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Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Billboard: Muse to play SXSW
This year’s worst kept secret- Muse will play a “surprise” set at SXSW - has been confirmed by Billboard.com. Here’s the item. Billboard has the date wrong; Friday March 19 is where the big Muse-sized hole is in the schedule.
(Note: Black Eyed Peas publicist Lisa D’Angelo tells us that Fergie and the gang won’t be at SXSW this year.)
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Show preview: Citizen Cope at Stubb’s
“If somebody hears ‘Son’s Gonna Rise’ on a TV show and then goes and buys the record and then becomes a fan because the whole album’s great,” he says, “it’s done a great service.” Cope (born Clarence Greenwood) performs Friday at Stubb’s (the show is technically sold out).
American-Statesman: What does ‘LP’ in the album title suggest about its contents?
Citizen Cope: It’s something that would fit on a traditional vinyl album where the music couldn’t be much more than 40 minutes. It’s just the idea that “LP” is used in contractual talk. Since I wasn’t doing this with a record company, I used a little slant on that. I was paying tribute to the great records made when that format was still alive.
‘The Newspaper’ might be its most topical song. It’s a fairly harsh commentary.
It’s about the death of journalism and the industry. Journalism has been somewhat decimated. It’s supposed to be the watchdog of society and watch the government, but it has absolutely not done that. It’s a shame. I still buy three or four different newspapers every day, (but) I’m just disenchanted with modern day media reporting on important things.
Explain the more personal storyline in it.
I had my own vibe to it. There was a situation in Vermont where some police came into my hotel room with dogs (laughs). They kinda thought I was a smuggler or something. That’s part of what the song’s about, too.
How has your writing process evolved since (2006’s) ‘Every Waking Moment’?
We’ve been playing a lot of shows. It evolves because you’ve learned from all the songs you’ve written before and all the situations you’ve been in. Hopefully, you soak in the energy of the times and your songs are able to portray those struggles and emotions.
Why include both versions of (‘Keep Askin’’ and ‘Lifeline’) on the disc?
Well, I did “Lifeline” by itself without the piano, and it was pretty strong. I just wanted people to hear the different broken-down versions. They both had their own identity stripped down. It’s kinda cool to have that.
What freedom did self-releasing the album allow?
Creatively, I’ve always had the freedom to make my own records, but it’s just about the ownership. I have control now. It’s not owned and controlled by somebody else. Being able to follow your instinct as far as promoting and marketing it has been a real positive thing for me. Doing something basic doesn’t take the approval of eight people.
What did you learn from your time on major labels?
I think I learned a lot from it. I was able to make three really great records that I believe in and still sell and are important to people. That’s been really positive. I’ve learned some business lessons as far as being screwed over, too. You can’t avoid it sometimes. But, I mean, I had a blast.
You’ve played Stubb’s a couple times. Are you looking forward to returning?
Yeah, I love playing there. Actually, somebody was asking me the other day which venue I wish I would’ve played in. I was thinking like, “Oh, Madison Square Garden and this and that.” Then I was like, “Damn, I wish I would’ve played at the Liberty Lunch!”
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Bingham joins Country Throwdown Tour
“Welcome to the big leagues, kid.”
That seems to be the implication made with country rocker, and newly minted Oscar winner, Ryan Bingham’s addition to the Country Throwdown Tour, a package fest put together by the enterprising folks behind the long-running Vans Warped Tour punk fest.
Joining the tour, which runs mid-May through June and hits Dallas and Houston, are Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Eric Church, Jack Ingram, Montgomery Gentry, Eli Young Band, the Lost Trailers, and Heidi Newfield.
The dates:
- 5/14 Tampa, FL
- 5/15 W. Palm Beach, FL
- 5/16 Jacksonville, FL
- 5/20 Cleveland, OH
- 5/21 Cincinnati, OH
- 5/22 Chicago, IL
- 5/23 Indianapolis, IN
- 5/27 Charlotte, NC
- 5/28 Raleigh, NC
- 5/29 Pittsburgh, PA
- 5/30 Saratoga Springs, NY
- 5/31 Gilford, NH
- 6/4 Virginia Beach, VA
- 6/6 Bristow, VA
- 6/9 Houston, TX
- 6/10 Dallas, TX
- 6/12 Salt Lake City, UT
- 6/16 Bakersfield, CA
- 6/17 San Diego, CA
- 6/18 Phoenix, AZ
- 6/19 Irvine, CA
- 6/20 Mountain View, CA
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Austin at SXSW: Carrie Rodriguez
Carrie Rodriguez’ career took off at SXSW in 2001, when she was introduced to Chip Taylor, with whom she since has produced several albums and toured with multiple times. Carrie had already been playing the violin since her teenage years, which is no surprise considering she was raised in a musical household — songwriter David Rodriguez is her father, and Eva Garza, a Latin recording artist from the ’50s is her aunt. You can see her official SXSW showcase this year at the Ghost Room, on Wednesday, March 17 at 1 a.m. Rodriguez’ next album, produced by Lee Townsend, releases on April 13 on Ninth Street Opus. The record showcases a collection of cover songs originally written by artists including John Hiatt, Townes Van Zandt and Hank Williams.
Carrie will also play several side shows during the festival, so check out our side parties database, or list of side parties to find out where else you can hear her croon. Here’s what she had to share with us in anticipation of this year’s fest…
Describe your sound. Cowpunk … OK, not really, but I like that word. It’s got elements of folk, rock, jazz, country, and who knows what else…
What can SXSW attendees expect at your showcase? A rockin’ band and plenty of tunes from my new album, “Love and Circumstance.”
What other acts are you excited to check out? Romantica, a Minneapolis-based alt country band with amazing songs and an Irish lead singer who will break your heart. Ben Sollee, a singer-songwriter who makes it all happen on the cello.
Are you planning to go to any panels? Haven’t checked out what’s going on yet … any suggestions?
What are some Austin must-do or must-sees for out-of-towners?
Tacos (I like Izzoz taco trailer on S. 1st), and Barton Springs swimming pool (a good place to work off the tacos).
Where do you like to hear live music, when it’s not SXSW? The Continental Club.
What’s your favorite ‘only in Austin’ thing to do? Listen to Heybale (the finest honkytonk band on planet Earth) at the Continental Club on a Sunday night.
Complete this sentence: ‘Industry folks and visiting bands, while we love having you as guests of our city, please don’t…’ get any crazy ideas and move here! Traffic is bad enough already…
Tracks and photo (above) courtesy of Think Press.
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Austin at SXSW: Pong
Funky electronic pop group Pong formed in 1998, as the product of members from Austin punk bands Pocket FishRmen, Moist Fist and Ed Hall. If you’re a fan of groups like Chromeo and Neon Indian, check out Pong at the official showcase on Wednesday, March 17 at 10 p.m. at the Scoot Inn. Larry Strubb answered our SXSW questions below, and provided the funky electric jam ‘Suicide Cat.’ Give it a listen to get a feel for their unique ‘swervy’ vibes.
Describe your sound. Swervy, slightly goofy psychedelic synthesizer and guitar dance music rock for the ages and generations.
What can SXSW attendees expect at your showcase? Seriously serious fun dance experiences and sparkly lighty things in the trees.
What other acts are you excited to check out? Whoever is playing at the day parties.
Are you planning to go to any panels? Nope.
What are some Austin must-do or must-sees for out-of-towners? I don’t want to tell anybody, because then they might go there. Just kidding. Have breakfast at Tamale House on Airport Boulevard, or whatever you want to call the meal before three p.m. when they close. Ride a bike around the East Side; there’s lots of free food and beer (and music) at the day shows. Barton Springs? (Is it open?) Baby lions at the zoo!
Where do you like to hear live music, when it’s not SXSW? The many splendorous and historic Continental Club. The Parish. Scoot Inn (nice outdoor venue). The Mohawk (also outside). Ego’s (divey cocktail lounge).
What’s your favorite ‘only in Austin’ thing to do? Walk around and randomly experience multiple satori.
Finish this sentence: ‘Industry folks and visiting bands, while we love having you as guests of our city, please don’t…’ Pee in my yard.
MP3 and photo (above) courtesy of Pong.
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CD review: Ludacris ‘Battle of the Sexes’
Ludacris
‘Battle of the Sexes’
(DTP)
Grade: B-
Ludacris’ new album ‘Battle of the Sexes’ was supposed to be a duet album between him and Shawnna, a female rapper signed to his DTP label. So when Shawna left the label last year in a contract dispute, Ludacris expanded the idea to collaborating with female rappers in general, with the idea to showcase a feminine perspective severely lacking in modern rap.
But while collaborations like ‘Hey Ho’ talk about sexual double standards and ‘BOTS Radio’ give relationship advice, the vast majority of this supposedly forward-thinking concept album is actually a return to Ludacris’ roots. Hip-hop’s premier jester tried to inject gravitas into his last few albums, dabbling in social consciousness and self-consciously trying to thrust himself into the conversation of ‘great’ rappers.
‘Battle of the Sexes’ makes no such pretenses of artistic depth. It’s an album that revolves around partying, clubbing and sex. Over screwed and chopped samples and pulsing beats, Ludacris sweet-talks women (‘I Know You Got A Man’), parties all night (‘Party No Mo’ ’) and brings them back to his room (‘Sex Room’). His tongue is planted firmly in cheek throughout: ‘Get your money right ladies, write your own checks / But don’t call me after midnight unless we’re having sex.’
Free from trying to impress anybody or being something he is not, Ludacris is having the most fun he’s had in a long time. His hit single ‘How Low’ is designed for booty-shaking contests at a night-club. On ‘Sexting,’ he busts out a Tiger Woods impression and raps in text message abbreviations: ‘haha, omg, lol, / kit, smiley faces, x and o’s / l-m-f-a-o.’ And becausee Ludacris’ style often works better over one verse than a whole song anyway, ‘Battle of the Sexes’ still gives a good platform for female rappers both old (Lil’ Kim and Eve) and young (Nikki Minaj and Diamond from Crime Mobb). An album like ‘Battle of the Sexes’ won’t win a Grammy, but judging from the popularity of its singles, especially in comparison to those on ‘Theatre of the Mind,’ it is what the people want from Ludacris.
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First-ever Austin Fleah lineup announced
Legendary Irish band manager Frank Murray (Thin Lizzy, Pogues, Frames) is a part time Austinite who has swiftly organized what he plans to be an annual St. Patrick’s Day Fleah (“festival” in Gaelic) in Austin.
The party, co-sponsored by Guinness and Rare Magazine, takes place March 17 at the former home of the Levi’s Fader Fort on East Fourth St. three blocks from the Convention Center.
“There’s no way, with all the Irish bands in town for South by Southwest, that Austin can’t have the best St. Paddy’s Day party in the country,” says Murray. The fest came together in just a week when the space at 216 E. 4th St. suddenly became available.
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Show review: John Mayer at Erwin Center
Deep in the midst of what one journalistic wag has dubbed “The John Mayer Implosion Era,” the heartthrob guitarist and songwriter brought his “Battle Studies” tour to the Erwin Center on Monday. And one may be forgiven for wondering what affect the backlash to the recent way-too-candid interviews in “Rolling Stone” and “Playboy” featuring Mayer’s inflammatory racial and sexual remarks would have on his performance, and his audience.
The answer was “not much.”
“Everybody wants to know about the ‘Playboy’ thing,” was Mayer’s only comment on the uproar, reacting to one sign held up by a fan, and you couldn’t help but hear a trace of resignation in his voice.
But otherwise Mayer played it straight, letting his emotive and fluid guitar work do the talking through the course of a technically flawless 90-minute show.
Still, lyrics like “I wanted water/But I’ll walk through fire” and “What do they want from me/All these vultures/Hiding right outside my door” must be taking on a new poignancy for Mayer these days.
Not that the fans seemed to mind. They accorded Mayer a rapturous reception from the first notes of “Heartbreak Warfare” from the new album, which was followed in short order by a Cream-flavored “Crossroads,” “Vultures” and “Bigger Than My Body.” A segue from Jimi Hendrix’s “Wait Until Tomorrow” into his own “Who Did You Think I Was” closed out the first half of the show.
When all the hype and pop star clutter is cleared away, Mayer emerges as an uncommonly talented blues-flavored guitarist. His command of all the basics — tone, dexterity, harmonics, precision — are impressive, as is his yearning voice which can leap into an appealing falsetto when the mood demands.
Several times Mayer virtually turned his back on the audience to engage in long, string-bending duets with his two guitarists, Ryan Harris and Robbie McIntosh, and he used the tips of his finger and a drumstick to wring dramatic effects from his own instrument during “Assassin.” A languid, piercing solo during Mayer’s cover of the Bill Withers soul classic “Ain’t No Sunshine” was one of the night’s high points.
Before the encore, prefacing “Gravity,” Mayer made a passionate acknowledgment of his renewed appreciation for the bond between audience and performer. Citing the cathartic and healing powers of music, he said, “If we can be that for you…that puts me on a whole new path as a musician.”
Mayer might never completely shed the TMZ-style pretty-boy pop culture caricature with which he contends (and admittedly, sometimes he doesn’t contend very hard). But away from the paparazzi’s flash bulbs and the tabloid’s chatter, he proves himself a pretty fair hand with a guitar and a songwriter’s pen.
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In the pink for Perez?
Oh the glamor! Looks like the old Safeway on East 11th and I-35 is getting a rosy makeover. In anticipation of this year’s Perez Hilton SXSW closing bash? When we see the glitter go up we’ll let you know.
UPDATE: Our sources say that Perez will not be rockin’ the Safeway during SXSW, which leaves us to speculate…who else might be occupying a giant pink former grocery store during the fest? Any guesses?
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SXSW2010: Everest
Los Angeles-based rockers Everest are a sort of an under-the-radar super group. Various members have played with or are connected to Sebadoh, the Watson Twins, Jenny Lewis and John Vanderslice, among others. Add to that an endorsement by Neil Young, who heard the band, signed them to his label and took them on tour last year. In April they’ll be releasing their second album, “On Approach.” Below, guitarist/drummer Russell Pollard talks about Neil, recording and how the band got its name.
Is this your first time at sxsw?
No, this will be our second time.
How would you describe your sound to people who haven’t heard your music?
We have a wide variety to our sound. We can go from loud Sabbath gates-of-hell noise and Maggot Brain groove to Velvet’s boozy sunrise. Never know what you’re gonna get.
You recorded your last album on Neil Young’s label and went on to tour with him. How did that come about?
He saw us play a few years ago, I guess he’d heard about us through Elliot Roberts, his manager. The two of them liked our band and offered to put out our record. Shortly after it came out, Neil invited us to play some shows in Europe, the first being at a castle in Ireland…uh…yeah. After the second or third show, Neil pulled us aside and said some things, one of them being that we were gonna play more together. We were freaked out and joyous and humbled by the whole experience. It was life changing.
What is your favorite Neil Young song?
“Revolution Blues,” “Words, Change Your Mind,” “Ambulance Blues,” “Cortez,” “Long May You Run,” “Music Arcade,” “My Heart,” “Don’t Let it Bring You Down…”
How has the band’s sound evolved from “Ghost Notes” to your upcoming release? We kind of melted down while making this record and I mean that in a positive way. We were existing in a cubist environment for quite a while and it took some uncomfortable honesty to push ourselves out and beyond to create a new sound for ourselves. That’s how we came across the title of our new record, “On Approach.”
You said in an interview that the band formed at a Taco stand. Why a taco stand? Because we live in Los Angeles and there is a wonderful abundance of taco stands/trucks around. The first discussion where the idea of Everest surfaced happened at one of L.A.’s finest, Allegria on Sunset Blvd.
How did the band get its name? Jason (Soda, guitarist) and I were looking for a name for our recording studio and we both liked the word Everest. Shortly after forming the band we chose the same name because we really envisioned the whole thing as a collective. Also…Abbey Road was supposed to be called Everest, that had a little to do with it, and there was a British cigarette brand in the ’60s and ’70s called Everest with an amazing logo. A lot of things inspired the name.
What has been your most memorable experience on tour? Playing Madison Square Garden with Wilco and Neil Young Dec. 16-17, 2008.
What new music have you been listening to lately? \Richard Swift’s “Atlantic Ocean,” Watson Twins’ “TTY/TTM,” Kurt Vile, Sunn O))), Black Keys.
photo by Zoran Orlic
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