Tomorrow night at The Fire in Fishtown there will be a whole slew of fantastic music making. One of my favorite Philly entertainers Chang Chang will be performing with Brooklyn’s Adams Castle & Me You Us Them. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the best way to pass your Thursday night.
To get your party started enjoy these track:
Choose To Get Loose – Chang Chang
Girls Love Coke, No Joke - Chang Chang
Quick Strike They Live - Ruin It (featuring Chang Chang)
If you have a soft spot for mandolin or an affinity for well crafted country ballads you should clear your calendar for May 27th . Yarn is a rare species of bluegrass group. While they sound and look like they’re fresh outta some Georgia backwater they actually reside in the hipster/indie hotbed of Brooklyn,NY. Despite the lack of overwhelming immediate influence for a typical blue grass ballad, or perhaps because of it, they produce a sound that out does most of their cohorts on the blue grass circuit. The fella’s have been paying their dues playing all sorts of interesting venues in the north east and finally they are coming to Philadelphia to play a gig at the Tin Angel on May 27th. The venue’s intimate setting will make this show you’ll one day say “I saw Yarn at a tiny little club way back when they were getting started” and momentarily look off into the distance with that look of fond remembrance of a night incredible music. Get you ticket quick because they are sure to sell out. See you there!
Sometimes I receive new tid bits I’m so in love with I have to numb my desire to write scads about how much I enjoy them and just get them posted to ignite your aural fires. It helps that tonight I am so beyond tired that writing a lot wouldn’t be doing anyone any favors.
First Up: Mark Mallman, my fellow Minnesotan and the front man for Ruby Isle, is releasing his new album Invinceable Criminal in August. Here is a track off said album – You’re Never Alone In New York as well as the cover of Boy In The Bubble MM did for the Buffet Libre Rewind. Mallman was a frequent visitor to our campus bar/music venue The Cave so I’ve seen him a bunch and every time is a little more frenetic than the last. I will certainly be hunting him down on his pending tour.
Next up: IAMXL. This man is quickly snatching up property on my summer remix playlist. His take on For The Longest Time has been on consistent replay and now he sends along this batch of wonders. Feist’s Mushaboom and Bloody Beetroot’s Warp are both given the IAMXL spin. Go here: Crack4dj’s.net to find out what other spectacular remixes he’s been throwing down.
One of the reasons I put the effort I do into maintaining The World In A Paper Cup is the incredible community of people involved in creating, producing, promoting, debating, supporting and sharing music. In the last six months I have met (both virtually and literally) some sincerely passionate, fascinating and knowledgeable music heads all with their own unique stories and perspectives to share. One such person is John Wood the man behind The Learning Music Series. You may recognize his name, he has manned the keyboards for a wide swath of act out there today (including Inara George, Sebastien Tellier, Mike Andrews etc). He is also a fervent supporter of all things creative.
In 2006 he began a collaborative effort to produce a homemade “album” a month. These initial efforts included cassette recordings, music videos, new material from electro, folk and pop artists, even a autobiographical musical contributed by a robot. The material isn’t limited to one genre or aural aesthetic. The only consistent thread is the high quality of intent and skill put into each piece. As the momentum grew the project became a live act performing with a revolving cast ranging from four to 20 musicians. Wood has tapped the talents of some of his friends in the Bird & The Bee, The Section Quartet, Beck and Obi Best to lend their hand to these performances. An experience that I have no doubt must be a sight to behold.
They still release an album a month on a sliding scale from $.01 for the digital edition to $59 for a beautifully packaged album with homemade cover art delivered to your door every month for a year. The 2009 series began in March so you’re not too far behind (and you can still catch up). The material thus far is astounding. My personal favorite being the single off of May’s album; 87 Year Old Brain. An enjoyable little morsel featuring hand clapping and sing songy harmonies that leave you wanting more. The full album is a collection of frequent LM contributor Jeff Eliasson’s favorites from the first LM series; re-recorded by Jeff and his band with Wood providing vocals. Listen to the single from April Electric Letter and you will get a sense of the variety these albums provide. Enjoy these two tracks but go and sign up for the full she-bang. It will be like Christmas coming every month when that Learning Music package is delivered.
*Art courtesy of Jeff Eliasson
Will Dailey, a singer/song writer who hails from Boston who has been hovering on my radar for a while, is finally breaking the surface of wider, much deserved, acclaim so I thought I’d do my job of keeping you in the loop on acts you need to know about.
Will’s voice has a fresh rasp to it which allows for a surprising degree of flexibility when delivering his work. This year he will release a new EP every three months, each with their own focus. So far, vol. 1 Fashion Of Distraction tossed a nod to the southern rock of the 70′s, captured perfectly on the track Piece of Mind. Vol 2. By The Blue Hills is a homage to his Boston musical roots. The vocal cameo’s that support the effort range from Kay Hanley (Letters to Cleo) to Tanya Donelly (Belly, Throwing Muses) to Elliott Easton (The Cars) and even Tim Brennan (Dropkick Murphys). The eight tracks on this EP prove his dedication to and respect for the musical community distinct to Boston. I’m particularly fond of Tomorrow Still Comes and the wonderful How Can I Make You Happy.
He is setting out on an East coast tour this month and you should really make an effort to see him. I’ll be at the World Cafe show on July 25th. See what you’ll be in for … watch him cover the Tears For Fears classic then go buy your ticket.
Enjoy this video of a track off of Vol 1.
Keep You A Mystery from Will Dailey on Vimeo.
A little while back I featured a video of an international “cover” of Stand By Me. Well, it turns out it is just one track of many featured on Playing For Change a recently released two disc CD/DVD. The project started in 2005 and has gone all around the world recording various musicians singing the selected tracks. Then the recordings are interwoven to create collaborative covers that really demonstrate that music is really a universal language. Starbucks [a company that has totally restructured itself in the last six months from world devouring coffee conglom to refocus on localized services and higher standards of service] has been promoting the CD at it’s POS and the Playing For Change team is continually working on new tracks and posting new video.
I am so beyond envious of these guys. I would love the chance to travel the world recording music. But until that check from winning the dutch lottery I keep getting emails about arrives I will have to make due with being the person who brings this good work to you.
This edition of remix rehash is a mixed bag of soul, pop, electro and awesome. A lot of heat was put on my in box this week and there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to sort through it all. I leave such insanity to my fellow manic dedicated efficient bloggers. However, there were a few that really grabbed my ear.
Gypsy Woman (mike Genius remix)
My current roommate and I are about to part ways and this track reminds we of him a little glammy a little old school a lot of fun. So it is for him I put this out there.
Little Secrets (Pepepe Remix)
There are a gajillion and one Passion Pit remixes out there right now. Some are pretty fantastic and deserve you seeking them out. I like this one because it tosses a little nod to Passion Pit’s first EP while still putting a wicked edge on their new track.
Hooligans (Don Diablo’s Drive By Disco Mix)
This has a little bit of a eighties pop punchyness to it. Another grand roll with Don Diablo
Make It Funky
This mix hit me so right this week. Coming to me courtesy of Cubik Musik it scratched a soul funk itch that was nagging me all week. I have had this on regular replay all week and has been instrumental in averting some crazy making melt downs.
Dance Dance Dance (Buraka Som Sistema remix)
I really can’t tell you how very very much I like this remix. It continues to find me at the absolutely best moments. Load it on your shuffle and let it speak to you as well!
Last Friday I made a trip up to New York to catch my first Wordless Music Performance. The show was in honor of the Japanese cinematic ambient rock group Mono’s 10th anniversary. For those of you unfamiliar with Wordless, as I was until the fantastic Ryan Hansen of Ryspace brought it to my attention, it is an on going series of concerts that explores the similarities, parallels and influences shared by “the sound worlds of classical and contemporary instrumental music” by presenting rock or electronic acts and classical musicians in tandem. As someone who actually lettered in orchestra I fully appreciate any kind of musical experience that brings orchestra into the fold. The musicalstylings of Mono were also relatively new to me as well so, on the whole it was a night filled with firsts. And as far as first anythings go that evening’s collection of them will not soon, if ever, be forgotten.
The show, held at the acoustically spectacular New York Society for Ethical Culture, opened with the premier of Arvo Part’s Symphony No. 4. A beautiful piece given life by the Wordless Orchestra conducted by Jeff Milarsky. It set a calm scene. Essential for the performance Mono was about to lay down.
The quartet, backed by a condensed version of the orchestra, played an hour plus set that quite simply defied my greatest expectations. Their regular sound is already unusually instrumental for a rock band so the inclusion of an orchestra was seamless and, for lack of a better word, epic. The 800 plus die hard Mono fans that had lined up around the block to get in were clearly transcended by the event. They four band members put everything they had out there. At one point the lead guitarist was on his hands and knees while a die hard fan hovered near by. Its an interesting experience, witnessing other people experience what may very well be their live musical apex. Even for someone like myself ,who may not have had an abundance of Mono exposure, the music that was created Friday night left me appropriately wordless.
If you’re already a classical fan the Wordless Series would be an superb way to get your fix of strings and timpani. If you’re looking for a comfortable way to ease into the genre then Wordless is the place for you. This is an endeavor I fully believe should be spread throughout the country. But if you’re lucky enough to be within easy NY travel distance, make it a priority. They have a Fiery Furnaces show coming up that I would highly recommend you put on your calendar.
**Photo by Teppei Takazawa
My mother is the person responsible for instilling in me a passion for three of life’s greatest things politics, books and music. She’s the one who always made sure Dire Strait’s Money For Nothing was playing every time we drove Glacier’s Going to The Sun Road. The one who expected me to know who played lead and who took vocals on all the Beatles tracks. The main supporter of my decision to feature the Fixin To Die Rag in my report on songs of protest in seventh grade. She came to my music listening competitions and has kept me on my toes with new music discoveries over the years. There have been times when music was the only way she and I could communicate. She sent me on the road to Philly (a move she referred to as “something I was doing to her”) with a mix CD series that broke my heart, made me laugh but let me know that, despite her inability to say so, she was proud of my independence. So, it is only natural that today I would honor her with a playlist that I know will speak volumes without me having to tell her much more than I wish I were on the deck with you at the lake right now.
•I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Damien Rice
•Tracks Of My Tears> Cupid > People Get Ready
Gavin DeGraw
•Into the Mystic
Tres Tangled Truckers (Jason Isbell, Caitlan Cary, Kevn Kinney, Dave Bartholomew)
•Mamma Mia
Miniature Tigers
•Beast Of Burden & Sweet Jane
The Kooks
•Always On My Mind
Ryan Adams
•These Days
Gregg Allman
•Tonight You Belong To Me
The Bird & The Bee
Today’s golden ticket? The flyer announcing the line up for Making Time’s Anniversary show! The Philly Dance Party institution will be 9 and to celebrate they’re bringing in the big guns…
Its going down Friday May 22nd at Pure Tickets $10 pre $12 door. Gettem at Last Drop Coffee House or a www.IGETRVNG.com
*Note the info isn’t live on their site yet but I’m sure it will be up soon. That’s right kiddos, you heard it here FIRST!
