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  • A look back at Pavement

    Sunday February 7, 2010 3:44 PM By Emily Hulme

    Will Eno has a fantastic profile of the soon-to-be reunited Pavement over at Relix. It's a must read.

    I really like the part of the article where Eno parses "Silence Kit," which, gun to my head, I would say is my favorite Pavement song.

    Also, I liked this quote:

    [Bob] Nastanovich, ever bright and sunny, is excited and slightly apprehensive, as the band will probably be playing to larger audiences than they were ever used to: “Since the band stopped, I think we’re more popular than we were when we actually existed.”

    This idea reminds me of how everyone reacted when the Pixies reunited. I hope this goes better than that.

    Tags: Pavement, Silence Kit, Not Silence Kid, Bob Nastanocivh, Pixies

  • Music news: Ronson, Beach House

    Tuesday February 2, 2010 5:47 PM By Emily Hulme

    • Mark Ronson is coming back with a follow up to 2007's "Version" this spring or summer, the producer told NME. That's a UK publication, so there's no guarantee that the album will make it to the states, but "Version" was well received here, so I don't see why the sophomore effort wouldn't be released here too. Ronson says that this album will be all original compositions, as opposed to the covers of "Version" and there will be no horns. I'm still psyched to hear it.

    • Beach House has a Daytrotter session up now. It's lovely. Go listen.

    Tags: Mark Ronson, Version, Beach House, Daytrotter

  • Live review: Ebony Bones @ Mercury Lounge, Jan. 26, 2010

    Wednesday January 27, 2010 3:10 PM By Emily Hulme

    Ebony Bones has been touring the world in support of an album that is only available in the UK for a few years now. I saw her at CMJ in 2008, and which was just a magical experience – though even at the time I put that down to it being 4 am, and having danced the night away to 6 hours of awesome music.

    So I am pleased to report that Ebony is just as awesome when she rocks at 8 pm.

    It was just an incredible live experience. Looks first, because they were a striking foundation for what is to follow. Each band member has their own outlandish style, from the sax player in a harlequin outfit to the shirtless guitarist crowned with some sort of ancient Egyptian headpiece. Her two back-up singers (who also danced like possessed maniacs and played percussion with spoons and whisky(?) bottles) just looked demented in crazy wigs and matching baby-doll dresses in African tribal patterns. They were my favorite part of the performance besides Ebony herself — who was a sight to behold. Over a hot pink unitard, she wore a leopard print structured jacket and mini skirt. She wore a rubber ring around her neck — rocked it — and her hair was teased as high as the sky.

    This was the canvas on which a totally kick ass performance was built. She and her band spewed out energy as she sang songs about addressing the Orwellian existence that is modern life. Which sounds like kind of a downer, but it was epically danceable. It was punk rock and subversive in a way that Lady Gaga only wishes she was.

    Her music is doom and gloom in a very satisfying way. She pulled out two covers that nicely complimented her set: “Another Brick in the Wall,” by Pink Floyd and “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” by the Stooges. And, in case you’re wondering, she avoided my pet peeve and made them entirely her own.

    And she got everyone dancing — which in at Mercury is a rare sight. Her crew created a party atmosphere before the show even started, passing out whistles and Mardi Gras masks. A few people, obviously already hip to the awesomeness, were dressed in costumes. I think I saw some pirates ... it was hard to tell but it was more than skinny jeans and ironic T’s (which, full disclosure, was exactly what I wore).

    She’s playing Southpaw Feb. 13, and I highly recommend going. I don’t want to throw out Best Show of the Year in January, but I will say that Ebony Bones is exactly what music in 2010 needs more of.

    Tags: Ebony Bones, Live Review, George Orwell, Lady Gaga, Another Brick in the Wall, Pink Floyd, I Wanna Be Your Dog, Iggy Pop, The Stooges

  • 'Harvest Moon' everybody sings

    Tuesday January 26, 2010 12:16 PM By Emily Hulme

    Bon Iver and St. Vincent recently covered Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" at a Brooklyn benefit for the Haitian relief effort.

    Which put me in the mind of Elliott Smith's cover:

    And here's the original:

    Who else has covered it? Well, we've got Ben Gibbard, Cassandra Wilson and Pearl Jam, for starters. With the exception of Wilson, it seems like everyone approaches their cover version the same way — which I think is the most boring way to do a cover. As a commenter on the Awl astutely said, in reference to Justin Timberlake's telethon performance of "Hallelujah":

    Too many people covering songs with the same chord structure and form as the originals, essentially saying “I love this song and so does everyone else, and I know there’s plenty of recordings out there for anyone who wants to hear it, but you know what it really needs? MY VOICE.” If you like a song, go sing it Karaoke or buy it for Rock Band.

    I wish I said that.

    Also, I didn't mean for this post to turn into a bash on all the above mentioned artists — except for maybe Pearl Jam; I can't stand Eddie Vedder. Actually, I'm not too hot on Ben Gibbard either. But I do really like the singers, St. Vincent and Bon Iver, who occasioned this post. And who can knock Elliott Smith?

    Alright. I'll call it: This post has totally gotten away from me. Time to end it.

    ETA: Another party heard from: Kevin Barnes from Of Montreal has also done a cover version. Verdict: He makes it his own.

    Tags: Harvest Moon, Bon Iver, St. Vincent, Neil Young, Elliott Smith, Ben Gibbard, Cassandra Wilson, Pearl Jam, Justin Timberlake, Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen, Eddie Vedder, Death Cab for Cutie



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