Instrumental Analysis

So at the suggestion of my roommates, I went ahead and uploaded the new version of iTunes for the Genius Playlist feature. I decided to give it a try and see what it could do. I based it on Anthem In’s “Down” and posted the results below. The list has links for the songs I could get away with posting among the full 25 song list.

Anthem In – Down
Grizzly Bear – Knife (Covered by CSS)
The Republic Tigers – Fight Song
Mew – The Zookeeper’s Boy
VHS Or Beta – Can’t Believe A Single Word
Pinback – Good To Sea
Foals – Olympic Airways
Bell X1 – Rocky Took A Lover
Built To Spill – Liar
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Oregon Girl
Sigur Ros – Hljomalind
The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations
Rilo Kiley – Close Call
The National – Secret Meeting
Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s – Skeleton Key
Phoenix – Consolation Prizes
Interpol – Public Pervert
Yeasayer – 2080
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Modern Mystery
Mates Of State – Get Better
Minus The Bear – Burying Luck
Rogue Wave – Like I Needed
Low vs. Diamond – Don’t Forget Sister
Minipop – Like I Do
The Broken West – Hale Sunrise

In my opinion, it seemed to do a fairly decent job. It did choose two songs by the same artist, but it made a couple of interesting transitions. It also picked a few of very well known songs from artists, but overall seemed to stretch out what songs to choose. It didn’t venture very far outside of the indie rock genre, which is my one big drawback with it. Overall, I’d rate it a B- as playlist making goes, but bearing in mind that a mere program chooses the songs, it seems pretty good. Just goes to show you that a human with a good ear and lots of great music still rules over all, so no need to worry about people getting replaced wherever good music needs to be shared with the public.

By the feel of the temperatures outside, winter is coming fast. Supposed to be a great weekend. Halloween is upon us and that makes for some interesting shows.

Not much going on as far a multiple city stops for bands, but there are a few highlights:

The biggest band in the world, Coldplay is coming back through the area, playing DC Halloween night at the Verizon Center and Philly at Wachovia Center Saturday.

Henry Rollins is out on a spoken word tour, sure to be a heavy political riff this time around. Sunday, catch him at the First Unitarian Church in Philly, then Monday, day before election day, he hits the Birchmere in suburban DC.

Castanets is spending the entire weekend in eastern PA. Catch them with Dylan Metrano & Paper Birds at Suba Thursday in Harrisburg. Granville Theather hosts them Friday and Saturday they are in Kutztown at Eckhaus Gallery.

mp3: Castanets – All That I Know

Jaguar Love is sporting two shows in the area. Thursday at the Black Cat, see them with Japanese artists Polysics. They are also joined by Black Gold. Saturday, Jaguar Love is in West Chester, PA at a new venue, The Note.

mp3: Jaguar Love – Highways of Gold

Thursday

Known for his work with Television (the band, not the medium), Matthew Sweet and other, Richard Lloyd is a great solo artist in his own right. See him in a small venue, The Manhattan Room in Philly, with South Jerseyites Stars Apart and locals Greyhounds.

Singer-songwriter Amos Lee, originally from the Philly area, makes a homecoming tour stop at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. Those in the DC area can catch him Monday at 9:30 Club.

The Tings Tings are hitting south central PA with a show at The Chameleon in Lancaster. This is sure to be a great show.

The Omaha music scene is well represented at The Barbary in Philly as scene mainstay and Saddle Creek artist Neva Dinova take the stage. City-mates and Team Love artist McCarthy Trenching open.

mp3: The Ting Tings – Traffic Light (Daytrotter)
mp3: Neva Dinova – Clouds
mp3: McCarthy Trenching – Cassette Tape Massacre
mp3: Greyhounds – No Slogans in 76

Friday

The joys of Halloween on a weekend. Costume parties are everywhere, so put on your best outfit and enjoy the night.

Of Montreal is at the Electric Factory with Gang Gang Dance. This is one hell of a party.

Another Philly party features local faves Man Man, joined by Tim Fite and Pit Er Pat at the Starlight Ballroom. Costumes are required! (Maybe just highly recommended).

Junior League is having their own party down at IOTA with Massachusetts band The Resurrectionists.

And don’t forget about Hoots & O’Death at Johnny Brenda’s!

mp3: Of Montreal – ID Engager
mp3: Gang Gang Dance – House Jam (XXXChange Remix)
mp3: Man Man – Top Drawer
mp3: Tim Fite – Forty Five Remedies
mp3: Junior League – Puppeteers

Saturday

If you are partying in AC for the weekend, head to the Borgata for former Talking Heads front man and world music afficianado David Byrne.

Philly’s Drink Up Buttercup is heading outside the home area and playing a show with Bishop Allen at Black Cat. Also on the bill is Electric Owls from North Carolina.

IOTA has another great local line-up with Deleted Scenes, Feral Kids and Nunchucks.

mp3: Bishop Allen – Middle Management
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup – Young Ladies
mp3: Deleted Scenes – Fake IDs
mp3: Feral Kids – Wild Women

Sunday

Haven’t heard much from Jersey native Danielson since his last release in 2006. The wait is finally over as a new album is due out soon (Trying Hartz now available for pre-order). Catch him at 941 Theater in Philly with Cryptacize.

Chicago’s Horse in the Sea and Idaho’s Finn Riggins play the Manhattan Room.

Down in the DC area, 9:30 Club has Hercules and Love Affair, while Jammin Java has a good set featuring Seabird and Ten Shekel Shirt.

mp3: Danielson – Animal In Every Corner
mp3: Cryptacize – No Coins

O’Death and Hoots & Hellmouth. Scaryish names, not so scary music. They are playing back-to-back shows at Johnny Brenda’s for your Halloween pleasure. Don’t worry about the 70’s freaks downstairs, unless you are one of them (yeah, 70’s costume party Friday). The good stuff is happening upstairs. Friday, Hoots is headlining the show, then the switcheroo happens for Saturday with O’Death closing out the night. Each night also has a different opener. Friday, Pepi Ginsberg is slated to start of the holiday activities. Saturday, The Extraordinaires make sure the post-candy hangover is completely shaken off.

mp3: O’Death – Lowtide
mp3: Hoots & Hellmouth – Rattle These Bones
mp3: Pepi Ginsberg – In My Bones (Daytrotter)
mp3: The Extraordinaires – The Chicken The Egg or The Song

Over the past month or so a few local acts made the trip out to Rock Island, Illinois and recorded a few songs for the fine people at Daytrotter. If you don’t know about Daytrotter, here’s the deal. Up and coming artists and some well-established acts record usually a four song studio session, some songs off of their albums and some rare gems of covers and unreleased material you can only find there. The songs are then posted for the entire world to enjoy along with a well written piece on the band and some great artwork.

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

Baltimore’s Wye Oak made the stop recently, recording two off of the great album If Children, and two unreleased songs not found on any album. The first song, “Mary Is Mary”, was written after a body was found behind the band’s house in Baltimore. The second unreleased track, “Remember, Above”, written right before the session, includes flood-inspired imagery after an aborted attempt to get into an underwater Iowa City. The album tracks include a great version of “Family Glue” and “Archaic Smile”, usually not heard live on the road. (Session link)

mp3: Mary Is Mary (Daytrotter)

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

DC’s These United States had already done a session back in 2007. While on the Crimes release tour this fall, they made another trip to the studio during one of their midwestern swings. Putting down two from A Picture… and two from Crimes, it was a perfect balance of new and old. “Burn This Bridge” and “First Sight”, a song used in the first session, but this time with a full band, are excellent versions. The new album tracks recorded include “West Won” and “We Go Down to That Corner”. (Session link)

mp3: West Won (Daytrotter)

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

Philly’s folk-jam heroes Hoots & Hellmouth also ventured westward early this fall and put together a great four-song set. Three tracks come from their self-titled album, while the fourth is unreleased. Forks & Knives kicks off the set, then rolls into Home for Supper. Rattle These Bones, one of the earliest H&H creations, is the third song in the rotation, followed by an unreleased song, You and All Of Us, which tells us “Wherever you go, there you are…and so’s the rest of us! Embrace your community, wherever it may be and whomever it may include. To borrow a phrase, “Dismantle globally, renew locally.”” (Session link)

mp3: You and All of Us (Daytrotter)

With everyone going to or coming from CMJ in New York, the IA region has a ton of shows coming through the area. Not many multiple city stops to tell you about, but plenty of local and one-off shows.

Toronto’s Born Ruffians is one of the bands making multiple stops. They are on tour with fellow Canadians Plants & Animals. Friday, they take on DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel. For the remainder of the weekend, sBach joins the fray for shows at Talking Head Saturday and Johnny Brenda’s Sunday.

mp3: Born Ruffians – Hummingbird
mp3: Plants & Animals – Faerie Dance
mp3: sBach – 1

Some of Billy Bragg’s best music came from his time collaborating with Wilco. The Watson Twins have teamed with Jenny Lewis for some great music. Both are now doing their own thing and sharing the stage at the Keswick Theater in Glenside Friday. DC and Baltimore gets them Monday at 9:30 and Tuesday at Ram’s Head Live.

mp3: The Watson Twins – Sky Open Up

San Francisco’s Deerhoof is back with a new album and is playing Philly for the first time in almost 3 years. You can catch them at the First Unitarian Church Saturday and the 9:30 Club Sunday with fellow bay-area residents Experimental Dental School and Brooklyn’s Flying.

mp3: Deerhoof – Offend Maggie

The Magnetic Fields are out on tour in support of Distortion, their highly regarded release from earlier this year. Saturday they are in Philly at the Merriam Theater, then head to Lisner Auditorium on the GW campus in DC.

mp3: Magnetic Fields – Please Stop Dancing

It’s a homecoming of sorts for K records artist Mirah. Born in Philly, she moved and began her music career in the Pacific Northwest. She is playing the First Unitarian Church on Friday and the Black Cat Saturday. Joining her are Vancouver’s No Kids.

mp3: Mirah – Cold Cold Water
mp3: No Kids – Old Iron Gate

Friday

The loudest band in New York is coming back to Philly for a show at Johnny Brenda’s. Bring your earplugs as A Place to Bury Strangers takes the stage. Joining them is Philly’s own psychedelic garage rock artists The Cobbs. Take the pop sensibilties of The Kinks and throw in Brian Jonestown Massacre with some psyche guitar and viola, The Cobbs. And a new album is in the works, so expect some fresh material.

New material is also forthcoming from Philly’s Canadian Invasion. Expect a new album sometime in February. You can catch them at The Fire.

John Wesley Harding’s (Wesley Stace is his born name) music is obviously heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. Why else would he take his perfomance name from a Dylan album. But he also draws comparisons to Elvis Costello. Now also a published novelist, he is set to release a new album in March (a digital release through his website will be available for Christmas). He is playing the Tin Angel in Philly.

Rounding out Friday is Le Concorde from Chicago at the M-Room and singer-songwriter Andy Laird at Milkboy Acoustic.

mp3: A Place to Bury Strangers – My Weakness
mp3: The Cobbs – Say You Never Knew Me
mp3: Canadian Invasion – Standing on the Shoulders of John Mayer
mp3: Le Concorde – Parallel Lives

Saturday

Low Red Land, our friends from the San Francisco Bay, is in the area at The Red & The Black. Head on over and see why we like these guys so much.

Over at Dahlak, you can catch another Bay area act Michael Zapruder and New York’s Porter Block.

DC9 is showcasing Mother Mother from Vancouver.

mp3: Low Red Land – Better Angels
mp3: Michael Zapruder – Ads for Feelings

Sunday

Known for their satirical and mostly stupid punk songs, Dead Milkmen are Philly originals. Now they are officially reuniting and playing a sold out show at First Unitarian. They are then heading down to Austin for the Fun Fun Fun Fest the first weekend of November. Anyone going with an extra ticket? I really want to see this.

More Philly originals are also performing Sunday. Hoots & Hellmouth are in Phoenixville at The Colonial Theater as part of the Flower Power Music Festival. At the M-Room The Swimmers are joined by New Yorkers The Figgs.

Baltimore darlings Wye Oak and Caleb Stine are playing a hometown show at Metro Gallery.

Over at the Ottobar, The XYZ Affair shares the stage with E Joseph and the Phantom Heart, who sound hauntingly like Echo & The Bunnymen and locals FFHH and Person Parcel (members of Gary B & The Notions).

Down at DC9, Norwegians The Royalties and Professor Pez perform.

mp3: Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl
mp3: Hoots & Hellmoth – Rattle These Bones
mp3: The Swimmers – St. Cecilia
mp3: The Figgs – Breaking Through These Gates
mp3: Wye Oak – Warning
mp3: Caleb Stine – Devil
mp3: The XYZ Affair – Little Fool
mp3: FFHH – The Body

CMJ is going on strong, so that means plenty of shows heading towards NYC or on their way back. Either way, more for us in the IA region. Like always, Thursday has plenty to see.

Forget the British Invasion of the ’60s. The 2000s are having a Swedish invasion. Tonight and tomorrow, you can catch three of the best singer-songwriters Sweden has to offer. Ane Brun and Tobias Froberg are joined by former native Theresa Andersson, now calling New Orleans home, at the Tin Angel in Philly Thursday. They then have a great small venue show at IOTA Friday.

New albums abound for Minus the Bear and Annuals. Taking their new material to a venue near you, they are with Sylvie at the TLA in Philly.

The Rosebuds just released a new album and The Oranges Band are gearing up for a release of their own. Catch them at the Black Cat.

Wilkes-Barre is not a hot bed for indie music, but An Albatross breaks out of the coal fields with a new release and a show with Yip Yip at Talking Head.

Delta Spirit is at Johnny Brenda’s, while Michigan’s The Hard Lessons go local with The City Veins at IOTA. Finally, at DC9 is New Englanders The Everyday Visuals, The Public Good and Gary B & The Notions.

mp3: Minus the Bear – Knights (Daytrotter)
mp3: Annuals – Sore
mp3: The Oranges Band – Sweater Weather
mp3: An Albatross – The Revolutionary Politics of Dance
mp3: Yip Yip – Candy Dinner
mp3: Delta Spirit – Bleeding Bells (Daytrotter)
mp3: The Hard Lessons – The Sound of Coming Down
mp3: The City Veins – Toe the Line
mp3: Gary B. & The Notions – Lori

Last year around this time, Austin’s quirky instrumentalists The Octopus Project released their latest full length album, Hello Avalanche. Since then they have toured extensively and made some great animated videos for a couple of songs from the album, the latest video for “An Evening with Rthrtha” released in August. A couple months have passed and it is time for another video and other tour, albeit a short one. The band tapped Austin illustrator Divya Srinivasan, who has also worked with Spoon, Sufjan Stevens and They Might Be Giants, to create the video for “I Saw the Bright Shinies”. The tour takes them through the IA area on their way to CMJ then to Massachusetts, Canada, Ohio and Missouri before heading back home.

10/21: Baltimore @ Sonar
10/22: DC @ Black Cat
10/23: Philly @ The M Room

mp3: I Saw The Bright Shinies

The Octopus Project “I Saw The Bright Shinies” from Peek-A-Boo Records on Vimeo.

We’re having our first ever NYC/CMJ show tonight at Crash Mansion. The showcase is co-hosted by our friends at Sidecho Records. Details are above and a little mix is below. If you’re around town, stop by and say hi.

Via Audio – Developing Active People
Middle Distance Runner – The Sun and Earth
Murder Mystery – Love Astronaut
1090 Club – Second Hander
Michael Zapruder – Ads For Feelings
The Johns – Shake It

Ingrid Michaelson’s third release, Be OK, is not really a studio release. Put together with some new tracks, covers and live recordings, it is a benefit project with a portion of the proceeds going to Stand Up To Cancer. Released last week on her own label Cabin 24 Records, Be OK is more stripped down than last year’s Girls & Boys. This can be attributed to the inclusion of three live tracks and an acoustic version of the title track as well as most of the songs sticking with a single instrument, whether it a guitar or piano and Ingrid’s strong melodies. “The Chain”, recorded live and a fan favorite at shows, is perhaps the strongest song, using harmonies in a three-part round perfectly. Sometimes using other’s material is a good thing. Taken from a Daytrotter session, her piano and vocal version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” lends to the imagination a chanteuse in a smoky lounge on her elbow on top of a piano singing with all she’s got. This is how it would sound if Elvis was female. With covers and live tracks making up a good bit of the album, it comes as more of a stop-gap between bigger things. However, Be Ok is a worthy venture and stands up very well on its own merits.

To go along with the album, the Be OK national tour begins rolling along in Staten Island at the end of October. Those of us in the IA area will have to wait until the end of the tour in November, the week of Thanksgiving.

11/23: Philly @ TLA
11/25: Alexandria @ The Birchmere

mp3: Be OK

Another weekend, another set of great shows. Here’s the lineup.

Parts of Swervedriver, Interpol and The Album Leaf join to create Magnetic Morning. Lead singer Adam Franklin seems to be everywhere, doing solo work, reuniting with Swervedriver and working with MM. They will be performing in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel Friday night and Johnny Brenda’s in Philly Saturday. Joining them is Springhouse. Also on board for the DC how is Julie Ocean and The Jet Age.

mp3: Magnetic Morning – At A Crossroads Passive
mp3: Julie Ocean – At The Appointed Hour
mp3: The Jet Age – O Calendar

Cold War Kids are on tour in support of their recently released new album Loyalty to Loyalty. Catch them at TLA Friday and 9:30 Club Saturday with A.A. Bondy.

mp3: Cold War Kids – Bullies Always Win
mp3: A.A. Bondy – Theres a Reason

Also doing multi-city stops is indie-popsters The Little Ones. Friday at the Khyber New Motels is the opener. Sunday at DC9, they are joined by Via Audio and locals Pash as well as The Postelles.

mp3: The Little Ones – Morning Tide
mp3: New Motels – Modern Thinkers
mp3: Via Audio – Modern Day Saint
mp3: Pash – Kill The Rich Boys II

Shiny Toy Guns can be found at Sonar Saturday and North Star Sunday. If you like a loud show, this is one to see.

Screen Vinyl Image is at the Metro Gallery with The Water, Luxa and Monocle. Saturday, you can catch SVI at the Velvet Lounge with Black Nite Crash.

Friday

Wilmington’s own The Spinto Band is having a CD release party at the First Unitarian Church. Joining in on the fun is The Swims with their raucous stage manner and infectious pop songs and Scots Frightened Rabbit.

San Francisco’s Citay is in Philly for a show at Johnny Brenda’s. Their sound is described as dreamy shoegaze with ethereal vocals and layered acoustic guitars. Two local acts round out the night. Gianmarco Cilli, part of National Eye and a great act from the Philly folk scene, and East Hundred are also set to perform.

Over at the World Cafe, Jonatha Brooke takes the stage.

Keeping it local at the North Star, Wilmington’s The Sky Drops perform.

Sweden’s Blackstrap is in the midst of a North American tour. Catch them at DC9.

mp3: The Spinto Band – Summer Grof
mp3: The Swims – We Need Lava
mp3: Citay – First Fantasy
mp3: Gianmarco Cilli – Empire (Acoustic Home Demo)
mp3: East Hundred – Leave It
mp3: The Sky Drops – Now Would Be

Saturday

Only a couple of shows for Saturday not already mentioned. Pierced Arrows are at DC9 with The Shirks, Love City and Hollywood. Rock & Roll Hotel hosts US Royalty. They are joined by Bear Hands, Blonde Acid Cult and Fever.

mp3: Bear Hands – Long Lean Queen
mp3: Blonde Acid Cult – Shake It Loose (Remix)

Sunday

Now I know a few of the IA staff members are salivating over this show. Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li is at Black Cat in DC. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson just adds to the appeal of this show.

mp3: Lykke Li – Dance Dance Dance
mp3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed