Looking Ahead to 2009

[Christel]

Not exactly new stuff, but current and upcoming releases I am excited about this week include Catnip Dynamite by Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Le Pop's new compilation Le Pop Les Filles: : Les Chansons de la Nouvelle Scene Francaise and both the Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears EP and Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!

I can't stop listening to Le Pop Les Filles! I recommend it if you like pop. I recommend if you like Nouvelle Chanson. I recommend it if you like sweet, winsome, female vocals and witty wordplay in French. I recommend it if you need a housecleaning soundtrack, an energizing mood lift or something to get stuck in your head on a long, dull train ride. It's a total guilty pleasure, with emphasis on the pleasure.

[Cedric]

Blind Pilot. I'm not sure if they've got anything to do with 2009, but they've got a pretty legit album out.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... d=92181138

[Cedric]

oh man they've hit this poor thread hard.

anyway, I came to say that I have found Wilco
I said I would do it! They are amazing...

[cruzichick]

oh man they've hit this poor thread hard.

It looks as though there are a few things getting hit hard here.

Sorry about that. It's late.

Also...I'm pretty sure the bots have been getting birthday greetings the past few days.

Admin?

[GhostOfElectricity]

oh man they've hit this poor thread hard.

anyway, I came to say that I have found Wilco
I said I would do it! They are amazing...

yay! Wilco are pretty amazing

[maneki neko]

the new justin townes earle record is all i can listen to right now. i'm glad it finally came out

[heather]

THE LOW ANTHEM!!!

I am so excited someone else has finally heard of them! Aren't they great? I am listening to them right now.

Thanks for mentioning these guys (a few times so it stuck in my head). They were playing a sxsw party where there were a couple artists I planned to see so I just showed up early to catch The Low Anthem. I didn't actually see them, as I took the opportunity to lounge at the back on a comfy couch, but they sounded really great. Immediately bought Oh My God, Charlie Darwin when I got home. And I just saw today that it got picked up by Nonesuch and they'll be hitting the road again soon so I'll hopefully get a chance to actually "see" them this time. Thanks for the great rec.

Oh, one of my favorite 2009 releases thus far is The Deep Dark Woods - The Winter Hours. They're a folk-rock band from Saskatchewan.

[beamish]

The pleasure is all mine! There are few feelings as sweet as that of getting a band I love a new fan. I was thrilled that they were picked up by Nonesuch, and I'm giddy at the thought of the upcoming nationwide rerelease of OMGCD.

I've never heard of Deep Dark Woods, but I will check them out. And I should echo the post above that is gushy about Justin Townes Earle. He and his buddy Cory Younts put on one of the best live shows I have seen, through sheer musicianship and showmanship. It's a little bit vaudeville and a whole lot of insanely talented playing and singing, and for a time at least they are doing it in tiny, super cheap venues. My friends and I saw them at Mercury Lounge in NYC for $12. I don't know just how wide this old timey folk rock thing can ever spread, I don't see it getting truly mainstream even with Elvis Costello doing Appalachian tunes, but these guys are way too good to not blow up to at least 200 person capacity venues.

[heather]

Justin's been getting tons of raves so I'm sure he's on his way up. Do you recall when you saw him? I ask because when I first saw him in April of last year, I would describe the show as you did. But I've seen him twice since (and will probably go see Isbell later this month for the sole purpose of seeing Justin -- opening -- again) and they haven't had the suits and there wasn't as much of the old-time country schtick. But then the two past times I saw him were a street festival last summer and a sxsw day party this year so maybe in a regular club he's still got that going on. I liked it, but could see it limiting his audience. I've listened to his new album less than twice thus far and right now I prefer his first, but it's really too early to tell.

On an unrelated note:
http://www.thedeepdarkwoods.com/ddw/news.htm
http://www.myspace.com/deepdarkwoods

and it looks like you can hear the entire new album here:
http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/THE-DEEP-DARK-WOODS

[beamish]

First time was when the two of them opened for Exene Cervenka and John Doe early 2009, probably January. I'd never heard of him and I bet no one else in the room had and they got a standing O at the end (don't ask me why the venue thought that show should be seated; it worked, but it was a little weird). The Mercury show was less than a month ago. So, both inside clubs, but two very different scenes: the opening act in a 200 or so person arena (Music Hall of Williamsburg) and then the main act in a maybe 50 person room. Both times it was schticktacular (and I mean that in the best possible way). I'm going to see them again in June, opening for John Prine in an even bigger place (the Beacon). Now I'm wondering if they'll turn up the schtick to fill the bigger room, or lose it. And I am sure (in fact I think they even said so) that they turn it up for the New York audience. I bet further south they tone it down.

Thanks for the DDW links! First I have to get through listening to everyone I don't know who's playing All Points West to determine if I just want a single day ticket or the whole shebang, but once I get around to listening to them I will post what I think.

[Cedric]

well i took it a step further and downloaded (illegally, oops) that Deep Dark Woods album album. I havn't listened to it yet.

There's a folk thread at the Radiohead forum and they were raving about it, so I'm excited! Thanks.

[maneki neko]

Justin's been getting tons of raves so I'm sure he's on his way up. Do you recall when you saw him? I ask because when I first saw him in April of last year, I would describe the show as you did. But I've seen him twice since (and will probably go see Isbell later this month for the sole purpose of seeing Justin -- opening -- again) and they haven't had the suits and there wasn't as much of the old-time country schtick. But then the two past times I saw him were a street festival last summer and a sxsw day party this year so maybe in a regular club he's still got that going on. I liked it, but could see it limiting his audience. I've listened to his new album less than twice thus far and right now I prefer his first, but it's really too early to tell.

On an unrelated note:
http://www.thedeepdarkwoods.com/ddw/news.htm
http://www.myspace.com/deepdarkwoods

and it looks like you can hear the entire new album here:
http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/THE-DEEP-DARK-WOODS

i just saw him a couple months ago. he played at a church, there were maybe 40 ppl at the show, so i agree, he deserves some more attention. it was one of the best shows i've seen in quite a while.

[beamish]

Oh man, bummer news. From Twitter:

JustinTEarle Cory will no longer be playing with me. He's moved on to bigger and better things and we wish him luck.

I'm confident each will do very well without the other but together they were one of the best live acts I've ever seen, and probably ever will. I'm surprise by how bummed I am by this.

RIP to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV-7ZxLC ... re=channel