How's My Living? » andrew bird

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, February 3, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:44:57 +0000

Hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time. It’s awesome. Next week’s my birthday. I’m definitely playing whatever the heck I want.

9:53 PM Scout Niblett Cherry Cheek Bomb from The Calcination Of Scout Niblett (Drag City)
9:49 PM Radar Eyes Secrets from Radar Eyes (HoZac)
9:42 PM Kid You’ll Move Mountains Volts from Loomings (self-released)
9:39 PM Comet Gain Ballad for Frankie Machine from Howl of the Lonely Crowd (What’s Your Rupture)
9:37 PM Dan Mangan Tina’s Glorious Comeback from Nice Nice Very Nice (Arts & Crafts)
9:33 PM Chin Up Chin Up We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers (Stephen Snydacker Mix) from Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)
9:29 PM Apparat Black Water from The Devil’s Walk (Mute)
9:25 PM The Roots The OtherSide (featuring Bilal Oliver & Greg Porn) from undun (Def Jam)
9:20 PM Brandi Carlile Dying Day from Give Up the Ghost (Columbia)
9:19 PM Tegan and Sara Living Room from If It Was You (Vapor)
9:14 PM First Aid Kit King of the World from The Lion’s Roar (Wichita)
9:09 PM Teddy Thompson (From Now On All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers from Up Front and Down Low (Verve Forecast)
9:05 PM The David Mayfield Parade Blue Skies Again from The David Mayfield Parade (9th Grade)
9:03 PM Buddy Holly Not Fade Away from Greatest Hits (MCA)
9:01 PM Virgin Forest Big Old Mama from Easy Way Out (Partisan)
8:58 PM The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir …And The Horse You Rode In On (Album) from …And The Horse You Rode In On (Bloodshot)
8:54 PM Hockey Too Fake from Mind Chaos (Capitol)
8:49 PM Royal Baths Black Sheep from Better Luck Next Life (Kanine)
8:45 PM Casiotone For the Painfully Alone Scattered Pearls from Etiquette (Tomlab)
8:40 PM Chappo Island Opiate from Plastique Universe II: Pisces Princess (self-released)
8:37 PM Poliça I See My Mother from Give You the Ghost (Totally Gross National Product)
8:32 PM Noe Venable Five on the Dime from No Curses Here (Intuition)
8:29 PM Cate Le Bon The Man I Wanted from Cyrk (The Control Group)
8:25 PM Andrew Bird Bein’ Green from Muppets: The Green Album (Disney )
8:21 PM Band of Horses I Go To The Barn Because I Like The from Everything All the Time (Sub Pop)
8:17 PM Maná Mariposa Traicionera from Revolución de amor (Warner Music Latina)
8:14 PM Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn Mourning Melodies in Rhapsody from Something About April (Wax Poetics)
8:09 PM Broken Records You Know You’re Not Dead from Let Me Come Home (4AD)
8:06 PM Unicycle Loves You Sun Comes Out (And I Don’t Care) from Failure (Mecca Lecca)
8:02 PM Quiet Company The Easy Confidence from We Are All Where We Belong (self-released)

My 2012 Music Resolution

Mel — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:45:59 +0000

One of my favorite moments in music in 2011 was the performance by Mumford and Sons, the Avett Brothers, and Bob Dylan at the Grammys last February.

Mumford and Sons performs “The Cave,” the Avett Brothers perform “Head Full Of Doubt / Road Full Of Promise,” and Bob Dylan fronts the combined bands as they perform “Maggie’s Farm.”

There are a lot of things I love watching in this performance. It’s pretty clear that the first two bands are thrilled to pieces to be there. I like “The Cave” — that harmonizing cornet line at the end! — and I like “Head Full Of Doubt / Road Full Of Promise,” and while I’m not sure I buy those songs plus “Maggie’s Farm” as a medley, it was entertaining enough that watching the performance the morning after the Grammys made me late for work.

It’s nice seeing a performance on the Grammys that isn’t heavily choreographed, too. Part of what I liked about this performance is the way they dig into what they’re playing with mostly acoustic instruments — that’s not something you see too often in a venue like that. They’re good musicians and it’s fun to watch them do what they do.

It’s also fun to see how thrilled they are at getting to back up Bob Dylan. Speaking of Dylan, he’s working it like RuPaul. Look at the way he steps around that bass and takes his rightful position at the front! Look at the facial expressions on that line behind him! In that performance and in that venue, Bob Dylan is an acknowledged diva, and he is playing that role with enthusiasm.

I’ve been thinking about this performance since February, and over the course of the fall semester I did a little work and a little research into this kind of thing, and friends, it sure does bother me that this kind of music I like a whole lot, this indie alt-country y’allternative singer-songwriter whatever, got physically portrayed on the Grammys as music played by white men only, with the Bob Dylan Stamp Of Approval™.

Here’s a list of all the performers on the 2011 Grammy telecast. This performance was the only one consisting solely of white men. When I watched it the morning I was late for work, even as I was clapping like a seal with delight, there was still that small voice asking, so does this mean that the publicly acknowledged acolytes of, or heirs to, Dylan are only young white men? Because that is one white male backup line.

“Maggie’s Farm” bothers me, too. Wikipedia gives a quick background on dominant readings of the song, but one thing that isn’t there is the inherent inclusion of gender in the title. We don’t hear from Maggie — Maggie is absent — and the speaker’s rejection of the farm always has to do with gender, because it’s not “I ain’t gonna work on this farm no more,” or whatever’s necessary to adjust for scansion. It’s “I ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s farm no more.” Combine that with Dylan’s infamous performance at Newport ’65, where some people took “Maggie’s Farm” as a shot fired across the bow, and the Grammy performance takes on added layers of defiance outside of the lyrics — all of which is context bearing on the Grammy performance that can’t be ignored. The Grammy performance is a party in Bob Dylan’s honor, and the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons are thrilled to be there — but it’s hard to see where anyone who doesn’t look like them gets to fit in.

I mentioned that I did a little work over the course of the fall semester about things like this. One of my final projects was digging more deeply than I did in this post into the influence of the Mississippi Sheiks on Andrew Bird’s “Fake Palindromes,” and I found out a few things that surprised me. I don’t think Bird is responding to the Sheiks and “I’ve Got Blood In My Eyes For You,” as I did when I wrote that post. Instead, I think he’s using the music of the Mississippi Sheiks as a springboard for a response aimed far more broadly in the direction of systematic misogyny. Bird isn’t responding to a specific person, but rather a pattern of behavior, and that’s pretty notable. When speaking about popular music and musicians, as a general rule, we place value on influences — who people sound like, who they’ve played with, who they themselves want to emulate. The result is a kind of twist on Great Man theory — and, incidentally, a way to establish credibility with other people based on who you listen to.

The Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons look pleased as punch to be up there on that stage on national television with Bob Dylan — and they should be. It’s a nice career boost. But I wonder if it’s not possible to broaden this Great Man narrative of indie alt-country y’allternative singer-songwriter whatever, and instead try popular music from below. Thinking about what that might look like excites me.

So that’s my 2012 music resolution: think differently, get past Dylan, pay attention to context, and write about it — hopefully more here than I’ve done since I moved to Mississippi. Onward and upward, y’all.

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, December 30, 2011

Sarah — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:36:35 +0000

I played some music on New Year’s Eve Eve. They don’t really make songs for that.

9:55 PM DeVotchKa Vengo! Vengo! from Una Volta (Cicero)
9:52 PM Devil in a Woodpile Louisiana Fairytale from In Your Lonesome Town (Bloodshot)
9:48 PM She & Him Baby, It’s Cold Outside from A Very She & Him Christmas (Merge)
9:44 PM The Mountain Goats Lovecraft In Brooklyn from Heretic Pride (4AD)
9:40 PM Queen Don’t Stop Me Now from Jazz (Universal)
9:37 PM Summer Camp Losing My Mind from Welcome to Condale (Moshi Moshi)
9:32 PM Robbie Fulks Cold Statesville Ground from South Mouth (Bloodshot)
9:28 PM Melissa Ferrick This Time of Year from Still Right Here (Mpress Records)
9:24 PM Thomas Comerford Moonshiner from Archive + Spiral (Spacesuit)
9:20 PM The Black Keys Dead and Gone from El Camino (Nonesuch)
9:16 PM Quiet Company Set Your Monster Free from We Are All Where We Belong (self-released)
9:09 PM Steve Hauschildt Batteries May Drain from Tragedy & Geometry (kranky)
9:06 PM Andrew Bird Nomenclature from Noble Beast (Fat Possum)
9:00 PM Lost in the Trees All Alone in an Empty House from All Alone in an Empty House (ANTI-)
8:57 PM Thao & Mirah How Dare You from Thao & Mirah (Kill Rock Stars)
8:53 PM Jacaszek As Each Tucked String Tells from Glimmer (Ghostly International)
8:49 PM Vanessa-Mae Night Flight from Subject to Change (EMI)
8:44 PM Mutts Throwback from Pray for Rain (8eat8)
8:40 PM An Horse Rearrange Beds from Rearrange Beds (Mom + Pop)
8:36 PM The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir Praying Is A Heartache (Album) from …And The Horse You Rode In On (Bloodshot)
8:29 PM Cass McCombs To Every Man His Chimera from Humor Risk (Domino)
8:25 PM Rachael Sage How I Got By from Delancey Street (Mpress Records)
8:20 PM The Reverend Horton Heat Drinkin’ and Smokin’ Cigarettes from Laughin’ & Cryin’ with the Reverend Horton Heat (Yep Roc)
8:16 PM The Roots Kool On from undun (Def Jam)
8:13 PM Nneka Heartbeat from Concrete Jungle (Yo Mama’s)
8:09 PM Wooden Wand & The Briarwood Virgins Big Mouth USA from Briarwood (Fire)
8:06 PM Langhorne Slim Diamonds and Gold from Langhorne Slim (Kemado)
8:02 PM Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama Take My Hand from There Will Be a Light (Virgin)

This Week in Great Music: 12/19 – 12/25

Sarah — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:46:15 +0000

For it being Christmas, there are still a handful of great shows going on. I’ll be at both of the Andrew Bird performances at the Museum of Contemporary Art… that is, if I can find where in the world I put my tickets when I packed up to move into my new apartment. Uh oh.

Monday, December 19
Do-It-Yourself ‘Messiah’; Harris Theater for Music and Dance. 7 pm, $10
Robbie Fulks, Kelly Hogan; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Josh Caterer, Cory Branan, Dave Hause, Curtis Evans; Schubas. 8 pm, $12

Tuesday, December 20
Do-It-Yourself ‘Messiah’; Harris Theater for Music and Dance. 7 pm, $10
The Black Willoughbys; Hideout. 9 pm, $5 suggested donation

Wednesday, December 21
Andrew Bird and Ian Schneller: Sonic Arboretum; Museum of Contemporary Art. 7:30 pm, sold out
Eastern Blok; Schubas. 9 pm, $8

Thursday, December 22
Andrew Bird and Ian Schneller: Sonic Arboretum; Museum of Contemporary Art. 7:30 pm, sold out
Santah, In Tall Buildings, Elephant Gun, The Island of Misfit Toys; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $8-12
Ximena Sarinana, Graffiti 6; Schubas. 9 pm, $12
Scott Lucas & The Married Men, Purple Apple; Hideout. 9 pm, $8

Friday, December 23
Gold Motel, Deserters, Chaperone; Lincoln Hall. 7 pm, $12

Saturday, December 24
Christmas Eve!

Sunday, December 25
Christmas!

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, November 25, 2011

Sarah — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:16:24 +0000

Another Friday night in the studio. If you missed me last night, you can catch me on CHIRP this afternoon from 2 to 4 pm, as an extra special bonus show.

I’m off next week, as my band’s got a gig that night. (Occupy This! at Multikulti, music starts at 9 pm, proceeds benefit Occupy Chicago and Terra Firma Productions.) But I’ll be back the next week. Don’t miss me too much.

9:58 PM Sharon Van Etten Consolation Prize from Because I Was In Love (Language of Stone)
9:54 PM Jennifer Warnes & Jorge Calderon Keep Me in Your Heart from Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon (Sheridan Square Records)
9:50 PM Tom Waits Face to the Highway from Bad as Me (ANTI-)
9:45 PM Butterfly Boucher Another White Dash from Flutterby (A&M)
9:42 PM Acid House Kings Would You Say Stop? from Music Sounds Better With You (Labrador)
9:39 PM JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound Sister Ray Charles from Want More (Bloodshot)
9:33 PM Andrew Bird Pathetique from Thrills (Rykodisc)
9:29 PM lamb Lusty from Lamb (Polygram)
9:24 PM DRC Music Hallo (featuring Tout Puissant Mukalo and Nelly Liyemge) from Kinshasa One Two (Warp)
9:20 PM Laximikant Pyarelal Aa Jaane Jaan from Bollywood Bloodbath (Finders Keepers)
9:15 PM Broken Records A Leaving Song from Let Me Come Home (4AD)
9:10 PM Rob Crow Locking Seth Putnam in Hot Topic from He Thinks He’s People (Temporary Residence Ltd.)
9:06 PM Joan As Police Woman We Don’t Own It from Real Life (Cheap Lullaby Records)
9:01 PM Jeff Buckley Grace from Grace (Legacy Edition) (Columbia)
8:57 PM Coheed and Cambria A Favor House Atlantic from In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (Sony)
8:53 PM Dethlehem Sky Palace of the Dragonriders from The Ghorusalem Codex, Vol 2: Of Magick & Tyranny (self-released)
8:49 PM Black Tusk Carved in Stone from Set the Dial (Relapse)
8:44 PM Braids Plath Heart from Native Speaker (Kanine Records)
8:41 PM Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Bigger Than Yr Yard from Tape Club (Polyvinyl)
8:38 PM Fruit Bats Tangie and Ray from Tripper (Sub Pop)
8:34 PM Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore Something. Somewhere, Sometime from Dear Companion (Sub Pop)
8:30 PM Over the Rhine Rave On from The Long Surrender (Great Speckled Dog)
8:26 PM Girl in a Coma Adjust from Exits and All the Rest (Blackheart)
8:22 PM The Traveling Wilburys Handle With Care from Volume 1 (Rhino Records)
8:19 PM jj And Now from jj n° 3 (Secretly Canadian)
8:17 PM Netherfriends Rapid City, SD from Middle America (Plustapes)
8:10 PM Kurt Vile Downbound Train from So Outta Reach EP (Matador)
8:07 PM Retribution Gospel Choir Hide It Away from 2 (Sub Pop)
8:04 PM Mumford & Sons Roll Away Your Stone from Sigh No More (Glassnote)

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, November 18, 2011

Sarah — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:50:28 +0000

I’ll be occupying the Friday 8-10 pm Central slot through the end of the year, so you can hear me on a regular basis on CHIRP Radio. It’ll be great.

9:58 PM Rainer Maria Long Knives from Long Knives Drawn (Polyvinyl)
9:54 PM The Unsettlers Red to Black from The Unsettlers (self-released)
9:50 PM Los Campesinos! Hello Sadness from Hello Sadness (Arts & Crafts)
9:46 PM M. Ward Sweethearts On Parade from Transistor Radio (Merge)
9:42 PM The Decemberists Foregone from Long Live the King EP (Capitol)
9:37 PM Andrew Bird Opposite Day from Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs (Righteous Babe)
9:33 PM Ani DiFranco Swim from Educated Guess (Righteous Babe)
9:28 PM Kathleen Edwards Chameleon Comedian from Voyageur (MapleMusic)
9:24 PM A.A. Bondy American Hearts from American Hearts (Fat Possum)
9:19 PM Aterciopelados Gozo Poderoso from Gozo Poderoso (RCA)
9:13 PM The Lijadu Sisters Danger from Danger (Knitting Factory)
9:08 PM Bon Iver Skinny Love from For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
9:01 PM Thomas Comerford Gravity from Archive + Spiral (Spacesuit)
8:57 PM The Hold Steady Party Pit from Boys and Girls In America (Vagrant)
8:53 PM Breakers Broken Last Man on the Planet from Reset (self-released)
8:50 PM Mayer Hawthorne Stick Around from How Do You Do (Universal)
8:46 PM Sensation Junkies Olalla from Once for the Money (Sarathan Records)
8:41 PM Owen The Armoire from Ghost Town (Polyvinyl)
8:36 PM Okkervil River The War Criminal Rises and Speaks from Down The River Of Golden Dreams
8:32 PM Sarah Jarosz Run Away from Follow Me Down (Sugar Hill)
8:28 PM Darren Johnston’s Gone to Chicago Love Call from The Big Lift (Porto Franco)
8:21 PM Angie Aparo Wonderland from The American (Melisma)
8:17 PM Crooked Fingers The Counterfeiter from Breaks in the Armor (Merge)
8:13 PM The New Pornographers Myriad Harbour from Challengers (Matador)
8:08 PM Cass McCombs Love Thine Enemy from Humor Risk (Domino)
8:05 PM Brandi Carlile Follow from Brandi Carlile (Red Ink Records)

CHIRP Playlist: Saturday, October 22, 2011

Sarah — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:12:56 +0000

Who would have guessed that an empty radio studio in a manufacturing building would be creepy at midnight when you’re there all by yourself? Crazy, isn’t it? Made a couple of good musical discoveries, though, of artists I’d never heard before randomly selecting them to play. That’s always a plus.

Here’s what I played to close out Saturday night. Your next chance to hear me is on Saturday, November 5th, from noon to 2 pm (Central).

11:55 PM DeVotchKa The Enemy Guns from How It Ends (Cicero)
11:53 PM Sarah Siskind Say It Louder from Say It Louder (Request Records)
11:50 PM Mike and the Censations Don’t Sell Your Soul from Don’t Sell Your Soul (Ubiquity)
11:45 PM Regina Spektor Samson from Begin to Hope (Sire)
11:42 PM St. Vincent Champagne Year from Strange Mercy (4AD)
11:37 PM Andrew Bird Night Sky from Norman (Mom+Pop)
11:34 PM Neko Case I’m An Animal from Middle Cyclone (ANTI-)
11:30 PM Guster Either Way from Lost and Gone Forever (Sire)
11:26 PM Mates of State Sway from Mountaintops (Barsuk)
11:22 PM Rachael Cantu I Threw It All Away from Paupers, Peasants, Princes & Kings: The Songs of Bob Dylan (Doghouse Records)
11:18 PM Feist Comfort Me from Metals (Cherrytree)
11:13 PM Helen Money Too Heavy from In Tune (Table of the Elements)
11:10 PM Vashti Bunyan Come Wind Come Rain from Just Another Diamond Day (Dicristina Stair)
11:04 PM Bon Iver Re: Stacks from For Emma, Forever Ago (Jagjaguwar)
11:02 PM Kate and Anna McGarrigle Schooldays from The McGarrigle Hour (Hannibal)
10:58 PM The David Mayfield Parade I Just Might Pray from The David Mayfield Parade (Ninth Grade Records)
10:53 PM Joe Firstman Now You’re Gorgeous, Now You’re Gone from The War of Women (Atlantic)
10:51 PM Twin Sister Spain from In Heaven (Domino)
10:47 PM Sharon Van Etten For You from Because I Was In Love (Language of Stone)
10:41 PM Johnny Flynn Been Listening from Been Listening (Transgressive Records)
10:38 PM Laura Marling The Muse from A Creature I Don’t Know (Ribbon)
10:34 PM Mar Caribe Django Tango from Songs From Under the Flight Path (self-released)
10:29 PM The Acorn Blankets from Blankets! EP (Kelp)
10:25 PM Azita Stars or Fish from Disturbing the Air (Drag City)
10:20 PM Over the Rhine The Laugh of Recognition from The Long Surrender (Great Speckled Dog Records)
10:14 PM Bonnie “Prince” Billy No Match from Wolfroy Goes to Town (Drag City)
10:10 PM Ryan Adams Chains of Love from Ashes & Fire (PAX-AM/Capitol)
10:07 PM Pinetop Seven His Aging Miss Idaho from The Night’s Bloom (Empyrean)
10:02 PM The Traveling Wilburys Not Alone Any More from The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 (Wilbury Records)
9:57 PM The Mountain Goats The Young Thousands from We Shall All Be Healed (4AD)
9:54 PM My Brightest Diamond Escape Routes from All Things Will Unwind (Asthmatic Kitty)
9:51 PM The Cell Phones Husband from Hospital Spaceship EP (Self-released)
9:46 PM JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound Awake from Want More (Bloodshot)
9:42 PM Melissa Ferrick Burn This Guitar from Listen Hard (Right On Records)
9:39 PM Thea Gilmore This Girl Is Taking Bets from Rules for Jokers (Compass)
9:33 PM Neil Young Alabama from Harvest (Reprise)
9:29 PM Deer Tick Let’s All Go To The Bar from Divine Providence (Partisan)
9:26 PM Brian Wright and the Waco Tragedies Morning Cigarettes from Bluebird (Breakout)
9:21 PM A.C. Newman Drink To Me, Babe, Then from The Slow Wonder (Matador)
9:17 PM We Were Promised Jetpacks Hard to Remember from In the Pit of the Stomach (FatCat)
9:14 PM Chin Up Chin Up We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers (Stephen Snydacker Mix) from Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)
9:08 PM Dan Mangan Robots from Nice Nice Very Nice (Arts & Crafts)
9:05 PM Malajube Radiologie from La Caverne (MB3)
9:02 PM Tegan and Sara Monday Monday Monday from If It Was You (Vapor Records)

CHIRP Playlist: Saturday, October 1, 2011

Sarah — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:23:58 +0000

Thanks to everyone who tuned in to my inaugural (internet) radio adventure on CHIRP Radio. If you’re interested to know what kind of music I play whenever I get three hours behind the controls of Chicago’s best radio station, then read on. I’ll be back on the air on Saturday, October 8th, from 9 am to noon, Central time.

8:56 PM Neil Young Southern Man from After The Goldrush (Reprise)
8:52 PM Jessica Lea Mayfield Blue Skies Again from Tell Me (Nonesuch)
8:51 PM The Jayhawks She Walks in So Many Ways from Mockingbird Time (Rounder)
8:47 PM Tinariwen Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan from Tassili (ANTI-)
8:44 PM Martha Wainwright Jesus and Mary from I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too (Zoe)
8:40 PM Serengeti Flutes from Family & Friends (Anticon)
8:33 PM Andrew Bird Not A Robot, But A Ghost from Noble Beast (Fat Possum)
8:29 PM Brandi Carlile Looking Out from Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony (Columbia)
8:25 PM Milagres Halfway from Glowing Mouth (Kill Rock Stars)
8:20 PM The Bowmans Make It Last from Far From Home (self-released)
8:17 PM Wilco Black Moon from The Whole Love (dBpm)
8:14 PM Justin Townes Earle Poor Fool from Midnight At The Movies (Bloodshot)
8:08 PM Allá Es Tiempo from Es Tiempo (Crammed)
8:04 PM Vienna Teng 1BR/1BA from Dreaming Through the Noise (Zoe)
7:59 PM Active Child Johnny Belinda from You Are All I See (Vagrant)
7:54 PM Gotye Somebody That I Used to Know from Making Mirrors (Ais)
7:52 PM Buffalo Rome Plant White Roses from Obscurities (Merge)
7:45 PM Ohbijou Balikbayan from Metal Meets (Last Gang)
7:41 PM The Avett Brothers The Weight of Lies from Emotionalism (Ramseur Records)
7:37 PM Low Majesty / Magic from C’mon (Sub Pop)
7:33 PM White Mystery Take a Walk from White Mystery (self-released)
7:28 PM Okkervil River Your Past Life as a Blast from I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)
7:25 PM Peter Wolf Crier Beach from Garden of Arms (Jagjaguwar)
7:20 PM Booker T. Jones Representing Memphis (featuring Matt Berninger and Sharon Jones) from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)
7:15 PM Teddy Thompson Separate Ways from Separate Ways (Verve)
7:07 PM Braid Universe or Worse from Closer to Closed EP (Polyvinyl)
7:04 PM St. Vincent Northern Lights from Strange Mercy (4AD)
7:01 PM Anais Mitchell Hades & Persephone from The Brightness (Righteous Babe)
6:57 PM Dessa Into the Spin from A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree)
6:53 PM The Grey Race On the Chin from Give It Love (Unfiltered)
6:51 PM Tom Vek World of Doubt from Leisure Seizure (Co-op)
6:45 PM Nico The Fairest of the Seasons from Chelsea Girl (Polygram)
6:42 PM Laura Marling Rest in the Bed from A Creature I Don’t Know (Ribbon)
6:39 PM Jeff Pianki Missing Parts from Paper Window. (self-released)
6:35 PM Alpha Consumer The Crown Salesman from Kick Drugs out of America (self-released)
6:30 PM A.A. Bondy Surfer King from Believers (Fat Possum)
6:25 PM Dusty Bibles Wintersong from Sinus Rhythm EP (self-released)
6:20 PM April Smith and the Great Picture Show Drop Dead Gorgeous from Songs for a Sinking Ship (self-released)
6:17 PM Beirut Goshen from The Rip Tide (Pompeii)
6:14 PM Neko Case Runnin’ Out of Fools from Blacklisted (Bloodshot)
6:09 PM The Mountain Goats Psalms 40:2 from Life Of The World To Come (4AD)
6:03 PM Girls Just a Song from Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther Sounds)
5:59 PM Ha Ha Tonka Usual Suspects from Death of a Decade (Bloodshot)

Concert Review: Hideout Block Party, 9/24/11

Sarah — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:41:10 +0000

The Hideout Block Party returned this year after a two-year hiatus. Taking over the stretch of Wabansia outside of the Hideout, as well as a large parking lot — Jon Langford joked that Mayor Emanuel came down and personally moved each and every Streets & Sanitation truck out of the lot, just for the Hideout – the Block Party was a celebration of the Hideout’s 15th anniversary. It was also a celebration of Chicago’s vibrant music scene, with many of the artists on the line-up being Chicago natives, or with deep ties to our windy city. It also happened to be probably one of the last truly nice days of the year. I’m guessing the weather largely cooperated because it was afraid to anger the Hideout and its army of staunch supporters. I don’t blame you, weather.

I started my Block Party out with Chicago’s own Kids These Days. The members are all products of Chicago’s public schools, as Hideout owner and education enthusiast Tim Tuten pointed out in his enthusiastic intro. The group of recent high school grads effortlessly blends hip hop, jazz, R&B, soul, rock… you name it, there’s a hint of it in their music. Led by Vic Mensa on rap vocals, Liam Cunningham on lead vocals and guitar, and Macie Stewart on vocals and keyboards, Kids These Days wowed the assembled crowd. The blend of genres made their set accessible even to people who aren’t well-versed in what’s going on in hip hop. The group has been getting the attention they deserve lately, with a set at Lollapalooza, performances at SXSW, and a stint as support for Trombone Shorty.

Like I said in a snarky Tweet, If there’s going to be a conversation about young people making hip hop music which challenges genres and expectations, Kids These Days should be a part of it. Yes, that’s sort of a dig at Odd Future, who were in the spotlight this summer for being young and ambitious and adventurous with their music, but also for being wildly offensive to many listeners. Kids These Days seem to occupy a different part of the musical spectrum: their raps are still punctuated with curses and the n-word at times, but I also didn’t hear any lyrics about rape or murder. (I could be wrong.) There’s room for both groups to exist; I just hope that Kids These Days could become media darlings, too, and show the world that there’s more to youth and rap that what they’d previously thought.

Kids These Days: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter

I skipped the next band, The Eternals, in favor of finding food and meeting up with friends, but made it back to the stage in time to catch blues legend Booker T. Jones. Despite being woefully undereducated on blues, I found his set to be thoroughly enjoyable, from songs from newer releases to old classics like “Green Onions”, and yes, even a quirky cover or two, with Jones appearing back onstage to encore with an instrumental cover of Outkast’s “Hey Ya”. (Regular readers of How’s My Living will be well aware of my long-standing affection for quirky covers of all kinds.) The all-ages crowd seemed into his set, as well, helped along by Jones’ very dynamic backing band. Who knew the bopping sounds of an organ could be so cool?

Booker T. Jones: Official Website | MySpace | Store

Until Jon Langford opened his mouth, I could have sworn that he was a born-and-raised Chicagoan. Shows what I know. Langford is a Welshman who might as well be a Chicagoan, though, especially given the fact that I think he may be in just about every band that calls the city home. (Only a slight exaggeration.) At the Block Party, he was joined on stage by fellow other-Jon-Langford-projects alums Sally Timms and Alan Doughty, and, oh yeah, the Burlington Welsh Male Chorus. Langford’s set was full of sea shanties, murder ballads, high kicks and viking hats and a little bit of punk rock. Not many artists would have the guts to slow their set down with a choral shanty, sung all in Welsh, accompanied solely by guitar, but Langford did, and it worked.

Jon Langford: Official Website | Facebook
The Burlington Welsh Male Chorus: Official Website

There’s no way around it: Mavis Staples is a legend. She’s not just a legend, but she’s our legend. You wouldn’t think that gospel would have a home at the Hideout, but it does. Tim Tuten and company were so intent on getting Mavis for this year’s Block Party that they agreed to every last request in her concert rider, including a request for “a big ass throne”. The Hideout made her one, and it was glorious, every bit befitting the 72-year old Grammy winner.

Staples’ set didn’t differ all that much from when I saw her at Lollapalloza in 2009; she even brought the same backing band with her, all of whom performed on her live album recorded at the Hideout several years ago. Staples is such a captivating performer that her charm, humor, and intense passion are hard to ignore. Crowded at the side of the stage watching her set were many of the other performers from the day: I spotted the White Mystery kids, some guys from Booker T. Jones’ band, Andrew Bird and Nora O’Connor, in addition to numerous Hideout friends and personnel. Her set was full of old Staples family standards like “I’ll Take You There”, as well as offerings from her newest album, “You Are Not Alone”, which brought Nora O’Connor out for a spin on guest vocals. Staples usually covers The Band’s “The Weight”, and this time around, she brought out Andrew Bird to play along and pick up a verse. Even the un-religious among us couldn’t help but be moved by Staples’ triumphant return to the Hideout.

Mavis Staples: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Store

Martin Dosh, who also serves as Andrew Bird’s drummer and collaborator, played a brief ambient set before Bird took the stage. I enjoy his albums, and it definitely takes a lot of skill to be the one man band/looping machine/drummer/keyboardist that he is, but am always left a bit cold by the live performance. I guess I just like having something to look at. His instrumental set was a bit of a mood-changer after the high-spirited show put on by Mavis Staples, and most of the crowd was eager for Bird to take the stage.

If the day belonged to classic acts like Booker T. Jones and Mavis Staples, though, the night belonged to Andrew Bird, one of the many artists who called the Hideout home at the start of a career. (In Bird’s case, that’s not just a metaphor: he mentioned that he literally lived above the Hideout for a while.) Bird performed at one of the last Block Parties before its hiatus, (an event that I’m still kicking myself for missing) so it was only fitting that he return here as the night’s last act.

Bird kicked his set off with some moody instrumental pieces, as he usually does. As he played, a gigantic fabricated whale, lofted high above the assembled people, made its way through the crowd. The whale, courtesy of visual arts group Opera-matic, came with its own keening whale noises, seemingly conversing with the wail of Bird’s violin. Does that make sense? Probably not. Just watch the video; it will enlighten you.

From there, Bird launched into a set of old favorites from throughout his career. The setlist held few surprises in way of song choice — the biggest surprises were “Dark Matter”, which I’m not sure I’ve seen him do before live, and his rendition of “Bein’ Green”, which recently appeared on the Muppets tribute album. His delivery of the song is downright perfect: enough whimsy to fit right in to the Muppets universe, but with just a hint of questioning or vulnerability, perfect for our good friend Kermit the Frog.

There were plenty of treats along the way, aside from the gigantic whale. Paloma Carrasco, a high school student who is the recipient of the Rock for Kids scholarship named after Bird, came out to sing a mariachi song, accompanied by Bird and original Bowl of Fire member Colin Bunn on guitar. The crowd seemed unsure what to make of the girl at first, and there was a lot of talking which she was introducing herself. But then she opened her mouth and silenced everyone. Carrasco has a huge voice, perfect for the type of song she chose to perform. I believe she’s only a sophomore in high school, but her voice is much older and much richer than her years.

Much like his recent show in Ann Arbor, the bulk of the set was devoted to new songs from Bird’s forthcoming album, which he said should be released in March 2012. It’s a bold move: you’ve got a couple thousand people gathered, many of whom are there mostly to see you, and you play material that most of them are unfamiliar with. I felt some of the attention of the crowd waning during the latter half of the set; people wanted to hear songs they already loved. For my part, these songs are already well-worn treasures that are getting better with age. Granted, that comes with the territory whenever you follow an artist with the same sort of fervor that I follow Bird’s work, but still. Hearing the newer songs with the full backing band — in some cases with two drummers, as Bowl of Fire member Kevin O’Donnell came out to join in on several songs — was an absolute joy to me. Hearing how the songs have evolved, how the rest of the band came together to contribute to the songs that Bird had already constructed, has given me a greater idea of just what the new album is shaping up to be.

And I’m excited, folks. I’m very excited. With Nora O’Connor stepping in to provide backing vocals on many of the new songs, and with the always creative guitar work of Jeremy Ylvisaker, the songs feel fuller, more fleshed out. They’re still songs about growth, survival, moving on, only now they’re louder, more intricate, more alive, all befitting the themes that are populating Bird’s newest works. The trio of “Breeding Desperation” (about “an era without bees”), nearly seamlessly transitioning into a cover of Alpha Consumer’s “Crown Salesman”, and “I on I” (or perhaps “Eye on Eye”) was a particular highlight for me. “Crown Salesman” was absolutely a rock song compared to the previous times I’ve heard Bird do it. The song pushed along into near anthemic territory by the contributions of O’Donnell on drums and Ylvisaker, a member of Alpha Consumer. With its cryptic lyrics, it’s always felt like an Andrew Bird song, and I am secretly hoping that it’s made it onto the new album.

The night wouldn’t be complete without some post-apocalyptic snacks, and Bird closed out his main set with “Tables and Chairs”, a song which has taken on increasing relevance over the years, with its talk of crumbling financial institutions. Despite my cramped position, pressed up against the railing separating the masses from the photo pit, I danced and sang along as best I could. At this point, I’m just waiting for the collapse of our government and society as we know it, so we can get on with the snacks and pony rides and dancing bears. It’s got to be true; Andrew Bird promised that’s the way it would be.

It also wouldn’t be an Andrew Bird show without a Handsome Family cover, as he returned to the stage with the band and Nora O’Connor for a stunning encore of their song “So Much Wine”. The lyrics, like most Handsome Family songs, read like a short story, and Bird and O’Connor’s voices lend themselves perfectly to it. The night ended on that quiet note as the sound booth signaled from offstage that there wasn’t time for one more. While I’d been hoping for concert favorite “Fake Palindromes”, “So Much Wine” proved for a perfect send-off, albeit a bit of a sobering one, if you bothered to listen to the words.

Andrew Bird: Official Website | MySpace | Twitter | Store

Setlist
Instrumental
Instrumental (with effects from Operamatic)
Dark Matter
A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left
Effigy
Bein’ Green
Plasticities
La Cigarra (ft. Paloma Carrasco on vocals, Colin Bunn on guitar)
Fitz and the Dizzy Spells
Give it Away (with Nora O’Connor)
The Lusitania
Breeding Desperation
Crown Salesman (Alpha Consumer cover)
I on I
Danse Caribbe
Fatal Shores (with Nora O’Connor)
Tables and Chairs
Encore
So Much Wine (with Nora O’Connor; Handsome Family cover)

This Week in Great Music: 9/19 – 9/25

Sarah — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:05:24 +0000

Everything about this week is just a lead-up to the Hideout Block Party. I’ve missed you, Andrew Bird.

Monday, September 19
Robbie Fulks; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, September 20
Cut Copy, Washed Out, Midnight Magic, Only Children; the Riviera. 8 pm, $27
Abigail Washburn, Mar Caribe, Alana Amran; Martyrs. 8 pm, $15
Bomba Estereo, Luisa Malta; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $15
The Watson Twins, Aunt Martha; Schubas. 8 pm, $10
Movits!; Hideout. 9 pm, $10

Wednesday, September 21
Ani DiFranco, Anais Mitchell; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $41
Kaki King; SPACE. 7 pm and 10 pm; $20-34
Jill Andrews, Kevin Andrew Prchal; Schubas. 9 pm, $12

Thursday, September 22
Okkervil River, The Felice Brothers; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $25-27
An Horse; Beat Kitchen. 8:30 pm, $10-12
Laura Marling, Alessi’s Ark; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, sold out

Friday, September 23
They Might Be Giants, Jonathan Coulton; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $25
Liam Finn, Marques Toliver; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $15

Saturday, September 24
Hideout Block Party, ft. White Mystery, Jon Langford, Mavis Staples, Dosh, Andrew Bird, and more; Hideout. 12 pm, $25
Pinto and the Bean, Hemmingbirds, Bad Bad Meow; house party at 4326 N. Ashland. 6 pm, free
Las Guitarras de Espana; Mayne Stage. 7:30 pm, $25
Peter Wolf Crier, Baliff; Schubas. 10 pm, $12

Sunday, September 25
Meh.