screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Month: December 2010

The 2010 Boston Music Awards Odyssey @ The Liberty Hotel

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Holy moly, what an overwhelming (and fantastic) experience. Never in my life have I been to something quite like this. Musicians and music fans, hipsters, scenesters, photographers and bloggers… a wild circus of sights and sounds, with my buddies Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys appropriately holding court in the lobby with grandeur, party favors, boobs and bubbles, as only they can (sadly, they didn’t win ‘Live Artist of the Year’, but no matter – they’re playing First Night!). Confronted by a total sensory overload, I became a sort of comatose bloodhound in search of great live music. And happily found it everywhere.

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Boston Bands This Week, and a few BMA Winners!

Performing this week: Black Fortress Of Opium (photo by Derek Kouyoumjian), Tristan Allen, Girlfriends, and A.K.A.C.O.D.

Performing this week: Black Fortress Of Opium (photo by Derek Kouyoumjian), Tristan Allen, Girlfriends, and A.K.A.C.O.D.

There are five shows of special note this week, starting on Wednesday. Three of them feature winners from the Boston Music Awards on Sunday night (more on that soon). First… well, technically she’s not a Boston artist anymore, as she’s moved to Austin, but Monique Ortiz had been a strong presence on the Boston music scene until just recently, and will be performing with beloved locals Dana Colley and Larry Dersch as A.K.A.C.O.D., so if you’d like your music smoky and soulful, with deep, sensuous vocals and gorgeous sax, most certainly head to the Plough & Stars tonight. On Thursday, Ajda the Turkish Queen‘s lushly gothic Black Fortress of Opium are joined by the fascinating “dope folk” of Narcoterror (also featuring Ajda) and Happy The Clown at P.A.’s Lounge. And just announced is a special Friday night “2010 Boston Music Awards celebration party” at Great Scott: Best DJ/Dance Night (The Pill) & TimeOut Boston Editor’s Choice (Mystery Roar). Sunday, there’s a special performance at the Berklee Performance Center with BMA ‘Artist of the Year’ Amanda Palmer and Tristan Allen, the Berklee Summer Student pianist whom Ms. Palmer met and was so impressed with, she helped put out his debut EP. Also on Sunday, for those more in the mood for a good ol’ fashioned rock club, Great Scott is having their holiday party with You Can Be A Wesley and BMA winners of ‘Rock Artist of the Year’, Girlfriends.

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Small Craft on a Milk Sea ~ an eloquent musical statement from Brian Eno

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May as well make this a trifecta of ‘blasts from the past’. Brian Eno is an old favorite (meaning I’ve liked him for a long time, no offense Brian), though I’ve lost touch with what he’s been doing in recent years. Make that many years. I’ll still put on his wonderful early solo albums when I’m in need of that warm, loving, quirky embrace. So now, as he just released his latest album last month, Small Craft On A Milk Sea (Warp Records), it’s high time to catch up.

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So, What’s Up With Reeves Gabrels? (in case you were wondering, and even if you weren’t)

(pilfered from his facebook page; photographer unknown)

(pilfered from his facebook page; photographer unknown)

While I’m on the subject of old flames… former Boston muso and Tin Machine member Reeves Gabrels has been working on various projects this past year which should hopefully see the light of day early 2011. That includes a project he’s doing with Earl Slick, Sterling Campbell, Lee Madalone on drums, Michael Houghton on vocals, and Freddie Villano on bass; his fifth solo album (with his Imaginary Fr13nds supporting); and an album with The Magnificent Others (which features fellow Modern Farmer Jamie Rubin, Marco Giovino on drums and Frank Swart on bass (and I guess Patti Griffin also? according to Reevz.net). They were all to be finished by late summer, so I guess now we’re just waiting.


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The Return of The Thin White Duke: Virgin/EMI Issues David Bowie’s Epic ‘Station To Station’ as Remastered Special & Deluxe Editions

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Yes, I’m two months late on this, but it’s just in time for your gift-buying consideration. Back in September, one of David Bowie’s most important albums was celebrated in grand fashion with remastered special and deluxe editions by Virgin/EMI. Station To Station is an astonishing album on many levels. As an artist known for his musical departures, this particular one was probably one of the most important, both personally and professionally.

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