musings from boston

After that moody goose poem from yesterday, I felt you all earned something light and fluffy. So here it is. It’s some pretty pop music to usher in the coming of spring, even though that mangy groundhog is a complete fraud. Hey Anna are three sisters—Katie, Erin and yes, Anna—singing in that close mesh of sibling harmony. They share the lead vocals and switch off playing keyboards, rhythm guitar and bass. Keeping the whole shebang nicely grounded in an exuberant danceable pop vibe and providing the yang to the sisters’ yin are Andrew and Matthew on lead guitar and drums. It’s an arrangement that works out pretty well. They released their debut EP back in September.

Upcoming Shows
1 March @ 10th Street Live – Kenilworth, NJ
30 March @ Pianos – New York, NY
16 May @ Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
13 June @ Bitter End – New York, NY

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Different Geese

By julie

On February 11, 2013

In Musings

Alone I struggle with the snow
the anger with the sadness grows
can’t seem to rise up from below
I feel so blindly lost.

I’m out of step and out of time
how difficult to find that rhyme
where life flows, not in fits and starts
I curse the bitter cold.

Participants in the parade
march by me in the grand charade
they seem to speak in unknown tongues
outside I stand unknown.

I’m not part of this perfect game
internal rhythms not the same
I wander just outside the maze
locked in a different time.

The geese have said “it matters not,
for we’ve taken you into our flock”
I cease my work to gaze above
into the sullen sky.

I hear them first, then see their flight
the violent wind they’ve caught just right
though sideways turned, they’re in formation
passing overhead.

Above my roof they pause at once
and hover motionless like clouds
a bold display on my behalf
in wonder, I laugh out loud.

They stay suspended, for seconds hover
fly back across with sky as cover
away to distant shores.

The message I believe is this:
to those of you who feel adrift
a novel twist and you will lift
to sky with wind at back.

This flight may be to you at first
uncomfortable, not of this earth
but in the end you’ll see with mirth
you’ll land just where you’ve wished.

Take heart, my struggling little bird
and listen to our feathered words
for soon you’ll glide free of concern
at once I understand.

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Reason To Believe—The Songs of Tim Hardin

By julie

On February 10, 2013

In Indie Music, Music News

Tim Hardin performing at Woodstock in 1969

Tim Hardin once said “My songs aren’t personal. They sound it ‘cos it was me who revealed them, but it was my head that got the lightning shot through it.” It’s an eloquent way to describe the inspiration that guides truly great songwriters. James Timothy “Tim” Hardin (1941-1980) was a “musicians’ musician,” writing and performing songs that were deeply heartfelt and communicated soul to soul. It is sad that while he was alive, he never achieved the level of success as the many artists, classic and contemporay, whom he influenced—Johnny Cash, Rod Stewart, Scott Walker, Joan Baez, The Kingston Trio, Nico, Echo and the Bunnymen, Paul Weller, Leon Russell, Doc Watson, Robert Plant, Bob Seger, Marianne Faithfull…

There is now a new generation of musicians to carry Tim Hardin’s masterpieces into the future, bringing his vision back to life. Reason To Believe—The Songs of Tim Hardin is a celebration of Hardin’s music, performed by artists such as Smoke Fairies, Okkervil River, Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees), The Phoenix Foundation, Diagrams and Hannah Peel. On this special collection, Hardin’s classic folk tunes are lovingly resurrected with each band’s unique creativity, modern sounds and sensibilities. The album’s artwork is by Miles Johnson at Third Man Records, with liner notes by Rock’s Backpages music critic and author Barney Hoskyns.

“I’ve always been haunted by the devastating voice and beautiful songs of Tim Hardin. I can’t imagine anyone hearing him and not feeling the same.” — Mark Lanegan

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Liars & Believers present… Lunar Labyrinth

By julie

On February 9, 2013

In Indie Music, Poetry & Spoken Word, Puppets, Show Previews

Lunar Labyrinth
presented by Liars & Believers
based on a story by Neil Gaiman
at Cafe Oberon, 2 Arrow Street
Harvard Square, Cambridge
February 13, 2013 at 8pm
online tickets SOLD OUT;
limited number of tickets available at the door only – $23/$28
::: facebook event ::: | Liars & Believers

This coming Wednesday at Oberon, there’s going to be a multimedia theatrical extravanza, based on a new unpublished short story by author Neil Gaiman. The evening will feature music, poetry, storytelling, puppetry, dance, aerial performance and more, from the region’s most experimental and visionary artists. It’s directed by Steven Bogart and will include performances by Mali Sastri, Phillip Berman, Mary Bichner, Brett Cramp, Claire Davies, Jennifer Hicks, John J. King, Eileen Little, Corianna Moffatt, Masha Obolensky, April Ranger, and Karin Webb.

::: Learn about the performers :::

(from the press release): “Come see what lies at the top of the hill, where the Lunar Labyrinth once stood, in this theatrical adaptation of an unpublished new short story by author Neil Gaiman. For one night only, join us for a feast of music, storytelling, puppetry, poetry, dance, aerial performance, and more. Will you be healed by the bright of the moon? Or blighted by the monsters hiding in her shadow?).”

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Introducing… Kodaline

By julie

On February 8, 2013

In Band Profiles, Indie Music

I like a band that says, “Music should have a purpose, you know. Our purpose is honesty.” You really don’t hear that too often. I stumbled upon Dublin-based quartet Kodaline when I first saw their video for “All I Want” (see below). It’s a beautifully touching song and crazy romantic video—proud, unashamed and yes, honest. If I was a television viewer, I might have already been familiar with this gorgeous song, as it was featured in the season 9 episode of Grey’s Anatomy, “Remember the Time.”

In digging deeper, I’m discovering some beautifully literate and emotional music. They’ve actually been around since 2005 as 21 Demands, but since 2011, they’ve been Kodaline. This is pretty wistful, poetic and introspective stuff for such young guys. As lead singer Steve Garrigan says, “For Kodaline, music isn’t just music. It’s therapy.” Indeed. And I can’t help but feel like I’m sitting in on his private session. It feels that personal. Their debut, The Kodaline EP, was released back in September. On March 18, they’ll be releasing The High Hopes EP (which includes a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “All My Friends”). Their debut album, In A Perfect World, comes out on March 25. They’re currently touring in the UK and Scotland.

web | facebook | twitter | soundcloud | wikipedia

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Introducing… Hayden

By julie

On February 7, 2013

In Indie Music, Reviews

Ok, so actually this isn’t an introduction for Canadians, as Toronto-based Paul Hayden Desser a.k.a. Hayden has been performing and quietly releasing albums since 1994. However, he’s known as being something of a reclusive, so don’t be alarmed if you’ve never heard of him and didn’t know that he’s just put out his seventh album, Us Alone. The first six albums were on his own (obscure) Hardwood Records label, but this time, he’s signed with Arts & Crafts, realizing that it might be a good idea career-wise to actually let some people know when you’ve put out new music. It’s possible that what led to this foray into public life was that he was erroneously listed as “deceased” on on his Wikipedia page. Fortunately, the error was brought to his attention by a fan. As he himself said, “I was dead six months before anyone noticed.” Humor is so essential in this business.

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The Radar Brothers release “Eight” & Show @ the Echo in L.A. tonight!

By julie

On February 2, 2013

In Indie Music

The awesome Los Angeles-based The Radar Brothers just released their new album Eight a few days ago, and they’ve been playing a few ‘release parties’ on the West Coast. Tonight, they’re at the Echo in Los Angeles (with Babies on Acid and Young Unknowns) and well yeah, I’m in Boston, but I’d like to commemorate this anyway.

The music is lovely—pleasantly psychedelic, daydreamy, wistful, lyrical and in places kinda dark and brooding. What more can one ask for? For the time being, you can listen to the entire thing on the Merge Records site. Oh, and on Friday, Feb. 22, they’re doing an in-store at Fingerprints in Long Beach at 7pm. Awesome record store. Yes, that’s also on the West Coast. C’est la vie.

web | facebook | twitter | Merge Records

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Yo La Tengo releases video for new album, premieres Food Network cooking show

By julie

On January 31, 2013

In Indie Music

Ok, so Yo La Tengo doesn’t have their own cooking show, but they probably could if they wanted to. For their just released new album Fade (on Matador Records), they’ve released two videos. The first one is “Before We Run”. The new video, just released, is for the beautiful acoustic song “I’ll Be Around.” What makes this video so unusual, besides the running on-screen lyrics and commentary that has either everything or nothing whatsoever to do with the lyrics being sung, are the two recipes (for Spicy Tortilla Soup and a Spanish Tortilla – yum!) that are provided over the course of the song, along with footage of the band preparing said recipes. This is either the strangest music video ever produced, the strangest cooking video ever produced, or both.

Another first—the first indie rock band to be interviewed by bon appétit magazine.

They’re touring all over the place, coming to the East Coast (Burlington, Boston, Washington D.C., NYC) but unfortunately all shows, except maybe the Higher Ground gig on 2/12, are already (quite understandably) sold out.

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Depeche Mode’s “Heaven” – first single from their upcoming album

By julie

On January 30, 2013

In Music News

Depeche Mode will soon be releasing album #13, their first since Sounds of the Universe in 2009. The new album will be called Delta Machine, due out March 26 on Columbia. For now, the lead single “Heaven” was premiered on KROQ. The video for this track will be released on February 1, ahead of the single’s release on February 5th. So far, there’s just a slew of European tour dates for May through July. Listening to the delicious slow burn of this new song, I can tell you I’m really looking forward to hearing the album.

web | facebook | twitter | :::::: LISTEN TO “HEAVEN” ON KROQ ::::::

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George Glass’s nifty new song “Sporto”

By julie

On January 29, 2013

In Indie Music

I have a theory. If I keep up with cool new music from my Eastside L.A. peeps as they’re putting things out through this fledgling new year, when the time comes to write my yearly ’roundup’ say in December of this year, I won’t have to wonder what everyone has been up to in the past year. I wonder how long this ambitious new project of mine will last?

<a href="http://georgeglass.bandcamp.com/track/sporto-2">Sporto by George Glass</a>

So here’s a brand new song from George Glass, off their upcoming album. It’s got a nice, dreamy laid back West Coast sound with pretty harmonies and seems somehow to be a song about a hungry monster with beady eyes being lonely living at the top (this is from a few listens on my crappy Netbook; let’s see how far off base I am). The new album called Welcome Home is imminent, as in “any day now.”

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musings from boston

screams, whispers and songs from planet earth

Introducing… Hey Anna – debut EP and a “Tiny Kiss”

Different Geese

Reason To Believe—The Songs of Tim Hardin

Liars & Believers present… Lunar Labyrinth

Introducing… Kodaline

Introducing… Hayden

The Radar Brothers release “Eight” & Show @ the Echo in L.A. tonight!

Yo La Tengo releases video for new album, premieres Food Network cooking show

Depeche Mode’s “Heaven” – first single from their upcoming album

George Glass’s nifty new song “Sporto”