Damien Jurado: Allocate (Track of the Week)

Seattle has produced some fine music over the years. One overlooked artist is Damien Jurado who has been churning out albums over the last 20 years. His just released 13th record is called The Horizon Just Laughed and it's fantastic. It sets a very chill mood with the opening track (featured below) and proceeds to slide one into a very romantic and sorely needed melancholy place.

I'll have to give this album a listen again in the fall as it would go well with that particular season.

The Road Still Leads To Utopia

The first concert I ever attended was in the summer of 1980. My dad was a big Todd Rundgren fan and his band, Utopia, was playing at Poplar Creek in Chicago. I had just turned 13 a few months before the show and my dad decided it was time for my rite of passage into the world of live music.

Todd's music had been a big part of my childhood. My dad played Something/Anything, Another Live, Hermit of Mink Hollow and Adventures in Utopia endlessly throughout the 1970's. I count these records as some of my favorite albums of all time. I was so massively excited to see them live I could hardly stand it! It was an amazing concert in a perfect outdoor setting. Seeing Todd and Utopia soon became an annual tradition for me and my dad.

When I lost my father in 1988 to alcohol addiction, Todd and Utopia's music comforted me on a regular basis. Their songs have always had a healing quality about them, including the solo Todd album of the same name. Every time I listened to their music, I thought about the good times with my dad and him not being there was just a little easier to bear. Over the years as I would see Todd live, I'd think about my dad and the music we shared together.

Memories of my father were quite strong last Saturday night in Milwaukee when I caught the much anticipated reunion of Utopia. Todd's band had not really played together as an official unit since 1992. They did warm up for Todd's full album tours in 2009 (minus Willie and with Prairie Prince on drums)  but it seemed less like a real Utopia show and more like a .brief dip into nostalgia. This current tour is a full on Utopia tour, complete with dazzling visuals and a complete musical history of the band. The set list for this tour starts at the beginning and winds its way through the band's whole history.

I was lucky enough to score a VIP ticket which came with a meet and greet before the show. Here's a picture of me and the boys. It was truly an honor to meet them. Michelle Rundgren, Todd's wife, organized this event and did a fantastic job of getting everyone photos with the band and autographs of anything they wanted signed.

Next, it was on to the show!

My VIP ticket got me in the fourth row to take in all the power and glory. I was dead center. I was close enough to get some great photos but far enough away that I could take in all the visuals. I remember wondering right before the show was about to start...would the band match up to their younger selves?

Bear in mind, I've seen Todd 20 times in concert, five of which were with Utopia and, given that they are all getting up their in years (minus Gil Assayas, their new keyboard player), I wondered how they would stack up to their previous shows.

From the opening minutes of the first song ("Utopia Theme"), I knew that they were going to COMPLETELY BLOW AWAY all the previous shows I had seen. They were ON from the very first note. It was shocking, to be quite frank.

A flood of wonderful memories opened up and poured out as they worked their way through both sets. The visuals, which were shovel to the head stunning, worked hand in hand with the note for note renditions of all their best tracks. All band members were energetic and polished throughout the entire 2 and 1/2 hour show. Here are some action shots of each band member.

High points for me were "Overture-Communion With The Sun," "Freedom Figthers," "I Will Wait," and "Rock Love." Kaz was amazing as always...the voice of an angel. It was great to see Willie behind the kit again...truly an amazing drummer who brings a ton of power and passion to each track. New band member Gil Assayas was remarkable, perfectly capturing the essence of Utopia's keyboard parts that are so integral to each song. And Todd was...well TODD! A rock legend...

As the show came to a close, I realized that my entire adolescence had played out in my mind, heart and soul.I felt the spirit of my father so very close to me.

Thanks, Todd, Kaz, Willie and Gil for a truly awesome night!

Matt and Kim: Happy If You're Happy (Track of the Week)

Matt and Kim are just a ton of fun. A friend of mine recently turned me on to them and I now officially love the heck out of this duo from Brooklyn. I've always been a hopeless romantic so the fact that their relationship fuels their music is completely fucking mega.

They just released their sixth full length album, Almost Everyday, and it's every bit as awesome as all the rest. Here's my favorite track...

DMA's: Tape Deck Sick (Track of the Week)

Sydney's own DMA's are back with another gorgeous love letter to Brit Pop. Their first EP and full length were a cross between The Stone Roses, The La's and Oasis. Their latest effort, For Now, offers more of the same with some explorations into new musical horizons. This band is a very underrated and hardly heard of on this side of the pond gem.

Here's the best track on the record. The last minute was tweaked to sound just like an old cassette tape!

Surprise! Sting Finally Makes a Good Album in the New Millennium

Poor Der Schtingelhoffer. He made five great albums with The Police and six great solo albums. Then, the millennium changed and he want to shite.

2003's Sacred Love sounded like he wanted to make the best Adult Pop album ever (barf!). Songs From The Labyrinth (2006) was his attempt at classical music. It sort of sucked.

Next we saw If on a Winter's Night which made us all realize that Sting could actually achieve a higher level of pretension, although I will say that living in Minnesota connected me with this record in a mildly melancholic way.

We'll skip Symphonicities (an ill advised dive back into classical music) and go straight to 2013's The Last Ship which was made for those folks who hang out in the sea shanty set. How many of them are there? Five? Off the coast of Ireland?

2016 saw return to almost form with 57th and 9th, his first actual pop/rock album since 2003. There were some decent tracks but it didn't really wow me like his earlier solo work did. It seemed like it could have been better if he had a decent collaborator which brings us to this year. I guess all he needed was a Shaggy.

44/876 is the latest album from Sting and Jamaican singer Shaggy. It is EXACTLY the album I have waited for from Sting in nearly 20 years. It has a decided Police vibe on many tracks as well as a return to the rhythms of Dream of the Blue Turtles. Shaggy has provided him with that extra bite that he needed to make a good record.

Yeah, there is a world music feel to it that perhaps causes a half star to removed from the final rating but who cares? I'm feeling summery and all 1983-1985 again and I'm loving it! Here's my favorite track...

A Place To Bury Strangers: Situation Changes (Track of the Week)

Is there such a thing as "Twin Peaks" music? If so, the New York City band A Place To Bury Strangers are darn good at making it. Their fifth full length, Pinned, hit the shops last week and its landscape is filled with sights and sounds directly from the mind of David Lynch. It's a great record to zone out to and contemplate your place in the universe. Here's my favorite track...

Sofi Tukker: The Dare (Track of the Week)

New York based music duo Soffi Tukker has just released their first full length albums after a series of singles and EP's. Treehouse is a veritable cornucopia of musical styles that delight the ears and inspire the mind. This album is a must for an 2018 playlist. Here's my favorite track...

The Eels: Bone Dry (Track of the Week)

I've been a fan of The Eels going back to their 1996 release, Beautiful Freak. They've made many great records since that time and their new one is stellar. The Deconstruction is their first effort in nearly four years after the band's front man E needed a break. Parts of it sound most Tweetyesque but my favorite track is vintage Eels. Check it out!

Gengahr: I'll Be Waiting (Track of the Week)

London's Gengahr release their second full length record last month and it's quite good. Where Wildness Grows is every bit as good as 2015's A Dream Outside in terms of its dudes-with-guitars dream pop quality. My favorite track is "I'll Be Waiting." Here's a live performance from Paris just last week.

Sunflower Bean: I Was A Fool (Track of the Week)

New York's own Sunflower Bean has released their second album. TwentyTwo in Blue, and it is magnificent. I've always been a sucker for wispy pop and this record really delivers in that department. Here is my favorite track...


 

The Fratellis: Sugar Town (Track of the Week)

The fifth album from Glasgow's fab band The Fratellis dropped last week on my birthday and I have been loving the crap out of it for the last week. In Your Own Sweet Time sees new musical avenues traveled by the trio including this new corker of a track, "Sugartown."



I can't wait to see them at First Avenue in May!

The Triumph of The Decemberists: I'll Be Your Girl

The city of Portland, Oregon has given the world many fine bands. One of them is The Decemberists who just released their eighth album, I'll Be Your Girl. It is a most triumphant record filled with soaring and anthemic pieces of music ("Once in My Life", "Tripping Along") that one would expect to hear as show closers at giant festival concerts.

But it also has introspective moments like my favorite track, "Cutting Stone."


This is a great record to kick off the Spring. Check it out!

The Joy of Vance Joy: Nation of Two

Sometimes a man just needs some folk music. It doesn't have to be autumn, right? And the artist doesn't have to be from the United States either. Melbourne's own Vance Joy fits the bill perfectly. His new album, Nation of Two, dropped last week and I highly recommend it for those of you who want a cure for the late winter blues.

The 13 track effort drips all the ups and downs of romance in an early Coldplay-type of fashion. It's just bloody magnificent. Go buy it!

Here's the opening track...

The Wombats Just Dipped Me In Honey

I've been a fan of Liverpool's The Wombats for more than a decade. They've made four great records and their latest, Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, is fantastic from start to finish. All of my favorite British bands tell great stories and the lads do a fine job of relaying tales of love, drunkenness, and the universe. All eleven tracks are ready made for pub singalongs and staring all misty like into a loved ones eyes. Here's my fave track, a throwback to psychedelic pop!

Going AWOL with Awolnation

Los Angeles' own Awolnation has just released a corker of a record entitled Here Come the Runts. This album is their third offering and is clearly their best. It's a veritable cornucopia of sonic experimentation. I suppose you could call it "Indie" but that's honestly too narrow of a definition. Every track is a different experience. One might sound like the Killers. Another sounds like Beck. And then the next is a late 1970's inspired acoustic rock pastoral.

Here's one of my favorite tracks but I recommend getting the whole record as it's an experience piece.

An Aural Explosion: I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life by Tune-Yards

A myriad of musical styles combine into a perfect stew on the new Tune-Yards LP, I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life. Is it art pop? World beat? Lo-fi? Indie pop? A perfect mix of all of the above. New Englander Merrill Garbus is the force behind Tune-Yards and for the last 9 years and now 4 records she has completely blown me away.

My "Tune-Yards" pattern usually goes something like this. I buy her new album. I play it. About half way in I say out loud, "This album is really fucking good." And then I play it over and over again, marveling at how amazing she is. Here is a recent performance of the opening track, "Heart Attack"


My favorite tracks are "Home" and "Colonizer" which I could not find on YouTube. Check both of those out and whatever streaming or download service you use. They are mega!

Breezy Dad Rock: Earthtones by Bahamas

2018 has gotten off to a great start in terms of new music and a shining example of this is Bahamas' new LP, Earthtones.

Bahamas is the stage of name of Toronto's own Afie Jurvanen. Earthtones is Jurvanen's 4th record and it's a corker for 50 year old dads like me (even though he is only 36). This album could have easily come out in the year 1973 with its soul dripped 11 magnificent tracks that instantly transport the listener back in time. My first listen to Earthtones made me nostalgic for my old, crappy Realistic brand AM radio that spewed WLS morning, noon and night right next to my bed throughout my childhood.

Here are my two faves off the record.

Top 20 Albums of 2017

20. Slowdive-Slowdive

After a 22 year absence, Reading's Slowdive returns with yet another late night, chill out dream pop masterpiece.



19. Pwr Bttm-Pageant

This band could do quite well in the early 1980s. The whole record is just fun!



18. Kasabian-For Crying Out Loud

Leicester's own turn out another great record. This one is even stronger than the last one. A real foot stomper!




17. Ride-Weather Diaries

I thought Ride was done 20 years ago. They weren't. Thank God. Their music is fucking beautiful.




16. Alvvays-Antisocialites

Toronto's Alvvays are a most welcome breath of fresh air to the music scene. This entire record is pop bliss. "Dreams Tonight made my Top 20 tracks of the year. Here's another cut that reminds me a great deal of Suzanna Hoffs.




15. The Charlatans-Different Days

The West Midlands of the United Kingdom can claim this gem of band that has brought us over 25 years of fab music. They started with baggy pants music, coasted through Brit Pop, and are still around churning out a new record every couple of years. Here's the title track.




14. Fazerdaze-Morningside

Amelia Murray from Auckland, New Zealand is the brain child behind this dreamy music. This is her first full length record and it's perfect for summer days at the lake.




13. Bruno Mars-24K Magic

Ah, Bruno...you are so awesome with this Morris Day kissed record. Kick it out, brother!




12. Run the Jewels-Rtj3

Killer Mike and El-P produced the track of the year with "Hey Kids." The whole album is an instant rap classic. Here's my other favorite track from the record.




11. Strand of Oaks-Hard Love

Timothy Showalter has proven that there are indeed good things that come from Indiana. This is his fifth record and it's an absolute gem. Here's a dreamy track that reminds me a great deal of Ryan Adams.





10. San Cisco-The Water

I wish this band from Freemantle, Western Australia could see massive success here in the United States. They had a decent shot back in 2011 and 2012 in my hometown in Minneapolis but they just didn't quite make it. They still are all the rage down under, though, and enjoy an indie following in the rest of the world.

Their latest record is just as good as their previous two. Here's a track.




9. Ryan Adams-Prisoner

Ryan Adams is the best artist from North America today. No one even comes close. His music deeply evokes the soul of the United States. He's a total and complete fucking genius and I cherish each release of music that he offers to the world.

His latest effort, a deep lament over his breakup with Mandy Moore, is yet another stunning achievement. The whole album is amazing and that's why I couldn't pick just one track for my Top 20 tracks list.




8. Beck-Colors

The new Beck album starts off sounding like the third Friendly Fires album that doesn't exist yet. As the album progresses he gets into more familiar territory but this new direction is most welcome.




7. Thundercat-Drunk

Thundercat is the stage name for LA's Stephen Bruner. He obviously spent a lot of time listening to Todd Rundgren because this album feels a lot like "Wizard, A True Star." I also hear some King Crimson in there as well as Smile-era Brian Wilson. And then, of course, his own unique oddness which is bloody magnificent.




6. Liam Gallagher-As You Were

Liam goes solo! And guess what? It's MEGA! Beady Eye was a nice band but Liam works well on his own just like his older bro. Here's a very Beatles-esque track....




5. Blaenavon-That's Your Lot

Next to The Blossoms, Hampshire's Blaenavon are the best new band in the UK. What a stellar debut record.




4. Stereophonics-Scream Above The Sounds

Kelly and the lads from Cwmaman, Wales return with a triumphant record that is their best since Language, Sex, Violence, Other. The music is cinematic in nature with a plethora of new stories set to strike deep in your soul. Here's one of them....




3. Noel Gallagher-Who Built the Moon?

Noel's third release is the finest of his now 5 year old solo career. What an epic piece of work! It's easy to recognize that he took a great deal of care with each track.




2. BNQT-Volume 1

What kind of album do you suppose Fran Healy (Travis), Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand), Eric Pulido (Midlake), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) and Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), backed by other members of Midlake (Jesse Chandler, Joey McClellan and McKenzie Smith) might make?

A fucking great one!

I'm always a little wary of supergroups but this one really worked. They had two tracks that made my Top 20 Tracks of 2017.




1. Childhood-Universal High

I've always been a sucker for soul music. It's so hopeful and stirs great optimism in me for the future. This is exactly why Nottingham's Childhood get the nod for album of the year. When their first LP (Lacuna)  came out in 2014, I thought it was great. They sounded like another great British Dream Pop band.

For their second album, front man Ben Romans-Hopcraft decided to take the reins and drive the project. The result is a 70's inspired soul album that evokes nostalgia for a bygone era. The only fault I can find in the record is that it's only 10 tracks and I wanted more. But that's just how many cuts would have been on a 70's soul album, right?

Top 20 Tracks of 2017

Hey folks, it's that time again...my Top 20 tracks of 2017. Counting down from 20...

First up is #20 and Westlake Village, California's own Foxygen with  "Follow the Leader," a stellar track that sends me right back to my days of listening to WLS on this really crappy AM radio I had. It sounds like it came out in 1979!



#19 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...Philly's own Strand of Oaks with fab track, "Radio Kids." There's an urgent story in this track that really hit me.



#18 on my Top 20 tracks of 2017...New Zealand's Fazerdaze with "Jennifer." A summery wisp of a track, this one was played quite a bit during tennis coaching and moonlit walks in July and August.

 

 #17 of my Top 20 tracks of 2017...Freemantle, Australia’s own San Cisco. This is from their 3rd LP, The Water. I really wish they would catch on here in the States more...

 

#16 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...super group BNQT with their 70s dripped track, "Unlikely Force." This could have easily been a soft rock hit in 1978. Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell handles the vocals and songwriting duties on this track.

 

#15 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...Portland's own Chromatics with "Shadow." There was no way I could make a Top 20 list without featuring a song from the Best TV show of 2017, Twin Peaks: The Return. Even though this track first came out in 2015, it set a certain tone for this year with the series revival and beyond.

 

#14 of my Top 20 tracks of 2017..."Wall of Glass" by Manchester's own Liam Gallagher. Obviously, I'm going to like anything the Gallagher bros do and it's pretty boss that we now basically get two Oasis albums every other year. But Liam did a great job with this track and the whole LP. Much better than Beady Eye. And it was great seeing him in the Main Room just a few weeks back!

 

#13 of my Top 20 tracks of 2017...Honolulu's Bruno Mars with "24K Magic." What a fun track!! It came out at the very end of 2016 so it doesn't really count for that year. I played it (and the whole record) constantly this year as it reminded me a great deal of The Time and Prince.

 

#12 of Top 20 tracks of 2017...Todd Rundgren and Donald Fagan with "Tin Foil Hat." In the first year of the Trump presidency, there is really no better track. This marks the first collaboration between two of my big music heroes. Perhaps Todd should fill in occasionally for the recently passed Walter Becker.

 

#11 of Top 20 tracks of 2017..."Tokyo" by LA's own Thundercat taken from his magnificent LP, Drunk. This song (and indeed the entire record) reminds me a great deal of the previous entry on my list, Todd Rundgren. This song makes me want to go to Tokyo!



#10 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017..."Wow" by Beck. Every album Beck makes is wonderful. Most of this record sounds like the 3rd Friendly Fires album that has yet to materialize. But this track is vintage Beck. So glad I finally got to see him this year!



#9 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...."The Man" by The Killers. Brandon Flowers and Co. are back with this (ahem) killer track. I want to sing this song to every woman I have ever known!



#8 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...Hampshire's own Blaenavon with "Let's Pray." Most reminiscent of the Smiths, this track off of their debut LP (That's Your Lot) was in heavy rotation with me this year. No doubt, one of the most exciting new UK bands....



 #7 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...West Midlanders The Charlatans with corker of a cut, "Hey Sunrise." I've been a fan of this band for over 25 years. They were a precursor to the '90s Brit Pop era and they've stayed strong for this entire time.



 #6 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...Toronto's own Alvvays with "Dreams Tonight." Hands down, the most beautiful track of the year. I'm always a sucker for romantic tales...



#5 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...another entry from the supergroup, BNQT. "Hey Banana" is a slinky, Jim Morrison-esque number sung by Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand). I really love this song...



#4 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017..."It's A Beautiful World" by Noel Gallagher. Noel has outdone himself with his latest LP, "Who Built the Moon?" This is my favorite track.



#3 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017..."California Light" by Nottingham's own Childhood. This band should run a clinic on how to remake yourself. Their first album was shoe gaze Brit pop. This track, from their 2nd LP, Universal High, is straight up soul and sounds bloody magnificent. Nearly the track of the year if it weren't for the top 2.



#2 of my Top 20 Tracks of 2017...Cwamaman, Wales' own Stereophonics with "What's All The Fuss About?" A most cinematic track from Kelly and the lads this time around. I like how the song just goes and goes until it doesn't.



And the #1 track of 2017...drum roll, please...."Hey Kids" by Run the Jewels. This track helped me a great deal throughout 2017 get through Donald Trump's first year in office. It's angry, irreverent, loud, obnoxious and wonderful. Killer Mike is a beast.

Remembering Tom Petty

I've started and stopped several posts about the passing of Tom Petty and each time I just don't get it right. Perhaps it's because his musical career has been so personal to my life. Up until the first time I saw Petty live in 1985, I'd mostly seen Todd Rundgren shows. I caught REM and Stevie Ray Vaughn in the summer of 1984 but that was really it. My live music experience was deeply Rundgrenesque.

In the summer of 1985, I was asked by a friend of mine if I wanted to see Petty at Alpine Valley. She had 5th row seats! Petty was touring his Southern Accents LP and it sounded completely amazing so I went. I really needed to go, actually, because that summer I had finally got Tom Petty.

My girlfriend and I had broken up a few months previous to the show and I found a great deal of solace in his music. His lyrics of lost love and his downright cool attitude were very appealing to me at the time and I became completely obsessed with his music as it made me feel better about losing my first, great love.


In many ways, Tom Petty was a slow boil for me. I loved "Breakdown" and "American Girl" when I was a kid. Damn The Torpedoes was a favorite of mine to play when I pretend DJ'd at the radio station where my dad worked. Hard Promises, at the time, had little impact on me. Long After Dark had a few tracks that were played extensively on MTV so I dug those quite a bit. "Change of Heart" struck me as being a solid rocker.

As the summer of 1985 started, I decided it was time to fully wallow about my lost love so I immersed myself in all of Petty's releases, including his just released Southern Accents. The summer of 1985 was the summer of Tom Petty.

Seeing him live for the first time that year was nothing short of extraordinary. He quickly became a mostly annual event in my life, making him my second most viewed live act behind Rundgren.

Below is the list of shows I have seen over the years complete with set lists.

June 23rd, 1985
June 27, 1986
June 19, 1987
February 20, 1990
September 10, 1995
August 3, 1999
July 23, 2008
June 22, 2010

I have very personal memories of each of these shows. The 1999 show was the one and only time my wife saw TP and she fell asleep! We found out later that she was pregnant with our first child. The 1986 show was the first show my younger sister had ever seen and we went as a whole family. I close my eyes and I can remember each of these 8 shows. I count myself as being very lucky having seen him that many times.

Tom Petty's catalog doesn't have a bad record. They are all amazing and I highly recommend each one. I could go on and on about what each album meant to me (and I may at some point in the future) but that would take away from the unique experience of remembering or discovering his music on an individual level He put 13 albums and various other songs out into the world to become part of YOUR life.

I only hope that his music means as much to you as it did and still does to me.

Note: The photos shown above are from the 2010 show. I took them personally