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| Posted: 02 Apr 2009 12:57 PM PDT Condo F*cks is Yo La Tengo. And Yo La Tengo is a truly great band. For over twenty years they've consistently pumped out a stream of seriously kick-ass albums, many of which (e.g. Painful, And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One, etc.) are rightly considered classics. 2006's I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass not only boasted a charming title, but served to reaffirm (not that it needed reaffirming) that Yo La Tengo remains a vital and ever-evolving band. F**kbook, unfortunately, does not. On F**kbook, Yo La Tengo, er, Condo F*cks cover a range of garage rock tunes from the 60's and 70's by bands The Troggs, The Kinks, Small Faces, Beach Boys and others. The sound of F**kbook is strictly lo-fi and the arrangements adhere religiously to a basic drums-guitar-bass-vocals set-up. The result is only slightly better than the sound of a grade 11 band recording themselves on a laptop in their parents' basement, covering their favorite garage rock songs. Maybe Ira Kaplan's suffering a mid-life crisis or something, as F**kbook finds Yo La Tengo trying - and, to be fair, succeeding - to recapture the feeling of a band in its infancy shit-storming through classic rockers before finding its own sound and voice. But as great as the feeling of playing those songs may be, is there really anyone out there who wants to listen to an entire record of straight garage rock covers, even from a band as accomplished as Yo La Tengo? If Yo La Tengo had released another album of intriguing interpretations like their 1990 album Facebook, it would be a different story. But F**kbook, as its title implies, doesn't aspire to be Facebook 2. Instead, Yo La Tengo seem perfectly happy aspiring no higher than pointless self-indulgence here, hence F**kbook actually fits quite appropriately. F**kbook is available now on Matador Records. Tracklisting: Condo F*cks: website  Related Posts |
| Under Cover: Tommy James & The Shondells “I Think We’re Alone Now” (Part 1) Posted: 02 Apr 2009 10:11 AM PDT “I think we're alone now, there doesn't seem to be anyone around / I think we're alone now, the beating of our hearts is the only sound.” Recognize that chorus? It’s very rare that a song can capture the youth of parents (the original version: Tommy James & The Shondells, 1967) as well as remind their children of theirs (the most popular cover version: Tiffany, 1987). “I Think We’re Alone Now” is one of my favorite 80s tracks and one of the best songs to cover, in my humble opinion. It’s simple; it’s fun; it’s impossible to hear this song and not feel instantly transported to the rollerskating parties and leg warmer fashions of your youth. This, of course, makes your parents laugh because they actually know Tiffany’s song was not an original and they insist on playing the real version for you as it, ironically, also reminds them of their own carefree heydays. A lot of the cover versions readily available are great, but this is due to the fact that the original is fantastic on its own. Welcome to Under Cover: “I Think We’re Alone Now” (Part 1). Tommy James & The Shondells (original, 1967) I wasn’t born in the 60s, but this song makes me want to meet my high school sweetheart at the local soda shop to share a chocolate milk shake (with one straw, of course) and make eyes at each other while “I Think We’re Alone Now” plays on the jukebox. We’re star-crossed lovers and our parents hatred of each other only strengthens our infatuation when “we tumble to the ground and say, ‘I think we’re alone now.’” And this song plays in our heads each time we run off to secret locations to be together. Lead singer Tommy James’ vocals are so Beatles-esque, I almost wonder why this wasn’t a Beatles tune? The guitar licks are simple, the background vocals are soft, but it’s the magical lyrics that bring you back to a simpler time. – Tiffany cover (1987)listen I find it very hard to believe that any American child born in the 80s does not know this song. I also would believe if many (including myself) didn’t realize until much later that this wasn’t even an original. Mall queen Tiffany brought herself to fame with this hit song, the resulting dance craze she started, as well as being known as the teen singing sensation who demanded a legal emanicipation from her psycho parents. Perhaps one of the cooler aspects of this utterly 80s song is the fact that it still holds up twenty years later; personally, I still get excited whenever I find it on the radio. Who doesn’t want to steal away with their boyfriend/girlfriend “running just as fast as we can, holding onto one another’s hand, trying to get away into the night” when you hear this? Sure, the music is slightly cheesy and over-produced, but considering the fact that this was pre-Timbaland days, it’s still a pretty hot dance track. – The Pipettes cover (2006) I love when British people sing in ways where they are still able to retain their accent during their songs. Trust me, not all of them do that (because they can’t or prefer not to). But in the case of indie pop girl group The Pipettes, you can definitely tell they are Brits after the first few words. I love the percussive acoustic guitar, the backing vocals that border on yodeling, and the vocal harmony and interplay between the girls. It all works to create a slightly sped up cover version that is still lovely, even though it’s not my favorite. They kind of remind me of The Watson Twins, so that will either excite you or dissuade you, depending on your taste. So, enjoy or skip to the next track! – The Spinto Band (2009) “Children behaaave!” I love an indie rock band with a penchant for that throwback sound. It’s hard to fathom these guys are from Deleware since lead singer Nick Krill sings as if he’s not even from this time period let alone such an unexciting state, but in a good way. I like his lackadaisical style; it almost sounds like he doesn’t care about the vocals yet somehow it still works. The guitar licks are a little more pronounced than the original version, the drum taps are muted, and the background vocals sound like something straight out of a Beach Boys song. I give The Spinto Band props for taking a classic tune, updating it for newer audiences, and finding a way to still retain a little 60s rock sensability for those who particularly love the original. Related Posts |
| Hotel Cafe Tour @ SXSW, Austin TX Posted: 02 Apr 2009 06:45 AM PDT Hotel Cafe was a force to be reckoned with at SXSW. It seemed like at almost any hour of any day I could go and see a Hotel Cafe artist. Omnipresent beings these Hotel Cafers. The first one I caught was the saucy Meiko inside the Convention Center on the Day Stage. Joined by a friend on trumpet, Meiko charmed the crowd, but dialed back her usual demeanor for the all ages crew. I later saw Meiko again at the Hotel Cafe showcase at The Parish.
Alice Russell rocked the roof at Maggie Mae’s with her soulful tunes. Her backing band was dressed all in white to make Russell stand out.
Over at the Ale House, I caught two piano rockers. Laura Jansen warmed the stage for the much buzzed about Elizabeth and the Catapult.
Perhaps my favorite of the Hotel Cafe kids is Theresa Andersson. I saw her over at Antone’s. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m recording myself live tonight,” she said as she recorded a loop on a drum before switching over to her violin and then singing a few “oh ohs” to self-harmonize with. Watching Andersson was like watching a female David Ford or Andrew Bird, which was nice for the many who probably got turned away from the latter’s packed performance at Stubb’s.
Thursday night at the Parish was the place to be. I missed out on a few Hotel Cafe artists, but showed up in time for Thao with the Get Down Stay Down. Tonal quality was fine, but showmanship was lacking from how I hear her usual performances go. Thao hugged the microphone for a majority of the set, barely stepping a foot away.
Also at the Parish, I caught some Greg Laswell. His inclusion of Austin in a song had the crowd thrilled. I think they liked how the evening sounded through his songs (get it?!).
Following Laswell was Hotel Cafe co-founder, Cary Brothers. Brothers was joined by several friends and put on a decent set, but I think many in the crowd were disappointed that he didn’t play “Blue Eyes”.
The real excitement for the Hotel Cafe Showcase happened after the official stuff. A piano was brought out for the special guest and to the audience’s delight, Sara Bareilles took the stage. Bareilles was having fun that night and in a playful mood, asking, “You guy’s doing OK? Need me to buy you a round?” She then responded with “Tough Luck”. Her stripped down set included “Bottle It Up”, a cover of her beloved U2’s “What I’m Looking For” and a slowed down rearrangement of “Love Song”. I think it took away from the feistiness of the original, but it was cool to hear a new version.
The special guest business didn’t stop with Bareilles: The Proclaimers jumped up on stage for a surprise number as well. Then Brother Sal felt the need for an encore and he invited many of the Hotel Cafe kids back on stage for a raucous rendition of “This Little Light of Mine”. With JayMay, Laswell, Brothers and more joining him, this was the Hotel Cafe at their finest: pure, unadulterated fun. It was a fantastic way to end the showcase and the night.
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