Here Comes The Flood - a weblog about music

Levon Helm's Electic Dirt has been nominated for a Grammy® for Best Americana Album. Its predecessor Dirt Farmer won in 2008. It might happen again.

» levonhelm.com

HCTF review of Electric Dirt.

photo: Amy Sly

Harper Blynn is a New York quartet with a penchant for pop harmonies with a rock edge. It makes sense that they wanted David Kahbe (The Strokes, Paul McCartney) as the producer for their debut Loneliest Generation.

Formerly know as Pete and J. the bands two songwriters Pete Harper and J. Blynn takes turn singing the lead vocals. With original rhythms and keyboards bubbling under songs like Luck Struck Kitty and Centrifugal Motion continue the tradition laid down by bands like the Shirts. Addictive. The ballad All The Noise might be picked up to play during the end titles of a sitcom with a huge audience.

Loneliest Generation is a digital release. A physical CD will hit the stores in April 2010 on baby jackal records.

1. 25 Years
2. This Is It
3. Steal Your Love
4. The Doubt
5. Loneliest Generation
6. All Pretenders
7. Luck Struck Kitty
8. Centrifugal Motion
9. All The Noise
10. It May Be Late

MP3: Harper Blynn - Centrifugal Motion
Video: Harper Blynn - Centrifugal Motion
(live at the Red Devil Lounge, San Francisco - 2009/11/14)

• 12/17 Bowery Ballroom (Digital Album Release Show), New York, NY
  (w/ Madison Square Gardeners & Pretty Dance Moves)

» myspace.com/harperblynn

Nowhere Boy is a movie portrait of an insecure young man who would become one of the biggest names in music ever. John Lennon was raised by his aunt Mimi, fell out with his mother Julia, and was saved by rock 'n' roll. The movie will be in theaters in the UK on Boxing Day (December 26th), but the 2CD soundtrack is already available.

Director Sam Taylor-Wood work closely with screenplay writer Matt Greenhalgh and music supervisor Ian Neil in assembling the tracks for the first disc. They know they will be watched by hordes of Beatles fans who will point out any historical flaw. Actor Aaron Johnson learned to sing a couple of songs that Lennon performed with his first band The Quarrymen (credited as The Nowhere Boys on the CD), and he comes close to the voice of young Lennon. Raunchy was an obvious choice - this is the song that George Harrison played for John on the back of a midnight bus, hoping to impress him enough to let him join the band. Taylor-Wood and Greenhalgh picked Lennon's most intense song Mother as the closing music for the movie, a song so raw with emotion that it hurts.

The second disc is an "inspired by" collection, less adventurous but it does include Paul McCartney all time favorite Peggy Sue by Buddy Holly, a singer who proved that you could wear glasses on stage and look cool. It would take some time for Lennon to do the same.

The Nowhere Boy soundtrack is released on Sony Music.

Video: Nowhere Boy trailer

» nowhereboy.co.uk

St. Louis band Rough Shop throw in two free tracks from their album Just Because It Was Christmas. The album has a few covers (Low, Alan Sparhawk and Paul Kelly), but their own stuff is far more interesting. Band members John Wendland and Andy Ploof write most of the band's materail and between them they have come up with seasonal songs that can stand the test of time.

Rough Shop:
Anne Tkach: vocals, bass, mandolin & guitar
Andy Ploof: vocals, guitar, mandolin & dobro
John Wendland: vocals, guitar & mandolin
Spencer Marquart: vocals, drums & percussion

Just Because It Was Christmas is released on Perdition Records. Just Because It Was Christmas is a self-released album. Buy it from the band's website.

MP3: Rough Shop - Big Man Under the Tree
MP3: Rough Shop - Just Because It Was Christmas

• 12/17 Bottleworks, Maplewood, MO

» roughshop.com
» myspace.com/roughshop

John Frusciante has quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers once again. From the Limewire Music Blog:

“Mentally, John checked out a long time ago,” claims a published source close to the band. “He’s interested in doing his own thing, his own albums – the whole big rock band machinery just doesn’t appeal to him anymore.” Meanwhile, reports claim that touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer (boasting an impressive touring resume including Sparks, PJ Harvey, and Beck) has replaced Frusciante on a full-time basis. Klinghoffer appeared live with the Chili Peppers throughout their 2007 tour, supporting successful double-album Stadium Arcadium.

Despite Frusciante’s ambitious and cult-favorite solo career, his departure from the band seems even more shocking the second time around. At the age of 22, Frusciante abruptly quit the band at the height of their popularity, eventually revealing a severe drug addiction. After cleaning up and rehabilitating, he rejoined the band in 1997, and has remained with the band for three successful records. Frusciante also remained heavily dedicated to his solo material, releasing nine records worth of material over the course of ten years.

While Frusciante has abruptly left the band, the Chili Peppers are gearing up for their tenth studio record. A few months prior, drummer Chad Smith revealed plans to enter the studio in October, in hopes to have a record ready for release in late 2010. Though the band have not issued a statement about the record’s progress or Frusciante’s status, perhaps the guitarist had time to lay down some tracks for the record before his departure.

Video: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away

» redhotchilipeppers.com