Category Archives: Music

Ben Lee writes a fantastic album on Ayahuasca

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I remember the first time I ever heard of Ben Lee. It was a blurb in Sassy magazine about how the Beastie Boys signed his young teenage self to Grand Royal. I wore his tapes out in high school, then moved on to different music and forgot about him save for dating Claire Danes and impregnating Ione Skye (wonder if Ad-Rock is ok to his cheese being with different macaroni). Anyway, I got an email about his new album “Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work” and was immediately intrigued. Ever since the Psychedelic Convention was held in our Oakland hotel and eavesdropping on so many people discussing this spiritual experience, I’ve researched about it a lot. His album is gorgeous, not only inspired from the drug, but with themes revolved around awakening and self healing (I know, I sound disgustingly new age). This doesn’t even sound like Ben Lee’s previous work, it’s like a symphony with occasional Elliott Smith leanings. Watch the trailer for the album, he’s incredibly smart: Ayahuasca Trailer

Ten Songs I Like Right Now

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20130610-095108.jpg photo by leslie loudspeaker

First off, did you know one of the drummers for March Fourth Marching Band hand makes leather hats that are amazing? Bring an extra $90 to their next show if you are a hat lover, I wish I had!

Now that summer is here my musical tastes get a little more light and dancey, it’s just too hot for sludge. Here is a list of the songs I like this week (all song titles in blue are links to the music):

1. Stare at the Sun – Eleanor Friedberger. Last week I posted the stream of her new album. I adore her voice and this song makes me want to hit the park.

2. Dumb Disco Ideas – Holy Ghost!. Light pretty dance electronic.

3. Demon Dance – Surfer Blood. Great sounding chill band with the occasional Weezer-like melody.

4. Warm Spell – Sinkane. Session Musician who has worked with Yeasayer and others, Sudanese influences, breezy good stuff. Loving the drums.

5. Faces – Jonathan Rado. Guitarist of Foxygen already has a solo album, and with help from White Denim’s guitarist, it sounds fantastic. A little Albert Hammond, Jr. action.

6. Orchards – Wampire. Love this Portland psych band, and I adore the monster in the video. These guys are touring right now, don’t miss them.

7. Oblivion – Waxahatchee. Fantastic cover of the Grimes song, with more garage sound. Love this so much.

8. She’s On Fire – King Tuff. Ever since Garage Swim came out, I’ve been listening to this song on repeat. Wish it had an extended version, I love the video game sounds at the end.

9. Dog That Bit You – The Baptist Generals. Sub Pop band releases new album after ten years, I really dig their sound, reminds me of a modern Tom Petty with a weird voice.

10. Captain Brain – Bill Baird. Not quite a new song, but one of my all time faves. When I listen to it in the car I tend to drive too fast.

March Fourth Marching Band this Friday at Bluebird

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20130606-094228.jpg photo by leslie loudspeaker

This Friday, June 7th, the fantastic March Fourth Marching Band will be bringing their circus to the Bluebird. I got the opportunity last year to shoot their Halloween show at the Gothic, and I never knew where to point the camera first. They have really been making the rounds and touring a lot lately, don’t miss this show! I honestly don’t know who wouldn’t enjoy them live.

show info and link to buy tickets

Edward Sharpe/Alabama Shakes sold out show at Red Rocks

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20130603-141655.jpg photo by leslie loudspeaker

Last night I saw the perfect mix of artist and venue, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes at Red Rocks. I had only seen them live once before, at Belly Up in Aspen, and had positive hopes that it would be a good show. Totally underestimated them, it was one of the best shows I’ve seen there, the theatrical spirituality of the band just worked so well in the amphitheater. Opener Alabama Shakes were solid as always, they had the audience much more than when I saw them open for Neil Young and Crazyhorse. It was packed even in the reserved seats, and some of the audience thinned out after their set. Meanwhile, the whole sky was pink and the weather was the most perfect I’ve ever seen up there. Colorado, you’re beautiful!

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As soon as they started setting up the massive set for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, you knew it was going to be stepped up a notch. Wow! I have never heard vocal microphones sound more crystal clear, you could hear his every murmur. Starting the night off with 40 Day Dream, the audience knew every word and clapped almost too enthusiastically. This one guy in front of us was slapping his hands together on his leg like Spoon Man, and lo and behold it was Kevin Connolly from Entourage. Then I realized the guy who looked like Josh Lucas WAS Josh Lucas, we were sitting in the middle of the cast and crew for the Leonardo DiCaprio produced movie Dear Eleanor that is filming right now in Colorado. Funny. I thought Liana was a rich teenage model at the beginning of the show, Hollywood starlet isn’t too far off, she’s beautiful and had some awesome gold metal toed brown booties on. *update! She told me the boots, I love these babies.

Edward and his crew played two never been heard songs with him quipping “well, you gotta start somewhere”, and asked the audience if they had heard this rumor that everyone dies, but then ended the night asking if we’d heard the one that said you could live forever. I eat this stuff up. So does everyone else apparently, when they finished the set with “Home” the whole place became a celebratory hands in the air, clapping hootenanny. They encored with “Lean on Me”, asking the Shakes to join them then “well, we don’t know where they are” as people put their arms on each other’s shoulders. It was like Girl Scout Camp but BETTER.

ZZ Ward – SOLD OUT – Photos and Review

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20130530-102207.jpg photo by leslie loudspeaker

Last night ZZ Ward played her heart out to a sold out audience in Denver, and everyone left wanting to be her. What a cool, talented chick. She can belt the blues, rage a soulful blues guitar, rock the keys and play a wild harmonica. We needed an exciting blues musician like this. The audience was packed into the Gothic over an hour before she even hit the stage, volume buzzing ever higher as the great Ft. Collins opener, You, Me and Apollo finished.

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She started the show with her hit single “Put the Gun Down”, and the audience of mostly females freaked out. Above you can see ZZ’s interpretive dance for the lyric “I’ve got ten fingers to the sky”.

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I love when artists have a huge backdrop of their name, and I thought ZZ’s looked great.

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I’d say ZZ Ward is one to watch, but I think everyone’s already watching! I can’t wait to see what happens in her future, a collaboration with Gary Clark Jr. would be amazing….

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….and of course, there were a ton of hats in attendance. Don’t miss ZZ Ward when she hits your town, but go early for a good seat, she’s in the big time.

Eleanor Friedberger of Fiery Furnaces New Album Stream

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Listen to Eleanor Friedberger‘s new album streaming free today at NPR. The sister half of artsy weird band Fiery Furnaces brings her distinct vocals and quirks to this new album. This is a smart album with great songs, interested to see her live solo, when I saw a Fiery Furnaces show, her and her brother bickered onstage. She’s pretty darn cool.

Stream the new album here: Eleanor Friedberger on NPR First Listen

Lovelife – edgy Synth pop at Gothic on May 30th!

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Lovelife is bringing their heavily 80’s influenced synth pop to the Gothic this Thursday, May 30th, sure to be a great high energy dance party. This Brooklyn by UK duo fits right in with the nu-R&B/electro dance pop wave that’s getting gaining steam right now. I know, these genres are getting so particular, but it’s great for organization. They just traveled around the country playing with Capital Cities, who have this big hit right now (when I saw them play this at the Perez Hilton SXSW party this year, many guys inexplicably took their shirts off): Safe and Sound

Listen to the new Lovelife single here: Dying to Start Again

Watch Lovelife video here: Your New Beloved

Nelly Furtado Video “Parking Lot”

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Since almost every band that’s good these days is from Canada, I wondered what my favorite Canadian songbird, Nelly Furtado was up to. Selling not enough copies of her latest album, that’s what. Not sure why, this new single is catchy, poppy and I love the video. I also like mimicking her singing (what IS that??). Music industry, you are so fickle. Nelly’s got looks, talent, beats, and satin baseball jackets, is this not enough for you?? My best guess is M.I.A. came out stronger, and now Nelly sounds like a copycat even though she’s been doing this sound for forever. Regardless, she sold one more album today!

Nelly Furtado “Parking Lot” video

The Great Gatsby Review

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Baz Lurhmann’s latest movie, an adaptation of The Great Gatsby got a ton of flak before it was even released, mainly due to the Jay-Z produced soundtrack. Now personally, I think Hova is the MAN, so I’ve been loving the soundtrack for awhile, and yesterday I finally got to see how it all fit in the big picture of the movie. Personally, I think people are up in arms over not much. You’d think Hova was playing Nick Carraway and narrating, rather than the snippets of music heard in parties, and one two second scene of some Harlem jazz cats being driven by a white chauffeur. I thought it absolutely worked.

“The hip-hop soundtrack, too, stemmed from Luhrmann’s understanding of Fitzgerald as an unflinching modernist. “He took African-American street music, jazz, and he put it front and center in the novel,” Luhrmann said. “He did that because he wanted the book to feel immediate and dangerous.” But the jazz of the 1920s has long since matured into something “classical and quaint,” so Luhrmann turned to a newer form: hip hop.”- HuffPo

The only time the music took me out of the movie was when “Crazy In Love” came on, and that’s only because I’m sick of Beyonce, so it has no sway on my opinion since I’m biased there. This soundtrack flowed much better than that “Roxanne” tango in Moulin Rouge, at least Daisy didnt start singing the Lana Del Ray song! I’ve noticed now that most of the people complaining about the music haven’t seen the movie, and that’s a scary, quick judging way to live. Don’t miss this movie because you don’t think hip hop should be played, you are missing what I believe is Leo DiCaprio’s best performance in years (he’s always good, but Gatsby is just THE role for him). Most if it is just hip hop beats with sultry vocals, and there is only really one rap in it, Jay-Z in “$100 Bill”. You are doing yourself a disservice if you skip this because of that ten seconds.

Besides, the theater was mainly younger people, they would not be coming in droves to see this movie were it not for the soundtrack (Leo is a little too old and jowly for teen crushes). I will never complain about more people potentially reading a book. Can’t wait for that Death Metal Anna Karenina adaptation!!

soundtrack sampler

whole soundtrack