John Peel Sessions

Very recently, I came upon possession of stupendously amazing mp3 collection of Peel Sessions. Naturally, I was hit with confusion having to do with the following possibilities:

Option 1: Post and discuss all.
Pros
Provide exposure to a variety of artists in much the same manner as Peel intended, on the basis that if you like what you hear, you go buy their music.
Cons
I couldn't possibly do a good job of discussing music borne of John Peel's eclectic tastes, even with my own eclectic leanings.
I couldn't stand it if KNK came to be known as the "Peel Blog".
Folks might mistake this blog for a music distribution vehicle rather than one meant to inform or introduce readers to music I like.
Option 2: Post None.
Pros
Peace of mind, more weekend time to bask in the sun.
Cons
Peace of mind, more weekend time to bask in the sun.
Option 3: Do something fun and interactive with it.
Pros
Same as option 1 above.
Draw my blog readers into a conversation I might learn something from.
Cons
None

3 seems most logical so here's the deal. I will post 10 sessions over the course of next week, 4 chosen by me and 6 by those who read this blog with some dedication. All you have to do is leave a comment suggesting what artist(s) you'll like to me to post. To help you choose, go here for list of artists/songs in my collection. Posts will be based purely on majority numbers.

My selection includes:

1. Will Oldham a.k.a. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, 8th August 2002.
2. Cat Power a.k.a. Chan Marshall, 12th February 2003.
3. Preston School of Industry, 4th July 2001.
4. Boards of Canada, 16th June 1998.

Bruce Springsteen: Live at LSO St Luke's, London, UK, May 9, 2006.

Touring for the critically acclaimed We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, the inimitable Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band (Sam Bardfeld, Art Baron, Frank Bruno, Jeremy Chatzy, Mark Clifford, Larry Eagle, Charles Giordano, Ed Manion, Mark Pender, Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg, and Soozie Tyrell) take a slice of American folk to the Brits in this live set recorded for BBC Radio 2 Sold On Song broadcast. The performance was broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on May 13, 2006.

Intro
John Henry
Oh Mary Don’t You Weep
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?
Mrs McGrath
My Oklahoma Home
Jacob’s Ladder
We Shall Overcome
Pay Me My Money Down
Outro

Get We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions for a ridiculously low price on Amazon. Because the price will go up when it wins a Grammy.

Poste-script: Someone left a rather out of point comment to this post. I am putting this up for a reader vote - should I extinguish this comment? Cast your vote by leaving a comment.

Neil Young: Rare Tonight's The Night Outtakes/Demos.

Courtesy of my Singaporean friends - two rare demo tracks from Neil Young's Tonight's The Night sessions. Enjoy.

Bad Fog of Loneliness (only known release is a live version on Neil Young's Red Rocks Live DVD, 2000)
Believe Me (a.k.a. Traces) (I think this remained a non-album track only available in compilations, leave comment if you have better info).

The Cure: Original 12" Extended Mixes

How do you follow up a post on some iconic brits who rock hard? With a post on some iconic brits who rock hard. Here's some original 12" Extended Mixes of The Cure hits (not to be confused with Mixed Up, except for "Why Can't I Be You" which later appeared as an extra track on Mixed Up). The only way anyone still has these is if you are a vinyl enthusiast or still attached to your 80s artefacts, but it's nice to have them in a format that can go everywhere with you. Take my word for it, some of these mixes blow the originals right through the roof!

Primary (Extended Mix, 1981)
Let's Go To Bed (Milk Mix, 1990) (glorious! glorious!)
Just One Kiss (Extended Mix, 1983)
The Lovecats (Extended Mix, 1984)
Close To Me (Extended Remix, 1985)
Boys Don't Cry (Extended Remix, New Voice Club Mix, 1986)
Why Can't I Be You (Extended Mix, 1987)
A Japanese Dream (Extended Mix, 1987)
Hey You!!! (Extended Remix, 1987)
Pictures of You (Extended Remix) 1989
High (Extended Mix, 1992)
Friday I'm In Love (Extended Mix, 1992)

Buy music from The Cure. Or check them out with the totally cool 50 FREE Downloads from eMusic offer.

The Clash: Live at the Jamaica World Music Festival, Bob Marley Centre, 27th November, 1982.

Via trade and for a limited time only, here's The Clash live at the Jamaica World Music Festival held at the Bob Marley Centre on 27th November 1982 (popularly referred to as the "From London To Jamaica" bootleg). This setlist, comprised mainly of their reggae and ska numbers, is a perfect testimony to the amazing range of The Clash.

Introduction
London Calling
Police On My Back
Guns Of Brixton
The Magnificent Seven
Armagideon Time
The Magnificent Seven (Reprise)
Junco Partner
Spanish Bombs
One More Time
Train In Vain
Bankrobber
Radio Clash
Clampdown
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
Rock The Casbah
Straight To Hell

Get more info on this set here. Also, buy Clash music, especially the very essential London Calling.

Morrissey: Viva Hate Outtakes

The Moz returns to KNK, where he's always welcome. Gist I gathered is that these songs, outtakes from Viva Hate, were long rumoured to exist in the hands of only a few collectors. Some site leaked them and tried to charge $25 per copy. The collectors became real and real mad and decided to liberate them and mp3s started appearing on Morrissey websites.

If you haven't heard Viva Hate, Moz's solo debut, take a loan from your grandmother and grab it now. Oh, come Armageddon! come Armageddon! come!

Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness
Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness (Sandie Shaw On Backing Vocals)
Dial-A-Cliche (Rough Version)
Hairdresser On Fire (Vini Reilly On Vocal) (superb, must be heard! Colin Meloy take note!)
I Know Very Well How I Got My Name (Orchestral Ending)
Dial-A-Cliche (Morrissey speaking at end)
Dial-A-Cliche (Wrong Key)
Morrissey talking about Every Day Is Like Sunday (sounds like Moz didn't really think the song fit in the album!)

Nathan Asher & The Infantry: Sex Without Love

Back when I used to live in Nigeria, a guy I knew once told me that tears of joy were proof that joy and pain were the same emotion. Days later, they found him naked at the village square, rambling on and spewing Shakespeare quotes at odd intervals. I promptly ran to the square to see this man go unhinged. It was the last time I got goose pimples. Until today. While listening to Nathan Asher & The Infantry, a band out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Band members include Nathan Asher (vocals, guitar), Turner Brandon (organ, harmonica), Chris Serino (guitar), Nick Abbate (bass), Dan Abbate (drums), and Lawson Taylor (piano). These guys, they have garnered some serious accolades and raves, including winning the John Lennon International Songwriting Contest, the Great American Song Contest, and Independent Weekly's Annual Indy Music Award for Best Rock Band. They were also finalists in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition. Last year the band released a full lenght album titled Sex Without Love.

All that aside, their music taps into a variety of influences including Dylan and Springsteen. Nathan's vocal style is kinda like of a full shot of Conor Oberst with a sprinkling of Leonard Cohen, part tremble, part spoken poetry. But the real winner here is the band's instrumentation, laden with strong melodies that wedge the songs on all sides, carefully pacing Nathan's vocals in studied accompaniment. Hear for yourself.

Sex Without Love/A War
Storms
Turn Up The Faders

Sex Without Love is available here or here. Read more about the band on their website or myspace.

You Say Party! We Say Die! CBC Session!

Canadian upandcomers You Say Party! We Say Die! combine the brash stompadoccio (love the word, not sure it exists) of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the dance punk stylings of Le Tigre in this CBC Studio 2 session on January 05, 2006. If you don't know these guys, now is the time to know them. Enjoy.

What's The Hold Up
Apocalypse Meow
Stockholm Syndrome Pt.1 & Pt.2
Love In The New Millenium
Midnight Snack
Don't Wait Up
The Gap (Between the Rich and the Poor)

Get their first full lenght titled Hit the Floor here or here. Or get it and other albums with the amazing 50 FREE Downloads from eMusic offer. Visit their website or their myspace. Love them, its ok.

How The Strokes Loved The Audience And The Audience Loved Them Back: A Tale Of One City.

New York take this. You might be the capital of the world, but we are the real macs. We are the city of champions, and we rock. Just ask your city's poster boys, The Strokes. They have us to thank for their final transition into a hard-hitting garage rock revivalists, for finally tintinnabulating that rhythm section, and for imbuing our collective minds with pure, unadulterated musical orgasm. Because this audience came with a mission, to sing, dance and create cacophony, because they did as they wished, The Strokes rocked. And The Strokes will return here, because we Edmontonians know how to love a band and mean it. Julian wept for the love. Fabrizio leaped on his drums and doused his head with beer. And this is me at my least hyperbol-ic.

One of the most powerful and most inspired of the live performances I have seen in years, the NYC boys came, saw, and God forgive me for this lousy quote, conquered. From the first notes of "You Only Live Once", accompanied by ferocious instrumentation, Julian's throaty yowls, and the best lighting effects ever, you could tell how it was going to come down. Never before had a band been so aware of its strenghts, as they abandoned emphasis on their latest release, First Impressions of Earth, instead opting to take us through their powerful back catalogue with songs like "The End Has No End", "Someday", Is This It?" "Soma" and the highly effusive "Take It Or Leave It". The mix of old and new worked very well for this crowd as we welcomed the band to the city for the first time. But this was no ordinary recall, as the band fleshed out the sound of each song, turning them from melodious relics to into full blast volatile punk rock numbers, all rising and crescendoing with the amazing lighting effects. It was powerful. Super Fantastique.

One final note. I don't know who opened for The Strokes. And frankly I don't care. This seven-piece came on, all Broken Social Scene-like, four guitars, keyboards, drums, trumpets. The first song was mildly interesting. The last was entertaining. The rest was forgettable. Call yourselves "The First and Lasts". And please hand over lead vocal duties to the lady in the band. Yes, the one who said "fuck" at an all ages show. She sings much better than Miles David (misspelling intended).

The Strokes Come To The City Of Champions.

Swank NYC boys, The Strokes, play in our City of Champions today (Go Oilers Go!!!) at the Shaw Arena, courtesy of the irrepressible SONIC FM. Sonic has been good to us this year, bringing us Franz Ferdinand and Death Cab, Metric and The Elected to name a few. Yours truly has tickets of course, and I'll be punking out tonight in my tight 1960 retro jeans and converse sneakers. Expect a review tomorrow.

Here's my must dance or nod to list.

You Only Live Once
Ize of the World
You Talk Way Too Much
Soma

Noteworthy New Find: Keegan DeWitt, "& The Sparrows"

Hot on my digital spinner right now is the new "yet to be released" record from Brooklyn singer-songwriter, Keegan DeWitt and his band, The Sparrows (Nick Forde - Bass, Nick Jaeger - Guitar, Skip Matheny - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Timshel Matheny - Piano, Organs, Vocals, Logan Matheny - Drums, Guitar, Lap Steel, Mandolin, Keegan plays guitars and piano and is responsible for lead vocals). Influences include Whiskeytown (yeah!) and Wilco (oh yeah!). Word from Keegan is that the album (titled & The Sparrows) was recorded with Roman Candle (V2 Records) and Chris Stamey (produced Whiskeytown, REM, Yo La Tengo). Keegan also just finished playing 3 sold out shows in Chapel Hill, NC celebrating the finish of the record.

Musically (I probably say this word a lot, right?), the album oscillates between slow to mid-tempo folk rock pieces, with a little hint of country. I swear if you listen closely, you could hear sweet hints of The Shins and Dylan in Keegan's renditions, especially on tracks like "Please Tell The One I Love", and "Make Me A Bed" respectively. "More of You" is another pleaser, with clean guitar tones, strong vocals, and some rousing "too-roo-roop-too" backing vocals. Very recommended folks.

If you are in the Big Apple on the 29th, go see Keegan and the Sparrows at Sin-e. You might just have enough fun to make you happy. Here are some tracks from the new record.

Bed of Mercy
More of You
So High So Low
Come on Bryd
Christmas Light

Visit Keegan's website to stream the entire album. Also check out the band's myspace for more info.

Brian Wilson: Live at Carnegie Hall, October 13, 2004.

Legendary Beach Boy performs his "teenage symphony to God" (SMiLE) live at the Carnegie Hall. This set was recorded for the Creators at Carnegie broadcast series. Enjoy.

Our Prayer
Heroes and Villains
Roll Plymouth Rock
Barnyard
Old Master Painter/You are my Sunshine
Cabin Essence
Wonderful/Song for Children
Child is Father of the Man
Surf's Up
I'm in Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around
Workshop
Vege-tables
On a Holiday
Wind Chimes
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire)
In Blue Hawaii
Good Vibrations
(encore)
Do it Again (from I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, 1995)
Fun Fun Fun (Beach Boys hit)
Love and Mercy (single, released 1988)

Iron & Wine With Calexico: Live at the Triple Door, Oct. 22, 2005.

All the songs on this set, except for the covers, appear on the In the Reins EP, last year's magical collaboration between indie folk stalwart, Iron & Wine a.k.a. Sam Beam, and alt-country juggernauts and KNK favorites, Calexico. Musically, Sam Beam's quiet introspective melodies and Calexico's mariachi highlights are present and blended to pleasurable effect. Check out that EP if you haven't already (copies available from the market), it's worth every cent of your hard-earned peanuts.

Intro
He Lays In The Reins
Red Dust
Prison On Route 41
All Tomorrow's Parties (Velvet Underground cover)
History Of Lovers
Dead Man's Will
Wild Horses (Rolling Stones cover)

Arctic Monkeys: Live at Kultkomplex-Cafe, Koeln, January 17, 2006.

Pop quiz.
What will the Arctic Monkeys be remembered for?
a) their impact on file-sharing
b) their ability to induce yawning at live shows
c) their ability to scold yawning fans for yawning at live shows
d) "scummy man"
e) what people said they were, which no one knows if they really are

I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor
The View From The Afternoon
Still Take You Home
You Probably Couldn't See For The Lights But You Were Looking Straight At Me
Bigger Boys And Stolen Sweethearts
Dancing Shoes
When The Sun Goes Down (Scummy Man)
From The Ritz To The Rubble
Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But...
Mardy Bum
Fake Tales Of San Francisco
A Certain Romance
Outro

New Wilco Song: Live on Conan

Courtesy of The Best Songs Will Never Get Sung..., here's a new Wilco song played last night on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. For those of you in the City of Champions, Wilco visits us at the Jub auditorium on June 29th. Ticketmaster has tickets.

We Can Make It Better