Album Review: last day of summer by White Denim

i'm about a week late on this one, but i was working, so what can you do?

While in the studio working hard on their third LP, White Denim decided to put together a full, FREE* album for your listening pleasure. i've waxed rhapsodic about these boys in the past, and imagine i will do so again in the future. Often.

Entitled last day of summer, this time around, the vibe is a bit mellower than most of what Fits had to offer. Think a lot less "I Start to Run" and a lot more "Regina Holding Hands" on this one. Befitting the title, it's got those last sunny rays of summertime, an excellent send off before we get into the hard work of the coming winter months. The group continues to improve musically, showing off their instrumental chops on tracks like "incaviglia" and "light light light," but it's the slow risers like "champ" and the top tappers like "shy billy" that really get the juices flowing.

If their "hold-you-over-while-you-wait-for-the-next-full-length" is this good, thunderation, that LP is going to be incredible.

mp3: champ (White Denim from last day of summer)

mp3: shy billy (White Denim from last day of summer)

*Sure, you could have this for free, but why don't you give a little somethin' somethin' for the effort? Throw a couple of bucks their way; i did.

Megan's Top 25 of 2009: 20-16

Part Two of my Top 25 is quite the mixed bag: Texans, Brits, Canadians and transplanted Alabamians all reside here. This gang of five can make you dance in a variety of ways, and I think they’re all the bee’s knees, the cat’s meow, and all that and a bag of chips (or crisps, for our UK friends).

I still remember being down in Austin last year for SXSW, and one of the bands I heard the most about on a constant basis was the local darlings White Denim (otherwise known as #20 on this here list). While I managed to totally miss them during my time in Austin, I didn’t forget to get my hands on Fits. It’s a noisy, groovy little record with some big guitar sound and some seriously addictive qualities, big bad vocals and crazy drumming being chief among them. The more I listened to it, the more I dug it, and the more I think you should probably own this album.

mp3: All Consolation (White Denim from Fits)

My friend Scott is to be thanked for introducing me to #19 Japandroids one evening before music trivia. As soon as I heard the thrashing, pulsating notes of “The Boys Are Leaving Town” I was pretty much hooked on Post-Nothing. They’ve got the guitar-driven danceable thing totally down pat, and this entire album is nothing more than a party. Not just any party, mind you, but one of those parties that’s so good you can barely remember what happened, but you know in your bones it was one of the most fun nights of your life. And bless their little hearts, they wanna French kiss some French girls. Too cute.

mp3: Young Hearts Spark Fire (Japandroids from Post-Nothing)

For some reason, the self-titled album by The xx strikes me as decidedly English. And it’s not just the accents that led me to such a conclusion, wiseguys. From the opening “Intro,” it’s got this sophisticated, polished air, swirled around by a cool gray mist, but with a bite, much like London on a foggy late Autumn evening. I avoided this record for a large part of the year, merely because of all the hype surrounding it (something I’m prone to do and almost always end up regretting). But eventually I caved, and I must say I’m glad I did. Songs like “Crystalised,” a potential heir to all those classic New Order hits, don’t come around all that often. It’s a positively haunting song, set alight by the smoky boy-girl vocals and hearty, driving beats.

mp3: Crystalised (The xx from The xx)

Viva Voce isn’t just for university exams anymore. Their formula for success is easy: merely take an absolutely adorable, terribly talented couple out of the sticky heat of Alabama and put them smack into the misty mysticism of Portland (Rose City, naturally), and you’ve got a surefire recipe for success. #17 record of 2009 Rose City is muy fantastico, and the Mr. & Mrs. Robinson continue to put their folksy boy-girl harmonies with a slightly retro sound in a class all their own. Aided by doubling the size of the band to four members, this new batch of songs is too good to be missed.

mp3: Midnight Sun (Viva Voce from Rose City)

As with the Super Furry Animals, I’ve been smitten with Doves for a long, long time (going on ten years now). Simply put, their music is stunning. I can still remember feeling my jaw drop the first time I heard “The Cedar Room” on the radio nearly a decade ago. It gave me chills, made me cry, and can still do the same thing even today. And happily, Jimi, Jez, and Andy are still making beautiful music together. #16 LP Kingdom of Rust could belong to no other band, with their elaborate song construction and the epic feel to each track. This album demands attention from start to finish, and I for one am more than happy to oblige. It’s hard to pick, but I can especially recommend powerful title track “Kingdom of Rust,” “The Outsiders,” and the dreamily bewitching “10:03”. Oh hell, just listen to and fall in love with the whole thing.

mp3: Kingdom of Rust (Doves from Kingdom of Rust)

The Greatest "All" Mix You Will Ever Hear, As Relates To Some Daffy Blogger Forgetting To Read Your Email

As some of you fine musicians and assumed inebriated readers who stop by to muck about LET might already know, i've got an apology to make. It seems that the main LET mailbox has gone unattended for some time, resulting in a slew of emails not having been read and/or responded to in a timely matter. i thought i set up the defaults to send copies of everything that went there to my personal email addy, but clearly messed up that endeavor. A handful of folks already have received personal emails, and the rest of you were probably wondering what Cyclo-flo' had that you didn't. Mia culpa.

The good news is the problem has been resolved. The better news is that we now have a rather large backlog of stuff to share. It appears we have a little bit of everything waiting to be checked out--the tip of the iceberg alone shows indie rock, DJ/beat scene mixes, remixes, acoustic tracks, and a little something from my personal favorite local DC-area artist. Sadly, it appears we're still waiting on additional Nigerian hip-hop offerings, but we can all hope, right?

Just to be on the safe side, if you sent in something recently (like the last three months or so recently), you might want to resend. i'm not saying that implied and outright promises of sex and drugs will help us to write about your rock 'n roll, but Black Dynamite knows it won't hurt.

To make amends, since it's all my fault that this happened, it's only fair to give you The Greatest "All" Mix You Will Ever Hear, As Relates To Some Daffy Blogger Forgetting To Read Your Email

mp3: All Apologies (Nirvana Cover by Ben Gibbard from some 2007 Live Show in NY)

mp3: All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem Cover by Franz Ferdinand from All My Friends maxi-single)

mp3: All My Friends (Broken Social Scene from a live KCRW performance on 11.08.05)

mp3: All Good (De La Soul from Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump)

mp3: All Consolation (White Denim from Fits)

mp3: All Better Now (Earl Greyhound from Soft Targets)

mp3: All For U (RJD2 from Magnificent City Instrumentals)

mp3: All Your Love (Buddy Guy from DJ Play My Blues)

mp3: All That Jizz (Killer Mike from Frisky Dingo)

mp3: All You Men Are All Alike ( Madeline Kahn from Young Frankenstein)

Live Show Reviews: Dan Auerbach at Sonar on 11-13-09; White Denim at Rock N Roll Hotel on 11-14-09

Well, I was right, my weekend did kick ass, and I've got the bruises to prove it. A few quick notes about the two incredible bands and their shows this past weekend.

1. Dan Auerbach continues to shred with the best of 'em. At one point, he mentioned that he wasn't feeling so well, so if he just passed out on stage, we'd know why. As much as I love everything Black Keys, if I end up with the swine flu, I will not be a happy camper. If I do catch it, I damn well better get a free copy of Blakroc. I'm just saying.

2. This is the second time I've seen Dan doing the solo tour for Keep It Hid. It's clear that he's spent time honing the sound, as it's progressed into a swampy mixture that isn't necessarily obvious on the CD. Whatever it is, it sounds incredible.

3. Have you ever been to Sonar? That place is in one sketchy neighborhood. I don't like to make assumptions, but when there's a full contingent of private security AND cops patrolling the parking lot, I feel like maybe I'm not in the safest of places.

4. That being said, the club itself was pretty nice. I think I saw Jason Lytle play there right after Grandaddy broke up. The acoustics are strong, and the staff seemed friendly to me. If you don't mind potentially being shot outside, it didn't seem like a bad club.

5. I wish my iPhone camera took better pictures, as both bands have doppelgangers. Dan's rhythm guitarist is a dead ringer for a young Steve Cropper and the bassist for White Denim could pass for a young Jerry O'Connell (not quite that pudgy, but he did have a baby face going on something fierce). Neither of these opinions have anything to do with the music, I'm just saying these are some of the things that jump out at me from the audience. Could be all the pain killers I'm on these days.

6. I believe I've said it before, but the sound at the Rock N Roll Hotel is some of the worst I've ever experienced. I've heard better noise production at college keggers. Not only does the place lack decent speakers, the ones they do have are all jammed up front, horrendously distorting the sound in the back. Plus, with all due respect to whoever they have manning the sound booth, you really need to find a new occupation. Every show I've seen there it's the same thing--vocals are terribly underplayed while the instruments drown out everything else. It's a shame, because some otherwise brilliant vocals have been lost in the murk.

7. White Denim was a lot more jam band-y that I would have figured from just hearing their CDs. While they were by no means Phish-like, there was some open free form action going on up onstage that kind of surprised me. Not saying this is good or bad, just saying it surprised me.

Both shows, as I predicted, rocked my socks off, questionable neighborhoods and sound quality notwithstanding. If you missed these shows, you actually did miss out.

mp3: The Prowl (Dan Auerbach, live on KCRW, 3-16-09)

mp3: Regina Holding Hands (White Denim from Fits)

Weekend Plans

Sorry in advance for today's short post, but I had doctor and business appointments today, so I haven't really had much time to ponder the complexities of mp3 blogging this afternoon. Since it's been a long week, and I'm not only exhausted but beaten and battered from my various medical ailments, I've decided to do what any sane person needing rest would do: I've got tickets to see two hopefully kick-ass concerts this weekend.

To celebrate Friday the 13th, I'm headed to Baltimore tonight to catch Dan Auerbach, quite possibly the greatest axe man in the game today. Sure, he's doing his solo thing right now, but that don't make no never mind to yours truly. Tomorrow night, White Denim rolls into town. I reviewed their new CD here and am thinking this could be one of the best shows I see this year. My buddy over at R&G claims they're life-changing, and the new CD, Fits, easily is one of my top five (maybe even number one) faves of 2009.

Not that I have any extra time to spare, but are there any other kick ass shows this weekend of which the LET fambly should be made aware?

Now I have to worry about taking a nap so that my old bones can deal with this musical cornucopia of awesome excellence I have laid out before me.

mp3: Money & Trouble (Dan Auerbach, unreleased live track from 3-16-09 KCRW show)

mp3: I Start to Run (White Denim from Fits)