Some other drivel before the concert listings ...
Favorite Album that I bought in the last couple of weeks ....
Kind of Like Spitting's Bridges Worth Burning (Barsuk).
KOLS's fifth album for their fifth different label, although I think this will be more of permanent resting place, is another introspection from Ben Barnett. Ben has some acoustic moments, some electric rocking moments, and his penchant emotive vocals. My favorite track is probably, "Tyco Racing set and a Christmas story fifteen times." A heartfelt number about holiday depression. I don't think this album is any stronger than the previous KOLS, I think they all are pretty good. So, if you hated the last one, you will probably hate this one as well.
Recent Concerts -
I saw Doug Martsch on Monday at the Mercury Theater - a new Chicago venue for me. The sold out show was pretty good with Martsch playing about half covers and half Built To Spill/solo stuff. The covers were including classics from Queen, the Beatles, and David Bowie. Martsch played all the crowd pleasers, including the BTS/Caustic Resin hit, "Still Flat" An enjoyable show, so much in fact I bought his solo album.
Upcoming Shows -
OCT 11
Karate and Chris Brokaw @ Schubas
lowenstein @ beat kitchen

Oct 13
talent show performing songs of jawbreaker @ schubas

Oct 19
Songs:Ohia @ schubas

Oct 20
Jets to Brazil @ metro

Oct 21
Owen @ schubas
euphone @ empty bottle
lou barlow @ abbey

Oct 24
bob mould @ metro

Oct 26
Chris Mills @ schubas
pedro the lion @ schuabs
calexico @ abbey

Oct 27
Archer prewitt @ hideout

Oct 31
lambchop @ abbey

Nov 1
mountain goats, john vanderslice @ empty bottle
jayhawks @ fitzgerlads

Nov 2
Howe Gelb @ hideout

Nov 16
Pinetop 7 @ schubas

Nov 19
Hank Williams III @ metro

Nov 22
Mission of Burma @ metro

Nov 23
Dianogah @ hideout
Daniel Johnston @ intuit

Nov 30
Smog @ abbey
10:56 AM

Tuesday, October 15, 2002  
For the fans of Zum Audio...
Yvonne & Jeremy have just opened a store in San Francisco called OTSU. Their main focus is vegan-friendly footwear and accessories, but they are also carrying all the comics and music available at the zumonline store (www.zummedia.com) as well as cool handmade oddities. Their store is located at 3253 16th Street between Guerrero & Dolores. You can find more info about the store at www.veganmart.com.

12:26 AM

 
Some current music news and new releases...

Jets To Brazil scheduled to start an extensive US tour in support of their newly released Perfecting Loneliness was surprising cancelled today. Jade Tree sites illness as the cause of the cancellation. No more details were made available.

The music relationship that began with a near improv show at the Noise Pop Chicago show at the Double Door on May 14, 2000 is finally nearing a cd pressing. The relationship in question is none other than Jeff Tweedy and Jim O'Rourke. They have enlisted drummer Glenn Kotche, current Wilco drummer to keep pace for the band. They have decided on a name, Loose Fur, and will be playing live together in Brooklyn. CD is scheduled to be released in January.

For those of you who always though Songs: Ohia, Appendix Out, and Palace sounded similar, there is an interesting new release for you. Jason Molina, Ali Roberts, and Will Oldham the vocal driving force behind each of those respective bands have decided to join forces, under the name Amalgamated Sons of Rest. They have release their first CD on Galaxia Records. This promises to be an interesting release. I purchased today and will comment on its quality later
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12:22 AM

Wednesday, July 10, 2002  
Check out this news excerpt from pitchforkmedia. This is absolutely hilarious. Great journalism with a comic twist ...

Wilco/Minus 5 Album: Not Disney Enough!!
Lilo moons Scott McCaughey, Stitch takes dump on master tapes

Will Bryant reports:
Just one year after being ousted from Reprise's new release schedule with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the Wilco curse has apparently sunk this summer's planned release of the still-untitled collaboration between Wilco and Seattle supergroup The Minus 5. The record, which has gone under the working titles Down with Wilco and Bored at the Bed-In, was tentatively scheduled for a late summer release on Mammoth Records before the ex-indie was shuttered by the Walt Disney Co. and its operations folded into sister label Hollywood Records. According to a report in Entertainment Weekly, Mammoth has officially dumped the album. Check this priceless quote from former Mammoth exec Rob Seidenberg: "Down with Wilco isn't the sort of album that's going to chart high... it's great music that will require real attention in terms of publicity and marketing." You said it, Rob! Great music doesn't sell itself!

Oh wait, I forgot-- it totally does!! Remember when that other Wilco album was released earlier this year, jackass? The one that debuted at #13 on the Billboard charts, racked up more than 55,000 sales in its first week and seem poised to hit White Stripes-comparable numbers before the end of the year? How are those Schatzi and 3rd Strike records moving for you, guys? We couldn't help but notice that Best of Fastball greatest-hits collection on your August release list.
10:20 PM

Monday, July 08, 2002  
Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, Futurama, and the "Life in Hell" comic strips, has been tapped by festival promotors to curate the U.S. edition of next year's All Tomorrow's Parties festival, to be held next June in Los Angeles. Previous curators include Thurston Moore and Steve Albini.
9:58 PM

 
Wilco will appear on Conan O'Brien on July 17, 2002. Check it out...
9:48 PM

 
Chicago record label Thrill Jockey is turning 10. So, where will label filled with Chicago bands celebrate its 10 year birth day? Yep, you guessed it NYC. This is the second time in a month that the windy city has been dissed by its regulars. "I am Trying to Break Your Heart", the documentary about the making of Chicago hero's, Wilco, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" premiers in NYC on July 26.

I guess Chicago is going to continue its rep as the "Second City".
9:45 PM

 
So, I saw Jets to Brazil this Saturday at the Empty Bottle. A great show in which they played all the greats from Orange Rhyming Dictionary and Four Cornered Night, but also may tracks from their yet to be released Perfecting Loneliness. They had a perfect balance of new stuff and old stuff which led to a truly great concert. JTB have finished the recording Perfecting Loneliness and it will be released on October 15th. Perfecting Loneliness will be issued in two formats: a double platter of record LPs made from vinyl and a single compact disc, made from aluminum and prismatic refractors. Hopefully it is more like ORD, than FCN, but either way it will see its way into my collection come October.
9:21 PM

Tuesday, July 02, 2002  
For the modest mouse fans out there, check out yesterday's news (July 1).

Isaac Brock, frontman for Modest Mouse, was arrested at the Canadian border last week while touring with his side project, Ugly Casanova. On Sunday, June 23, the band had the day off and Brock, along with his girlfriend, visited Niagara Falls and had problems upon their return into the United States. According to a statement made by the band’s publicist, “he was kind of a wiseacre with one of the border guards, which prompted them to do a little background checking on him. And he had some unresolved kind of legal deal in Oregon, where he lives. So, they held him until they could figure out what to do between the state of Oregon, and the state of New York, where he was being held.” While Brock was in police custody, he was forced to miss two scheduled shows at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom, and plans to reschedule those shows have not been announced. Brock was released from police custody on Friday, June 28 and the details surrounding his legal issues have not been released. [news from the ]

9:26 PM

Monday, July 01, 2002  
So, I saw GBV at the Metro over the weekend. After seeing them countless times before (remember I went to school in Dayton, OH), I had reason to believe this show was going to be different. They were touring for the first time since being dropped from the major label contract. More importantly, I heard that Bob had softened his liquor intake at the live shows. Well, the more things change the more things stay the same. Guided By Voices entered the stage, with the packed house chanting, "GBV!! GBV!!" - Quick digression, are there any other bands that are frequently referred to by the initials, I cannot think of any.

Anyway, Bob still carried a cooler out on stage and proceeded to drink no less than 12-pack and a quarter of bottle of whisky in the 1 and half hour set. So, the booze is still prevalent. The patented high leg kick and slur by the end of the evening were all present.

A few other colorful comments about the show.... The show started out with GBV playing their new album Universal Truths and Cycles in its entirety. About mid-way through the album, someone screamed, "Bull shit." Bob Pollard a little perturbed by the scream, fought back, "Why don't you go back to Naperville you loser." After another song, Bob pointed out the distraught fan again, this time calling him on stage, "tonight only I will let you blow me for free, get up on stage you asshole." The fan came to the front of the stage, Bob faked a kick at the guy, then pulled the guy up on stage. They talked for a few minutes then Bob said into the mic, "apparently there has been some sort of mistake, this guy was saying old shit, not bull shit. So, sorry about that, our second set will be all old shit."

The second set did have several songs from Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, Under the Bushes Under the Stars, and one track off of Propeller.

All in all a good show, that was nothing if not entertaining.
1:55 PM

Monday, June 24, 2002  
Here are some cool concerts that are coming up:

Guided By Voices at Metro (Chicago) on June 29
L'Altra at the Empty Bottle (Chicago) on July 2
Jets to Brazil at Empty Bottle (Chicago) on July 6
Pedro the Lion at Abbey (Chicago) on July 8
Lonesome Organist @ Empty Bottle (Chicago) on July 12
Sweep the Leg Johnny @ Empty Bottle (Chicago) on July 13
Alejandro Escovedo @ Abbey (Chicago) on July 19
Minus 5 @ Metro (Chicago) on July 25
american analog set @ schubas (chicago) on july 27
wilco, preston school of industry @riveria (chicago) on August 2, 3
dianogah @ abbey (chicago) on August 3
10:58 PM

 
Alright. Now I am blogging. Cool stuff to follow.
10:47 PM