Bon Iver Dayrotter session

Daytrotter are spoiling us this year. We have already waxed lyrical on here about Low and Mountain Goats sessions and now Justin Vernon and Bon Iver have recorded a new session. You can download it here..

http://daytrotter.com/article/1359/bon-iver

and of course it must be fabulous. Mustn't it?

Hmm, well. First thing to say is that there are no new songs, covers or anything like that, just 4 songs from 'For Emma..'. I can't quite put my finger on what I don't like about this session. The vocals seem a touch higher than on record and don't fit quite as well and the songs are all given extended intros and/or outros which makes them lose their focus somewhat. Its all a bit jazzy.

But...you may disagree entirely. The session is there to download anyway.

Review of new Conor Oberst and Haley Bonar LPs coming soon.

wonderful gig news

Tindersticks. St George's Church Brighton. 13th September 2008.
TracksandGigs will be in attendance!

first impressions... Conor Oberst 'Conor Oberst'

TracksandGigs' interest in Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes has descended steadily as he has made the transition from indie-rock angst to warm alt.country. My enjoyment peaked with 'Fevers and Mirrors' and 'Lifted..', two epic records containing both ballads and those fantastic rock songs where Conor's voice would occasionally sound like it was about to give up the ghost completely. The last two albums have focussed more on country ballads, which were very pleasant and efficiently played but lacked the spark of old.

Therefore, I wasn't too excited about Conor's first 'solo' album, believing that it was likely to be an even more stripped down and mature affair. The self titled offering is streaming now at http://www.conoroberst.com/album/ and is released on August 4th and is....really quite good.

The first few tracks are certainly low-key and reminiscent of his recent Bright Eyes albums but from 'Danny Callahan', a heartfelt song about a dying child, things improve. 'I Don't Want To Die In The Hospital' is an old style Bright Eyes bar-room sing-along led by piano, 'NYC- Gone, Gone' is similarly enjoyable while closing track 'Milk Thistle' is a sparse ballad with more thoughts on life...and death.

There are certainly several acoustic ballads but some full band songs too and it doesn't really feel any more like a solo album than recent Bright Eyes records. I was surprised at how good this sounds.

Full review coming when we receive the album on a physical format! For now, have a listen at his website.

Hold Steady 'Bonus Tracks'

It is difficult to know why The Hold Steady would want to leave possibly the three best songs recorded for their 'Stay Positive' album to be bonus tracks but that does seem to be what they have done.

The 'Stay Positive' cd comes with 3 bonus tracks ('Ask Her For Adderall', 'Cheyanne Sunrise' and 'Two Handed Handshake'), whilst the vinyl only has '...Adderall'. This is clearly the wrong way round. The 3 tracks on the cd are actually merged into one eleven minute 'track', either to deter people from sharing the files or to make clear the separation between the album and the bonus tracks. Fair enough...the bonus tracks are better.

In many ways the three songs make a perfect EP. 'Ask Her For Adderall' is like 'Stay Positive' or 'Constructive Summer' but with better lyrics (i.e, no mentions here of "being down with it" or "we couldn't have done it if it wasn't for you"), Holly, Gideon and Charlemagne are all mentioned and it is a neat, catchy rock song that could have graced 'Separation Sunday' or 'Boys and Girls in America'. 'Cheyanne Sunrise' is a stunning bar-room ballad about the perils of getting older ("some things get much harder...some other things stay soft") done with style and humour. Finally 'Two Handed Handshake' is a joyful, pop-rock song with Finn dishing out some advice to 'the kids'. It is all done with a lighter touch than most songs on 'Stay Positive' and is far more enjoyable and less overbearing for it. Why they left these three songs off the album is anyone's guess.

single of the week

All is fairly quiet in terms of new music at the moment. New releases tend to dry up around this time before it all goes absolutely demented in late September/early October.

But, this week's 'Single of the Week' and a single that you absolutely have to buy if you have somehow avoided this band is Fleet Foxes' 'White Winter Hymnal'. The best track on their debut album, this is a harmony filled, strange, twisted nursery rhyme that will be floating around your head for weeks after hearing. Its an incredibly vivid lyric and you will doubtless have your own little video for the song playing in your head while you listen. Or maybe that is just TracksandGigs. Anyway, buy it. The 'b side' is a non album track 'Isles' which is a lovely, hushed folk song. Absolutely, no excuse for not buying this single, out now on 7" on Bella Union or on iTunes if you must.

Lastly, just to say that I am incredibly jealous of anyone who saw Tindersticks at Latitude. They played 'Walking'....

Denison Witmer

Denison Witmer is a TracksandGigs favourite. In the league of 'American acoustic guitar singer-songwriters' he is probably currently number one.

2005's 'Are You A Dreamer' was a superb album, deserving of far more recognition than it received. A set of songs inspired by dreams, memories and old photographs, it was a lovely, warm album to listen to and in particular the song 'Castles and Cathedrals' is just a brilliantly written ballad that everyone should hear.

He has taken his time over a follow-up, but then that album also took a while to come after the equally excellent 'Philadelphia Songs'. It seems that a new record is not far off anyway, it has been recorded and if you go to Denison's Myspace (link below) you can hear a new song called 'Carry The Weight'. Sung with Rosie Thomas, this indicates that Denison's work with Don Peris has led him to be even more influenced by the Innocence Mission than he was already. This can only be a good thing. Can't wait for the LP.

http://www.myspace.com/denisonwitmer

more on The Sleeping Years

very quick mention for a lovely, acoustic version of 'You and Me Against The World' by TracksandGigs favourites The Sleeping Years, which is streaming at their Myspace here...

http://www.myspace.com/thesleepingyears

Can't stop playing the album at the moment.

They are playing a support gig at The Macbeth in London on 22nd July. Am very much hoping for a London headline show soon. Dale?...

The Hold Steady 'Stay Positive'

The Hold Steady were the toast of TracksandGigs last year, with 'gig of the year' and second best album of the year, in what was, admittedly, nowhere near as good as a year for new records as 2008. The last three Hold Steady albums contained stories largely based on the characters of Gideon, Charlemagne and Holly with scenes and memories from Finn's past thown in as well. It was the literacy as much as the big anthems that made them three great albums. In the last year though, the Hold Steady have become big news and expectation for this album was high, from fans and from a record company who must be expecting a big seller and some radio-friendly singles. In response, they seem to have aimed for something between the conceptual storytelling of 'Separation Sunday' and the feel-good anthems of 'Boys and Girls In America'. The results are hit...and miss.

'Constructive Summer', which starts proceedings, is a big celebratory rocker declaring an agenda for the summer and "(raising) a toast to St Joe Strummer". It alludes to the band's success and to the fact that they are getting older while at the same time identifying with kids who "work at the mill until you die". Aiming to give people something to believe in and enjoy through their music are worthy sentiments and this is a nice opener, which will work well in a similar slot at this Summer's gigs, the sound is rather stodgy though.

From here on, 'Stay Positive' focuses largely on a story involving murder, drugs, drink, religion and death - all the usual Hold Steady themes. The story is told through the voices of several of the protagonists- possibly Holly, Gideon and Charlemagne, they are never named so this is left to the listener's imagination. 'One For The Cutters' , making imaginative use of the harpsichord, is a dense murder ballad based around the story of a girl who goes to college and ends up partying with townies and discovering the differences between them and the college crowd. Great lyrics from Finn here and one of the best and most challenging songs THS have written. Likewise for 'Lord I'm Discouraged' a couple of songs later. The star of this song is surely Holly, who has got herself into yet another bad situation with visitors from the "north side" whose visits "only take five or six minutes". This is a superb, crushing, epic ballad with a guitar solo to die for from Tad Kubler.

Skip forward a few tracks and you have 'Both Crosses', a ballad in the Led Zepellin tradition and a dark tale with religious imagery and yet another murder. Another adventurous, imaginative track. Around all this are some fairly straight-forward rock tracks with a recurring theme revolving around being an ageing rock star. The title track is the worst of these. With lyrics half cobbled together from previous albums and half faintly embarrassing ("we couldn't have done this without you") and a "woah-oh" chorus that is pure Bon Jovi, it all sounds like a contrived, rushed attempt at an anthem. 'Slapped Actress', which is an otherwise interesting song referencing John Cassavettes and looking at the relationship between movies and music, ends with another "woah-oh" singalong part that is so obviously intended to be sung by the audience at a gig. These are examples of the band being influenced by the reaction to their last album and these moments don't sit comfortably with the rest of the record. Far better is 'Joke About Jamaica', a pop-rock number with at least three hooks, a great talkbox solo and bittersweet lyrics that sound like they were written the morning after a 'massive night'.

The CD comes with three bonus tracks and the vinyl with one. This seems the wrong way round to me, but.....'Ask Her For Adderall' is 'Constructive Summer' with better lyrics, 'Cheyenne Sunrise' is excellent, a piano-led bar-room ballad with good singing from Finn and 'Two Handed Handshake' is ok, a catchy enough pop-rock number.

So much of this record is good, challenging material, it is a real pity that it is let down by a couple of songs that seem to have been written with gigs and/or fans in mind...and a line like "most kids give me credit for being down with it", should never have been recorded. There is also a problem with production and mastering, the record is very loud and 'in your face' and subtlety is lost at times. For all the criticisms that I have, there are some great songs on this record and it will keep the momentum going. In fact, judging by pretty much every other review of this record, 'Stay Positive' may take The Hold Steady to previously unchartered commercial territory. Looking forward to the next album already....

8.0

Beck 'Modern Guilt'

To some, Beck Hansen's output since 1996's classic 'Odelay' has been inconsistent but to me, it has been consistent in terms of quality whilst being wildly diverse in terms of style. Each album, from the lo-fi, downbeat tunes of 'Mutations' and 'Sea Change' to the Prince-esque 'Midnite Vultures' has had plenty to recommend it and 2006's 'The Information' came closest to mixing all of the styles together. Maybe only 'Guero' saw Beck needing to call on the goodwill he had built up with the amazing run of excellent albums he made in the 90s.

One of the few criticisms that could be aimed at 'The Information' is that it was a bit too long at sixty minutes and there were inevitably a couple of fillers. Well, 'Modern Guilt' is only 34 minutes long and was recorded very quickly, along the same lines as 'Mutations' where Beck wrote one song a day for two weeks. It is produced by Brian 'Danger Mouse' Burton and it is a blast to listen to.

Musically the album is full of beats, basslines and rhythms with some piano over the top. The songs are mainly short bursts of energy, never outstaying their welcome. Over the top of all this, Beck's voice sounds detatched and ghostly, creating a fabulous mix of sounds. 'Chemtrails' is the standout track, a mix of an awe-inspiring drum sound, surf guitar and a haunting vocal from Beck ("so many people....where do they go"), just when you think it has gone as far as it can, it ends with an electric guitar coda that almost (but not quite) overshadows the drumming. This is brilliant and the best single song Beck has recorded for many years.

Its tough to beat this but he gives it a go. 'Walls' has an old-school synth sound that will be spinning round your head all day and the title track is similarly catchy. Ultimately though, the individual tracks come and go very quickly and the album works best as a whole, you won't find yourself skipping tracks on your ipod. Although, you may want to give the astonishing final song repeated listens. 'Volcano' is dark and brooding and Beck's words and singing make this something like his very own 'Not Dark Yet'. You could enjoy the song very easily without even listening to the words but once you have listened, the song shows itself to be both terrifying and searingly beautiful. Reflecting on his relationship with his craft and with people in general as well, this is a sad but soothing song and another career highlight.

"I don't know if I'm sane / But there's a ghost in my heart/ Who's trying to see in the dark/ I'm tired of people who only want to be pleased /But I still want to please you"

For me, this album isn't a return to form because Beck never lost form but it is one of his best albums to date. Mixing the exciting sounds of 'Odelay' with the reflection of 'Sea Change' and creating something genuinely new and exciting.

9.0

['Modern Guilt' is out now on XL]

Micah P Hinson '...and the Red Empire Orchestra'

TracksandGigs has received a promo of the new Micah P Hinson LP. To be honest, I approached this with some trepedation. Texan singer-songwriter Hinson's 2004 debut 'Gospel of Progress' was a fine album. Mixing alt-country with Tindersticks style epic ballads, it showed him to be a highly promising talent. 2006's follow-up album though, was disappointing, a sketchy album with some good moments but not a patch on it's predecessor.

'Gospel of Progress' was inspired by Hinson's recovery from drug addiction and time spent in the County jail in 2000 and 'The Opera Circuit' was recorded following an accident that left Hinson in agony with a back injury that required surgery. Unlike his first two records then, 'The Red Empire Orchestra' is inspired by a happy event; Hinson proposed to his girlfriend at a gig at London's Union Chapel in December 2007, she said 'yes' and they are to be married soon.

Unsurprisingly, the result is an album full of warmth and containing many songs alluding to love and comfort. As with 'Gospel of Progress', Hinson's songs, originally demoed on acoustic guitar, are embellished by string arrangements and plenty of violin and cello. He sings in a slow croon, sounding like a Texan Stuart Staples and frequently repeats the same verse throughout a song, twisting the same words around to unravel layers of meaning.

'Tell Me It Ain't So' and 'I Keep Having These Dreams' especially are gorgeous ballads with subtle string arrangements and strong melodies. 'You Will Find Me' builds into a bigger epic with electric guitar used to good effect. 'We Won't Have to be Lonesome' meanwhile is Hinson's most Country-esque song to date.

The highlights though, is 'Sunrise Over The Olympus Mons', a patient ballad with Hinson singing "...oh love of my life". His confidence in these songs shines through here, he is not afraid to sing unaccompanied or with a very minimal guitar backing. He shouldn't be afraid either, he has a rich, deep voice and sounds like none other than Lee Hazlewood here.Listening to this album several times on a warm Sunday morning was a real pleasure. It is a warm, confident album made by an artist who sounds content and secure. This is easily Hinson's finest album to date, the songs are unhurried, melodic and memorable.

8.8

'The Red Empire Orchestra' is out on July 14 on Full Time Hobby. Micah P Hinson plays The Borderline on the same day and The Scala in November.

Paul Heaton 'The Cross Eyed Rambler'

Ever wondered what would have happened if Paul Heaton had quit The Beautiful South in the mid-90s and joined Shed Seven?

Thought not. But anyone whose mind has wandered down this particular blind alley need wonder no longer. TracksandGigs has been a supporter of Paul Heaton/TBS even when it has been particularly uncool to be so (i.e most of the time). I believe Heaton to be a superb songwriter and an expert in the human condition. Too often his intelligence and wit is mistaken for irony, many honest and heart-felt sentiments expressed in his songs have been written off as him being clever or knowing.

Since leaving The Beautiful South, Heaton has recorded this album with some veteran Manchester musicians, with the focus on guitar, drums and vocals, meaning this is more Housemartins than Beautiful South. In fact it sounds nothing like Heaton's old band, as we alluded to at the start of this review, it is as if Heaton has joined some mid-90s Indie band. the tunes are upbeat and guitar based but ultimately unmemorable.

Heaton's songwriting remains very good. 'The Pub' is a typical wander down the memory lane of Paul's local, documenting departures of quiz nights and arrivals of karaoke. Elsewhere he focuses on 'issues', most successfully on 'Everything is Everything' where he works himself up into a convincing, irony free, rage at the modern world, with Web 2.0 a particular target "Your my-tube, your tube, their big mouth....Everything is Anything and owt is fucking owt". Its the best thing here by a distance and show how Heaton can grab a song by the throat and rip it apart when he wants to.

....When he wants to. Unfortunately there is filler here and quite a lot of it. Also, the music is bland and uninspiring....like The Beautiful South, but a different kind of bland. Heaton has a great novel in him and undoubtably a fantastic memoir. Maybe he should turn his focus that way if he cannot find musicians to do his songwriting justice.

6.4

['The Cross Eyed Rambler' is out now on W14. Don't bother with the limited edition with the extra tracks. They are bonus tracks for a reason]

*- TracksandGigs is now back from holiday. Beck review coming soon...

new Damien Jurado song/record

Just a quick post to say that Damien Jurado has a new LP out in September on Secretly Canadian. Its called 'Caught In The Trees'.

I've been a bit disappointed with Jurado's last two albums and for me at least, he has never again hit the heights of 2002's 'Where Shall You Take Me' which mixed sweet country ballads with lo-fi rock, such as the splendidly addictive 'Texas To Ohio'. It should also be mentioned that Jurado wrote 'Medication' which is possibly the saddest song TracksandGigs has ever heard.

No doubt Jurado is an excellent and highly intelligent songwriter and from the sound of 'Gillian Was A Horse' which is streaming on his myspace site now ( www.myspace.com/damienjurado ), this record may be a stunning return to form. Upbeat, fresh and with great harmony vocals from Jenna Conrad, this is the best thing we've heard from DJ for a while.

'Caught In The Trees' will most likely (i.e - I'm guessing) be available to pre-order through Secretly Canadian sometime soon (vague). And knowing those friendly folk, there will more than likely be some kind of 'buy the album early, get a free download link' arrangement. So, if there is, you should all do that. In fact, don't listen to the new song at Myspace, listen to it here:-
http://www.scjag.com/mp3/sc/gillianwasahorse.mp3
We've got to support these indie labels folks.

still here

Apologies for the lack of updates. A combination of a lack of new releases and being rushed off my feet at work.

Should have a review of Beck's 'Modern Guilt' LP by Monday though.

Interesting to read the music press reviews of the Hold Steady album, especially the 5 star review in Uncut, which in the opinion of Tracks and Gigs was waaaaay over the top. We are no strangers to hyperbole either and this time last year were waxing lyrical about how amazing THS are but TracksandGigs is currently a lone voice in the wilderness saying that 'Stay Postive' is not that good. 'Constructive Summer' and the title track are the two songs I have the most problems with. Big sweeping statements about "building something this Summer" but from the lyrics that seems to mean "drinking" and "getting hammered". I must count the number of times the word "drink" is mentioned in 'Constructive Summer'. If you believe Uncut, this is cutting edge and the album of the year so far. To my ears, it is 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' with worse production, nowhere near as good a riff and a less engaging vocal.

I look for more from music than this and I had hoped for more from The Hold Steady.