MP3

Peter Gabriel: Scratch My Back

Here Comes The Flood — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:04:00 GMT

Take cover! The new Peter Gabriel album Scratch My Back is a mixed bag of golden oldies and modern day artist songs. Mainly orchestral and sometimes radically reworked Gabriel tackles the songs with a mixture of glee and respect. The more subdued songs stand out - the melancholic piano and cello add texture to a slowed down version of Paul Simon's The Boy in the Bubble, and the strings in the Talking Heads' Listening Wind wrap the vocals like a comfy blanket. Pity that I Think it's Going to Rain Today sounds a bit hoarse, like a cleaned up Tom Waits vocal - you can blame engineer Tchad Blake for that perhaps.

Gabriel asked John Metcalfe to lend a hand as an arranger and the influence grand noise producer Bob Ezrin (Pink Floyd's The Wall, Lou Reed's Berlin) can be heard in Mirrorball.

Scratch My Back sounds very much like a Peter Gabriel album. But please let the next one will actually be one.

Scratch My Back is released in the UK and Europe (Feb 15th), Canada (Feb 16) and the USA (March 2nd).

Tracks:

Heroes (David Bowie)
The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon)
Mirrorball (Elbow)
Flume (Bon Iver)
Listening Wind (Talking Heads)
The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed)
My Body is a Cage (Arcade Fire)
The Book of Love (The Magnetic Fields)
I Think it's Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman)
Après Moi (Regina Spektor)
Philadelphia (Neil Young)
Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead)

A future deluxe edition come with an extra disc with one non-album track, the Kinks' Waterloo Sunset, and three remixes:

The Book of Love (Remix)
My Body is a Cage (Oxford London Temple Version)
Waterloo Sunset (Oxford London Temple Version)
Heroes (Wildbeest Mix)

MP3: Peter Gabriel - Flume
MP3: Real World Podcasts - Scratch My Back
(the stories behind Peter's recordings of Heroes, The Boy In The Bubble, Mirrorball and Flume)

» petergabriel.com

Peasant: Shady Retreat

Here Comes The Flood — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:00:00 GMT

photo: Heidi Greenwood

Damien DeRose aka Peasant made some waves when he released his On The Ground album in the summer of 2008. On his sophomore release Shady Retreat he sounds more confident, having found his voice and being more adventurous in his arrangements.

Acoustic guitar and piano are still his main instruments. Spicing things up with organ has added another layer to his work. DeRose is evolving into Americana singer who should appeal to the the "in-the-know" crowd and, hopefully, outside that niche too.

Shady Retreat is released on Paper Garden Records. Release date: March 2nd.

Tracks:

Thinking
The Distance
Well Alright
The End
Pry
Prescriptions
Into The Woods
Tough
Hard Times
Slow Down

MP3: Peasant - Well Alright

Live dates:

02/24 Mercury Lounge (w/ Rocky Votaloto), New York, NY
03/11 World Cafe Live (CD release show), Philadelphia, PA
03/12 Mad Hatter Club, Covington, KY #
03/14 The Rudyard Kipling, Louisville, KY #
03/18 Tap Room (Blackbird Booking Official SXSW Showcase), Austin, TX
03/20 Howl Interiors Studio (SXSW Paper Garden Unofficial Day Party), Austin, TX
03/24 Circle Bar, New Orleans, LA #

# Spring Tour w/ Seedy Seeds

» iampeasant.com
» myspace.com/peasant

The Morning Pages: new album "Rising Rain" drops May 11

Here Comes The Flood — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:07:00 GMT

Brooklyn country rockers The Morning Pages will release their full length Rising Rain, the follow-up of the band's 2007 EP The Company You Keep. My Name Is Lion serves as a free taster.

MP3: The Morning Pages - My Name Is Lion

Live date:

03/11 The Living Room, New York, NY

» themorningpages.com
» myspace.com/themorningpages

John Jorgenson: One Stolen Night + Istiqbal Gathering

Here Comes The Flood — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:36:00 GMT

Nashville based John Jorgenson is one of the world's greatest gypsy jazz guitarists, keeping the music of Django Reinhardt alive. A composer is his own right he is releasing two albums simultaneously.. One Stolen Night was made with his regular quintet, Istiqbal Gathering with the Orchestra Nashville, conducted by his long time musical friend Paul Gambill.

One Stolen Night
Europe in the Twnties and Thirties is brought back is a rollikcing cavalcade of guitar pickings, teh bulk of the material penned buy Jorgenson. Straw hats and summer come to mind with the joyous opener Red on Red and a swagger is in order for Slide Sister Slide. Violin player Jason Anick takes charger for Mediterranean Blues.

The covers, like the slow jazz take of Grieg's Norwegian Dance and the respectful rendering of Reinhardt's Hungaria are pretty good, but it feels that the mujsicains are afraird of taking risks and cutting corners to mke them truely thier own. The bonus tracks were first released on a 2008 compilation CD of patrons of the London venue Le Quecumbar, the only dedicated gypsy jazz venue in the world.

John Jorgenson: guitar
Jason Anick: violin
Doug Martin: guitar
Simon Planting: bass
Rick Reed: drums

Tracks:

Red on Red
Slide Sister Slide
One Stolen Night
Mediterranean Blues
Souvenirs des Nos Peres
Billet Doux
Kentucky Kastrinos
Norwegian Dance
Bella Ella
Hungaria
Bonus Tracks:
Istiqbal Solo
Dark Romance

MP3: John Jorgerson - Bella Ella

Istiqbal Gathering
Jorsgenson alwys wanted to do a piece for gypsy guitar and orchestra, a rare feat that he puled off with arranger and composer Don Hart (he worked with Phish main man Trey Anastasio) and Orchestra Nashville conductor Paul Gambill. The three piece suite Concerto Glasso kicks of with a war cry of sorts - Roma Arise is the slogan chosen for the World Romany Congress, but the second movement Seaside Waltzreally works - the strings give Jorgenson a lift.

The short Dieter's Lounge is humming like a contended bee, mainly thanks to the addition of the Turtle Island Quarter, who stick around for Groove in the Louvre. Ending the album with an extended orchestrated take of his solo composition Istiqbal Gathering one wishes that this collaboration is the start of fruitful musical relationship.

Tracks:

Concerto Glasso
1. Roma Arise
2. Seaside Waltz
3. Tarantella and Reverie
Dieter's Lounge
Groove in the Louvre
Istiqbal Gathering

MP3: John Jorgerson and Orchestra Nashville - Dieter's Lounge

One Stolen Night and Istiqbal Gathering are released his own label J2 records. Buy them from his website.

» johnjorgenson.com

John Coffey: Vanity

Here Comes The Flood — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:57:00 GMT

photo: Henk Otte

It's hard to pin down the sound of Dutch quintet John Coffey. They come out swinging with three borderline hardcore songs on their new album Vanity before embarking on Soundgarden alike instrumental ditty called A Final Leap Ahead whcih serves as abridge for a string of three poppy rock songs pushed forward by chugging bass lines and subtle vocal harmonies, especially the exquisite Fingers and Knives.

Hardcore vocals and pop clash for ...Meanwhile, at the Dog Track, a foreboding of the sonic assault of the vocal chords ripping Wreckage and Scars after which the slow march of Walls of Infintiy brings the album to close. "Have you ever created something beautiful? And then shot it to pieces?" is what they offer as an explanation. And it fits for the raw beauty for this collection of songs. After two EPs and the one-off Dead Kennedys cover Holiday in Cambodia John Coffey have turned into a musical melting pot that is hot and steamy.

John Coffey:
Art van Triest: vocals, keyboards
Alfred van Luttikhuizen: guitar, backing vocals
Carsten Brunsveld: drums
Richard van Luttikhuizen: bass, backing vocals
Twan Eikelenboom: guitar

Vanity is released on Sally Forth Records. A limited edition of 1000 copies will be released with real bullet holes.

Tracks:

Smashing 90s
Dear Thomas Schell, It was a pleasure meeting you
VANITY (got shot in the eye last night)
A Final Leap Ahead
Stephan's Children
Fingers and Knives
Vehicle
...Meanwhile, at the Dog Track
Wreckage and Scars
Walls of Infinity

Live dates:

03/0 The Vic Inn (w/ Through Solace), Derby, UK
03/06 The Golden Cross (w/ Through Solace), Coventry, UK
03/13 Vera Downstage - w/RAVENS Groningen, The Netherlands
03/26 Winston - ROARfest w/Noyalty/Bound in Blood Amsterdam, The Netherlands
04/05 OJC Walhalla - Prilpop Sevenum, The Netherlands
04/30 De Bliksem - Crossover Royale, Den Helder, The Netherlands
06/18 NDRGRND (w/ Ten Page Pilot), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
06/19 The Rambler (w/ Ten Page Pilot), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
07/10 Saxstock, Frauenhein, Germany
07/16 J-Rock, Kramfors, Sweden
07/29 Freakstock, Borgentreich, Germany

Video: John Coffey - Vanity (got shot in the eye last night)
Video: John Coffey - Wreckage and Scars
MP3: John Coffey - Holiday in Cambodia

» johncoffey.nl

U-Melt: new album "Perfect World", tour dates

Here Comes The Flood — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:49:00 GMT

Progressive groove outfit U-Melt have announced a massive tour promoting their forthcoming album Perfect World. The release party is a hometown show at The Bowery Ballroom in New York:

02/12 Castaway’s, Ithaca, NY
02/13 Nietzsche’s, Buffalo, NY
02/18 The Wheelhouse, Narragansett, RI
02/19 The North Star, Philadelphia, PA
02/20 The Bowery Ballroom, NY, NY (album release tarty)
02/25 8×10 Club, Baltimore, MD
02/26 Fri Sherman Theater, Stroudsburg, PA
02/27 Harpers Ferry, Allston, MA
03/04 Nectar’s, Burlington, VT
03/05 Revolution Hall, Troy, NY
03/06 Westcott Theatre, Syracuse, NY
03/24 Pour House Music Hall Raleigh, NC
03/25 The Emerald Lounge Asheville, NC
03/26 Double Door Inn Charlotte, NC
03/27 Smiths Olde Bar Atlanta, GA
03/31 Plush Tucson, AZ
04/01 Goat Head Saloon Mesa, AZ
04/02 Winston's, San Diego, CA
04/03 The Mint, Los Angeles, CA
04/04 The Connecticut Yankee, San Francisco, CA
04/05 Crystal Bay Club (Red Room), Crystal Bay, NV
04/07 Hodi’s Half Note, Ft. Collins, CO
04/08 University of CO, Boulder, CO (early show)
04/09 Quixote’s, Denver, CO
04/10 Quixote’s, Denver, CO
04/11 Old Town Pub, Steamboat Springs, CO
04/14 Old Rock House, St. Louis, MO
04/16 Reggies Rock Club, Chicago, IL
04/17 Otto’s, Dekalb, IL

MP3: U-Melt - 415
MP3: U-Melt - Air

» umelt.com

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: "I Learned the Hard Way" album drops April 6th

Here Comes The Flood — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:27:00 GMT

Brooklyn band Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings continue their quest for real soul music with a new album called I Learned the Hard Way. The title tracks has been available as a free download from Daptone Records.

MP3: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way

Live dates:

03/26 Snoe Down Winter Music Festival Rutland, VT
04/17 Wanee Festival Live Oak, FL
04/30 Apollo Theater New York, NY

» sharonjonesandthedapkings.com

The String Cheese Incident reunites for Red Rocks and Horning's Hideout

Here Comes The Flood — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:06:00 GMT

photo: C Taylor Crothers

Folk jam band The String Cheese Incident reunite for a three day stand at Red Rocks and the festival at Horning's Hideout. These are the first shows after the one-off performance at Rothbury last year.

07/23 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
07/24 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
07/25 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
07/29-08/01 Horning's Hideout, North Plains, OR
(full festival line-up and schedule tba)

MP3: String Cheese Incident - Whiskey Before Breakfast
(live at Ogden Theater , Denver, CO - 2009-06-24)

» stringcheeseincident.com

HCTF Exclusive: Todd Rundgren's Johnson "Crossroads"

Here Comes The Flood — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:07:00 GMT

Todd photo: Lynn Goldsmith

Here Comes The Flood proudly presents Crossroads, a track from the forthcoming new Todd Rundgen album Todd Rundgren's Johnson, reinterpretating the songs of legendary blues man Robert Johnson (1911-1938).

MP3: Todd Rundgren's Johnson - Crossroads

The world premiere of Todd Rundgren's Johnson was at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco, December 1, 2009. Rundgren played a 45 minute set of Robert Johnson songs, with Prairie Prince on drums, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Kasim Sulton on bass. It was the opener for a complete rendition of his A Wizard, A True Star album, Rundgren doing a Pink Floyd thing by playing two albums in full. It will be done again at the final (for now) AWATS shows in London (Feb 6) and Amsterdam (Feb 8).

Todd Rundgren's Johnson will be released later this year. Release date to be decided. He mentioned the album in an interview with The Examiner in November 2009:

I'm currently finishing up an album of Robert Johnson's songs. Delivering them to my label in about a week. Little difficult because everyone's covered him, so I'm trying to make sure my take isn't pedantic. I'm not a blues singer, I've done R&B. There's a difference. Blues is straight ahead. I do tend to move straight ahead, though, in the way that I work, and try not to run into a wall!

Tentative setlist for Todd Rundgen's Johnson:

Dust My Broom
Stop Breakin' Down
Walkin' Blues
Love in Vain
Sweet Home Chicago
(Hot Tamales) They're Red Hot
Come On in My Kitchen
Hellhound On My Trail
Traveling Riverside Blues
Crossroads

Video: Todd Rundgren - Crossroads
Video: Todd Rundgren - Hellhound On My Trail
Video: Todd Rundgren - Love in Vain
(live at the Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, CA - 2009/12/04)

A Todd Rundgren's Johnson tour is currently planned. Confirmed dates:

04/02 Engelwood, NJ @ Bergen County PAC
04/03 Salisbury, MA @ Tupelo Music Hall
04/07 Newark, OH @ Midland Theater
04/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Palace Theater
04/10 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun - Wolf Den
04/11 Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse
04/13 Alexandria, VA @ The Birchmere
04/14 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Tavern

» todd-rundgren.com
» myspace.com/toddrundgrenmusic
» awatslive.com

Twin Tigers: Gray Waves

Here Comes The Flood — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:40:00 GMT

The Twin Tigers hail form Athens, GA, but they look to Ireland and Scotland for musical inspiration sounding like the bastard children of U2 and the Jesus and Mary Chain. They go for the grandiose in a subdued way.

For such a fiercely named band they are pretty tame. Gray Waves is an aptly title for their full length. The songs rise and fall, but could use a bit of colour to make them stand out amongst the overcrowded shoegaze crowd. Adding lots of echo and other effects to the vocals don't equal teeth and fangs.

Twin Tigers:
Doug Crump: drums
Forrest Hall: guitar
Aimee Morris: bass
Matthew Rain: guitar, vocals

Gray Waves is released on Old Flame Records. MP3s are on Amazon.

Tracks:

Passive Idol
Red Fox Run
Everyday
Watershed
Sexless Love
Gray Waves
Feathers
Automatic
Crystal Highway
Island

MP3: Twin Tigers - Passive Idol

Live dates:

02/03 T.T. The Bear’s Place, Cambridge, MA
02/04 Jerky’s, Providence, RI
02/08 Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY
02/09 Maxwell’s, Hoboken, NJ
02/10 The Ottobar, Baltimore, MD
02/11 The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA
02/13 Garfield Artworks, Pittsburgh, Pa
02/14 Eleanor Rigby’s, Jermyn, PA
02/15 The Space, Hamden, CT

» myspace.com/thetwintigers