Monday, November 23, 2009

Fourth Bridge School disc features Trent Reznor, Death Cab, John Mayer, Ministry, My Morning Jacket and more!

VOLUME IV OF LIVE RECORDINGS FROM BRIDGE SCHOOL CONCERTS AVAILABLE NOV. 24

John Mellencamp, Trent Reznor, John Mayer, Tom Waits, DCFC and others are featured

Every year, Neil and Pegi Young host the non-profit Bridge School Concert, benefiting the unique learning complex which assists children with severe physical impairments and challenging communication needs. The first was held in 1986, and the event is known as a totally unique musical event. Over the years the line-up of participants reads like a history of rock & roll.

Three years ago, Apple iTunes began offering live recordings from these legendary shows, and the first three volumes feature some of the most popular musical artists in the world. Since the concerts are basically acoustic presentations, the performers perform versions of some of their biggest songs like they never have before. It has turned the Bridge School Concerts into a yearly highlight, and offers a chance to hear truly original performances.

Volume IV, 22-track collection of live performances will be available digitally at iTunes on Tuesday November 24, 2009 and features a wide range of artists including John Mellencamp, Josh Groban, Trent Reznor, John Mayer, Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ministry, My Morning Jacket, Norah Jones, Tegan & Sara, Death Cab for Cutie and Band of Horses.

As always, the proceeds from the iTunes digital downloads will be donated to the Bridge School, where one of the thrusts of their learning program is the use of advanced augmentative and alternative communication systems and assistive technology. Over the history of the concerts since 1986, some of the most exciting and surprising performances of live music have become a hallmark of the shows, and most of them are now available for the world to hear and purchase.

The Bridge School Collection, Vol. 4

1) Ministry – Here They Come – 11/2/94

2) Ministry – Paisley – 11/2/94

3) John Mellencamp – Jackie Brown – 10/29/05

4) Jerry Lee Lewis – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On -10/30/05

5) Trent Reznor – Fragile – 10/22/06

6) Trent Reznor – Hurt – 10/22/06

7) John Mayer – Heart Of Life – 10/27/07

8) John Mayer - Waiting On The World – 10/27/07

9) Regina Spektor – Ain’t No Cover – 10/27/07

10) My Morning Jacket – Gideon – 10/28/07

11) My Morning Jacket – Just One Thing – 10/28/07

12) Tegan & Sara – Dark Come Soon – 10/28/07

13) Tegan & Sara – Like Oh, Like H – 10/28/07

14) Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet – What Keeps Mankind Alive – 10/28/07

15) Tom Waits & Kronos Quartet – The Part You Throw Away – 10/28/07

16) Band of Horses – Marry Song - 10/25/08

17) Band of Horses – The General Specific – 10/25/08

18) Norah Jones – Jesus Don’t Cry – 10/25/08

19) Death Cab For Cutie – Cath – 10/26/08

20) Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Possess Your Heart – 10/26/08

21) Josh Groban – Changing Colors – 10/26/08

22) Josh Groban With Neil Young – Harvest Moon – 10/26/08

http://www.1888media.com/News/Images/TheBridgeCollection.jpg (Artwork)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-bridge-school-collection-vol/id205102402 (Vol. 1)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-bridge-school-collection-vol/id208494388 (Vol. 2)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-bridge-school-collection-vol/id268022858 (Vol. 3)


About The Bridge School

The Bridge School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full participation in their communities through the use of augmentative & alternative means of communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) applications and through the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative life-long educational strategies. The Bridge School is an internationally recognized leader in the education of children who use augmentative and alternative communication and has developed unique programs and trained highly skilled professionals in the use of state of the art assistive technology.

Saint Anyway playing some Twin Ports homecoming shows this weekend!

Northland musicians Tony Petersen and Jamie Kallestad will return home for a busy 3 days, performing at local music venues over the upcoming holiday weekend. The folk/rock duo is looking forward to trying out new songs on a familiar audience, hoping to soon follow up last year’s debut CD “Paper Town” with a new album and more touring this summer. In addition to a hometown show at Gordy’s Warming house on Thanksgiving Day, Saint Anyway will perform Friday night at Sir Benedict’s in Duluth and Saturday at Superior’s Red Mug Coffee. Their schedule and music is available online at www.myspace.com/saintanyway.

Unfamiliar with this amazing duo? Check out my track-by-track breakdown of their debut album, "Paper Town," at http://shakeyourshores.blogspot.com/2009/07/readers-companion-to-saint-anyways.html.

The shows:

Thursday, Nov. 26 7:00 PM Gordy's Warming House, Cloquet

Friday, Nov. 27 10:00 PM Sir Benedict's Tavern On The Lake, Duluth

Saturday, Nov. 28 8:00 PM Red Mug Coffee, Superior

Friday, November 20, 2009

Alkaline Trio gets own label. I did not.

Alkaline Trio has announced the birth of Heart & Skull, the band's own label formed in partnership with Epitaph Records. The band will release its seventh album through Epitaph/Heart & Skull in early 2010.

Commenting on the formation of the new imprint, named for the band's longstanding logo, Alkaline Trio singer/guitarist Matt Skiba commented, "We made the decision to form Heart & Skull to put out our own records after having been through every kind of label deal in the industry, big indies, small indies, majors. We knew it was time to adapt to the shifting tides of the music industry and we could not be more thrilled about doing that in conjunction with the team at Epitaph. Taking control of our own label situation was something we always wanted to do but never thought was possible, but now thanks to Brett Gurewitz and the fine folks at Epitaph, it is. All three of us in Alkaline Trio have always had the utmost respect for the music and the work ethic of the Epitaph, Anti- and Hellcat family and now we're honored to be working together under one big happy roof. Heart & Skull/Epitaph is truly a dream come true for us."

Alkaline Trio bassist/vocalist Dan Andriano added, "For our band at this time it really makes sense to release our own records, but we wanted to make sure we could partner up with good people who we would want to share in something very special to us. When Brett called and said he wanted to be involved, that was it. Epitaph is a label I've admired and supported for more than half of my life! I couldn't be more excited for how this is turning out!"

Alkaline Trio first emerged from Chicago in 1996 and has since released the full length studio albums Goddamnit, Maybe I'll Catch Fire, From Here To Infirmary, Good Mourning, Crimson and last year's Agony & Irony, which was the highest charting record of the band's career to date. The band is comprised of Skiba, Andriano and drummer Derek Grant, all of whom are partners in Heart & Skull.

For more, see:
www.alkalinetrio.com
www.myspace.com/alkalinetrio
www.epitaph.com

~Information courtesy Nasty Little Man

Monday, November 16, 2009

Beck and Wilco ham it up for 'Record Club'

RECORD CLUB, the informal and irregular gathering of various musicians to record an album in one day's time, has begun posting tracks from its third endeavor. The current album is SKIP SPENCE's classic OAR and as reinterpreted by Beck, Wilco, Feist and Jamie Lidell. First track "Little Hands" is up now at Beck.com and new tracks will be posted every Thursday in the same order as the original album sequence.

RECORD CLUB's version of OAR came together in June of this year when Wilco joined Beck and Lidell managing to record all 12 tracks in a night. Leslie Feist happened to be in town editing her documentary and joined in, as did drum legend James Gadson, known for his timeless work with Bill Withers. The session took place at Sunset Sound Studios in the same room where the Rolling Stones recorded much of Exile On Main Street.

Record Club is an informal meeting of various musicians to record an album in one day. The album chosen to be reinterpreted is used as a framework. Nothing is rehearsed or arranged ahead of time. A track is put up at BECK.COM once a week. As you will hear, some of the songs are rough renditions, often first takes that document what happened over the course of a day as opposed to a polished rendering. There is no intention to 'add to' the original work or attempt to recreate the power of the original recording. Only to play music and document what happens. And those who aren't familiar with the albums in question will hopefully look for the songs in their definitive versions.

The two previous RECORD CLUB subjects have been THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO and SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN.

For further information, go to http://www.beck.com/record_club

~Information courtesy Nasty Little Man

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Hope I don't miss Side 1 of Van Halen's 'Van Halen'!


Vinyl makes return to the commercial radio airwaves in the Northland

December 3rd marks the triumphant return of vinyl to the commercial radio airwaves in Duluth/Superior.

KHQG-FM “The Northland’s Classic Rock 102.5” has unveiled Album Side Thursday, a new feature that will debut Thursday, December 3rd at 9am following The Bob and Tom Show. From 9am until Midnight, entire rock LP album sides will be played without interruption on a real turntable.

“It will be a thrill to dust off some of the greatest albums of all time and drop the needle on the record. I can guarantee the studio will be filled with folks young and old marveling at the fact that we are spinning records on the air”, said 102.5 Program Director Brian Wheeler. “We can’t wait to hear the reaction from rock fans and vinyl-heads alike.” Classic Rock 102.5 is taking listeners’ suggestions for album sides at www.northlandsclassicrock.com

This is the first Album Side Thursday , but there is a strong possibility for this to be a semi-regular feature. “It’s a treat for our listeners. Like any treat, you don’t want to make a steady diet of it”, said Brian Wheeler. “We’ll gauge the reaction and respond accordingly. I truly hope Northlanders enjoy listening to Album Side Thursday as much as we’ll enjoy providing it for them.”

~Information courtesy 102.5 and, yes, side one of Van Halen's self-titled debut was the first thing I requested for this cool new program

Monday, November 9, 2009

Awesome Mix Tape #61 (in the shake*your*shores series)


Back from the dead and submitted for the approval of the Mix Tape Appreciation Society, I call this one "Those Shoes Look Canadian."

1. The Jayhawks - "Queen of the World"
A IS FOR A GIRL NAMED 'LAYNE.

2. Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson - "Relator"
B IS FOR BROMANSHIP.

3. fun. - "All the Pretty Girls"
C IS FOR CONFUSING GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH A COME-ON.

4. The Wave Pictures - "Just Like a Drummer"
D IS FOR DINOSAUR HUNTERS.

5. Shonen Knife - "BBQ Party"
E IS FOR ENOUGH PICTURES OF BRAIN-LOOKIN' MEATS IN THE SUNDAY PAPER.

6. Polysics - "Baby BIAS"
F IS FOR FORGETTING ABOUT ROCK STATESIDE.

7. The Starlight Mints - "Natural"
G IS FOR GRAPHITE ... GRAPHITE.

8. The Weakerthans - "The Reasons"
H IS FOR HOW MUCH I LOVE MEREDITH LEIGH MONROE. (ACCORDING TO LEGEND, SHE WAS F------ 30 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE JOINED THE CAST OF "DAWSON'S CREEK," WHERE SHE PLAYED A 16-YEAR-OLD!)

9. Monsters of Folk - "Say Please"
I IS FOR INSTANT GRATIFICATION.

10. The Raveonettes - "Suicide"
J IS FOR JUGGLING OBLIGATIONS.

11. Flowers Flowers - "Wet Diamonds"
K IS FOR KIND OF SORT OF WISHING I WERE A CARPENTER.

12. Atmosphere - "They Always Know"
L IS FOR LOOK OUT FOR FELT 3, DROPPING IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE.

13. Junkie XL - "Metrolike"
M IS FOR MACHINE GUNS AND MAHOGANY BASKETS.

14. Prong - "Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck"
N IS FOR NOT REPEATING THE NAME OF THIS SONG IN GOOD COMPANY.

15. Amanda Blank - "Lemme Get Some"
O IS FOR THE FACE THIS SONG MAKES YOU MAKE.

16. Frank Black - "(Do What You Want) Gyaneshwar"
P IS FOR PUTTING DOWN THE BILLS FOR A GIRLY-LOOKIN' PIXIES HOODED SWEATSHIRT IN WINNIPEG ONLY TO HAVE IT "STOLEN" FROM THE LETTER A HALF A DECADE LATER.

17. The Very Foundation - "My Angel, One Last Time"
Q IS FOR QUIXOTIC LEANINGS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?

18. Pearl Jam - "Rats" [LIVE]
R IS FOR RALLYING 'ROUND YOUR RECORD COLLECTION WHEN YOU'RE DOWN.

19. Built to Spill - "In the Morning"
S IS FOR SLEEPING IN. SINCERELY.

20. The Lemonheads - "Waiting Around to Die"
T IS FOR BEING A TAD BIT DRAMATIC WHEN THE SITUATION DOESN'T CALL FOR IT.

21. For Squirrels - "The Immortal Dog and Pony Show"
U IS FOR UPTOWN (WISHING I WERE LISTENING TO ATMOSPHERE STILL).

22. Capgun Coup - "Blood, Sweat and Sex"
V IS FOR VICTORY OVER COURAGEOUS LITTLE BUGGERS WITH HORNS ON THEIR HEADS AND GRITS IN THEIR TEETH.

23. For Love Not Lisa - "Some Afternoon Glitch"
W IS FOR WATERBEDS. NEVER UNDERSTOOD SLEEPING WITH SEASICKNESS.

24. Tears for Fears - "Mothers Talk"
X IS FOR EXCUSE THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T LEAVE ROOM FOR Y AND Z....

Thus concludes your sixty-first dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tapes series formerly known as "Don't Tell a Soul." Hope you enjoyed the fix!

... And THIS is why I'm not allowed on the radio!

Hey, abuse your ears with an MP3 encore of Mike Simonson's "Final Edition" featuring Ann Klefstad and yours truly. It originally aired May 2, 2008, on KUWS 91.3 FM here in the Twin Ports and, what do you know, I made a complete ass out of myself.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Cloud Cult preps double-disc reissue w/ bonus tracks!

Cloud Cult Announce the December 8th Release of a Double-Disc Reissue – They Live on the Sun (2003) and Aurora Borealis (2004) – Remixed, Remastered and with Bonus Tracks!

New York, NY – On December 8th, 2009 Cloud Cult will release a double-disc reissue of They Live on the Sun (2003) and Aurora Borealis (2004) – two of their earliest albums. These two home recorded releases have been re-envisioned, remixed and remastered for the first time by Cloud Cult's Craig Minowa and this special double-disc release will contain previously unreleased bonus tracks. The albums, which are now out of print and could only be purchased at live gigs and select Independent record stores, will be available for the first time nationwide and fans can take advantage of a presale on the band’s web site in late November – www.cloudcult.com.

Cloud Cult’s lead singer/songwriter Craig Minowa created these albums during 18 months of seclusion at his Northern Minnesota organic farm after his two-year-old son passed away unexpectedly in 2002. Originally released on the band’s own Earthology Records, they were mainly available on a local level due to a shoe-string credit card budget. Despite the limited distribution, They Live on the Sun landed on Pitchfork’s 2004 Year-End “Found Sound column” and was put into rotation at KEXP, while Aurora Borealis climbed to the Top 5 on KEXP. In addition, both albums found fans at college radio across the US and The Live on the Sun even surpassed major label releases on many stations including Radiohead's Hail to the Thief.

2004 Pitchfork Year-End “Found Sound”

They Live on the Sun is a sweeping indie epic.”

Pitchfork--Marc Hogan

“Like Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Aurora Borealis is the rare album that has the musical merit to match its great making-of story. Confident, mature, honest, inventive, eclectic, and unremittingly catchy: Minowa's fourth release deserves all the adjectives befitting a classic album.” – PopMatters

All of the attention these early albums received helped this Minneapolis band break out onto the national scene and it only seems fitting that they reissue these releases as the band is gearing up to hit the road in Spring of 2010 after taking their longest break from touring in 6 years. A self -imposed hiatus, the break gave Craig and his wife Connie time to adjust to being parents again as they welcomed a new addition to their family this October.

Cloud Cult has gone on to sell more than 30,000 copies of its follow-up releases, despite turning down major label offers along the way. In addition, they’ve just ended a very busy year where they played Coachella for the first time, made their late night TV debut on Last Call with Carson Daly and co-headlined a nationwide tour with Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s. Following the reissue this Winter and the Spring 2010 tour, the band is gearing up for a new album release in the Fall of 2010 – so please stay tuned for more news in the near future.

~Information courtesy Stunt Company

Monday, November 2, 2009

Details about new Spoon album announced!

Britt Daniel, Jim Eno, Eric Harvey and Rob Pope--collectively known as Spoon--have confirmed the release date of their first album in over two years and seventh overall: Transference will be released in the U.S. on Merge Records on the 26th of January 2010.

Produced by the band, Transference is made up of 11 new gems that honor the Spoon tradition while pushing the envelope of the band's sound ever further. "Before Destruction" opens proceedings with a transfixing air of foreboding before "Is Love Forever?" and "The Mystery Zone" kick in with hooks that grip the listener's cortex with the tenacity of an aural tapeworm. "Who Makes Your Money" and first single "Written In Reverse" will be familiar to Spoon fans who witnessed the band playing prototypical live versions at select dates in 2008, as will "Got Nuffin," title track of the EP released by the band earlier this year.

The complete track listing for Transference is:

Before Destruction
Is Love Forever?
The Mystery Zone
Who Makes Your Money
Written In Reverse
I Saw The Light
Trouble Comes Running
Goodnight Laura
Out Go The Lights
Got Nuffin
Nobody Gets Me But You

In other Spoon news, September 29 saw the worldwide digital release of the band's first four albums--Telephono, A Series Of Sneaks, Girls Can Tell and Kill The Moonlight--at spoontheband.com. The albums will be formatted as MP3s and high quality FLAC audio, with digital liner notes provided for the first time.

Spoon has also confirmed a one-off New Years Eve extravaganza at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee with Jay Reatard supporting. Tour dates supporting Transference will be announced as they are confirmed. Check back frequently at spoontheband.com.

Transference is the first full length offering of new Spoon material since 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon's first Top 10 album with U.S. sales having since exceeded 300,000. Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was hailed upon its release with the band's biggest ever coverage in the likes of TIME and THE NEW YORKER, and wound up 2007 with year-end best of accolades from NPR, GQ, NEW YORK, ROLLING STONE, PITCHFORK, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, SPIN, THE ONION, PASTE and the WASHINGTON POST, while Oct. 6, 2007 marked the band's debut appearance on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

~Information courtesy Nasty Little Man