given my propensity to tagging bands, songs, artists with such lazy and sophomoric labels as “awesome,” “killer,” “lovely,” “great,” “most excellent,” etc it may seem that my vocabulary is quite limited, but you would only be half right. sometimes, even i get hung up and such trite phrases just aint gonna cut it. such is the case with asheville native, jeff zentner and his recently released, the dying days of summer. i have been attempting to come up with something, for the past 4 days, that not only intelligently but emotionally conveys the tone of this record. still the words escape me. as i was alluding to, zentner’s the dying days of summer emits visions and themes, and when words are lacking, resort to a picture. that is exactly how the record sounds to me. stumbling through the darkness and the moss that is seemingly everywhere in places like savannah, ga. this is definitely a very southern record, but not in a southern rock kinda way, but in a you may have to live here to understand kinda way. this is not to say if you dont live or have never lived in the south you wont appreciate or dig this record, in fact quite the contrary. the dying days of summer just sounds like the south. the sounds of the south that arent really heard but felt – if that makes sense.

the dying days of summer is available through jeff and should be available through several online retailers soon, if not now.

if this is to be goodbye
your siren song

ap photo/jim cooper

you know whats frustrating, actually mind numbingly frustrating? knowing most of the ins and outs of networking and not being able to get my own computers online. i have had zero access at home for two days, and my desire to attempt to contact any kind of support is not very high. i just know i am going to get the run around or someone who barely speaks the english. my skills are failing me and it hurts. damn you technology!

anyway, i got a few things coming up after this animal collective show from grrrnd zero in lyon, france on 10.25.07. i would imagine its kinda hard to record these dudes, and this is one of the nicer ones that i have heard.

1. derek
2. peacebone
3. daily routine
4. house
5. unsolved mysteries
6. grace
7. bearhug
8. fireworks
9. who could win rabbit?
10. brother sport
11. nomorerunnin
12. chores
13. song for ariel
14. taste
15. leaf house
16. we tigers

i for some reason had previously reported that jason and company were playing at howlin wolf on the 29th, but it is indeed tonight, the 28th. anyone going? the bride and i will be in attendance.

soldiers get strange

in a razor town

outfit

photo by jeremy cowart

i wouldnt consider myself a big or even medium size nickel creek fan. i will say that i love their cover of pavement’s “spit on a stranger,” but i havent been able to get much into the actual recordings. still, when i hear em, i never turn em off. nickel creek singer/songwriter/fiddler sara watkins recently released her john paul jones produced self titled debut via nonesuch. after spending the good part of a week with her debut, i have started to re-think my blase attitude by nickel creek cause this record is so damn good. her voice is absolutely stunning. to paraphrase a quote from kids in the hall’s brain candy she’s got a voice thats “like gods reaching down and rubbing my tummy.” the musicianship and too shabby either. check her out….

all this time

oh, happy day, peoples! hope everyone’s weeks end was satisfactory. mine was just fine. didnt do much except hang with my mother/in-laws/kids/wife, which is to say i had my fair share of drink. over the past two weeks or so i have found myself listening to robbie robertson’s storyville. i hadnt listened to it in at least 5 or so years, but as of late, every day. if you have never heard it, i highly recommend it. storyville takes its name from the turn of the century, 1900′s, redlight district in new orleans. you can read more about storyville – the location, not record, here via wikipedia.

here is a great blitzen trapper show live @ the beta bar in tallahassee, fl on 3.7.08. if you are on twitter you can follow them here. still not familiar with em, heres a couple of tracks from their most excellent 08 release, furr.

gold for bread
furr

thanks to alex, for the great recording. btw, if you want it in flac, click here.

here’s the entire show in a rar – for some reason if you click that link it gives you garbled code. so you will have to right click save as…

1. murder babe
2. futures and folly
3. jericho
4. love u
5. wild mountain nation
6. sci-fi kid
7. country caravan
8. devils a-go-go
9. shoulder full of you
10. miss spiritual tramp
11. cool love #1
12. summer town
13. woof and warp….
14. big adventure

here is one of my favorite shows, its chris whitley playing in bremen on 9.19.98. its a damn near perfect collection of songs and a fuckin unreal recording. enjoy…..

1. dirt floor
2. long way around
3. clear blue sky
4. power down
5. accordingly
6. model
7. ballpeen hammer
8. narcotic prayer
9. scrapyard lullaby
10. living with the law
11. phone call from leavenworth
12. from one island to another
13. new machine
14. big sky country
15. gasket
16. loco girl
17. poison girl

here is archers of loaf playing at the shadowbox on 1.2.98.

1. intro
2. step into the light
3. harnessed in slums
4. worst defense
5. attack of the killer bees
6. rental sting
7. revenge
8. mark prince, p.i.
9. vocal shrapnel
10. dead red eyes
11. i.n.s.
12. wrong
13. plumb line
14. lowest part is free
15. web in front
16. audiowhore
17. nostalgia
18. encore
19. greatest of all time
20. scenic pastures