popwreckoning updates |  |
- Ingrid Michaelson new album “Everybody” due August 25th
- Blur Hyde Park Shows to be Released on CD and MP3
- The Lemonheads w/ Title Tracks and Appomattox @ Black Cat, Washington DC
- Red, White and Blow It Out of Your Ass @ Outside Beaumont, Kansas City
| Ingrid Michaelson new album “Everybody” due August 25th Posted: 30 Jun 2009 11:42 AM PDT
On “Everybody” Michaelson showcases a matured point of view as she explores a new relationship with the idea of love, one that’s less crushed-out girl and more self-realized, independent woman. “‘Everybody’ – which is about a big idea,” explains Paste Magazine, “chronicles a relationship so intense and volatile that both lovers lose themselves within it. ‘Everybody’ is truly everybody’s.” Tour Dates: Ingrid Michaelson: website | myspace  Photo: Jessica McGinley Related Posts |
| Blur Hyde Park Shows to be Released on CD and MP3 Posted: 30 Jun 2009 11:11 AM PDT Disappointed that you can’t be at the two sold out Blur shows in London’s Hyde Park July 2 and 3? Have no fear. Following their triumphant headlining gig at this year’s Glastonbury Festival on June 28, Damon Albarn and company have come to our rescue with some special offerings.
Details on ordering the shows are available on their official website. Midlife: a Beginner's Guide to Blur, a new 2-CD collection of songs from their back catalogue, was released in the UK on June 15. Blur: website | myspace | Reunited Blur to Release New Song Collection  Related Posts |
| The Lemonheads w/ Title Tracks and Appomattox @ Black Cat, Washington DC Posted: 30 Jun 2009 10:49 AM PDT Evan Dando is a living legend to those of us who grew up in the '80s and '90s when alternative rock had just been given a name. Some diehard fans of the Lemonheads still think it's blasphemous that he has been and still is recording and touring under the name "Lemonheads", even though he's the only original member still with the band. However, for anyone who is a fan of hits such as "Into Your Arms" and "It's a Shame About Ray" and wants to hear these live, along with reinterpretations of tunes such as Gram Parsons' "I Just Can't Take It Anymore", you would have wanted to be at the Black Cat June 27, when Dando and crew played an excellent set to an eager audience. Two acts preceded the 'heads – D.C. natives Title Tracks and Brooklyn trio Appomattox. From the outset, I could tell Title Tracks was a local band. For one, a lot of people were coming up to singer/guitarist John Davis to say hi and shake his hand. And he was playing the most gorgeous Epiphone electric I've seen in recent memory. Let's just say their set was…somewhat unusual. It's the first time I've seen a guitarist feed song titles to a singer. I'm used to a front man knowing what's going at all times during a gig. (Maybe they felt it unnecessary for each band member to have their own set list? Nonetheless, the interaction between the two was endearing.) Their set was fine, it just wasn't particularly memorable. Maybe they'll be more impressive and less tentative when they have a full album of song cuts to choose from.
If I had to assign the band a genre, I think post-punk is the closest to their sound. "Money from 10 to 4" and "Too Slow" were my favorite songs of their set, Gaynier's vocals and guitar with Dave Nurmi's bass lines and the driving drums of James Mello all melding together perfectly. The band's set ender, "Either Way", was another head-boppingly good time. Appomattox released their debut album A O in April 2008 and hopes to tour all around America this summer, then get back in the studio later this year to lay down some tracks. Appomattox set list
Also, take note: this isn't the Evan Dando show either. Guitarist Aird impressed me with this technique, shredding effortlessly throughout the set, occasionally looking over to Dando for direction or encouragement. His only missteps of the night: slipping on the set list (written in black Sharpie on old newspaper) and falling on his butt, yet somehow not missing a note on his axe; and puffing on a contraband Marlboro. Didn't anyone tell him it's against the law to smoke in D.C. venues? In addition to providing the back beats, bassist Ruhtenberg (formerly of Zero Boys) and drummer Cutsinger added backing vocals to Dando's own. With just his voice and acoustic guitar, Dando gave us three special treats all by his lonesome – "The Outdoor Type", "Being Around", and "Tenderfoot". The devoted cheered at hearing the opening bars of their favorites, singing along to these word for word. All in all, a very satisfying night musically.            The Lemonheads set list Tour dates The Lemonheads: website | myspace  Related Posts |
| Red, White and Blow It Out of Your Ass @ Outside Beaumont, Kansas City Posted: 30 Jun 2009 07:45 AM PDT The first show to take place on the new patio of the Beaumont Club was the lovely titled “Red, White and Blow It Out Your Ass”, a free show from 96.5 the Buzz in response to the local pop station’s annual fest. Beaumont patio actually turned out to be a better venue than the inside of the club. Despite the warm weather, a light breeze made it feel cooler and the unevenness of the ground made it so nearly everybody could see the stage…a major contrast from the inside. Canada’s Pilot Speed started the show with some piano rock. The group has been compared to Radiohead, but I picked up more of a Coldplay vibe in the wave of other new artists such as Barcelona and Carolina Liar. They were OK, but I unmemorable. Repetitive fist pounds and lack of hooks made it so they just became a background buzz as pockets of conversation erupted around the venue.
In stark contrast, California duo The Limousines got the crowd close and dancing after announcing, “There’s some prime real estate going to waste up here.” Though vocal inconsistencies made the singer occasionally sound like a goat, this set was so much fun to jump around to, that I’m willing to forgive that. They were probably my favorite act on the roster and mostly just because of their stage presence.
After an annoyingly long wait (I think it was bordering on an hour), Miike Snow began their set. For those of you unfamiliar, these are the guys who wrote Britney’s “Toxic”, among other pop tunes. Their band’s music is nothing like that however, and with their leather jackets in the heat, the guy’s knew they were too cool to be known for pop tunes. Their electronica rock was fun and tight, but it was hard to take them seriously when it seemed like so much of their stage was wasted by people simply there to pump their fists in the air. I watched one member wave a drum stick in the air, while only utilizing it roughly once in the entire song. Norwegian rock queen Ida Maria headlined. And she really is a queen. The cocky singer will affirm that herself in “Queen of the World”. With a rough voice like that you’d find in a smoky bar, Maria confidently sang through her songs and told the crowd she expected every single one to buy her album. I guess only somebody with her confidence and pride could get away with a song like “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”, but I preferred the more modest confidence of the earlier performance of the Limousines.
Despite the warm weather and the long wait for Miike Snow, this was pretty decent for a free show and the first show on the Beaumont’s lawn. Ida Maria: website | myspace Photos by: Joshua Hammond Related Posts |
Limited edition double CD sets and high-quality mp3s will be available after the gigs once the tracks from the shows are mixed and mastered. The double CD sets will also include live photos from the London shows.
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