WATCH/LISTEN: Boardwalk Empire meets The Brian Jonestown Massacre

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Straight Up and Down

I'm just about to watch the 1st episode of 'Boardwalk Empire' and it's safe to say that I've probably never been so excited about a new TV series before. I hit play and to my surprise, the opening credits featured 'Straight Up and Down' by The Brian Jonestown Massacre! Wow. Listen to the full song above.

LISTEN: Bobby Jameson - Songs of Protest and Anti-Protest (1965)

Girl from Vernon Mountain

That's the Way the World Has Got to Be Pt.2

There's A War Going On

Following up my BJM post from yesterday, I thought I'd post a few songs up for your listening pleasure. This is a great album. A true lost classic. Definitely a must for fans of Love, The Byrds, Tim Buckley etc. Just came across this excellent review from Julian Cope, which you can read here.

The Love comparison my friend Paul made is right on the nail, the songs here sound like dead ringers for "Da Capo"era Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean, especially Love numbers such as "Que Vida" and "Orange Skies". What's really unique about this record is that it's folk rock without Beatles overtones. In fact Chris is backed on several tracks by what sounds to be a jazz group (kinda like on Tim Buckley albums like "Happy Sad" and "Lorca")

I also just discovered that Bobby Jameson has several different blogs, each covering various aspects of his life. Really interesting stuff! Read more here. 

LISTEN: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Something Else

It seems Anton has renamed/numbered all the tracks he's recently posted on You Tube into the form of a new album. You can listen to it here or here (see above also). Is this the finished album? Who knows! The Brian Jonestown Massacre are still my favourite band and I'lll always welcome something new. There aren't too many favourite bands out there who constantly evolve like Anton and co and keep things so interesting, yet alone, give you the chance to listen to new material as it's recorded. I've not heard the album all the way through yet, but have heard most of the songs and this album seems to draw on all the previous albums for inspiration and sounds in places like the BJM I first fell in love with, whilst still sounding like another step forward. 

Check out these great videos of Anton in the studio during the recording of his cover of Bobby Jameson's  'There's a War Goin' On'. I'd never heard of Bobby Jameson before, but after hearing this track wanted to find the album with this track on. The album is titled 'Songs of Protest and Anti-Protest' and was released under the name Chris Lucey in the US and Bobby Jameson in the UK. You can download it and read more about it here (direct link not working, so you need to scroll down the page a bit to find it!).

WATCH: More new songs from The Brian Jonestown Massacre

LISTEN: Dead Skeletons - Dead Mantra

Dead Skeletons - Dead Mantra

I've been meaning to post this this for a while and here it is! TURN IT UP LOUD! Listen to more here.

LISTEN: New tracks from The Brian Jonestown Massacre

 

this song and many other are a series of demos...i hate that word...the fact is i make everything up in the studio and figure out what it means at a later date.i don't practice...i just do it.sooner or later you are going to have to come up with an idea anyway.

i am writing/recording 60 tracks to be place on five albums.

enjoy it for what it is.

via antonfjordson (see more vids here too!)

LISTEN: The Third Sound

http://www.myspace.com/thirdsound

The Third Sound gradually formed, slowly took shape. Whilst living in the historical city of Rome, Italy, Hákon Aðalsteinsson (Singapore Sling and formerly Hudson Wayne) started work on new material. It started life high upon the rooftop of the building he was living, ...initially heard only by himself and the birds circling overhead. Eventually introducing the songs to his friend and 6o’s fanatic, Francesco D’Onofrio, the two of them worked out the arrangements then went into a studio and slowly recorded the album. Hákon returned to Iceland where he mixed the album with Hallberg Daði Hallergsson (formerly of Jakobínarína) before relocating to Berlin. The album is ready, the band has grown into a 5 piece live act. The Third Sound is now complete. Definition - The 'Third Sound' (Terzo Suono): Whenever two notes are sounded together loudly, precisely in tune and sustained, the conjunction of resonant waves results in a third note whose pitch geometers and physicists have tried to determine, but so far this question cannot be considered as completely resolved.

via GoGoYoko

LISTEN: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Spacegirl (1993)

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Spacegirl

Cabinessence

The Beach Boys - Cabinessence

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Cabin Fever

Last two pics via The Old Coyote

FREE CONCERT: The Brian Jonestown Massacre live in Köln (12th May, 2010)

 

I was pretty gutted to have missed The Brian Jonestown Massacre on this tour and feel even more gutted after watching this complete show in Köln. The band hardly say a word during the concert and go from song to song without interruption. And with Matt Hollywood back in the band, it's nice to hear a few of his songs again. The only disappointment is the lack of newer songs played by the band. Oh well! They're still my favourite band ever! You can watch it here.

Federale - Devil In A Boot (2010)

Like Ennio Morricone?  Be sure to give these guys a listen! The band features Colin Hegna from BJM and they released their second album, 'Devil In A Boot' towards the end of 2009, which "tells the story of Jack, whose home and family is stolen from him as a child by a ruthless railroad baron. Ultimately, Jack exacts his revenge."

Listen here.

The band list their influences as:

"Ennio Morricone, Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, Lynch, John Carpenter, Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Bernard Hermann, the Spaghetti Western Genre, Bronson, Eastwood, Van Cleef, Kinski, Fonda, Ligetti, Lutoslawski, Badalamenti, Lee Hazelwood, The Ventures, The Shadows, Nick Cave, Joe Meek, Italian Cinema in General, Hitchcock."

ALBUM/EP OF THE WEEK: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bringing It All Back Home Again (1999)

I'm pretty gutted that I can't attend any of The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Scandinavian shows, but rather than let it get me down, I thought I'd use their tour to revisit a few of their albums. I've always loved their acoustic songs and don't think there's a bad one in their catalogue. This and 'Thank God For Mental Illness' are, however, the only 2 acoustic-based albums they've released thus far and judging from Anton's more recent output I can't see another anytime soon!

'Bringing It All Back Home Again' is only 6 tracks long, but is a lazy and loose front-porch album for sunny days (if I had a front-porch that is!). 'Reign On' is perhaps the odd one out here, both in style and vocally (Miranda Lee Richards) but that's by no means a bad thing and along with 'All Things Great & Small' it's a perfect compliment for the other rawer tracks. The album is finished with the reworking of Charles Manson's classic 'Arkansas', as 'Arkansas Revisited', which was apparently recorded with Manson (see below). Whether or not this is true I don't know, but it only adds to the songs glorious 13 minutes and 26 seconds. If you've never heard any of Manson's work, be sure to check it out. 'Arkansas' is off 'Lie' and it's probably the best place to start!

Whilst none of the tracks sound like any particular Dylan song, when Anton sings:

"Well I've drank a lot of whiskey
And ate way too many pills
And I went around tight corners and
Had my share of spills
But I've survived
So come and get me, I'm alive"

You believe him. Just like you believe Dylan when he sings; and like Dylan, Anton's vocals are often underrated or misunderstood and on this album they suit the songs perfectly; from delicate to cocky, his vocals are spot on.

If you're new to the band this isn't a good example of the sound they became famous for, but it is highly recommended if you're a fan of folk, blues or country. Have a BBQ, invite some friends over, crack open a beer, stick this on and tell me this isn't good?? 

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Feel It (Of Course We Funking Do)

The Stevenson Ranch Davidians - Life & Death

This is the bands first release since 2006's brilliant 'Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs', which I discovered through the Brian Jonestown Massacre forum. Comparisons in the past have included BJM, The Dandy Warhols, The Verve  and Spritualized. From what I've heard so far, they still haven't changed the formula too much and rightly so. They sound as laid back as ever and are worth checking out for any fans of the aforementioned bands. The band have put up a few of the new tracks on their Myspace page and if you're new to the band you can listen to some of their older songs too:

http://www.myspace.com/stevensonranchdavidians

The Black Ryder - Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride

 
The Black Ryder are an Australian band comprising of Aimee Nash and Scott Van Ryper (formerly of Morning After Girls) and their debut album 'Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride' was released last month. The album also features a host of guest appearences that include BRMC's Peter Hayes and Ricky Maymi (BJM, The Imajinary Friends). I've only as yet heard one track (see below), but the band have received excellent reviews, with comparisons including The Cowboy Junkies, The Raveonettes, My Bloody Valentine as well as the aforementioned bands.

Albums I Enjoyed In 2009

I think it would be impossible to even attempt to compile a Top 50 of 2009, simply because one, I probably haven't listened to 50 new albums this year and two, if I had there's no way I could've given them all the attention they deserve for them to become a favourite. Therefore, I thought I'd list some albums I enjoyed from 2009.
Obviously, you'll probably read it and say "I can't believe he missed this or that", but if you think I should give something a listen please leave a comment. Sure, there are a few albums that featured heavily in major lists that I didn't care for too much, but there are just as many that I just never got around to listening to.

There are quite a few albums I'm just getting round to listening to and would probably make the list, but I haven't given them enough attention yet for the to join the list. For example, I recently got into Kurt Vile, but haven't got round to listening to his latest album 'Childish Prodigy' and I love Espers, Bob Dylan and Sufjan Stevens but haven't listened to their latest albums as of yet. Also, I've recently been listening to Dam-Funk's 'Toeachizown', Dinosaur Jr's new album, The Mantles and Flaming Lips' 'Embryonic' and I like the sound of them, but just haven't heard them enough to warrant a place in my favourite's list.



Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind EP
Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Grandes Exitos (tour release only)
Atlas Sound - Logos
Black Lips - 200 Million Thousand
BLAKROC - BLACKROC
Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer EP
Bon Iver - Blood Bank
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - Beware
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Smoking Acid EP
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - One EP
Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream
Cass McCombs - Catacombs
Conor Oberst - Outer South
Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid
Devendra Banhart - What Will Be Will Be
DOOM - Born Like This
The Duke & The King - Nothing Gold Can Stay
El Michel's Affair - Enter The 37th Chamber
The Felice Brothers - Yonder Is The Clock
Ganglians - Monster Head Room
GIRLS - Album
Grizzly Bear - Veckamist
The Horrors - Primary Colours
Lee Fields & The Expressions - My World
Leonard Cohen - Live in London
Leonard Cohen - Live at The Isle of Wight
The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
Monsters of Folk - S/T
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
Q-Tip - Kamaal The Abstract 
Raekwon - Only Built For Cuban Linx II
Real Estate - Real Estate
Smith Westerns - Smith Westerns
The Strange Boys - The Strange Boys and Girls Club
Tom Waits - Glitter and Doom Live
Ty Segall - Lemons
U-God - Dopium
Wavves - Wavvves
White Denim - Fits
Woods - Songs of Shame

The Morning After Girls - Hidden Spaces

This is one of my favourite songs ever and I just came across this awesome live video on You Tube:



If you've never heard these guys before, they're incredible and massively underrated. Their album is on Spotify and is brilliant from start to finish. A must for any Brian Jonestown Massacre fans! I saw them support BJM a few years back and was blown away!

The Morning After Girls

More BJM videos

Here are a few other videos from the upcoming album! Ode To Space Hasstle isn't on the album unfortunately, but I've included it here anyway! Enjoy!

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Bruttermania from Jon Carling on Vimeo.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Ode to space hasstle from Jon Carling on Vimeo.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Someplace else unknown from Jon Carling on Vimeo.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - (Run Run Run) I'll walk and still catch you from Jon Carling on Vimeo.

My most listened to artists of 2009

Most blogs tend to release a Best of 2009 around this time of the year, but what you think was the best music of the year doesn't always match up with what you actually played the most:


1. Bob Dylan (427 plays)
2. Leonard Cohen (316 plays)
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti (254 plays)
4. The Felice Brothers (250 plays)
5. The Brian Jonestown Massacre (195 plays)
6. Raekwon (194 plays)
7. Black Lips (162 plays)
8. Tom Waits (128 plays)
9. Blitzen Trapper (124 plays)
10. Animal Collective (112 plays)


http://www.last.fm/user/markwales

Sunday Afternoon micromix

Here's a new mix for you to listen to on Spotify:


Sunday Afternoon micromix


I know everybody doesn't have Spotify, but it's easy enough to get an invite if you ask around, so no excuses!


01 Bobb Trimble - Premonitions - The Fantasy
02 Atlas Sound - Walkabout (w. Noah Lennox)
03 Blitzen Trapper - Black River Killer
04 Dillard & Clark - Polly
05 Neil Young - Tell Me Why (Live at Massey Hall 1971)
06 Devendra Banhart - Goin' Back
07 Jefferson Airplane - We Can Be Together (live at Woodstock)
08 The Felice Brothers - Cooperstown
09 The Doors - The Crystal Ship
10 Beach House - Apple Orchard
11 The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Devil May Care (Mom & Dad Don't)
12 Beastie Boys - I Don't Know
13 Black Lips - Trapped In A Basement
14 The Dandy Warhols - Ride
15 Nirvana - Come As You Are (live at Reading 1992)
16 The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The 'One'