Autumn Souvenir

I've recently been asked by a few friends and colleagues, "What led to your unwavering support for the causes of the left?" At the outset, I honestly didn't have a succinct answer. I said something about my communal outlook on life and my interest in helping those less fortunate. I know, pretty facile. Over the past few weeks I started to think about this question more. With the 08 election a mere two months away, I can't say that I've ever felt this passionately about a political race. When I hear that McCain has crept up on Obama or even surpassed him, my stomach literally spins in cycles. There have been countless times over the past few weeks where I burn out on election coverage. Not because I don't care, but because I care too much. At my deepest core, I can not fathom a McCain victory. As my girlfriend said to me this morning, "If McCain wins, I really fear that you'll be inconsolable." She may be right. But what brought me here? For s...

With the selection of Palin, McCain is clearly trying to exploit Hillary's voters. Every quote out of his mouth today has made this abundantly clear. The real question here is how does Hillary handle this. Although most disagree with me, I am a firm believer that Senator Clinton, deep down, wants Obama to lose. I have little doubt that she already has her eyes set on 2012, knowing full well that 2016 will put her at the age of 68. Hillary absolutely must make it clear that she stands behind Barack and must repeat to her core that they should vote for Barack. That said, initial signs, as I expected, are not promising. Once again, it's all about Hillary: From NY Times Update | 4:20 p.m.: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has just issued this statement: “We should all be proud of Governor Sarah Palin’s historic nomination, and I congratulate her and Senator McCain. While their policies would take America in the wrong direction, Governor Palin will add an important new voice to the de...

It may have been a good strategic move, but if you watched her acceptance speech, you'd likely agree that this solidifies this ticket as the weakest in World history. This has nothing to do with her sex, but imagine her in a room with Vladamir Putin. If they win, not only will I depart the US, but I'm moving to the Moon.

Just a few hours prior to Obama's speech tonight, my mother phoned. She didn't call to talk politics or inquire about my excitement preceding Obama's biggest moment, but she called to talk about simple things. My mother has always had very little to say politically, focusing rather on her three children, my stepfather and the people close to her. Her only close voice on the political front comes from my stepfather, a retired New Jersey police officer and ardent republican. Since he's within distance every day, she's always sided with him. And he is not one even open to discussion. He loved Reagan, Bush I, and remains a staunch supporter of Bush II. As we were about to hang up, I asked my mother one more time to tune in tonight. She said that she was tired and was off to bed. Before letting her go, I inquired, "Hasn't anything he's said influenced you?" and to my absolute astonishment, she uttered, "I do think he's for the middle class. I t...

The Independent holds a mere 500 folks and after announcing yesterday and selling out within seconds, I was able to land a ticket via a gracious friend. I am a lucky man.

After finishing up Beck's Modern Guilt , I turned once again to Jason Isbell's fantastic debut Sirens of the Ditch and midway through the first track, I clicked on Blurt and see a feature with Isbell. And not a profile on the artist, but rather a walk with him down the aisles of Amoeba. These are often my favorite features. But c'mon Jason, Bryter Layter is inarguably better than Pink Moon . Looting the Bins With Jason Isbell Chicago Promenade - Jason Isbell

Thanks, Bill. Fantastic speech. Hes A Mighty Good Leader - Beck

I'm not sure why Ryko would put together a Best of for Golden Smog, since they've only released three records (two great, one terrible), but nevertheless, it's on the way. And no compilation with the word "Best" in the title should include the abomination that is "If I Only Had a Car". Stay Golden, Smog: The Best of Golden Smog Until You Came Along Looking Forward To Seeing You Ill Fated Lost Love Jennifer Save Me Making Waves Glad & Sorry V To Call My Own Pecan Pie Won't Be Coming Home Red Headed Stepchild He's a Dick Radio King Please Tell My Brother If I Only Had a Car Until You Came Along '97 Love and Mercy

Ten Second News - Son Volt

If you live in San Francisco and do not go to this show, you clearly hate all that is great in life. Centro-matic & South San Gabriel Rickshaw Stop Sept 3

If you're not familiar with Blurt Online , well, it's the new site helmed by the former publishers of Harp Magazine. They're just getting started, but I've already uncovered a trove of great videos, features and reviews. It's now the first music site I land on each morning. This morning, they are featuring Whiskeytown's fantastic 1997 release Strangers Almanac . As some know, Whiskeytown was fronted by Ryan Adams, but it was the contributions of guitarist Phil Wandscher and fiddle player/backing vocalist Caitlin Cary, that made Whiskeytown one of the best bands of the mid-to-late 90's. Though they only released 3 full-lengths, their undeniable masterstroke was Strangers Almanac . At the time, this was Whiskeytown's make-or-break album, and despite lackluster sales (label repositioning played a huge part), this stands as one of the greatest country-rock records ever released. The lyrics are impeccable, the harmonies are stunning and the band is in full st...

Incident On 57th Street - Bruce Springsteen

After coming to the realization that John McCain has absolutely nothing to run on, similar to Bush in 2004, McCain's operatives moved their strategy to Obama. Aside from his absurd position on offshore drilling, John McCain has completely avoided talking about the issues, any issues. They have set their sights on one thing: destroying Obama. And it's working. In 2004, Bush turned a highly-decorated veteran into a complete coward. As disgusting as this charge was, it was effective. Bush made a mockery of all those who serve this country, especially those who serve with distinction. Yet the democrats were too slow and too weak to quickly deflect this charge and turn it on Bush. They needed to, in turn, label him, yet they didnt'. And the democrats lost. This all seems to happening all over again. Barack Obama's main strength, inspiring people at home and abroad, and bringing millions of Americans off the sidelines and into the fray, is exactly what the republicans have us...

One thing is certain: my cell phone takes terrible pictures. I passed on day's one and two of Outside Lands, but a good friend offered up a freebie today, and given that Wilco were on the bill, well, ya know. I arrived in time to grab a $7 beer and head over to see the Drive-By Truckers. The last time I caught the DBT's was in LA about two years ago. The show in LA was fantastic. The show today was not. With the exception of one or two songs, this was just a loud noodlefest. I then moved across the park to land a good spot for Wilco. We arrived in time to catch the entire Broken Social Scene set. I've never liked this band on record, and live they were just as tedious. When they introduced Spiral Stairs, formerly of Pavement and Preston School of Industry, I think I was one of maybe nine people who recognized the name. My age was showing. Wilco opened with "Remember the Mountain Bed" which was absolutely stunning. The rest of the set was solid, but they appeared r...

With the selection of Joseph Biden as his running mate, Barack Obama has made it clear to his supporters and the nation as a whole that if elected, the Barack Obama administration will likely be the most progressive White House in this country's history. Let's forget what a target this sets for the right, and just consider what this means to those on the left. Since I consider myself part of that latter collection, here's what it means to me. In 1994, while a sophomore in college, I enrolled in the class "Eyes on the Prize". The class focused on the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and was taught by a young African-American graduate of Georgetown, whose bi-weekly lectures were raw, honest and at times, heart-wrenching. Never in my life has a class meant more to me. I would sit in class absolutely horrified at black and white films from Selma, Montgomery and other racially torn cities and small towns in the South. Having been raised in a nearly all-white sub...

Head over to Southern Shelter to hear/download the Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood covering six songs from Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town .

Catch You Alive - Damnations, TX

What I'm about to write will certainly put off many folks. But since only about 50 folks a day read my blog, I guess I won't be putting off too many. For reasons I will attempt to explain, I have always been somewhat, and I stress the word somewhat, put off by folks who leap full-on into a cause only when it directly impacts their lives, whether it be an illness to themselves or a loved one. I agree that folks should be applauded for championing a cause regardless of what brought them to that place. But I guess I'm more impressed by the people who take a more unselfish approach to causes. Perhaps they're struck by a story, a news piece or they're simply pulled into something that has no impact on their inner circle. The point of this post is to finally come to the realization that I am one of the "selfish" ones that I vituperate above. There are certainly causes that I am vocal about that have yet to play an immediate and tangible role in my life, notably ...

Every time I listen to Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall 1971 , I can't help but feel wrapped up in one of the greatest recordings of all-time. Neil's voice is as clear and passionate as its ever been and the song selection is just stunning. This is a record that I listen to about once a week, and today I've come to realize that it's likely the best live recording in my collection.

...but today is the first time I've ever listened to this record, and oh my lord is it good. Costello meets Brian Wilson meets possibly better than both.

The Dark Dont Hide It - Magnolia Electric Co.

Sat 11/29 - Halifax, NS Halifax Metro Centre Mon 12/01 - Montreal, QC Bell Centre Tue 12/02 - Ottawa, ON Scotiabank Place Thu 12/04 - Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre Sun 12/07 - Auburn Hills, MI The Palace Of Auburn Hills Tue 12/09 - Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena Fri 12/12 - Philadelphia, PA The Wachovia Spectrum Mon 12/15 - New York, NY Madison Square Garden Arena

Why on Earth must Obama spend a night with Rick Warren to increase his hopes of being elected? I can understand McCain having to do so since he's courting the American moron, but Obama? The division of church and state is no longer just blurred, it's been removed. This is just sickening. This country just continues to take step after step backwards.

Lost Coastlines - Okkervil River

I mean, can anyone argue his points? Does Being a Jerk Work? by Michael Tomasky of the UK's The Guardian John McCain is a liar and flip-flopper and panderer and bully and whiner. And it seems to be working When people start running to be president, we learn new things about them. The amount and intensity of exposure – the fact that suddenly we are subjected to their thinking on every conceivable issue and non-issue – makes this inevitable. As a result of this our opinions change. We either like them more or less than at the beginning, but rarely in just the same measure. I've been surprised at how much less I like John McCain than I did a year ago. Granted, I think the Republican party is an affliction and, as I've made clear for a long time, I want Barack Obama to be the next president. But even given that, the political analyst part of my brain can put all that aside and see other strengths and weaknesses (and we'll circle back to this point). John McCain is a jerk. A...

First Wilco and Obama, and now Centro-matic and ping pong.

We didn't catch a glimpse of the Senator, but we did hang with a lot of pumped-up supporters.

Right around the time that CNN canned Aaron Brown in favor of non-stop Anderson Cooper, I knew the station was heading right down the FOX path. It's no secret that CNN, just like the dolts at FOX, chooses financial gain and sensationalism over the truth and in-depth reporting. I mean, when three of your top anchors are buffoons such as Rick Sanchez, Lou Dobbs and Tony Harris, well, you've lost all credibility. And now this. Of all the potential sponsors of the conventions, CNN has opted for the big payout and gone with the lobbyist of all lobbyists, ExxonMobil. This move deems this network void of any credibility. A network simply can not "report" on the news when its in bed with one of the most destructive big business' in the World. I am done with this tabloid news network. They could air an exclusive ping pong match between Bruce Springsteen and Jeff Tweedy and I'd pass.

This new so-called "feature" tentatively entitled The Archives will look at records that never got their due praise. Perhaps they only sold 10,000 copies, but in most cases, I'd imagine that these selections had a tough time exceeding 2,500 in sales. There's a good chance that many of the bands may not ring a bell, and a good portion were making records in the mid-to-late 90s, which still stands as the greatest music period of my life. Star City was founded by West Virginia native Jason Lewis. The band gained a solid following in New York City in the late 90s and early 00s, playing regularly at The Mercury Lounge, The Rodeo Bar, and just about any place that'd book them. They weren't a fantastic live band, but their shows were always about the fans as much as they were about the band. Most Star City shows were full-night events, often carrying on to the Lakeside Lounge until the wee hours of the morning. Guitarist David Chernis (now in The Damnwells) was the ...

Arise, Therefore - Palace

I had planned on buying the new Neil Halstead record this weekend, and then I stumbled upon the below picture. Simply put, any artist who follows this absurd hipster-dong look can't be taken seriously. Sorry Neil, the shades and suck t-shirt just cost you a record sale.

I can't remember the last time that I was glued into an artist's performance for more than twenty straight minutes. Tonight at Yoshi's, I barely recall the last thirty minutes of Juana Molina's performance. After dealing with some weak table service and adjusting to this new venue, once I settled in and turned to the artist, I experienced complete tunnel vision. Pardon the cliche(s), but all the worries of the day were swept away and I was experiencing something beyond just music. Oh, it may sound odd, but during one stunning song, I kept seeing the ocean. During another, I saw hills and fields. The music coming from this one woman and some looped recordings wrapped around me and I couldn't poke through. And boy was it an amazing feeling. I usually experience this maybe once a year, if I'm lucky. I've covered the most memorable shows in previous blogs, and tonight's performance doesn't stand with the best of them all, but it certainly was special. I ...

Okkervil River - The Stand Ins from David Lowery on Vimeo .

The Ice Storm , 1997 In an effort to cut back on some subscriptions and other things that seem to clutter my every day, this afternoon I nearly canceled my Netflix account. Just prior to making the move, I came to the realization that I haven't lost interest in films as a whole; I've lost interest in today's films. Realizing this, I held onto my subscription for the time being. In the 90s and even into the early 2000s it seemed as if every year had tens of great films to choose from. While living in New York in the late 90s, I used to visit the local cinema at least 2-3 times a month. And more often than not, I left the theatre pleased. I wasted away many Sunday afternoons watching such fantastic films as The Sweet Hereafter, You Can Count On Me, Safe, Rushmore, Leaving Las Vegas, Magnolia, Dead Man Walking, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Short Cuts and many, many more. There seemed to be so many great films that I simply couldn't keep up. Over the past few years, such fil...

If you've read any of these and have any thoughts, good or bad, please let me know. I will probably place an order over the weekend. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson Cruising Paradise by Sam Shepard Northline by Willy Vlautin The World Made Straight by Ron Rash Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life by John Sellers No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July The Lives of Rocks by Rick Bass Robert Kennedy and His Times by Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

Neil Young : Tonight's the Night Reprise, 1975

emperor of Wyoming - Neil Young

Barack Obama's biggest challenge over the next few months will be his ability to use his limitless intelligence to be, well, dumb. Most Americans must consider the Senator to be a man of extreme intelligence, curiosity and open-mindedness. However, as 2000 and 2004 showed, this does not win the presidency. And John McCain is well aware of this. The offshore drilling debate is exactly what John McCain has been seeking. It's a ludicrous idea, but it plays directly to the millions of morons that inhabit this country. And Barack Obama has little choice but to sidestep reality and play the game. If he speaks the truth, it could cost him the election. Economists the country over have repeatedly stated that offshore drilling will 1) take at least a decade to suck even a drop of oil and 2) once this minimal oil hits the surface, it will likely have zero impact on the state of gas prices. These are two very simple conclusions that most American will not hear, and even if they do, they ...

Placemat Blues - Slobberbone

#1 Centro-matic / South San Gabriel #2 The Drams #3 Wilco #4 Josh Ritter #5 Apollo Sunshine

Calling Thermatico - Centro-Matic

A mere four years into their partnership, Sony has bought out BMG for an estimated $900 million. But the big story here? Jason Giambi shedding the mustache got more press. In other words, no one cares.

I never expected to completely burn out on this election, let alone in early August. But the time has come: I have completely run out of gas. I turn on Olbermann, Anderson News Network, Meet the Press or even PBS, and I simply can't stomach it anymore. Honestly, what's left? Have the candidates, especially on the democratic side, not been vetted enough? Are we really now left with three months of multi-million-dollar attack ads from the hillbilly right? Based on the latest Paris/Britney garbage, it certain appears so. I remember the anticipation of going to see John Edwards speak in San Francisco. That 20-minute event literally seems like eight years ago, despite being only about eight months ago. But man, enough is enough. The Barack/Hillary marathon exhausted not only their respective supporters, but just about the entire country, regardless of party or interest-level. And now we're plodding through McCain vs. Obama. And anyone on this planet who truly believes that McCai...

I should've been skeptical when organizers chose Jack Johnson as the Sunday headliner over Wilco. I mean, whoever made that decision must still be listening to Kansas records. (I admit, I own two Kansas records). But I just took a look at the pricing and I can't claim to have ever seen such absurd numbers. I will admit that they have put together a pretty solid lineup. Well, they have Radiohead and Wilco. Beck is clearly past his prime and Tom Petty at the age of 96 doesn't do that much for me. A small number of the lesser-known acts excite me, including Drive-By Truckers, Black Mountain, Little Brother, and well, that about wraps it. I was considering heading out Sunday simply to see the DBT's and Wilco, but after looking at the total cost, I simply can't justify the expense. Don't be fooled by the listed prices, the following is what you're looking at for just one ticket: One Day: $109.90 Three Day: $273.90 These numbers are almost comical. Despite the k...

Breeze - Apollo Sunshine

Shall Noise Upon

Sold To:

The Kinks : Misfits Arista, 1978 A Rock N Roll Fantasy - The Kinks

The following acts need to permanently retire from the festival circuit: The Raconteurs Modest Mouse Spoon And more than any artist on Earth : M. Ward

Perhaps the greatest live recording of all-time...

For some unexplainable reason, in the near two-plus years that I've lived on Fillmore, I've only stopped into Rooky Ricardo's once. While wrapping up a short run this afternoon, I stopped in for a second time. As I stepped inside I was immediately greeted by a table of middle-aged guys playing some sort of card game. They told me to ask if I needed anything, and they proceeded to flip back to their leisurely game. I scoured the 7"s and found a number of ELO singles that I've wanted for some time. I then found a Springsteen 7" of "Incident on 57th Street" LIVE! What on Earth is this? Well, it's mine now. As I was about to leave for the day, I became a bit immersed in the 50's soul that was playing at a perfect volume throughout the store. Like any record collector, the gentleman manning the register could sense my interest. He popped the CD out of the CD player and explained, "These are songs that never made it to CD. I copied them from v...

I'm starting to sense a glimmer of John Kerry in 04. The past few weeks, the Obama camp has fallen victim to McCain's playbook, and if it continues, I fear that the democratic party will once again suffer a devastating loss. A few months ago, Obama's team would quickly squash attacks launched by Hillary Clinton and his fellow democratic-nominee hopefuls. But lately, Obama has opted to respond to every single absurd claim tossed its way by McCain's dirtbags. I mean, did he really need to take time to publicly address and defend himself following the Britney/Paris ad? Could he not have just laughed it off and turned it all on McCain? Instead, he's come off as defensive which has obviously been effective. Obama needs to remember that the majority of Americans are not well-informed, and such ads can drastically alter the electorate's mood and direction. The more time he spends "explaining" these ads, the more the public turns on him. He must go on the offe...

Perhaps this is the closest we'll ever see to an Uncle Tupelo reunion. Short-lived Tupelo drummer Bill Belzer joined Tweedy on the kids stage at Lollapalooza yesterday. Belzer served as middleman between the original UT drummer Mike Heidorn and the final UT drummer Ken Coomer. Belzer did not appear on any Tupelo records, but played a number of shows with Jay and Jeff around the recording of March 16-20, 1992

Who is this man? My guess is that nine out of ten people reading this entry have no idea. Aside from the presidency, he may hold the most critical leadership role in the United States. If you've opened a newspaper in the past eight years, you're well aware of the world crisis that is climate change. Most, if not all, scientists now conclude that we have passed the breaking point. In other words, the United States along with China, India, and well, most of the world, have caused irreparable harm to this planet; harm that will soon throw us into an unimaginable world crisis. Although we can't reverse the damage done, we can begin to minimize further damage, and ultimate slow the forthcoming rise in sea levels, spread of disease and massive food shortage. If our leaders show us the way, we can perhaps add a few generations to our time here on Earth. I realize that this may sound extremely grim and fatalistic, but there are few scientists who disagree with such an assessment. T...

Thao still holds the top spot, but the new Apollo Sunshine record, Shall Noise Upon , out Tuesday on Headless Heroes, is certainly making a charge. More on this one later...

Columbia released Springsteen's collection of outtakes, b-sides and rarities titled Tracks in 1998 to little fanfare. Springsteen enthusiasts had been waiting for such a collection for years and a decade has proven that this collection stacks up there with Bruce's best records. 66 tracks deep, Tracks obviously has a few tracks that could've been purged, but the solid songs far outweigh the clunkers. Songs like "I Wanna Be With You", "Ricky Wants a Man of Her Own" and "Where The Bands Are" are just a few tracks that make up an absolutely stellar collection. When considering Springsteen's greatest achievements, namely Born To Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Nebraska , this fantastic set would probably settle just a step behind. Near perfect albums such as Born in the USA and The River would rest perfectly beside this collection. It's a shame that few fans cite Tracks as one of Bruce's top releases, but sit down for a few h...