Hey all, I'm going to be on vacation hiatus for about the next week, so there will not be new daily posts for a bit. I'm going to leave you with a special feature on one of my personal favorite new artists of the last year or so, Chelsea Taube.

Chelsea is from RochesterMichigan, just outside Detroit. She is just 21 but has the natural songwriting skills people two and three times her age spend their whole life trying to perfect.
Claiming Ryan Adams,Bob Dylan and Patty Griffin among her biggest influences, Chelsea has a knack for poetic lyricism, and ear for phrasing and melody that are truly original. She has voice that can cut clear through to your soul with it's emotional power. But don't just take my word for it spend the next week giving these 25 songs a listen and find why she is consistenly the most played artist on my ipod .

Note, most of these songs are just Chelesa and her acoustic guitar recorded on her laptop, but the brilliance still shines through.


be sure to also check her myspace for more songs and any upcoming show dates
myspace : www.myspace.com/chelseataube

The new Matthew Ryan disc, From A Light Night High Rise is out December 5th. Here's a preview for you. Sounds like someone's been listening to a bit of New Order, what do you think ?

MP3: Matthew Ryan - And Never Look Back
MP3: New Order - Your Silent Face
MP3: New Order - Love Vigilantes

official website: www.matthewryanonline.com/
myspace: www.myspace.com/matthewryan

BUY IT: matthew ryan (from matthewryanonline.com)

Thanks to being on innumerable mailing lists, an afternoon message announcing just released tickets to the long sold out Hold Steady show at the North Star Bar in Philly resulted in a score of a ticket for last night. It's no mistake that Boys and Girls In America is one of the most raved about discs of the year. The boys delivered one of the best rock shows I have seen in a long time. Their manic energy on stage never let up once for the full ninety minutes. It was also obvious that they were having FUN up there. These are a few of the pretty crappy looking photos I managed to take last night.
If they haven't been to your city yet be sure to go check them out. Here's the dates currently on their itinerary :
Nov 22 2006 8:00P Warsaw Brooklyn, NY
Nov 24 2006 8:00P Maxwell's Hoboken, NJ
Nov 25 2006 8:00P Black Cat Washington DC, DC
Nov 26 2006 8:00P Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC
Nov 27 2006 8:00P New Brookland Tavern Columbia, SC
Nov 29 2006 8:00P The Social Orlando, FL
Nov 30 2006 8:00P Orpheum Tampa, FL
Dec 1 2006 8:00P Beta Bar Tallahassee , FL
Dec 2 2006 8:00P The Parish at House of Blues New Orleans, LA
Dec 4 2006 8:00P Sticky Fingerz Little Rock, AR
Dec 5 2006 8:00P Mojo's Columbia, MO
Dec 6 2006 8:00P The Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
Dec 7 2006 8:00P The Picador (formerly Gabe's) Iowa City, IA
Dec 8 2006 8:00P Southgate House Newport, KY
Dec 9 2006 8:00P Headliner's Louisville, KY
Dec 11 2006 8:00P Grog Shop Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Dec 13 2006 8:00P Showplace Buffalo, NY
Dec 15 2006 8:00P Pearl Street Northhampton, MA
The Hold Steady 11.21.06 North Star Bar Philadelphia PA

Stuck Between Stations
cattle And The Creeping Things
The Swish
Chips Ahoy!
Massive Nights
You Can Make Him Like You
Hot Soft Light
Party Pit
Stevie Nix
Your Little Hoodrat Friend
Southtown Girls
How A Resurrection Really Feels

ENCORE:
First Night
Same Kooks
Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
Killer Parties
One big surprise of the night for me was the opening set by Canada's The Constantines,a band I had not heard of before. Their Spoon meets Fugazi sound was intense live. I bought a couple of their cds after the show, and while good,they don't really capture the power of their live show. They are opening a number of dates on the Hold Steady tour, if they're in your town be sure to get there in time to catch them.

The Constantines Tour Dates
Nov 22 2006 9:00P Warsaw Brooklyn, New York
Nov 29 2006 9:00P Starlight Waterloo, Ontario
Nov 30 2006 9:00P Call the Office London, Ontario
Dec 1 2006 9:00P Lee's Palace Toronto, Ontario
Dec 2 2006 2:00P Lee's Palace Toronto, Ontario
Dec 2 2006 9:00P The Underground Hamilton, Ontario
Jan 29 2007 8:00P Peterborough Memorial Centre Peterborough, Ontario
Jan 31 2007 8:00P General Motors Centre Oshawa, Ontario
Feb 2 2007 8:00P Scotiabank Place Ottawa, Ontario

The Hold Steady
official website: theholdsteady.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/theholdsteady

MP3: The Hold Steady - Hot Soft Light
MP3: The Hold Steady - Party Pit

The Constantines
official website: www.constantines.ca
subpop page: www.subpop.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/constantines

MP3: The Constantines - Nightime/Anytime(it's Alright)


BUY IT : the hold steady the constantines

So last night I took in the 40th anniversary performance of Pet Sounds by Brian Wilson. Having seen Brian in various TV appearances and the like over the last couple years seeming like a shell of his former self, let me just say I had a few reservations. I tossed those out the window in the first thirty seconds, he looked as healthy as he's ever been and when he started to sing there was no doubt he could still pull it off. You could tell he was having fun up there and the vibe carried out across the entire room.

The show started off with six songs basically acoustic, guitar and some light percussion, and vocals,LOTS of vocals, that angelic harmony sound that was the Beach Boys trademark. Then Al Jardine strolled out on stage and the bad launched into an electric lineup, althogher there were 11 people on stage, 3 guitar players, a bass player 2 drummers 3 keyboard players who also switched off on variuos other instruments, a female backup singer and Brian who also had a keyboard setup. Just an amazing wall of sound. Some personal first set
highlights were Surfer Girl,Wendy and Sail On Sailor which was just majestic sounding. Brian was animated and talkative and at one poiint led the crowd in a singalong of Row,Row,Row Your Boat. After a short intermission, the band came back on and proceeded to play Pet Sounds in it's entirety. Oddly enough the band seemed a little looser during the Pet sounds portion of the set but just seemed to pick up momentum as the went along. The stretch from God Only Knows to the end was unreal, with stellar versions of Here Today, I Just Wasn't Made for These Times and Pet Sounds. Caroline, No closed the Pet sounds portion fo the show to a standing ovation and the crowd never sat back down the rest of the night. The band returned for an encore, and burned through a rocking set of Beach Boys standards and again left the stage. Brian then returned for the last song of the night,a grand finale of Love and Mercy, a song from one of his solo albums.

I highly recommend this show, if you have a chance to catch one of the two remaining New York City shows by all means do so.

Sunday’s setlist from
The Keswick Theatre in Glenside PA

Surfer Girl
Wendy
Add Some Music
Please Let Me Wonder
Drive-In
You’re Welcome
Then I Kissed Her
Breakaway
Do You Wanna Dance
Little Girl I Once Knew
Row Your Boat
Do It Again
In My Room
California Saga
When I Grow Up
I Get Around
California Girls
Sail On Sailor
Marcella
Good Vibrations

Intermission

Pet Sounds
Wouldn't It Be Nice
You Still Believe In Me
That's Not Me
Don't Talk(Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
I'm Waiting For The Day
Let's Go Away For A While
Sloop JOhn B
God Only KNows
I Know There's An Answer
Here Today
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Pet Sounds
Caroline, No

Encore:

Johnny B. Good
Help Me Rhonda
Barbara Ann
Surfin’ USA
Fun Fun Fun

2nd Encore :
Love and Mercy

There's still a couple shows left on the tour :
Tuesday November 21 Beacon Theatre New York, NY 8:00PM
Wednesday November 22 Beacon Theatre New York, NY 8:00PM



official website : www.brianwilson.com

Give A listen to the iTunes Pet Sounds Podcast series here

MP3: The Beach Boys -That's Not Me
MP3: The Beach Boys -Here Today

BUY IT: pet sounds

A new feature today called 5 on a Friday where we'll feature 5 songs all having some connection.
Today, five mash ups that are sure to have you up and dancing to kick off your Friday right.
So put on those dancing shoes and shake'em on down

1 MP3 : Go Home Productions - Ultrathin
website : Go Home Productions

2 MP3 : Party Ben - Led Snooppelin - Drop It Like It's a Whole Lotta Love
website : Party Ben

3 MP3 : Dj Zebra - O brother Ray
website : DJ Zebra

4 MP3 : Divide & Kreate - I Wanna Be Christina's Dog
website : Divide & Kreate

5 MP3 : mash-ups.co.uk - Bootystition
website : mash-ups.co.uk

Get this video and more at MySpace.com

Chelsea Taube is an amazing artist from Rochester Michigan, just outside Detroit.
She writes captivating original songs and has the voice of an angel. Trust me, she is going to be a star, it's just a matter of time.
Check out this video from a recent show of her performing a cover of the Leonard Cohen classic Hallelujah, or better yet
go see her in person this weekend, she has a few shows coming up.

Nov 17 2006 8:00P The Roadhouse Armada, Michigan
Nov 18 2006 7:00P Kaya Coffee House Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Nov 19 2006 9:00P Gus O'Connors Rochester, Michigan

Watch for a bag of songs feature on Chelsea coming soon, in the meantime check out some of her original songs at her myspace page.

myspace : www.myspace.com/chelseataube

Some random bits from Philadelphia that have crossed the desk lately.
First up Beretta76, this review from yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer sums it
up quite nicely. A hot, rocking disc.

Beretta76 black Beauty
***1/2

Once you hear the way Camille Escobedo screams "Oh, yeah!" on Black Beauty's
opening title track, you know this is going to be good. The 10 bracing, catchy
tracks on this Philadelphia band's self-released debut pack plenty of
power-chord crunch, and the quartet doesn't let its skepticism about the "Hit
Parade" talk it out of constructing song after song full of catchy hooks.
Escobedo has got her Joan Jett-Suzi Quatro snarl down cold, and Black Beauty
teems with the unpretentious energy of a not-too-polished garage band ready to
take on the world.

- Dan DeLuca

Beretta76 is :
Camille Escobedo - voice, guitar
Pete Rydberg - guitar, voice
Peter Santa Maria - bass, voice
Rob Giglio - drums

Stream 4 songs on their myspace or hear the entire disc at their website

myspace : www.myspace.com/beretta76
official website: www.beretta76.com/

BUY IT: beretta76

Next up, upsincefriday, a band I have seen a number of time but just got a hold
of one their demo discs this past week at their show at the North Star Bar.
Four songs that showcase their pop-punk sound well. Think Dinosaur Jr meets
Weezer and you'll have an idea of what they sound like.

upsincefriday is:
Damian Colon-vocals,guitar
Mitch Hajdack-vocals,guitar
MichaelBarreras-bass,vocals
Anthony DiDonato-drums

myspace : www.myspace.com/upsincefriday

MP3: upsincefriday - New Jersey's Not That Far (broken link fixed)

An last but not least, the Us Funk Team cites The Beatles,The Pixies, and Pavement among their main influences. And they've learned from them well a blend of those three bands describes their music perfectly. A catchy blend of chaos and melody.

US Funk Team is
Jay Trazka - guitar, vocals
Matt "Tank" Bergman - drums
Jeremy "Jams" Gecker - bass,vocals

myspace : www.myspace.com/funkteam
official website: http://www.usfunkteam.com/

some upcoming US Funk Team shows
Nov 17 2006 8:00P Troc Balcony Philadelphia, PA
Nov 25 2006 8:00P Big Art Show @ Sputnik Brooklyn NY
Dec 6 2006 8:00P Chestnut Hill College philadelphia, PA
Dec 8 2006 8:00P House Party Elkins Park, PA

MP3: US Funk Team - All Rolled Into One

BUY IT: us funk team

“I think of this as my version of a country record,” explains Osborne, who admits that, although born and raised in Kentucky, she never really explored the genre until she relocated to New York in the early ‘80s.”I’m thinking about this album almost as if a film director decided to make a genre films -- a western, then a romantic comedy, then a detective film. It’s a little like taking these genres that have certain constraints built in, then putting your own sensibility into it.”

And a fine job she does, with a little help from some friends like
Vince Gill, Allison Krauss, Sonny Landreth & Rodney Crowell, Joan has crafted a fine little country disc. Country in the way that acts like Rosanne Cash, Kim Richey or the Dixie Chicks are country, rooted deep in the traditional, yet still with enough of a modern flair to sound fresh and original. Plenty of soaring steel guitar and longing vocals add to the authentic feel.
The album includes six originals which easily hold their own against covers from the likes of Kris Kristofferson, Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter,and Patty Griffin and others.



official website: http://www.vanguardrecords.com

MP3: Joan Osborne - Tell Me How The Story Ends
MP3: Joan Osborne - Dead Roses

BUY IT: joan osborne

If you never thought a cello could rock, you need to hear Daniel DeJesus. With a voice eerily reminiscient of Jeff Buckley and original songs that would make any indie band proud, he is something that must be heard. I've seen him a number of times, with and without a full band, and the experience is mindblowing to say the least. Daniel's first CD From The Subconscious has recently been released and is one of the true originals of 2006.

If you're going to be in Philadelphia this weekend or next be sure and check him out as he has a couple shows upcoming.

Nov 11 2006 12:30P Old City Fall Festival Philadelphia, PA
Nov 17 2006 7:00P 5th Street Coffee house at St Pauls Philadelphia, PA

myspace : http://www.myspace.com/danieldejesus
official website: http://www.danieldejesus.com/

The DeJesus Official Biography
A classically trained cellist and native Philadelphian with influences ranging from Bach to Radiohead, DeJesus began writing at the age of 14, experimenting with the guitar and piano with the belief that those were the only instruments a true modern song writer would use. Not until hearing the band 'Rasputina' and the Austrian cello quartet 'Apoctalyptica', did he finally decide to shed his misconceptions, and begin writing for the cello and voice. It was a new sound, a sound that was his, and it felt natural. While attending the University of the Arts to study Illustration, DeJesus continued writing, but kept it a secret from friends and family. He also performed with artists such as KD Lang and Patti LaBelle, as well as writing string arrangments for local artists like Natalie Walker for her Daughter Darling Project. After mustering up some serious courage, Dejesus began performing some of his own material, and was amazed at the reactions. Following the suggestions of a few friends, he recorded some of his music, and put together a small homemade marketing package, truly believing his music was something worth sharing, and sent it out to local recording companies. It eventually hit the ears of Ted Richardson (Hunkpapa, Ultrahuman, and The Acoustic Alternative) of Noisia Records, which spawned a collaboration that has created an eclectic, but highly approachable sound to add to the cello and rock repertoire.

MP3: DeJesus - Bliss
MP3: DeJesus - Change
MP3: DeJesus - Over Over

Okay, while everyone ws out voting and changing the world yesterday, The Slip was busy and kicking off a North American fall tour and inaugurating their own Eisenhower . A masterful blend of beatlesque pop songs and indie rock psychedelia, think Death Cab for Cutie meets Pink Floyd and you'll start to get the idea. But don't just take my word for it give it a listen.

MP3: The Slip - Mothwing Bite
MP3: The Slip - Even Rats

The Slip On Myspace http://www.myspace.com/theslipmusic
Official Website http://www.theslip.com/

Jim James of My Morning Jacket fell in love with their fresh exciting, sound and they will be opening a number of MMJ's fall shows

The Slip Tour Dates

NOVEMBER
07 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café #
09 - Portland, OR - Dante's #
10 - Ashland, OR - The Mobius #
11 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent #
12 - Los Angeles, CA - Knitting Factory #
15 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre #
16 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre #
17 - Ft. Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre #
18 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground # ^
20 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall #
21 - Madison, WI - Cafe Montmartre # ^
22 - Minneapolis, MN - First Ave & 7th Street Entry # ^
24 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre * !
25 - Indianapolis, IN - Clowes Memorial Hall *
27 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
28 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
29 - Harrisburg, PA - Appalachian Brewing Company
30 - New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom *

DECEMBER
01 - Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory * $
02 - Boston, MA - Avalon Ballroom *
04 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues *
05 - Champaign, IL - Univ. of Illinois *
07 - Guelph, ON - Club Vinyl # % +
08 - Hamilton, ON - Pepperjack's # % +
09 - Toronto, ON - El Mocamo (Downstairs) %
14 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground #
15 - Ottawa, ON - Barrymore's # +
16 - Montreal, QC - TBA % +

* Opening for My Morning Jacket
# with The Lovely Feathers
^ with Bon Savants
+ with Land of Talk
% with Kill The Lights
! with Catfish Haven
$ with Benevento/Russo Duo

A special bonus studio track (Lonely Boy) available along with the album on iTunes.

BUY IT : the slip itunes (bonus track)

It's election day, vote, and exercise your right to participate in the power of democracy. Go ahead, change the world.

MP3: John Wesley Harding - Election Night
MP3: Joan Jett - Change The World

R2D2 otherwise known as the one and only Ryan Adams gives a Bob Dylan classic the techno-synth sound effect treament. I've also posted the original fron Dylan's Blood On The Tracks in case you may not be familiar with it. Now if we can only get Bob to cover Ryan's Beck-like rap Look Who's Got A Website Hmmmm.

MP3: R2D2(Ryan Adams) - You're A Big Girl Now
MP3: Bob Dylan - You're A Big Girl Now
MP3: DJ Reggie(Ryan Adams) - Look Who's Got A Website

BUY IT : ryan adams bob dylan

...stays in Vegas. Look who's joining the likes of Wayne Newton and Celine Dion :


Associated Press
Prince Bringing Purple Reign to Vegas
Associated Press 11.01.06, 11:19 PM ET


Prince fans, fire up that Little Red Corvette and head for Las Vegas: the purple one will be performing there every weekend starting Nov. 10.
The diminutive rocker will play Friday- and Saturday-night shows at 3121, a nightclub inside the Rio hotel, according to a Wednesday news release by P R Plus, a Vegas firm representing the club.
Tickets for the 21-and-over shows cost $125 and will be available beginning Nov. 2.
Prince will also host Wednesday-night concerts at the club by other artists.
The Grammy winner, who once changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol, will perform at the club indefinitely, a P R Plus representative said.
Prince joins a growing contingent of songsters who have settled in Vegas hotels as regularly featured acts, including Celine Dion, Elton John, Barry Manilow and Toni Braxton.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

official website : www.3121.com

I caught these two by chance on the radio the other day doing their mindblowing version
of Stairway To Heaven and had to find out who it was. If you've ever dreamed of playing an acoustic guitar, be inspired, this stuff is incredible. Enjoy

From their myspace page (because I'm feeling lazy tonight):
Everything you've always wanted to know about Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Biography
Rodrigo (Sanchez) and Gabriela (Quintero) are two fast-fingered, Dublin-based, Mexicans with a unique sound created on acoustic guitars. Their music is difficult to define, straddling both world and rock, and often imbued with timeless Hispano .. classical influences. The fire in it comes from their life-long passion for metal music. This spring, "Rodrigo y Gabriela," beat both the Arctic Monkeys AND Johnny Cash to number one in the Irish charts.

Rodrigo is a deft finger-picker who can move from raging speed to sensual soul in the space of a fret, while Gabriela employs fast, rhythmic techniques. Her percussionist's thrashing of strings and drumming of the instrument's body inevitably raises comparisons with flamenco .. which they acknowledge as an influence but swerve as a pigeonhole. The duo's repertoire flies beyond familiar Latin folk guitarists' styles because of the metal connection: their reworkings of Led Zep's "Stairway to Heaven" and Metallica's "Orion" are musts, and the presence, on "Ixtapa", of the fiery Hungarian gypsy violinist, Roby Lakatos, is inspirational.

The Story
Rodrigo and Gabriela met as teenagers, at the Casa de Cultura (Culture House), in Mexico City, where Rodrigo's brother was Director. Rodrigo was playing drums in his band Castlow - a code word he never revealed to Gabriela, and changed to Tierra Acida (Acid Earth) when she joined them on guitar. The couple drifted together through music; teenaged metal fanatics who both failed entrance to the Conservatory and moved into rock. Before joining Tierra Acida, Gabriela ran three girls' bands, Las Brujas (The Witches), Subterraneo and Las Formigas (The Ants) at once: Terra Acida had a disciplined work ethic: "It was mental!" she recalls, "we rehearsed five hours a day, every day, with very short breaks, and not much talking!"

Tierra Acida played in Mexico City's roughest clubs and lived off day-jobs (Gabriela taught Metallica riffs to local kids; Rodrigo at a TV station, doing music for programmes). They recorded an album but wouldn't sign the record contract, planning instead to concentrate on learning more guitar styles. In fact, they just hung out with friends and survived by playing bossa novas in the hotel bars. "Then we decided to travel to Europe".

Their first port of call was Dublin, Ireland. "It was the most unknown place to us", explains Gabriela, the talkative one. "Also, a Mexican girl offered us her house there." They landed in Dublin at night, spoke no English, and had $1,000 between them. They found a note on the door saying actually, sorry, but they couldn't stay there after all, so the taxi driver drove them round hostels and hotels all night. Eventually they rented a place - and soon the money disappeared: "So - we had to busk". That was 1999: "We were very exotic specimens!" They built a reputation and landed gigs in people's homes, at wedding parties and gallery openings, playing covers and their own compositions, "We still wanted to be metal composers, but everything came out as Latin!"

Dublin was booming then, with new music venues and galleries and a thriving rock scene, and the two Mexicans jammed with local folk musicians in the bars. In winter, they moved to Denmark and started again - this time busking at minus three degrees! The brief Copenhagen experience inspired two numbers on this album, "Diablo Rojo", a scary roller-coaster ride in the city, and "Viking Man", their nickname for a homeless man they befriended, who pushed them into busking on the freezing streets.


Next, they hit Barcelona, but this time, the club owners assumed they played Mariachi, and wouldn't let them play in their own unique style, so Rod & Gab ended up jamming on Barca's main drag Las Ramblas getting heavy duty hassle from the Catalan cops. Just in time, a call came from Ireland to come back and play the newly opened Sugar Club. Damian Rice, then a busking friend, invited them to support his shows, and in 2003, they released "Re-Foc", and a year later, "Live Manchester and Dublin," which both launched them onto the World Music circuit .. and beyond.

The Music
Rodrigo and Gabriela describe their style as 'Fusion music': "It's mainly got Latin harmonies and rhythms but the structure is rock. It's not jazz because it's structured, and we don't improvise; our solos are exactly what's on the record, as a metal fan and guitarist you always want to hear the same f**king solo!"

Influences range from family salsa records to Gabriela's aunt's Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Queen, and Led Zeppelin vinyl, with Rodrigo also embracing a similar classic rock lineage. But, crucially, they grew up during Mexico's 'metal era.' "People expected two acoustic guitarists would play classical music, but we dropped in extracts from Led Zep, Hendrix and Metallica, then we did the same with "Stairway to Heaven!" Their music is instrumental "with very lyrical themes."

Mentions of flamenco influences raise sharp responses: "To many music fans, it sounds like flamenco, and we're great flamenco fans, but we don't play it" says Gabriela. "The only similarity is that our music is guitar music and it's very rhythmic."


official website http://www.rodgab.com/
myspace page www.myspace.com/rodrigoygabriela
hear Stairway To Heaven and three others there

MP3: Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Diablo Rojo


BUY IT : rodrigo y gabriela