Mark your calendar now for Sunday April 20th and be sure to head on out to the inaugural Bag Of Songs Presents night at Philadelphia's M Room. Featuring three of Philly's finest bands The Shots, Thinking Machines and Canadian Invasion along the with what I'm pretty sure will be the Philadelphia debut of New York City's Murder Mystery. A guaranteed night of great music and fun. See you all there.

Catching up on some backlog today, here's a few photos from last Thursday night's show at Johnny Brenda's in Philadelphia with Gildon Works, A Place To Bury Strangers, and Holy F*ck. First up was Philadelphia's Gildon Works, this was the sceond time I had seen them and it was even more impressive than the first. Since the last time I'd seen them they added a couple additional members including a female percussionist/backup vocalist. Their blend of psychedelic shoe gazey, noisey, pop really kicked the night off on a high note. Their new cd is being released soon , watch out for it. Next up was a band whose live show I had heard numerous raves about including a number of blistering appearances at SXSW, A Place To Bury Strangers. They did not disappoint. Taking the stage in total darkness, coming on like the bastard children of Jesus And Mary Chain and Sonic Youth, they proceeded to tear into a mind numbing aural assault of what can best be described as melodic white noise. Fueled by powerhouse drumming with guitar and bass turned up well past the distortion point, it was as mesmerizing as it was loud. The only real lighting during the show was some black and white film footage projected onto the stage, the mostly dark atmosphere only helped to increase the intensity. They ended their set with a strobe light flashing the whole time as the guitar player literally tore all the strings from his guitar in a haze of feedback drenched sound. Do not miss them if you get the chance, it was absolutely amazing. I would not have wanted to be the band to have to go on after them they set the bar incredibly high. Holy F*ck rose to the challenge however and drove the energy level even higher by working the crowd into a dancing frenzy with their instrumental and highly rhythmic songs. Go see these bands on tour if you can. For another take on the show be sure to read Carly's review over at Girl About Town where you can also see some great photos of Holy F*ck by SinABox Camera.

Gildon Works - Artful Rifle
Buy Gildon Works EP
A Place To Bury Strangers - My Weakness
Buy A Place To Bury Strangers
Holy F*ck -Lovely Allen
Buy Holy Fuck LP Gildon Works
A Place To Bury Strangers



Holy Fuck

Tapping the Live Music Archive today for a smoking hot down and dirty set from Southern Culture On The Skids to start your post Easter work week off with a kick.

Southern Culture On The Skids
11.18.06 Tractor Tavern Ballard, WA

Skullbucket
Mojo Box
Voodoo Cadillac Blues
Nitty Gritty
Doublewide
White Trash
Corn Liquor
King of the Mountain
The Wetspot
House of Bamboo
Liquored Up and Lacquered Down
Cheap Motels
Biscuit Eater
Greenback Fly
Banana Pudding
Dirt Track Date
MexiMelt
Shotgun
Daddy Was A Preacher But Momma Was A Go-Go Girl
Eight Piece Box
Camel Walk
feedback/crowd
Fight Fire
Soul City
???
The Great Atomic Power


the whole show as a zip

Just a random song today to get you in an Easter holiday mood.

MP3: The Magnetic Fields - Let's Pretend We're Bunny Rabbits

Give these guys a listen and you'll swear you're hearing some band from the midwestern or deep southern US steeped in roots music of their surroundings. But alas, you're listening to Gothenburg's Sweden's racingpaperplanes brand new web single, in and out of coma from their upcoming fourth album. It's a classic side of warm, rolling alt country that brings to mind the jangly harmony laden sound of bands like The Jayhawks or The Byrds.

racingpaperplanes is
Richard Wilson - Acoustic guitar, Lead vocals, Banjo, sometimes drums, organs, percussion and what not...
Glen Gilbert - Guitars, lapsteel, backing vocals
Jakob Lilja - Bass
Marcus Jönsson - Guitar
Drums - Pär-Anders Zetterberg

MP3: racingpaperplanes -In And Out Of Coma
get the b-side drive

Upcoming Shows:
March 19 Kontiki, Gothenburg
March 20 Hängmattan, Gothenburg
March 23 Mosebacke, Stockholm
May 9 Antje Öklesund, Berlin
August 13, Kräfskivefestivalen, Dalsland

[MYSPACE]

While most of the music world was converging on Austin, Texas for the SXSW conference, Philadelphia was still asserting it's place as a music city to reckoned with last night at Johnny Brenda's. First up in a preview of next month's Bag Of Songs night April 20th at The M Room were the Thinking Machines with an amazing set of songs from their brand new cd, A Complete Record Of Urban Archaeology. A guitar oriented rhythmic sound sound I can best describe as sort of like Gang Of Four meets Fugazi. Next up was folk-edelic stylings of The Chimeras playing songs from their new disc, Party Of God, a loosely conceptual rumination on war and religion in the middle east. Baltimore's Squaaks were next, tearing through a tight set of their blend of high energy rock. Jotto closed the evening with a set of dancey music that fans of current buzz bands Yeasayer or MGMT would love.

MP3: Thinking Machines - Return To The Red Sun
Buy A Complete Record Of Urban Archaeology
MP3: The Chimeras - Good Friday
Buy Party Of God
MP3: Squaaks - Be Dry My Bleeding Heart
Buy Rock Control
MP3: Jotto - Backyard Circus
Buy Jotto EP


Thinking Machines
The Chimeras
Squaaks
Jotto

Starting in the late 60's and on through the 70's Toronto became a northern hot bed for a burgeoning reggae scene as a large influx of Jamaican residents shaped their own music culture there. Light In The Attic records has been releasing a series of records under the Jamaica To Toronto moniker chronicling the amazing classic sounds emanating from there. Earth, Roots and Water's Innocent Youths is the seventh and final record in that series. Originally pressed in 1977 it's long been out of print and extremely hard to find. It's a lost classic of soul infused reggae perfect for just kicking back and chilling out to.

From the press release :
Earth, Roots & Water was initially formed in the mid-seventies to provide hard rhythms and tight backing tracks for the growing number of musical friends and family who ventured to Jerry Brown's Malton, Ontario, basement studio. Over the years, a veritable who's who of Jamaican music scene passed through Summer Sound to record with like-minded brethren. Jackie Mittoo, Willi Williams, Johnny Osbourne, Carl Dawkins, Leroy Sibbles, Stranger Cole, and King Jammy are just a handful of the label's impressive roster.

By 1977, Earth, Roots & Water had developed into an engaging live entity as well, based around the talents of Adrian "Homer" Miller (vocals), Anthony "Base" Hibbert (bass), Colin "Zuba" Suban (drums), Matt Shelley (guitar), and Tony "KB" Moore (keyboards). Both a sonic and visual force, the charismatic youths soon found themselves performing in and around the Toronto area, opening up for The Police and The Stranglers while extending the UK-born punk/reggae love affair to North America.

MP3: Earth, Roots And Water - Tribulations
Buy Innocent Youths

[Jamaica To Toronto Series]

The emotional ebb and flow that complicates life's relationships has always been a powerful catalyst for artistic expression. The best works seem both deep, introspective and personal while invoking a connection with the listener the reflects their own feelings. Time tested classics like Bob Dylan's Blood On The Tracks and Neil Young's Comes A Time, to newer works like Ryan Adams' Heartbreaker and Julie Doiron's Woke Myself Up all being prime examples.

Well now you can add Weinland's La Mentor to that list, a powerful chronicle of the pain, loneliness, and longing of life's complex relationships. The intricate sound of album is built up from the stark, powerful, acoustic guitar and vocals of John Adam Weiland Shearer and tastefully augmented by the band which includes Aaron "Rantz" Pomerantz (dobro, mandolin, bells, pedal steel, accordion, lap steel, etc), Rory Brown (bass), Ian Lyles (drums, banjo) and Paul Christensen (piano, keyboards). There are also guest performances by by Adam Selzer (M.Ward, Norfolk and Western), Rachel Blumberg (M.Ward, Bright Eyes, The Decemberists, Norfolk and Western), and Nathan Delffs (The Shaky Hands) among others.

As lyrically powerful as it is musical, from the haunting despair captured in the opening lines "God here I come. Heaven above. Give me a gun. God here I come" to the final resolve of the single line of the closing song In This The End , "I'll help you pack up your books and clothes and forward the letters of friends who don't know" the albums 11 songs are a brilliant narrative on the tug of war that ensues in disintegrating love relationships. One of the best releases of 2008 so far.




MP3: Weinland - Sick As A Gun
Buy La Lamentor





[WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

I know, I know, almost everyone's heard it by now and you may have even seen this video for Supernatural Superserious already, but its the most rocking thing REM has done in a long time so why not hear it again. The new album Accelerate is due out April 1st and REM is going on tour, with Modest Mouse and The National in tow to boot. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Upcoming REM Tour Dates
May
23 Vancouver - Deer Lake Park
29 Los Angeles - Hollywood Bowl
31 Berkeley - The Greek Theatre
June
03 Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
06 Chicago - United Center
08 Toronto - Molson Amphitheatre
10 Raleigh - Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
11 Washington, DC - Merriweather Post Pavilion
13 Boston - Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
14 Long Island - Jones Beach Theater
18 Philadelphia - Mann Center for the Performing Arts
19 New York City - TBA
21 Atlanta - Lakewood Amphitheatre

[MYSPACE] [WEBSITE]

A couple photos from Sunday night's Roky Erickson show at Maxwell's in Hoboken NJ. Roky and his band The Explosions blistered through a set of songs that made him the legend he is today. Opening with A Cold Night For Alligators and tearing through a set of his classics like You're Gonna Miss Me, Bermuda,Two Headed Dog , Starry Eyes and more.

The general philosophy here at Bag Of Songs is it's all about supporting the music and the musicians and it's always great to meet others who share that philosphy. Big thanks go out to Chris Johnson for tipping me off to this amazing event. The 2nd Annual Deep Blues Festival is musical labor of love that is all volunteer run and 100% of the proceeds go to the bands. Check out the incredible lineup of 45 bands happening over the three days. I've put together a random sample of just five of the artists for you here but you can explore more below as I've linked all of the bands to their respective sites in the schedule listing.

Gravel Road - Jesus On The Ward
Black Smokers - Bring Me Alcohol
Pearlene - I Thought You Knew
Bob Log III - Boob Scotch
Th' Legendary Shack*Shackers- No Such Thing

Friday July 18
Richard Johnston Elmo Williams & Hezekiah Early Black-Eyed Snakes T-Model Ford Silver Lion's 20/20 Juke Joint Duo feat. Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm The Moaners Jimmy "Duck" Holmes Jawbone Chris Cotton Gravel Road .357 String Band Smokestack and the Foothill Fury The Bird Dogs CuzN Wildweed

Saturday July 19
Th' Legendary Shack*Shakers Black Diamond Heavies Dexter Romweber Duo Pat MacDonald Buffalo Killers Hillstomp Pearlene Charlie Parr Honkeyfinger Boogaloosa Prayer Those Poor Bastards Adam Posnak Pure Country Gold Illinois John Fever Blues Boy JAG

Sunday July 20
Bob Log III Scott H. Biram Scissormen Possessed By Paul James Left Lane Cruiser Tarbox Ramblers American Relay Mudlow Patrick Sweany Black Smokers John Schooley The Pack A.D. Cicada Omega The Dead Or Alives Luther The Devil

2nd Annual Deep Blues Festival
Fri - Sun, July 18-20, 2008 - 11:00am - 10:00pm
Washington County Fairgrounds - Lake Elmo, MN
Tickets on sale at http://www.deepbluesfestival.com/

This festival celebrates the alternative and punk blues sound as well as the modern juke joint music of the Deep South with bands from 18 states as well as Italy, Australia, Canada, and the UK.

Due to the expansion and popularity of the festival, the new location is the Washington County Fairgrounds by Lake Elmo, on the East Side of Minneapolis/St Paul, MN. The bigger venue accommodates the additional acts and anticipated larger crowds. Two stages side by side allows for continuous music throughout the three days. Tickets are now on sale and this unique event is once again drawing music lovers from across the country and overseas including France, England, and Australia.

The Deep Blues sound connects the cutting edge and the future of the genre to the deepest roots of its past. Like the music of the great original blues artists, it is raw, immediate, unfiltered, authentic and entirely organic. The Deep Blues Festival represents a generation - or two - of
artists, who are part of a groundswell making its way to the mainstream, where signs of its influence are already visible.

The film festival, which features many music-related films, is free and open to the public at the fairgrounds throughout the weekend. Highlights include Max Shore's "Hill Country Troubadour" and J.D. Wilke's "Seven Signs."

The Deep Blues Festival prides itself in being a "fan friendly" event.

Free parking, affordable ticket prices and concessions, no ticket service fees, and plenty of room for the fans are guaranteed.
A limited quantity of discount advance three day passes are available at the two festival
websites - http://www.deepbluesfestival.com/ and www.myspace.com/deepbluesfestival for $45.
Daily tickets will be available at the event for $30.
Under 21 are free, but must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Gates open at 10:00 a.m, rain or shine.

Some photos from this past Friday night, Leap Day, February 29th with Scary Monster and It's A King Thing at Tritone In Philadelphia. Going with an orange theme as the what to wear color of the night, Scary Monster started it off with a rocking set of indie pop songs from their upcoming CD. New Jersey's It's a King Thing followed with their blend of guitar power pop, sort of sounding like a cross between Weezer and Nada Surf. Brian from It's A King Thing was getting shocked by the microphone so he ended up covering it with the drummer's sock right off his foot as you can see in the photos and singing into it the whole night. Made for some entertaining humor from the stage for sure. A great night of music all around.

MP3: Scary Monster - True Love, Good Morning
More At Myspace
MP3: It's A King Thing - My Mini Van Just Died
Buy It's A King Thing
Scary Monster


It's A King Thing