Friday, October 27, 2006

Eric Clapton - Live in Munich, Germany - 07/22/06

Eric Clapton continues to amaze me with every performance he makes. In this great audience recording, from his European Tour in Munich- Germany on July 22nd 2006, Clapton compilates classics like Crossroads and Old Love (with Robert Cray).
SETLIST
01-Pretending
02-I Shot The Sheriff
03-Got To Get Better In A Little While
04-Old Love (with Robert Cray)
05-Everybody Oughta Make A Change
06-Motherless Children
Sit down set
07-Back Home
08-I Am Yours
09-Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
10-Running On Faith
11-After Midnight
12-Little Queen Of Spades
13-Further On Up The Road
14-Wonderful Tonight
15-Layla
16-Cocaine
Encore
17-Crossroads (with Robert Cray)

+ Direct Link! (corrected link)
+ Check it out those reviews

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Keane - Live @ Kesselhaus in Berlin, Germany - 05-17-06

Fantastic recording. A+ quality!
1: The Iron Sea
2: Atlantic
3: Put It Behind You
4: Everybody's Changing
5: Bend and Break
6: The Frog Prince
7: Nothing In My Way
8: A Bad Dream
9: This Is The Last Time
10: Hamburg Song
11: Somewhere Only We Know
12: Is It Any Wonder?
13: Try Again
14: Leaving So Soon?
15: Bedshaped
16: Crystal Ball
+ Complete concert here!

Voxtrot - Live at Mercury Lounge (NYC), April 9th 2006

Voxtrot comes from Austin, Texas. Their first EP, a self-made CD-R, was produced in 2003 and sold at a few independent record stores in Austin. Despite not having released yet a full-length album, Voxtrot has received praise and mention from online and print publications.
Check out this perfect live gig @ Mercury Lounge (NYC)!
01. Unrecorded Song (3:21)
02. Raised By Wolves (4:31)
03. Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives (3:42)
04. Monday (1:57)
05. Rise Up In The Dirt (3:54)
06. Long Haul intro (0:47)
07. Wrecking Force (4:24)
08. Long Haul (3:47)

09. Chivalry (0:50)
10.New Song (4:04)
11. Twee (0:18)
12. Fast Asleep (2:50)
13. Monday (Part 2) (0:56)
14. Soft & Warm (4:08)
15. Voxtrot - 11 Missing Pieces (5:07)
+ Review by stereogum / Review 2
And a few bonuses, great covers they have done so far:
+ Voxtrot - Heaven (Talking Heads cover)
+ Voxtrot - Love Vigilantes (New Order cover)
+ Voxtrot - Shayla (Blondie cover)

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Mason Proper - Check them out!

Hailing from Ypsilanti, Michigan this indie band just signed recently to Dovecote Records. After checking the few songs available on the website, you can tell they are 10000 time better than a band once called Jet. According to their website, their upcoming album in the new label "There is a Moth In Your Chest" will be coming up in the winter of 2007. Check them out!
+ The World is Smaller Than You Think
+ My My Bad Fruit
+ A Chance Encounter
+ Mr. Charm
+ Chemical Dress Eliza
++ Performance @ WOXY Fm
+ Offical website

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Jeremy Enigk - World Waits (2006)

(***** out of 5 stars)

Jeremy's new album (World Waits) has been playing in my mp3 player almost non-stop. This is just a small way to acknowledge the admiration I have for his work. Return of the Frog Queen blew me away when it was released, and recently the (unreleased) soundtrack of United States of Leland had those 3 beautiful songs I didn't get tired listening to them.
I recently saw Jeremy live in Cleveland, OH (3 parts) and it was one of those unforgettable moments I will always carry with me. Growing up in Brazil, I really had a hard time getting the hands on the Sunny Day Real Estate Records. Playing their classic Seven with my band is something that I will never forget. He was gladly surprise to know the extension of his music when I mentioned that to him. What a great genuine person he is!
Having heard this CD a few times, I few comfortable commenting on a few highlights. Certainly it is the more accessible of the two solo albums. Jeremy Enigk, through many avenues, has paved a road for many a band, and continues to set the bar higher and higher in regard to what it really means to write an album that is not only relevant, but also tugs at the emotions of the listener in ways few artists and bands can do today.
Damien Dreams", the album's centerpiece, yields the greatest rewards, achieving the same spine chilling effects as Sunny Day's most grandiose moments. The near cathartic choruses that Enigk is able to conjure are perhaps his signature, the stylistic element that unifies Enigk's recorded output. Sonically, there is a similar element throughout: the quiet to loud, the majestic choruses, Enigk pushing his range, highlighting the timbre of his upper register. It is not a light album by any means, but it does sound like his first attempt to conciously reach for a larger audience, despite its indie-label release. Other standout tracks are easily “Cannons”, “Hard To Explain” (probably the best song on the album), and even the hidden track, which emotionally, yet perfectly, brings the album to a close.
A few things I'd like to share with you:
+ AOL - The Interface (exclusive acoustic set with classics such as Explain and new tunes!)
+ Jeremy Enigk - Been Here Before
+ Jeremy Enigk - River to Sea
+ Jeremy Enigk - Damien Dreams (from House of Blues, Cleveland, OH)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

GO TIGERS - ACLS Champions!!!!!!!!!! After game party with Kid Rock

It was UNBELIEVABLE! What a game! What a celebration! Tigers fans who watched their team clinch a World Series spot at Detroit's Comerica Park screamed, shouted, hugged, high-fived, honked their horns, danced and called everyone they knew to share the good news... We don't care who we play we SWEEEEEEEEEP them!
+ Go Tigers! Make Up Some Noise - Game 4 - ALCS
+ Tigers the ALCS Champions!!!!!! Comerica Park Celebration
+ Crowd of Fans Outside Comerica Park

The after game party was next to the stadium where they had a tent with a band playing rock and roll classics. Things got really crazy when a special guest - Kid Rock - showed up playing "The Joker" and "Rock and Roll". A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
+ Kid Rock - Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin cover)
+ Kid Rock - The Joker - Tigers after game party!

Friday, October 13, 2006

Chasing SNOW PATROL Cars - Live from Scotland - BBC Big Weekend - 5/13/06

It's not that easy to find live recordings of this great band! It's true that Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars has probably being overplayed given the success of Grey's Anatomy, but hey it's not their fault. Their last album (Eyes Open) indeed deserves a lot of respect. They combined great pop-rock elements creating songs like "You're All I Have", "Hands Open", "It's Beginning to Get to Me" and so many others. Enjoy this direct live recording broadcasted by BBC Radio 1 FM from Dundee, Scotland!

SETLIST
01 Intro
02 Spitting Games
03 It's Beginning To Get To Me
04 Chocolate
05 Hands Open
06 How To Be Dead
07 Chasing Cars
08 Make This Go On Forever
09 Run
10 Tiny Little Fractures
11 You're All I Have
+ The complete concert
+ Official website

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Chris Cornell - Unplugged in Sweden (2006) and his new 007 track!

Chris Cornell has always surprised me when he decides to persue his solo projects. Euphoria Morning was a great example of that. More to come soon, as he recently just got back in studio for the recordings of a new solo CD (date/name TBD).
In this exclusive performance (thanks to audioslavelatino.com) recorded in Sweden, he explores not only great acoustic versions of Soundgarden classics (Black Hole Sun, Feel on Black Days, Be Yourself) but also exposes his versatility covering from Bob Marley (Redemption Song) to Michael Jackson (Billie Jean) passing through the an obvious big influence in his guitar playing and singing - aka Mr Robert Plant (Thank You by Led Zeppelin). A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
And, if you liked it, please leave your comments...
+ Download the complete concert here!
+ Chris Cornell - You Know My Name (007 soundtrack)
+ Chris Cornell in the next 007 Soundtrack

Thursday, October 05, 2006

My Brightest Diamond - Bring Me the Workhorse (5 STARS!)

(***** over 5 stars)
Aside from being the Sufjan Stevens opening band, MBD deserves a big applause for their last album. Imagine Jeff Buckley vocal's meeting with Sonic Youth's guitars-drums-n-bass filled with great arrangements' orchestration of the string quartet. Certainly, the band's sound is way beyond this mix description, and you'd have to listen to come up with your on conclusion. The bottom line is that it is enjoyable to listen to such great record which creates a very promising distinct mix.
+ Something of an end
+ Riding Horses
+ Freak Out
+ Golden Star (the most "Sonic Youth" song of the album)
+ We Were Sparkling
+ Full Album Streamming
+ 5 Questions to MBD (thanks to Muzzle of Bees)

Monday, October 02, 2006

New Release - Robin Thicke - The Evolution of Robin Thicke

(***** over 5)
"One year ago Pharrell Williams asked Jimmy Iovine, CEO of Interscope, “What are you doing with Robin Thicke?” A few months later, Robin was recording his first single “Wanna Love You Girl” with Pharrell in Miami, as a newly signed artist on Pharrell’s label, Star Trak Records. This explosive, smash single immediately attracted the attention of radio and club DJs across the country.
"With a voice of purity, passion and soulfulness, Robin brings to life the stories and emotions of the last two years of his life. Admittedly, those two years have been a tumultuous ride of ups and downs. The Evolution of Robin Thicke is filled with incandescent magic. It is an album that tells the tales of love, loss, temptation, redemption and finding hope when all the odds are against you. “My greatest desire with this album was to write songs that were completely honest and sing them with the emotion I was feeling when I wrote them, so that whoever listens to my music is brought as close to my experiences and life as possible.” (thanks to TV.com)
This album indeed marks an evolution and it's a timeless work of art. This album is full of soul (clear influences of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Prince, to name a few) and some bossa-nova/lounge flavor combined with amazing vocal arrangements and great production. Check it out!

New Release - Jet - Shine On

(***/5)
I don't see anything wrong with copying popular references. The australian band comes back after 6 months of intense production and having to choose from more 40 songs they put together. The "Oasis factor" is all over the place as RS said, a direct influence from the time Jet used to be the opening act for them. Also a lot of Redd Kross (where are they?) and a mix of the commom new pop-rock. Nothing creative or new, which is disappointing. However I didn't say that this was their objective. Perhaps they were aiming just for a dance-floor CD and if that's the case they've got one.