Out the Other

March 1 show preview - Hotpipes!

I've been SUPER excited about tomorrow for weeks now - not only will my favorite Nashville band, Hotpipes, be joining me on Out the Other, but the band will also be celebrating the release of their new album, Future Bolt, tomorrow night at Exit/In.  And celebrating is definitely in order, because if I was in love with last year's self-titled Hotpipes, I'm just about ready to elope with Future Bolt.

One of my favorite things about Hotpipes (other than the fact that the guys are four of my favorite people in Nashville) is the fact that even though the band was great at the beginning of last year when I fell in love with them, they've been steadily getting even better over the course of the last twelve months.  Playing tons of shows is definitely a contributing factor - I swear they sound more amazing every time I see them - but even more impressive is the fact that they seem to keep writing my new favorite song.  At eight tracks, Future Bolt clocks in at just under thirty minutes, but each song in succession is just as exceptional as the one before, and the first time I listened to the album I found myself thinking "ooh this is my new favorite Hotpipes song.  No... wait - THIS is my new favorite Hotpipes song!"  From the punchy title track that showcases Jon's trademark wail, to the gently rolling, drum-laden "You Burn Or You Don't" (an early favorite of mine when in demo form), to the unpredictable "Thunderbolt" with its gym whistle spikes, to "I Am Better Than You," which seems to wrap up everything I love about Hotpipes in one three and a half minute package - these songs aren't really new, because I have already heard them live, but captured here they shine in a way that's almost unexpected.

Still, I am incredibly excited to hear all of the new Future Bolt songs live, now that I've spent a good chunk of time falling in love with them.  And if you for some reason STILL haven't seen Hotpipes, tomorrow night is the perfect opportunity - the CD release show is not to be missed.  Cortney Tidwell, Hands off Cuba and DJ D-Funk are all on the bill as well, which means we're in for an amazing night.  And if that's not enough to persuade you, maybe the rumor that Hotpipes will be wearing vegetable heads will get you to Exit/In for the night.  I believe the show kicks off around 9 p.m. and it will be 18+.

In the meantime, please tune in to the show tomorrow at 2 p.m. - like I said, Hotpipes will be joining me for the hour, and I'm pretty sure we're going to be playing the new album in its entirety.  This is the band's four-gazillionth appearance on the show, which means they're honorary co-DJs at this point, and if you've caught any of their previous appearances you know you can expect an excellent hour of radio.

Also, the band is going to be on WOXY today at 2 p.m. (Central - 3 p.m. Eastern) performing live, if you want to whet your appetite for tomorrow's show. 

Okay, tune in tomorrow at 2!  And pick up your own copy of Future Bolt - it's out today!

"Brain and a Vegetable"
"I Am Better Than You"

I've met someone that makes me feel seasick

I cannot believe I'm going to be in Austin two weeks from tonight - it feels like I was just in Texas for my very first SXSW, and here we are again, with March right around the corner.  And if, like me, you're headed to the festival this year, I'm sure that you've been hitting up the official SXSW website on a daily basis.  The site is chock-full of information on the ridiculous number of bands playing official showcases this year - set times, biographical info, and lots and lots of freebie mp3s.

I've been slogging through the list in preparation for my trip to Austin, not because I really think I can familiarize myself with all 1,600 (or whatever) artists playing the festival in the next two weeks, but because I know for a fact that there are quite a few hidden gems buried in the lineup that I'll be madly in love with six months down the road.  And nothing sucks more than "discovering" a fantastic band... and then discovering the fact that you were obliviously standing on the sidewalk outside their showcase just a few months earlier.

Case in point:  The Wombats.  Last year my sis and I found ourselves traipsing through Austin on St. Patrick's Day with a few new British friends, trying to track down some Liverpool party in the middle of absolutely nowhere.  We found the party - and I was introduced to Eugene McGuinness and  Hot Club de Paris - but we eventually wandered next door because it was easier to procure Irish car bombs at the adjacent empty bar.  You can't really blame me for being drunk and semi-clueless on St. Patty's Day, and I know that at SXSW no matter what you're doing you're always missing something, but I'm still kicking myself for standing outside on the sidewalk doing (quite literally) nothing, while The Wombats played inside. 

Mostly, I'm bummed because "Kill the Director" has been stuck in my head for what feels like MONTHS now, and it would have been amazing to hear the song live.  It's bouncy and catchy and vaguely ridiculous - filled with the kind of punchy chorus and cheerful background "oooh-ooohs" that make you want to pogo around a crowded dance floor.  Exactly the kind of song that could have complemented a drunken St. Patty's Day blow-out on the last day of my first SXSW.  Ah well.  SXSW is about many things, but it's certainly not about regrets.

"Kill the Director"

Hopefully I'll have a chance to catch The Wombats at this year's SXSW - they're playing a few shows, and this time around knowing what I'm missing will hopefully keep me off the sidewalk.   They'll also be releasing a self-titled EP here in the US in April, but if you can't wait you can always pick up an import copy of their full-length album, The Wombats Proudly Present: A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation.  Want a bonus song?  Sure you do!

"Backfire at the Disco"
 

Playlist - February 23

Saturday's show was another game of catch-up - lots of great new tunes from great new albums, along with a healthy dose of the new Whigs CD - Mission Control - to get everyone psyched about the show at the Mercy Lounge (which was excellent, by the way - those boys improve a little every time I see them).   If you still haven't had a chance to, go ahead and:

Stream the February 23 edition of Out the Other

And here's the playlist, so you can follow along at home.  Sorry no bonus mp3s this week - I'm going to be hitting you with a bunch from bands playing SXSW very, very soon. 

1.  The Whigs - Production City (Mission Control)
2.  Throw Me the Statue - Lolita (Moonbeams)
3.  Headlights - Towers (Some Racing, Some Stopping)
4.  The Epochs - Opposite Sides (The Epochs)
5.  Bellx1 - Rocky Took a Lover (Flock)
6.  Bon Iver - Lump Sum (For Emma, Forever Ago)
7.  No Kids - The Beaches All Closed (Come Into My House)
8.  The Whigs - Hot Bed (Mission Control)
9.  Hotpipes - Future Bolt (Future Bolt)
10.  Beach House - Gila (Devotion)
11.  The Whigs - I Got Ideas (Mission Control)

And remember - Hotpipes will be joining me in the studio for the show this coming Saturday, March 1!  More details (and some new tunes) later this week.

February 23 show preview (and The Whigs @ Mercy Lounge tonight!)

Today's show is going to be another hour of catching up on new releases and bands playing in town - and there were a bunch of great new albums that came out last Tuesday, so I have my work cut out for me trying to fit it all into one hour.  The thing is though, I was feeling so super indecisive about choosing a featured album of the week that I decided to forgo picking a new release entirely.

That's right, today's featured album of the week is Mission Control by The Whigs - an album that actually came out (almost exactly) a month ago on January 22.  But I chose it for good reason, because not only is it an excellent record (and one that I didn't really get a chance to play last month when it came out), but The Whigs will also be in Nashville tonight to play a show at Mercy Lounge.  I've been listening to Mission Control all week and getting more and more excited about tonight's show, so I thought I might as well share three songs by the band I'm so excited about.  Here's a tune off the new album to let you know what you're in for:

"Right Hand On My Heart"

Also on the agenda for today's show - lots of new goodness.  And to be perfectly honest, I have way more than an hour's worth, so I'm not sure what I'm going to have a chance to play - hopefully new stuff by No Kids, Headlights, Bon Iver, No Kids, The Epochs and more.  You'll have to tune in at 2 to find out!

And remember - The Whigs at Mercy Lounge tonight.  The excellent, excellent Delaware band The Spinto Band is also on the bill, along with local kids Umbrella Tree.  The show kicks off at 9 p.m., the cover is $12 and this one is going to be 18+.

Wild Sweet Orange @ The Basement TONIGHT!

Last Fall I had the opportunity to check out Birmingham's Wild Sweet Orange at Exit/In with the Whigs - I had previously heard good things about the band, but had never heard any of their music before.  Going into a show with basically no expectations is always a crapshoot, because if the band doesn't really wow me, it's likely I'll have forgotten them by the end of the week.  But Wild Sweet Orange played a great set and left a favorable impression, enough so that I made a little mental note to check them out the next time they're in town.  Well, tonight they're playing over at the Basement with Matt King, so I definitely plan on heading out.

Since that show back in October, the band has released their The Whale EP - a nice little 5-song sampler of the band's sound - ranging from acoustic and subdued to all-out rocking.  And speaking of rocking, I'm pretty sure this is the track that's going to get this band noticed: 

"Wrestle With God"

Can't wait to hear this one live, now that I've listened to it 50+ times. Tonight's show kicks off at 9 p.m. and the cover is only $7.  And like all shows at the Basement, this one is 21+.

Playlist - February 16

It was absolutely wonderful having Aaron Robinson on the show this past Saturday - not only did he do a fantastic job as a guest DJ, but he was also a pleasure to talk to and nice enough to treat us to live performances of two tracks off his amazing new album, We Are Racing Ghosts.  I think we'll have to get him back on the air this summer for the Summer of Guest DJs, when we can hang out for two hours and he can play even more music for us.  Anyway, if you still haven't had a chance to hear the show, go ahead and:

Stream the February 16 edition of Out the Other

Definitely, definitely go pick up a copy of We Are Racing Ghosts as well - the album is available as a digital download almost everywhere, and you can order a physical copy here.

Aaron will be playing an official CD release show at the Basement this Thursday, February 21, so make sure you head out to see him play these songs with his full band.  KS Rhoads and Dana Falconberry are on the bill as well, and the cover is only $7.  The show should kick off at 9 p .m., and like all shows at the Basement, this one is 21+.

And so you can follow along at home, here's the playlist from the show (with a few bonus mp3s):

1.  Aaron Robinson - The New A.M. (We Are Racing Ghosts)
2.  David Shultz and The Skyline - Already There (Sinner's Gold) (mp3)
3.  Ron Sexsmith - Never Give Up (Time Being)
4.  Aaron Robinson - Painful Fee (We Are Racing Ghosts) (mp3)
5.  Motorpsycho - Hey, Jane (Trust Us)
6.  Big Star - Thirteen (#1 Record) (mp3)
7.  Aaron Robinson - I Won't Stop (We Are Racing Ghosts)

February 16 show preview - Aaron Robinson

I have a super special treat lined up for today's show - Aaron Robinson will be joining me on the air as my guest and guest DJ for the hour.  If you remember, Aaron was featured in one of my Next Big Nashville mini-interviews last fall, and he told us a little bit about the album he had just finished working on.  Now We Are Racing Ghosts is finally available, and with a CD release show lined up for this Thursday, February 21 at the Basement, we're going to do a little celebrating on the show today.  The album is wonderful - you can definitely expect to hear a few of the tracks on the show, and hopefully Aaron will be performing live as well.  Plus we'll be doing the standard guest DJ thing on OTO - which means Aaron is bringing a few CDs he's been listening to lately, and we'll mix those in with some chatting about the album, the release show, SXSW and anything else he has on the agenda for 2008.

Tune in at 2!

Anticipation

About a month ago, my friend Michael issued a challenge - come up with a mix comprised of albums I'm excited about that will be released in 2008.  I've been trying to put something together for a few weeks now, but the challenge has proved to be trickier than I expected. The one rule Michael gave me was that the tracks had to be from the new albums in question - which is tough, because bands/labels/promotions companies don't always release an initial mp3 before they distribute promo copies of the record (and by the time they distribute the promo copy and I hear the whole thing, I'm not really "looking forward to" that album anymore, now am I?). 

But after some digging, some falling in love with new tracks and a whole lotta staring longingly at release dates that are weeks (and sometimes months) out in the future, here's my Anticipation Mix - reflecting the albums I'm looking forward to in 2008.  You can download all ten tracks in a .zip, but I'm also breaking the mix down song by song to tell you why I'm so excited about these releases.

[ download .zip ]

And the playlist:

#1.  Guillemots - "Kriss Kross"
(from Red, out in the UK on March 24 on Polydor; in the US as an import March 25)

The phenomenal Guillemots record Through the Windowpane was my absolute favorite in 2006, so Red is absolutely my most highly anticipated release of 2008.  This track, which the band decided to give away for free via their myspace page for a bit, wasn't quite what I expected, but after a few listens I'm head over heels for all the drama.  Can't WAIT to hear what this album has to offer.

#2.  Hotpipes - "Future Bolt"
(from Future Bolt, out February 29)

I'm cheating a little by including Hotpipes and their new album, Future Bolt, on this list.  After all, I have a promo copy of the CD and I've been playing it incessantly since last week.  But because they're my favorite Nashville band and I'm pretty much convinced that this is the release that will put them on the map, I'm excited for YOU to hear the whole thing.  Oh and did I mention they're going to be visiting my show again March 1st?

#3.  Frightened Rabbit - "The Modern Leper"
(from Midnight Organ Fight, out April 15 on Fat Cat)

I fell a little in love with Frightened Rabbit and their excellent Sing the Greys last year, so I snatched up this mp3 from Midnight Organ Fight as soon as it started making the promo rounds. The song makes me super excited to hear the band's new album, and it has also convinced me to make absolute sure I manage to catch Frightened Rabbit at SXSW next month.

#4.  She and Him - "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here"
(from Volume One, out March 18 on Merge)

Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward?  Sign me up.  To be honest, I wasn't madly in love with this track the first few times I heard it, but the more I listen the crazier I am about this pairing.  I'm really hoping this album lives up to the lofty expectations I'm starting to form.

#5.  DeVotchKa - "Transliterator"
(from A Mad and Faithful Telling, out March 18 on Anti-)

My appreciation for DeVotchKa keeps getting deeper and deeper - first I kind of randomly saw them at their magical Nashville performance at the Basement, then their contributions to Little Miss Sunshine brought the band back onto my radar, and last year I listened to "Til the End of Time" about four thousand times after I included it on my Whistle While You Work Mix.  After hearing "Transliterator" I'm thinking A Mad and Faithful Telling will ruin my chances of ever seeing DeVotchKa at a venue as tiny as the Basement ever again.

#6.  The Envy Corps - "Wires and Wool"
(from Dwell out ? on Vertigo)

This is another album I'm cheating with a little bit - I've actually heard all of Dwell (I think anyway, I'm not sure if I have the final version) and many of the songs on the album actually appeared on I Will Write You Love Letters If You Tell Me To, which I featured on my show back in October of 2006.  This album is in a little bit of label limbo right now, but it looks like it will be out in April, and I promise it's worth the wait.

#7.  The Black Keys - "Strange Times"
(from Attack and Release, out April 1 on Nonesuch)

I adore the Black Keys, and there's already a 99.99% chance this is going to be one of my favorite albums of 2008.  Hope this new release means they'll be swinging through Nashville again sometime very, very soon.

#8.  Supergrass - "Diamond Hoo Ha Man"
(from Diamond Hoo Ha, out in the UK on March 24 on Parlophone; in the US March 25 as an import)

To be honest, "Diamond Hoo Ha Man" has a bit more cock-rock swagger than I'm usually a fan of, but since I loved the last Supergrass release, Road to Rouen, so much - I'm still really looking forward to this new record. 

#9.  Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "Glue Girls"
(from Pershing, out April 8 on Polyvinyl)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin does the shuffling indie pop stuff very, very well, as indicated on their initially self-released Broom - an album I'm still going back to quite a bit.  Now that it's been more than two years since I first saw the band at a smoky, sweaty show at Grand Palace - and now that they've been scooped up by Polyvinyl - I'm really interested to hear what they've assembled for Pershing.

#10.  Elbow - "Grounds for Divorce" (mp3 removed by request - stream at myspace)
(from The Seldom Seen Kid, out in the UK on March 17 on Fiction)

Of all the songs on this mix, this has to be the one I love the most - and I feel like I can't stop listening to it.  Sure, I really liked Leaders of the Free World back in 2005 (the album was pretty much my introduction to Elbow), but it wasn't like I was counting down the days until Elbow's next release.  That is, until I heard "Grounds for Divorce."  This song is unbelievably awesome, and I'm hoping the rest of The Seldom Seen Kid is as well.

Playlist - February 9

This week's show was pretty much a little game of catch-up - while we did take a look at this week's concert calendar (which is on the light side, I have to admit) and checked out one of tomorrow's new releases (British Sea Power's Do You Like Rock Music? is pretty great), mostly we heard from albums that came out LAST Tuesday, which was a pretty big release day in terms of excellent new records.  Including Hot Chip's Made In the Dark, my current obsession and this week's featured album of the week.  Haven't heard the show yet?  Go ahead and:

Stream the February 9 edition of Out the Other

So you can follow along at home, here's the playlist, with a little added bonus at the end:

1.  Hot Chip - Out at the Pictures (Made In the Dark)
2.  British Sea Power - Atom (Do You Like Rock Music?)
3.  Kelley Stoltz - Your Reverie (Circular Sounds)
4.  School of Language - Rockist Part 1 (Sea From Shore)
5.  Parachute Musical - The Black Tie Affair (Promo EP)
6.  Eureka Gold - Do It With My Right (Eureka Gold)
7.  Darla Farmer - The Quotient (Rewiring the Electric Forest)
8.  Hot Chip - Bendable Poseable (Made In the Dark)
9.  Say Hi - Northwestern Girls (The Wishes and the Glitch)
10.  Nada Surf - Weightless (Lucky)
11.  Hot Chip - One Pure Thought (Made In the Dark)

Since the last track didn't make it to the archive:

Hot Chip - "One Pure Thought"

and since I like to give you an extra mp3 as well:

Hot Chip - "Hold On"

F-f-f-friday

It's Friday afternoon, the sun is shining outside, I'm on my lunch break and I'm absolutely itching for the weekend to start.  But with about four hours to go, I need a little motivation to make it through the afternoon - how about you?

I originally was thinking about turning these songs into an official work-out mix (they are, after all, the songs I've been most frequently rocking out to at the gym in the past few weeks), but knowing how busy I've been lately, I have a feeling I'll never really get around to it.  And the thing is, the kind of music I listen to at the gym is just kick-ass period - wherever and whenever you listen to it.  Including on Friday afternoon at your desk... like right now.

So let's call this the Countdown To the Weekend mini-mix:

Friendly Fires - "On Board" (this one is my current favorite song)
Cut Copy - "Saturdays"
The Black Lips - "Veni Vidi Vici (Capt Crunk Remix)"
The Black Ghosts - "Anyway You Choose To Give It"
N.E.R.D. - "Everyone Nose (Bass Ill Euro Juke Remix)"
Tiga - "Far From Home (The Speed of Sexor Reprise)"

Oh and holy crap, I thought that Friendly Fires song made me absurdly happy - the video is an even bigger ball of ridiculous goodness.  Happy Friday, kids.