Since 2004, J. Tillman has quietly been releasing records, some of limited quantity, some mostly available in Europe, but for the most part, unheard. The borderline-alienating starkness and well lived-in narratives of his first two records, “I Will Return” and “Long May You Run, J. Tillman” (released in limited runs of 150) endeared him to fans of Nick Drake, Will Oldham and fellow Seattle resident Damien Jurado; one of the first to hear his recordings, and who would, early on, take him on his first US tour.

In 2006, after three months in Europe touring on his third album, “Minor Works”, Tillman recorded his fourth collection of songs at home with his brother and roommate. “Cancer and Delirium” strikes a perfect balance between the intimacy of his earlier releases with the nuanced, melodic sense of “Minor Works.” Each song is imbued with the same strikingly disconsolate singing and devastatingly poignant prose that Tillman is known for and accented with some of his most gorgeous, spare arrangements.

Aquarium Drunkard’s Autumn Tone Records is proud to make these albums available digitally for the first time.

OFFICIAL J. TILLMAN WEBSITE: http://www.jtillmanmusic.com

J. TILLMAN MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/jtillman

AQUARIUM DRUNKARD WEBSITE: http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com

AUTUMN TONE RECORDS WEBSITE: http://www.autmntone.com

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the bedroom covers:
1. crying - roy orbison
2. mother and child reunion - paul simon
3. why dont they let us fall in love? - the ronettes
4. lovefool - the cardigans
5. i won’t share you - the smiths
6. he’s a rebel - the crystals
7. marie - randy newman
8. fools rush in - johnny mercer/rube bloom
9. temptation inside your heart - velvet underground
10. dreams - fleetwood mac
11. pull up the roots - talking heads
12. caroline, no- beach boys remix (bonus track)
12.5 why don’t they let us fall in love? (live daytrotter version!)

NEW LINK, if you want to download the whole album as a zip, you probably want to try this link first, it should be a bit faster. the second one has been overloaded all morning:

sendspace bedroomcovers.zip:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/fukwv9

yousendit bedroomcovers.zip:
**EXPIRED** https://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01Fck85RkU1aVkwTVE9PQ

bedroom covers full album - zip file:
http://www.themorningbenders.com/bedroomcovers.zip
(right click and save as, or ctrl click on macs)

here’s some notes about the recording process and thangs:

hey gang,
here are a few tracks, that we are calling the bedroom covers. as you may have guessed, all these songs are covers… and yes, we did them at home in my room! the songs that you hear here are just songs we really really like. we didn’t deliberate over which songs to pick. we didn’t try to stick to a certain time period or genre. we just recorded songs we were going to be playing around the house anyway…

these songs sound the way they do, because we recorded them with a laptop and one mic. we used mainly acoustic guitars and shakers because that’s what we had lying around, and we couldn’t make much noise in our apartment anyway. we didn’t spend time arranging any of these either. we learned the chords and the lyrics (which was pretty easy because we’ve heard all these songs hundreds of times), and we played ‘em. what you hear at the basis of the recording is generally a first take. sometimes we added some background vocals or another guitar part here or there, because the songs we were covering had a lot more going on than us, and we were feeling a bit inadequate…

but hey, you’re always fighting a losing battle when you’re recording covers, because 99.99% of the time the cover isn’t going to be as good the original. well, for the record, let it be known that none of our covers are as good as the originals. that’s part of why we wanted to give all these tracks away for free. if you haven’t heard one of these songs before, you should go out and buy it from the original artist, RIGHT NOW. disclaimer aside: if you want to hear some kids having a lot of fun playing some of their favorite songs ever, check these out.

love,
the morning benders

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The Rock Bible is THE word on rock music and its cultural lifestyle from an insider’s perspective. Featuring chapters on The Gospel According to the Drummer, Guitar Players, the Singer, the Keyboardist, the Band, the Crew, the Fan, and The Book of Revelation, The Rock Bible lays down the all-too-true and often too funny laws of what it’s like to, as they say, “live the life.” A collection of rock rules and witty observations sometimes rudely and/or raunchily delivered from the folks who know best (tour managers, tour promoters, musicians, fans of editor/author Henry Owings’ Chunklet magazine and Owings himself), The Rock Bible is a must-have for anyone who has ever been curious about, a fan of or a part of the music universe. Plus, it’s with faux-biblical illustrations and parables and essays from comedian Patton Oswalt, drummer Brian Teasely, and professional smartass Andrew Earles.

The Rock Bible on song lyrics: “Nobody is impressed with Charles Bukowski references in your lyrics. You, like every literate person, should have stopped reading Bukowski by age 20 . . . along with Burroughs, Kerouac, and, if you happen to be female, Sylvia Plath.”

The Rock Bible on drummers: “Drummers should never piss off their girlfriends. It’s the best way for them to end up homeless.”

The Rock Bible on touring: “The worst toilet paper in America is always better than the best toilet paper in Europe. It’s best to bring your own, especially to Germany.”

The Rock Bible on backstage antics: “From the second they were delivered, backstage couches at rock clubs are never cleaned. Think of the crazy things that have been done on or near these couches and then proceed at great personal risk.”

About author/editor Henry Owings: Henry is the publisher of the widely recognized Chunklet Magazine based in Georgia. He was in Entertainment Weekly’s “It List” for his confrontational “100 Biggest Assholes In Rock” issue and another time has been taken to court by Mad Magazine for his similarly parodied issue. The Overrated Book, Henry’s first foray into book publishing, came out a couple years ago. Mostly under the Chunklet moniker, he has been a concert promoter since the late 80’s and has put on over 1,000 shows in his career. Through show promotion and the magazine, Henry went on tour with Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’s Mr. Show comedy tour, and has subsequently worked very closely with the Comedians of Comedy tour which has criss-crossed the country for the past four years and has filmed specials on Comedy Central and Netflix. In addition, he’s produced six comedy releases for Patton Oswalt (Pixar’s Ratatouille) and was instrumental in getting him signed to Sub Pop last spring. Henry has recorded releases for The Oblivians and The Black Lips and has released records on his own label by The Olivia Tremor Control, Elf Power, Harvey Milk and Man or Astroman?. Finally, just to keep busy, Henry is also a full-time Grammy-nominated art director who has done graphic design work for such diverse artists as John Cale (Velvet Underground), Captain Beefheart and Charley Patton, and has also done book design for Mr. Show and political cartoonist/ columnist Ted Rall. In his spare time, Henry plays Whirlyball and does nothing else except sleep. Henry resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Sarah and dogs Bun and Dave. The Rock Bible is his second book.

CHUNKLET presents: Henry Owings’ Rock Bible
Price: $15.95
ISBN: 9781594742699
Publication Date: October 2008 (Quirk Books)

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Does the world need another indie band?

After reading an elitist tirade against the misuse of the word “indie” as applied to bands today I began to cultivate an existential theory of my own. I wondered why many folks continue to get their panties in a wad because the meaning of “indie” has changed from a way of defining a band’s origin and operation to a particular musical style and physical presentation. Because hipsters value the first definition over the second? Because it was once an admirable category to fall into but is now associated with what could be construed as an unseemly privileged rebellion? Because indie was once synonymous with cool but lost that association as it became an overused commodity exploited to sell a manufactured identity? Are people truly worried that a band might be defined by a designation that while once was used to show individuality, now is used as a way to gauge similarities?

The word has changed, so what?

If we all know what the new definition is, and somewhat agree on the new definition, then what does it matter? Is there any benefit from knowing that when a band is slapped with this title now it doesn’t mean what it once did? Does being indie in the original sense somehow magically make the music better? The designation has always been loosely defined, given to mostly white male rock musicians that worked with small “independently” owned labels, or musicians who recorded their music in their bedroom, were played on college radio, slept in their vans,  had liberal arts degrees and enjoyed underground followings. It was a term glorified for it’s ideology. Early practitioner’s were admired not only for their experimentation and originality, but for the perception of a courageous endeavor to follow their own vision without compromise -  the problem that critics often fail to acknowledge is that it worked. They developed alternative ways to share their work, sought out and created a new audience and proved they could be successful on their own terms. By  bypassing traditional paths they carved new ones that they enjoyed access to without the approval or help of anyone but themselves. They gained control of their ideas and thrived on making their own decisions rather than having to give in to concession. As it became more and more clear that there was not only one way to attain prosperity and the musicians at the forefront of the movement reveled in there accomplishment, the more others became interested in this alternative method. Although, it must be pointed out that neither path has been proven to be superior to the other, but rather a personal choice. value can be found in both having complete control but also having complete responsibility and the compromise of giving up some freedoms in order to have an investment made in you and your art. Different strokes for different folks, ya heard?

The problem those with “experience” have with the new “indie” tag is that it is no longer asociated with any specific movement, but rather has become cheapened by becoming extremely common.  As the people who have aligned themselves with the methodology has grown and evolved, the definition of the term has followed suit, taking refuge with those that sought it out, at peace with the fact that as soon as the grouping reached a certain capacity,  those that have chosen to base their identity on their seperatists ideals would run for the hills anyway.

Whatever the true definition used to be, it doesn’t take more than a subscription to Spin and a few music blog RSS feeds to know most people who use the word realize it now defines a style of collegiate rock music, an attitude a band represents, and their personal appearance, a package that perpetuates a lifestyle that some might use in defining themselves. It is a word that has been co-opted to describe something or someone that is an outsider - by choice. It’s an idea, that while is still frequently used to define something as separate from the majority, has evolved into  a perception of something valued by a specific targeted audience. Basically it is used as a marketing tool to sell a quality that unfortunately, you can’t actually purchase. Not in it’s authentic form, anyway.

The downfall of this obviously, is that by definition, when something is manipulated to be perceived differently, some might come to the conclusion that in reality it is not the thing it is now being portrayed as. Meaning, if you do something for the specific reason of making someone perceive you in a specific way, like listen to a certain band, or style your hair in a particular way, doesn’t that mean that you are not that way naturally? If I wear Chuck Taylors because I believe they will make me cool, is that really cool? Or if I naturally choose actions that result in a particular perception, isn’t that the one that is actually true?

Everyone dislikes something or someone that portrays itself as something it isn’t. In simplest terms, we react to it as if it were a lie, which I guess it kind of is. Lies are often interpreted as a lack of respect and a grasp for power in a relationship .

We all know that Nirvana is one of the most famous indie success stories, they were on a small label called Sub Pop, but when they broke big and got huge they reaped the same access and privilege of being on a major. They made videos, did big tours, were in mainstream magazines -  the question is - would they have enjoyed the same success if they had been signed to a major label for their first album? I doubt it. Because the idea they were selling was that they were outsiders, they were not aligned with the “man” and they were independent. But in the end they made it to a level where there was no definable difference between them and any other successful rock act on a major label.

So back to the question of why it is so annoying to the elders that a band made popular today on MTV be called “indie,” a designation once bestowed only upon those that could be considered outside of the mainstream. Here is a quote from the article that stirred my interest in the first place:

John Niven was an indie fan in the 1980s, an A&R man in the Britpopping 1990s, and is now the author of Kill Your Friends, a sadistic satire of the record industry of which he was once an enthusiastic member. “I was in Gap a few weeks ago and there was some sort of generic indie music playing,” he says. “I was with a friend who’s a promoter and a bit younger than me. After about three or four tracks I asked him: ‘Whose LP is this?’ And he said, ‘No, it’s a compilation.’ Every track sounded identical. The guitars, the production; all these bands sound like they’re made in the same studio with the same producer. It’s such a ball-less, soulless, generic whitewashed indie sound. You could probably take a member from each band and throw them together in a new group and no one would be able to tell the difference. They’re completely interchangeable. Scouting for Girls are like the sound of Satan’s scrotum emptying. They’re abysmal.”

By his own admission, Mr Niven assumes the music is “indie.” No one calls it this other than himself.

His statement is also certainly analogous to saying that all black people look alike or more parallel, all rap sounds the same. Of course, I realize that these types of generalizations only hold water because of the limited of time on has spent actually paying attention to the genre. The more time one spends being exposed to anything the clearer the details and differences become. Ever had a friend who just didn’t get Arrested Development - (which is clearly genius!)

Rock has always shared similarities that have defined the sound of every decade. Obviously there comes a time when a specific sound becomes redundant and uninteresting, but isn’t that a necessary step in motivating someone to try something different? If we didn’t get burnt out on certain styles to the point where we are so affected that we have to take action, what would ever cause change?

Another thing brought up in the article is a lack of a true “indie” scene around today. I have to disagree with this wholeheartedly. There is a real  “indie” scene, at least where I live, and it is not about fashion or a specific sound, and because it is “independent” it is not advertised, promoted or sold to the mainstream. The only true way to gain awareness of it (and this is with any music) is to be part of it. You can’t look at the media or any widely consumed entity and decide that if something is not on it’s radar it does not exist - that just doesn’t make sense. Once anything becomes common knowledge it tends to start evolving in a new and different way and stops being what it one was. When critics condemn fetival bookers of filling their rosters with similar sounding bands I can’t help but argue that, of course, music festivals are going to fill slots with a lot of bands that are very similar, they are trying to make money and it just makes good business sense to go with a product that has a track record - even if it’s a knockoff.

Another complaint of old schoolers that I am often amused by is that while they were once part of some revolutionary period in their particular scene, they are disappointed that the next generation have not carried the torch - because it seems to me any young independent group that is creating things that are new and innovative wouldn’t want those old timers around anyway!! Not to mention new and exciting deveolpments in anything are often hard to define as they are happening. They are often remembered as more precious than they actually were. I must refer once again to Grunge - sure people in that scene may have been aware that something a little bit diifferent was going on - but it really wasn’t that different for anyone to expect how it would become so all-encompassing in it’s reach and grow to define much more than a music scene.

Was anyone at a Mudhoney show thinking, “This is totally going to reshape the attitude of an entire generation, influence fashion from thrift stores to couture collections, and still be listened to by 12 year olds in Ohio 14 years later!”

Returning to the issue of looking to the “experienced” (I hate calling people old!) to comment and compare the past with the present, well, it just seems obvious that they would not be privy to anything happening that could truly be defined as independent. Have you ever gone to a show and been really excited that there were a bunch of old dudes hanging around, or did it automatically make you feel like it wasn’t as cool or underground as you wanted it to be? And believe me, I know I am one minute away from being on the adult team, I just accept the fact that when I get there I will lose touch with a lot of the newest innovations and ideas. Experience is very valuable, but it is also limiting. And once someone has a certain amount of experience, it can separate you from certain things in a positive and negative way. You can not only lose the connection with the most driven and passionate members of a group, which will often be the youngest because they have the most to prove and the most time to prove it, but the things that are thought to be valuable and relevant but the experienced and the inexperienced are often completely different. value just simply change and we become unable to understand . How can a person 20 years a person’s senior really be able to decifer the impact of anything the younger person experiences?

In the same way a really “happening” nightclub has a shelf-life, so do magazines, websites and music. If you are on the forefront of anything, eventually the thing that once made you edgy will become common place and will attract the second and third wave of adopters until it is an afterthought. The reason it is hard to continually be cutting edge is because when there is a new idea formulated followers are both won and lost, and sometimes more tend to be lost.

I am certainly also bemused that many bands are lumped into genres more based on their hairstyle and attire than the music they play. But I get it and I am extremely aware of when a band is selling a persona or attitude more than their music, which becomes merely an accessory used to add to the concept. It doesn’t take much to figure it out, I usually know when I am being marketed to and what exactly it is being sold. And I admit that unfortunately, even when I know the what is and is not an illusion, I can sometimes take the bait and let myself be influenced as to what is and is not actually valuable. Hair and sneakers shouldn’t have a part in determinig whether you like a band or not - in a perfect world, only the music would matter.

But I admit I have definitely been turned off by a band based on what they look like. I know I have dug a song and later when I saw the band in a video or on a magazine cover, I promptly changed my mind. I toy with the idea that I can defend that attitude based on the idea that the song’s essence, meaning and purpose can be redefined by how I might perceive them, but I haven’t really tested that theory. My perfect example would be Maroon 5. I was in Japan when I saw their first record and had never heard of them. There were no band photos and I had nothing to judge them by other than the music, which I listened to in the store and liked. I bought it, brought it home and listened a few times and found it to be enjoyable. Then when the band had their first video and begin to become more and more popular, I liked them less and less. Same music, but different perception of the personality of the band. It’s totally cliche but if a shy, hipster intellectual sings about love I am enthralled, but when a slick, confident rock star type sings the same exact sentiment, I am yurned off. I know why musicians with ambition choose a genre to align themselves with which has led to the designation of “indie” to lose it’s original meaning.

However, the former definition of indie was just as tainted. It was rarely applied to DIY metal bands or caberet singers dreaming of making thay Sondheim compilation, even though they might have just as easily fallen into the category. It has alwas been related to a certain narcisstic veiwpoint as it still is. Some bands were looked up to because they played it off like they CHOSE to be on an indie, while others were judged as not good enough to be on anything but. Being labeled “indie” was still a statment, something that bands definitely used to define themselves. The definition, as we have covered, was just different.

Finally the article that started this, my very own tirade, another shortsighted thought led me to a humorous analogy:

At the same time, the Arctics’ supposed recipe for success – the much-hyped MySpace profile that let them build a fanbase without a budget – has been co-opted by the rest of the industry. Like the establishment of those boutique brands, it’s now just another major label marketing ploy.

Which is pretty much akin to this imagined converation:

Caveman 1 - “Man remember when Jim invented fire? that was so cool!”
Caveman 2 - “Yeah, but now everybody has it so, you know, the thrill is gone.”
Cavement1 - Yeah, it sucks now, but when he did it the first time, I was totally there, and it was rad.”

Of course, after writing all of this I also must point out that the article that spawned this essay was written about the British “indie” scene, which kind of too negligible to be worried with anyway…

But I had a free night…

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Setlist:
00:00 Thursdays with Rachelandthecity
01:10 Slow Down Chicago - Canasta (Ardent Sessions)
05:10 Slipped Dissolved Loosed - Lambchop
10:01 Outta My Head - M. Ward (MP3)
12:22 Undertaker - M. Ward (MP3)
14:51 Vincent O’Brien - M. Ward (MP3)
17:02 Oh No - Kaiser Kartel
20:04 Oh My Stars - A Weather
24:06 Gettin’ It Down - Frisbee
27:30 Interview with Spencer from The City Veins
42:14 Boys Makes Good - The City Veins
43:26 Toe the Line - The City Veins
49:21 Always Wanting More - Jay Reatard
51:31 Beautiful Disaster - Goldcure

Lambchop Live Dates

9/6/08 @ Arhusfestuge (Kurt solo) - Aarhus, Denmark

The City Veins Live Dates

8/09/08 @ Benefit Show @ DC Arts Center - Washington, DC
8/1308 @ The M Room - Philadelphia, PA
8/15/08 @ Velvet Lounge - Washington, DC
8/23/08 @ Trash Bar - Brooklyn, NY

Jay Reatard Live dates
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7/17/08 @ Lupo’s w/ Spoon - Providence, RI
7/19/08 @ PITCHFORK MUSIC FESTIVAL - Union Park - Chicago, IL
7/1908 @ Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
7/21/08 @ Triple Rock - Minneapolis, MN
7/22//08 @ The Aquarium - Fargo, ND

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Setlist
00:00 Thursdays with Rachelandthecity
01:30 Increment of Love - Giant Sand
04:30 Sparrows - The Low Lows
08:52 Only as the Day is Long - Sera Cahoone
12:46 Scabs on this Year - Loch Lomond
18:32 Self-Destruct - What Made Milwaukee Famous
21:13 Johnny Ocho’s Lullabye - Pete Francis
28:25 Dear Kanye - Ben Sollee
31:26 It’s Not Impossible - Ben Sollee
34:44 A Few Honest Words - Ben Sollee
38:24 Change is Hard - She & Him
41:19 Caroline - Old Crow Medicine Show
44:52 Imaginary Girl - The Silver Seas
47:19 Everything is Working Out Fine in Some Town - Parachute Musical
51:36 Dear Jacksonville - Parachute Musical
54:55 Born to be Your Man - Birdmonster

Giant Sand Live Dates
7/13/08 @ Voxhall - Aarhus, Denmark
7/16/08 @ Santarcangelo - Santarcangelo, Italy
7/17/08 @ Santarcangelo - Santarcangelo, Italy
7/18/08 @ Rocco San Casciano Rocco - San Casciano, Italy
8/1/08 @ Dranouter Folk Festival - Dranouter, Belgium
9/15/08 @ Sokol Underground - Omaha, NE
9/18/08 @ First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
9/19/08 @ Orpheum Theatre - Madison, WI
9/20/08 @ Hideout Block Party - Chicago, IL
9/21/08 @ Blender Theater - Gramercy - New York, NY
9/23/08 @ Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH
9/24/08 @ The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
9/25/08 @ The Lyric - Oxford, MS
9/26/08 @ Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK
9/27/08 @ Granada Theater - Dallas, TX

Ben Sollee Live Dates
7/10/08 8:00pm @ Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua - Bayfield, WI
7/11/08 10:00pm @ Winnipeg Folk Fest - Winnipeg, MN
7/13/08 8:00pm @ Vancouver Island Musicfest - Vancouver, BC
7/14/08 8:00pm @ Benaroya Hall - Seattle, WA
7/15/08 8:00pm @ Aladdin Theatre - Portland, OR
7/17/08 7:30pm @ Boarding House Park - Lowell, MA
7/18/08 8:00pm @ Grey Fox Bluegrass Fest - Ancramdale, NY
7/19/08 8:00pm @ Vancouver Folk Fest - Vancouver, BC
7/20/08 8:00pm @ Vancouver Folk Fest - Vancouver, BC
7/26/08 8:00pm @ RockyGrass Fest - Lyons, CO
7/27/08 8:00pm @ Calgary Folk Music Fest - Calgary, AB
7/28/08 8:00pm @ The Myrna Loy Center - Helena, MT
7/29/08 8:00pm @ Wilma Theatre - Missoula, MT
7/30/08 8:00pm @ Sacajawea Center - Salmon, ID
8/1/08 8:00pm @ Kaslo Bay Park-Music Fest - Kaslo, BC
8/3/08 8:00pm @ Dunegrass - Empire, MI
8/8/08 5:00pm @ Grand Targhee Bluegrass Fest - Alta, WY
8/9/08 8:00pm @ Edmonton Folk Music Fest - Edmonton, AB
8/10/08 8:00pm @ Regina Folk Fest - Regina, SK
8/13/08 8:00pm @ United States Embassy - Chaoyang District, Beijing
8/21/08 8:00pm @ United States Embassy - Chaoyang District, Beijing
8/23/08 8:00pm @ SF Music & Arts Fest - San Francisco, CA
8/27/08 6:00pm @ Waterfront Park - Louisville, KY
8/29/08 8:00pm @ Moe Down - Turin, NY
8/31/08 8:00pm @ Hookahville - Thornville, OH
9/11/08 8:00pm @ Memorial Hall - Chapel Hill, NC
9/13/08 8:00pm @ Dominican University PAC - River Forest, IL
9/14/08 8:00pm @ Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI
9/15/08 8:00pm @ Guthrie Theater Proscenium - Minneapolis, MN
9/16/08 8:00pm @ Barrymore Theatre - Madison, WI
9/17/08 8:00pm @ The Music Mill - Indianapolis, IA
9/19/08 8:00pm @ The Ark - Ann Arbor, MI
9/20/08 7:00pm @ Miami of Ohio - Hamilton - Hamilton, OH
9/27/08 8:00pm @ Dosey Doe - The Woodlands, TX
9/28/08 8:00pm @ Austin City Limits Music Fest - Austin, TX
10/1/08 8:00pm @ Ulster PAC - Kingston, NY
10/2/08 8:00pm @ Town Crier Cafe - Pawling, NY
10/3/08 8:00pm @ The First Parish Church - Cambridge, MA
10/4/08 8:00pm @ Flynn Theatre - Burlington, VT
10/5/08 8:00pm @ The Community Theatre - Morristown, NJ
10/10/08 8:00pm @ Portland Art Museum - Portland, OR
10/17/08 8:00pm @ Ferst Center for the Arts - Atlanta, GA
10/19/08 8:00pm @ Lake Eden Arts Fest - Black Mountain, NC

She & Him
7/23/08 @ Opera House - Toronto, ON
7/24/08 @ Academy of Music - Northampton, MA
7/25/08 @ Trocadero - Philadelphia, PA
7/26/08 @ Terminal 5 - New York, NY
7/28/08 @ Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC
7/29/08 @ Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
7/30/08 @ Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
7/31/08 @ Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
8/02/08 @ Newport Folk Fest - Newport, RI
8/05/08 @ Park West - Chicago, IL
8/07/08 @ First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
8/08/08 @ Barrymore - Madison, WI
8/10/08 @ V Fest - Baltimore, MD

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Setlist:

01:16 Blood, Sweat & Fears
06:16 Mercy Me
09:22 Almost Always Never
14:04 Cheap Wine
18:17 Sultan
22:05 The Jeopardy of Contentment
27:37 Self-Destruct
31:10 Curtains!
36:53 Sweet Lady
40:11 Hellodrama
43:05 To Each His Own
46:26 Right Place
49:01 For the Birds
52:49 Resistance

Ardent Sessions: What Made Milwaukee Famous “Self Destruct”

LIVE DATES!
Jul 30 2008 8:00P - The Marquee w/ Black Joe Lewis - Tulsa, OK
Jul 31 2008 8:00P - Off Broadway w/ Black Joe Lewis - St. Louis, MO
Aug 3 2008 1:00P - Lollapalooza - Citi Stage - Chicago, IL
Aug 5 2008 8:00P - Phoenix Hill Tavern w/ Black Joe Lewis - Louisville, KT
Aug 6 2008 8:00P - 12th and Porter w/ Black Joe Lewis - Nashville, TN
Aug 7 2008 8:00P - Bottletree w/ Black Joe Lewis - Birmingham, AL
Aug 8 2008 8:00P - Young Avenue Deli w/ Black Joe Lewis - Memphis, TN
Aug 9 2008 8:00P - Spanish Moon w/ Black Joe Lewis - Baton Rouge, LA
Sep 26 2008 1:30P - ACL - ATT Blue Room stage - Austin, TX

Previous Ardent Sessions: (click to listen)

John Paul Keith
Lucero
De Novo Dahl
Antenna Shoes
Canasta
American Princes
Oli Brown
Bad Veins

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00:00 Thursdays with Rachelandthecity
01:21 Stop Rip and Roll - J Roddy Walston and the Business
04:35 Used to Did - J Roddy Walston and the Business
08:38 Song For - Earlimart
11:08 Leviathon Bound - Shearwater
13:54 I Don’t Need No Man - Dawn Landes
16:55 The Carolinian - Chatham County Line
20:53 Finally Found the One - Deering & Down
24:52 All My Love - American Music Club
29:56 Interview with What Made Milwaukee Famous
38:02 Self Destruct - What Made Milwaukee Famous (Ardent Sessions)
42:50 Pity Party - Tell Tale Heart
48:16 Electrical Storm - The Mirror Stage
51:37 Bees - Falcon
55:26 The Sandfighter - Falcon

Earlimart
7/08/08 7:00pm @ Ameoba Records *IN-STORE* - Hollywood, CA
7/17/08 7:00pm @ M-Theory *IN-STORE* - San Diego, CA
7/17/08 8:00pm @ Casbah - San Diego, CA
7/18/08 8:00pm @ Spaceland - Los Angeles, CA
7/19/08 8:00pm @ Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA
7/20/08 8:00pm @ Doug Fir - Portland, OR
7/22/08 5:00pm @ Sonic Boom *IN-STORE* - Seattle, WA
7/22/08 8:00pm @ Chop Suey - Seattle, WA
7/25/08 8:00pm @ Triple Rock - Minneapolis, MN
7/26/08 6:00pm @ Reckless Records *IN-STORE* - Chicago, IL
7/26/08 8:00pm @ Hideout - Chicago, IL
7/29/08 7:00pm @ Sound Fix *IN-STORE* - Brooklyn, NY
7/30/08 8:00pm @ Middle East - Cambridge, MA
7/31/08 8:00pm @ Brooklyn Masonic Temple - Brooklyn, NY
8/1/08 8:00pm   @ Johnny Brenda’s - Philadelphia, PA
8/2/08 8:00pm   @ Ottobar - Baltimore, MD
8/5/08 5:00pm   @ Waterloo Records *IN-STORE* - Austin, TX
8/5/08 8:00pm   @ The Mowhawk - Austin, TX
8/9/08 8:00pm   @ Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA

Shearwater

Dawn Landes
7/9/08 8:00pm   @ The Basement - Sydney, Australia
7/10/08 8:00pm @ Northcote Social Club - Melbourne, Australia
7/15/08 8:00pm @ Waiting For Waits Festival -  - Palma de Mallorca, Spain
7/27/08 8:00pm @ The Sage Americana Festival - Gateshead, UK
8/5/08 8:00pm   @ The Roundhouse w/ Jim White - London, UK
8/6/08 8:00pm   @ St. Bonaventures - Bristol, UK
8/8/08 8:00pm   @ Freebutt - Brighton, UK
8/9/08 8:00pm   @ Summer Sundae Festival - Leicester, UK
8/30/08 8:00pm @ Electric Picnic - County Laois, Ireland
8/31/08 8:00pm @ Electric Picnic - County Laois, Ireland
9/2/08 8:00pm   @ 9:30 Club with Federico Aubele - Washington, D.C.
9/3/08 8:00pm   @ Bowery Ballroom with Federico Aubele - New York, NY
9/4/08 8:00pm   @ Paradise Rock Club with Federico Aubele - Boston, MA

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00:00 Thursdays with Rachelandthecity
01:00 Play in Reverse - Lex Land
04:53 Wonderful Life - The Felice Brothers
08:50 Further to Fall - Dan Craig
12:54 The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer - Dr Dog
16:23 The Garden State - Red Sirus
19:03 Cacophony - Tilly and the Wall
21:28 Let Us In! (Come On!) - The Lions Rampant
24:00 See You Around - The Revisionists
27:30 Interview with Matthew Melton of Snake Flower 2
35:10 Flight of the Navigator - Snake Flower 2
40:14 Snakegirl - Snake Flower 2
45:15 Briton - The Swedes
49:41 Motherly Advice - A Shoreline Dream
55:35 Send a Little Love Token - The Duke Spirit

Lex Land
6/28/08 Melting Pot - Athens, GA
6/30/08 Village Tavern - Charleston, SC
7/1/08 Local 506 - Chapel Hill, NC
7/2/08 Grey Eagle - Asheville, NC
7/3/08 Evening Muse - Charlotte, NC
7/6/08 IOTA - Arlington, VA
7/7/08 8×10 - Baltimore, MD
7/8/08 World Cafe Live - Philadelphia, PA

Dan Craig
6/26/08 Old Curtis Street w/Andrea Ball - Denver, CO
6/28/08 Lory Student Center (CSU) MS 150 WoW Fest - Ft. Collins, CO
7/5/08 Hi-Dive w/Angie Stevens and Gregory Alan Isakov - Denver, CO
7/19/08 Boulder Band Shell - Charity Show - Boulder, CO
7/24/08 Walnut Room w/Trace Bundy and Jessica Sonner - Denver, CO
8/1/08 Denver Post Underground Music Showcase - Denver, CO
8/29/08 Everyday Joes w/Aaron Espe - Ft. Collins, CO

The Revisionists
7/16/08 Club NME at Spaceland - Los Angeles, CA

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Via Stereogum

Sadly, Record Store Day doesn’t last forever, so it’s good getting periodic reminders about the importance of these spaces. In that spirit, the July issue of Paste, the one with MMJ on the cover, includes an article on “the 17 Coolest Record Stores in America.” This is how it’s framed:

People are no longer leaving their houses. They are content to wirelessly import digital music straight into nano-engineered storage devices implanted in their grey matter, and the digital revolution is killing brick-and-mortar retail. But, to paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of the record store’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Just as people of faith need houses of worship in which to commune, music zealots are no less dependent on shrines dedicated to their own decibel-cranked passion. For that reason, Paste hereby celebrates the record store, bestowing superlatives on a few of America’s finest. May they live long and loud!

Agreed, though let me start off by complaining that the Princeton Record Exchange didn’t make it. Rip-off. But 17 other stores did. The list is in no particular order. And, yes, that’s Steven Seagal.

• Amoeba Records, Los Angeles, CA
• Criminal Records, Atlanta, GA
• Other Music, New York City
• Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, Clarksdale, MS
• Waterloo Records, Austin, TX
• Aquarius Records, San Francisco, CA
• Dusty Groove America, Chicago, IL
• Ernest Tubb Record Shop, Nashville, TN
• Shangri-La Records, Memphis, TN
• Music Millennium, Portland, OR
• Ear X-Tacy, Louisville, KY
• Louisiana Music Factory, New Orleans, LA
• Newbury Comics, Boston, MA
• Grimey’s New + Pre-Loved Music, Nashville, TN
• Turntable Lab, New York City
• The Electric Fetus, Minneapolis, MN
• Jerry’s Records, Pittsburgh, PA

Shangri-La is such a great place Steven Seagal’s business couldn’t keep it off the list. Glad to see Aquarius on it, too. I’d also add Hospital (which is having a grand reopening soon) in New York City. While talking specialty stores: Metal Haven, Chicago. Also, Philadelphia Record Exchange. I’m sure you can think of others. If not, Metallica can. Read the complete Paste article here.

[Seagal photo via Shangri-La Records’ MySpace]

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