Autumn Souvenir

As the years pass, my show attendance continues to ebb. 2012 was probably my lightest year of concert-going since 1990, when I'm pretty sure I only saw four shows (Def Leppard (2x), Genesis and Neil Young. How about that for a mix of terrible and awesome?) . Of the few tangible pursuits of 2013, attending more shows makes the short list. That said, I did see a few memorable shows this past year, and here are the ones that stuck out: Runners Up : Wilco / Berkeley Theater, Berkeley, CA / September 21 Following a lackluster show in Brooklyn earlier in the year, for the first time in nearly two decades, I worried that my interest in Wilco's live show was beginning to wane. Before a surprisingly thin crowd (probably 80% full, but light by Wilco standards), the band put on a fantastic show. Much to my delight, they played a blistering version of "Laminated Cat," a song I'd been waiting to hear for a decade. Add in a run of "Handshake Drugs," "Wishful

- Go to Mexico - Complete that 1/2 marathon - Move to the South Bay - Give more to charity - Attend the Solid Sound Festival - Get to 180 - Give more - Read more books

The Re-Election of Barack Obama President Obama is the leader I've always longed for. His re-election was the highlight of my year. Discovering Rodriguez I'd had one of his records for a few years, but it was the documentary Searching for Sugar Man that led me to the story of Rodriguez. Wilco Now over 18 years in, my favorite band ever, continues to move me like no other. Aung San Suu Kyi Seeing her speak in person will remain a moving memory for life.

Memories & Birds : Kenny Roby Simple Song : The Shins Down In My Hometown : The Flatlanders New Multitudes : Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames Working Titles : Damien Jurado Decoration Day (Live) : Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit I Want a Pair of Cowboy Boots : Jens Lekman The House That Heaven Built : Japanroids Not a Day Goes By : Bap Kennedy Hold On : Alabama Shakes Land of Hope and Dreams : Bruce Springsteen My Sweet Lord (Demo) : George Harrison Duquesne Whistle : Bob Dylan Hoping Machine :  Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames Why : Josh Ritter Be At Peace With Yourself : Bill Fay

Without a thorough review of all purchases, here's what I've got: 1 Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball 2 Bap Kennedy : The Sailor's Revenge 3 Farrar, Johnson, Parker & Yames : New Multitudes 4 Bill Fay : Life Is People 5 Japanroids : Celebration Rock 6 Damien Jurado : Maraqopa 7 Chuck Prophet : Temple Beautiful 8 The Flatlanders : The Odessa Tapes 9 Bob Dylan : Tempest 10 Lightships : Electric Cables

http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2011/01/who-killed-assault-weapons-ban Who Killed the Assault Weapons Ban? —By  Josh Harkinson | Wed Jan. 12, 2011 3:43 AM PST 62 If the Federal Assault Weapons Ban had been renewed in 2004, there's a good chance that its restriction on high-capacity gun magazines would have  prevented the Tuscon shooter from killing so many people . So who's to blame for allowing this common sense law to lapse? Certainly not the American public. During the 2004 debate on renewing the ban, the Annenberg Election Survey at the University of Pennsylvania released a poll showing that 68 percent of the public—including 57 percent of all gun owners and even 32 percent of all NRA members—wanted the ban extended. Enacted in 1994 with the support of Ronald Reagan, the Assault Weapons Ban was politicized during the contentious 2004 presidential race. "I don't understand the philosophy that says you're making America safer whe

And perhaps the best movie I've seen since 2000s You Can Count on Me. (I've yet to see Zero Dark Thirty .)

I can probably count on one hand the number of genuine vacations I've taken in my life. In 2001, just a few weeks prior to 9/11, I traveled to a few countries in Europe with my brother. That week holds some of the fondest memories of my life. In 2007, I extended a business trip to France by spending 4-5 days in Nice, France, along with a day trip to a small town in Italy. Many of the moments of that week are etched in my memory. A few years back, a girlfriend and I traveled up to Crater Lake in Oregon and spent a week journeying throughout Oregon. Again, some of the deepest memories I've ever had. Add in about 11 trips to Big Sur and countless shorter stops in cities throughout the US, and it truly is a wonder why I've never taken to travel. I can summon almost any city (Cincinnati, Austin, Portland, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago, Boise, Jacksonville, Boston, Asheville, etc.) and I'm immediately brought to a time when I experienced the wide-eyed joy of being in a fore

Some things I've been listening to, watching, reading of late... --Music-- Kenny Roby - Birds and Memories When looking at Roby's career, I now think of his solo work over his original outfit, 6 String Drag. Despite being a mere eight songs, his new record is another gorgeous collection of songs. The album closer, "Our Fading Fighter," is staggering. Chuck Berry Finally digging in. Brian Eno My biggest discovery/obsession of 2012. Rodriguez Second to Eno. The Beatles - Abbey Road This classic has shot to the top of my all-time list. Holiday - Ready, Steady, Go! A fairly unknown band from the 90's that a friend introduced me to. This record makes me smile. Richard & Linda Thompson I've always been a fan, but this year they've turned into a favorite. Just brilliant songs. --Movies-- Searching For Sugar Man Simply put, one of the best movies I've ever seen. Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis will grab another Oscar. The movie is qu

Over the past year or so, I've been fairly obsessed with music documentaries. Although some may (justifiably) claim that the sounds that grab my ear may be a bit narrow, when it comes to musicans' stories on film, there are no boundaries to what interests me. There's something about the pursuit of the art that captivates me. I can watch documentaries about folk, metal, punk, jazz, the flute; it really doesn't matter. I first learned of the artist Rodriguez a few years back while pacing the aisles of Amoeba in San Francisco. They were promoting his album and something about the cover drew me in. When I got home that night, I downloaded the record Cold Fact. I subsequently listened a few times, moved onto something else, and Cold Fact gathered digital dust. Fast forward to earlier this year and I read an article about the upcoming documentary Searching For Sugar Man . After reading a stellar review of the film, I recalled buying that record many years prior. A few

May you rest in peace.

A friend recently asked if I could make her a compilation of my ten favorite songs. There are few things in life I enjoy more than top ten [movies, books, records] lists, but I must say, I've never been asked for a short list of songs. Although this list will likely change before I hit publish on this post, I just scoured my iTunes and tossed together a list that'd be tough to beat. Here goes: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train To Cry - Bob Dylan History Lesson, Part II - Minutemen One of These Things First - Nick Drake Hundred Dollar Pocket - Chappaquiddick Skyline Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Catch You Alive - Damnations, TX God - John Lennon You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - The Byrds The Wall of Death - Richard & Linda Thompson Tecumseh Valley - Townes Van Zandt

When considering the greatest and most influential human rights leaders of our time, there's little doubt that Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi sits alongside MLK Jr., Mandela and a handful of others. She has essentially surrendered her own life for the people of her nation, and after years and years under house arrest, "The Lady," is finally free and able to spread her courage and unwavering commitment to her country, to the rest of the world. Yesterday, I joined a few thousand others (mostly Burmese) and listened to the Nobel laureate share her experiences and vision for a people finally stepping away from decades of oppression. When she walked onstage I was overcome with the human spirit and felt that I was sharing the room with one of the greatest human beings to ever grace this planet. Here's her speech:

1 Bruce Springsteen : Wrecking Ball - The voices of those struggling through the Great Recession are heard not through the young and idealistic, but are delivered most clearly by a 62-year-old rocker. Bruce's best work in 20 years. Best tracks: Land of Hope and Dreams, We Are Alive, Death to My Hometown. 2 Bap Kennedy : The Sailor's Revenge - The best pure Americana (despite being a Brit) album released in years. Singer-songwriter perfection. Best tracks: Working Man, The Sailor's Revenge, Jimmy Sanchez. 3 Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker and Yim Yames : New Multitudes - Doesn't have the staying power of the Wilco/Bragg Guthrie sessions, but a strong effort, nonetheless. Jay Farrar's now at his best when collaborating with other frontmen. Key tracks: No Fear, Hoping Machine, New Multitudes. 4 Japanroids : Celebration Rock - Only 1-2 listens in, but sounds pretty nice. Key tracks: who knows.

1 We Jam Econo 2 No Direction Home 3 Be Here To Love Me 4 Dig! 5 The Last Waltz 6 Anvil! The Story of Anvil 7 You May Need a Murderer 8 Don't Look Back 9 The Devil and Daniel Johnston 10 The Future Is Unwritten

I had a fairly short-lived fling with The White Stripes. A good friend back east and I used to listen to White Blood Cells to no end after it came out, and although I continued buying their records, I can't say I cared all that much following their rise in the early 2000s. I've always respected Jack White and found the one performance I caught in NYC to be quite good, but their records, outside of WBC , just didn't stick. Similar to my Nirvana re-discovery a few months back, of late, I've found myself returning to The White Stripes. I think it may have a lot to do with my disappointment with today's music. Since I was so immersed in the 90s and early 00s, I guess I'm returning to some of the acts I sort of passed over. Back then, there was such an abundance of talent that I simply couldn't cover it all. Perhaps I'm now looking to fill in the holes. A few spins of White Blood Cells and then Elephant began the rekindling. And then last night, upon ret

T. Rex Electric Warrior 7" Box Set Uncle Tupelo The Seven-Inch Singles Richard Buckner Willow 7" The Clash London Calling 7" Bruce Springsteen Rocky Ground 7" Uncle Tupelo No Depression LP Uncle Tupelo Still Feel Gone LP Uncle Tupelo March 16-20, 1992 LP Freakwater Feels Like the Third Time LP Farrar, Johnson, Parker, Yames Let's Multiply 10"

"Flying down Avenue B, baby, you swore you ain't never coming back" The Backsliders When I moved back to NY/NJ following college, fresh on the heels of my awakening that music was *the* passion that resided in me, it was as if the Lakeside Lounge was there to greet my return. Opening in 1997, the Lakeside quickly became my favorite spot in all of New York City. In addition to having just about nightly free live music, the Lakeside was co-owned by Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, one of the proverbial leaders of the music scene (alt.country, Americana, Uncle Tupelo+, No Depression, whatever) that was occupying my every breathing moment. I mean, Ambel worked with Oxford, Mississippi's Blue Mountain, The Bottle Rockets, and many other leaders of this "genre." And he made the Lakeside not just a home for folks like me, but punks, skaters, music snobs, drunks and really anyone who walked in. There wasn't an ounce of attitude at the Lakeside. And amaz

Tuesday Saturday

Brian Eno : Music for Airports (Japanese import (and yes, I really just wrote "Japanese import")) Minutemen : What Makes a Man Start Fires? Boogie Down Productions : Criminal Minded The Shins : Oh, Inverted World Jimmy Cliff : Wonderful World, Beautiful People I'll Be Here in the Morning : The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt (book)

It's been a long time since Bruce Springsteen has released a true classic. Some would say the last was 1992's Lucky Town , while others would move the calendar back to 1987's Tunnel of Love or even 1984's monster hit Born in the USA . Springsteen's bar is obviously very high, given that he's released some of the best records in the history of rock n' roll. Born To Run , Darkness on the Edge of Town and Nebraska  (not to mention The River and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle ) could all fall within a reputable top ten all-time list (well, mine at least). Since reforming the E Street Band, it's been a bit of a mixed bag. The Rising and Devils & Dust were both solid, while his last two, 2007's Magic and 2009's Working on a Dream , had a handful of very good songs, but didn't live up to Springsteen's bar. These recent fumbles, plus the loss of E Street legends Danny Federici and Clarence Clemons, made some of e

In the seven or so years since I've been blogging, the past few months have likely been the quietest. Work plus new responsibilities has narrowed my available writing time to almost zero. Instead of trying to find time to post the random inspiration, I will now focus on less but more substantive posts: full record and movie reviews, more "Over the Wires" interviews and so forth. To get things back on track, this weekend I will review Bruce Springsteen's 17th studio album "Wrecking Ball."

Springsteen releases arguably his best record in at least twenty years. Two of my musical heroes, Will Johnson and Jay Farrar, are joined by Anders Parker and Yim Yames, for a memorable night celebrating not just Woody Guthrie but their own marks on music.

The Modern Lovers : The Modern Lovers Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians : Fegmania! Damien Jurado : Maraqopa Jay Farrar, Will Johnson, Anders Parker & Yim Yames : New Multitudes Gram Parsons & The Fallen Angels : Live 1973

The Soft Boys / Underwater Moonlight Low / I Could Live in Hope Marvin Gaye / What's Going On Bruce Springsteen / We Shall Overcome

I was in college when Nirvana hit it big. But I never really got the scene or sound. I'd roll my eyes at parties as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, STP and others were blasting off the walls. I would find my way to the CD player and slide in some Neil Young or Springsteen. This would result in an entire room of eye rolling, save me. I clearly remember the moment I heard about Cobain's death. I was sitting shotgun heading down Comm. Ave outside of Boston making our way into the city. As we heard the news, as most college kids would do, we scratched our plans, picked up a few cases of beer and headed back to the apartment and blasted Nirvana all day. I held back the eye-rolling given the news. I didn't dislike Nirvana; I just didn't buy into it all. A few months ago, while scouring the Amoeba stacks, I came upon the Sub Pop 10" Nevermind box set. For some reason (nostalgia, perhaps?), I decided to drop the $50+ for the set. And since that day, no band has been played more on

I first saw Wilco live on 12/14/94 in Somerville, MA. It was their fifth show ever. Tweedy opened the encore with a solo take on the Uncle Tupelo song "Gun" and that was it. While Tweedy sang and my jaw slammed to the ground, the rest of band - Coomer, Bennett, Johnston and Stirratt - signed my Johnny D's paper calendar. Tweedy penned it when the show was over. I bought a horrid-looking yellow t-shirt that I wish I still had. Since that night, I've literally followed their every move. In terms of a band being in their prime, Wilco are my favorite band ever (my first Springsteen show was in 1985 (age 12). Had I been old enough to catch the 70s shows, I imagine he'd likely be tops). I've seen them all over the damn country: New York City (about 20x), South Carolina, Baltimore, New Haven, Cincinnati, Hoboken, San Francisco, Boston. I've driven hundreds and hundreds of miles. I have every record on every format (often multiples of each). I've probably

I should just post this weekly.

There aren't many songs that, in some sense, drift me off into somewhere, I don't know, spiritual. Richard Buckner's "4am" comes to mind, as does Nick Drake's "Fly," Gavin Bryars' The Sinking of the Titanic , and the entire Rachel's Music for Egon Schiele record. But of all my hyperbole around music, it truly is rare to have a song almost lift me. And of all the years that I've followed Wilco, the last song on the latest record is the first time they've drawn me into that unknown.

This is darn near the pinnacle.

Still a lot of 2011 releases that I haven't spent nearly enough time with. This is one. And it's growing on me quite a bit.