which is probably the sound that Tillman was going for. The album bounces between several different sounds — dreamy, high harmonies; straight up country rock; your stereotypical jangly indie rock — and seems to be struggling for an identity just as much as Tillman is. (On closing song “Everyman Needs a Companion”, Tillman sings: “I never liked the name Joshua, I got tired of J.”) Fear Fun is an album with meandering, tortured beginnings; in press for the album, Tillman talks about sinking into a deep depression, doing lots of drugs, driving aimlessly down the west coast, and holing up in a California house to make some demos. It’s an interesting twist on the standard indie rock narrative of “sensitive guy holes up in cabin to write sensitive songs”, and the album is better for it. The lyrics can be a bit too precious or absurd for me at times, but the overall sound is good even if the words sometimes struggle. The more I’ve listened to this album, the more its grown on me. If you’re a lyrics person like me, Tillman’s voice and the catchy orchestration of the songs will save you from doing a lot of head-scratching while listening.

As an added bonus, the always entertaining Aubrey Plaza stars in the (incredibly weird) video for “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”.

Father John Misty stops by Schubas tomorrow night at 10 pm. Tickets are already sold out, but hopefully you can find your way in!

Father John Misty: Official Website | Facebook | Store

This Week in Great Music: 5/7 – 5/13

Sarah — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:30:55 +0000

Hey! It’s Andrew Bird week again. No big deal. Plenty of other things going on, too, for your listening pleasure.

Monday, May 7
Robbie Fulks, Greg Cahill; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
The Spring Standards, Volcanoes Make Islands, Shelby Pollard; Schubas. 8 pm, $10

Tuesday, May 8
Tim Barry, Jenny Owen Youngs; Beat Kitchen. 7 pm, $12
The Sea and Cake, Golden Retriever; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $18

Wednesday, May 9
Childish Gambino; the Riviera. 7:30 pm, sold out
The David Mayfield Parade, Lindsay Fuller, Go Long Mule; Schubas. 9 pm, $8-10

Thursday, May 10
Justin Townes Earle, Tristen; Park West. 7:30 pm, $20
Dastardly, The Shams Band, The Dirty Feathers; Subterranean. 8:30 pm, $10

Friday, May 11
Dan Bern; Schubas. 7:30 pm, $22-25
St. Vincent, Shearwater; the Vic. 7:30 pm, sold out
The Ditty Bops; Old Town School of Folk Music (West, 4544 N Lincoln). 8 pm, $18-22
Jon Drake & the Shakes, Frontier Ruckus, Rachele Eve; Double Door. 9 pm, $7-10
Brighton MA, Champions, Suns, Ballrom Boxer; Beat Kitchen. 9 pm, $10
Maps & Atlases, So Many Dynamos, Sister Crayon; Metro. 9 pm, $16
Machine Gun Mojo, Derek Nelson & the Musicians, Saint Anyway; Hideout. 10 pm, $8

Saturday, May 12
Wells-Next-the-Sea, Model N, Flashing Blue Lights; Beat Kitchen. 6:30 pm, $8
Patty Larkin, Lucy Kaplansky; Old Town School of Folk Music (West, 4544 N Lincoln). 7 pm, $21-25
Andrew Bird, Mucca Pazza; Auditorium Theatre. 8 pm, $29.50-49.50
The Future Laureates, Cobalt & the Hired Guns, Tree; Subterranean. 8:30 pm, $10-12
Mutts, Jet W. Lee, Good Grief; The Burlington. 9 pm, $5 suggested donation
The Right Now, Deorbert & the Half Truths, DJRC; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $10-12
Father John Misty, Har Mar Superstar; Schubas. 10 pm, sold out

Sunday, May 13
Sarah Jarosz, Rego; Schubas. 8 pm, $20

CHIRP Playlist: May 4, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:23:04 +0000

You can hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time.

9:55 PM Retribution Gospel Choir Poor Man’s Daughter from 2 (Sub Pop)
9:50 PM Lushlife Still I Hear the Word Progress (featuring Styles P) from Plateau Vision (Western Vinyl)
9:48 PM Benjamin Taylor Something For Nothing from The Legend Of Kung Folk Part 1 (The Killing Bite) (Iris)
9:41 PM Rufus Wainwright Out of the Game from Out of the Game (Decca)
9:38 PM Alex Winston Sister Wife from King Con (V2)
9:35 PM Jordie Lane When There Once Was Life to Come from Sleeping Patterns (Vitamin)
9:32 PM The Decemberists Isn’t It A Lovely Night? from The Hazards Of Love (Capitol)
9:27 PM Lower Dens Propagation from Nootropics (Ribbon)
9:23 PM Duffy Oh Boy from Rockferry (Mercury)
9:18 PM The Right Now Tell Everyone the Truth from Gets Over You (self-released)
9:14 PM Mavis Staples We Shall Not Be Moved from We’ll Never Turn Back (ANTI-)
9:07 PM Tori Amos Code Red from American Doll Posse (Sony)
9:04 PM Nneka Heartbeat from Concrete Jungle (Yo Mama’s)
9:01 PM Georgia Anne Muldrow Kali Yuga from Seeds (SomeOtherShip Connect)
8:56 PM The Rescues The City And The River from Let Loose the Horses (Universal Republic)
8:53 PM Horse Feathers Bird On A Leash from Cynic’s New Year (Kill Rock Stars)
8:49 PM Andrew Bird Why? from Fingerlings (Grimsey)
8:43 PM Carissa’s Wierd Low Budget Slow Motion Soundtrack Song For The Leaving Scene from Songs About Leaving (Sad Robot)
8:40 PM Evans the Death A Small Child Punched Me In The Face from Evans the Death (Slumberland)
8:40 PM Mutts Real Bright from Pray for Rain (8eat8)
8:33 PM Joan As Police Woman Sweet Thing from Real Life (Cheap Lullaby)
8:31 PM Kristin Hersh Shake from Strange Angels (Rykodisc)
8:27 PM Father John Misty Only Son of the Ladiesman from Fear Fun (Sub Pop)
8:25 PM Kate Bush My Lagan Love from Hounds Of Love (EMI)
8:19 PM Emily Wells No Good from Mama (Partisan)
8:15 PM Carrie Manolakos Echo from Echo (self-released)
8:11 PM Sharon Van Etten Peace Signs from Epic (Ba Da Bing!)
8:07 PM Lotus Plaza Strangers from Spooky Action at a Distance (kranky)
8:02 PM The World/Inferno Friendship Society Only Anarchists Are Pretty from Red-Eyed Soul (Chunksaah)

Hooray for Covers! Carrie Manolakos, “Creep”

Sarah — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:15:34 +0000

I found this video floating around on Tumblr and pretty much had chills when Carrie Manolakos hit the climax of the song. Here, just listen.

See? Chills.

I was unsurprised to find out that Manolakos has a musical theater background, with how confidently she belts that song out. She’s recently released a pop album, Echo, which is available now. Hear a song from Echo tonight on CHIRP Radio, in the 8:00 pm hour (Central).

Carrie Manolakos: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Store

This Week in Great Music: 4/30 – 5/6

Sarah — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:30:23 +0000

You’ll probably find me at SPACE on Saturday for Over the Rhine. Maybe Schubas for Retribution Gospel Choir on Thursday. I hope you too have great music plans for this week. I highly recommend that Carolina Chocolate Drops show on Saturday.

Monday, April 30
Robbie Fulks, Audrey Auld; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, May 1
Eleanor Friedberger, Hospitality; Schubas. 8 pm, $14
Great Lake Swimmers, Cold Specks; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $15
Mar Caribe; Hideout. 9 pm, $5

Wednesday, May 2
Eleanor Friedberger, Hospitality; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-22

Thursday, May 3
Robbie Fulks, Cameron McGill; SPACE. 8 pm, $15-27
Retribution Gospel Choir, Small Awesome; Schubas. 9 pm, $10

Friday, May 4
Over the Rhine, Ernie Hendrickson; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-45
The Damn Choir, Paper Thick Walls, Kingsley Flood; Hideout. 9:30 pm, $10
Emily Wells, Portland Cello Project; Schubas. 10 pm, $13-15
The Boxer Rebellion, Canon Blue; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $16

Saturday, May 5
Over the Rhine, Joel Henderson; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-45
Carolina Chocolate Drops, Po’ Girl, Bhi Bhiman; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $20

Sunday, May 6
Peter Bradley Adams, Sara Swenson; Schubas. 8 pm, $10-12

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, April 29, 2012

Sarah — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:09:17 +0000

Here are some songs I played on the radio on Friday night.

As always, you can hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time.

9:55 PM Jon Porras Candlelight Mirage from Black Mesa (Thrill Jockey)
9:50 PM Azita Lullbye from How Will You? (Drag City)
9:46 PM The Del McCoury Band John Henry from Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe (McCoury Music)
9:42 PM Brown Bird Bilgewater from Salt for Salt (Supply & Demand)
9:38 PM Actress Serpent from R.I.P (Honest Jon’s)
9:33 PM Kelly Joe Phelps Many a Time from Shine Eyed Mister Zen (Rykodisc)
9:28 PM Jason Isbell & the Preservation Hall Jazz Band Nobody Knows You from Preservation: An Album To Benefit Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program (Preservation Hall)
9:25 PM M. Ward Crawl After You from A Wasteland Companion (Merge)
9:22 PM Retribution Gospel Choir I’m A Man from The Revolution EP (Sub Pop)
9:18 PM High on Fire Samsara from De Vermis Mysteriis (E1)
9:14 PM Otter Petter Bones from Nice Night For A Knife Fight (self-released)
9:08 PM Stabilo Beautiful Madness from Happiness & Disaster (EMD)
9:04 PM Deep Sea Diver You Go Running from History Speaks (self-released)
9:01 PM Shearwater Open Your Houses (Basilisk) from Animal Joy (Sub Pop)
8:56 PM Innerpartysystem This Town, Your Grave from Innerpartysystem (Island)
8:50 PM Zammuto Groan Man, Don’t Cry from Zammuto (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
8:45 PM Deer Tick Dirty Dishes from War Elephant (Partisan)
8:42 PM Joe Pug Speak Plainly, Diana from Messenger (Lightning Rod)
8:39 PM Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s A Journalist Falls in Love with Deathrow Inmate #16 from Rot Gut, Domestic (Mariel)
8:34 PM Alex Acosta y su Orquesta Cumbia del Monte from Cartagena! Curro Fuentes & The Big Band Cumbia and Descarga Sound Of Colombia 1962-72 (Soundway)
8:31 PM Maderito & Joe Eletro Do Maciota Light from Oi! A Nova Música Brasileira! (Mais Um Discos)
8:27 PM Helado Negro Con Me Suerte from Island Universe Story One (Asthmatic Kitty)
8:22 PM Shane Tutmarc Idle Hands from Idle Hands / Death & Texas (Inverness)
8:17 PM Waco Brothers & Paul Burch Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall from Great Chicago Fire (Bloodshot)
8:16 PM Jubal Lee Young Greed is the Creed from Jubal Lee Young (self-released)
8:10 PM Thea Gilmore Razor Valentine from Avalanche (Compass)
8:06 PM Lissy Trullie Madeleine from Lissy Trullie (Downtown)
8:00 PM Gotye Heart’s a Mess from Like Drawing Blood (Samples N Seconds)