At the Cinema: The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour Memories

Hello, my name is Megan, and I’m a sucker for rock docs.

The latest installment in this mild infatuation of mine is the nostalgia-laden look at one of rock history’s most unusual roadtrips, “The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour Memories”. And while it’s well known that I prefer the Stones in musical realms, there’s no denying the overwhelming power of the Beatles when it comes to myths and legends and lore.

Sure, this documentary isn’t a big-budget affair. You’re not going to see the surviving Beatles sitting down for candid interviews about their “Magical Mystery Tour” experiences. But instead, it’s full of what you might never have thought of - the memories of others: press officers, family, journalists, and locals who found themselves in the fantastical path of that wacky yellow bus and those four legendary Liverpudlian boys. You’ll hear from Paul’s brother about the beginnings of the movie, and the local eggman of Newquay who had his van photographed by the Beatles.

It’s also an informative flick: I for one never knew where and why the name Death Cab for Cutie came from, but now I (and you) can rest easy. It’s a song by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, chosen to be in the “Magical Mystery Tour” movie by John Lennon. Either that, or the DCFC boys saw the same vintage true crime mag that inspired the Bonzo boys. Either way, it all appeals to the music history nerd in me.

Through rarely seen images and video clips, and radio interview segments, the film draws a clear picture of the experience not only for the band, but more so for those along for the ride. The one thing that could have been bettered would be the music, as the original versions of the songs were not used (I’m guessing because the price was too high). It’s a small point, though, and all in all, the doc is yet another thing for all you Beatles fans to sink your teeth into.

The Untitled Interview #12: Starring Paul Draper (ex-Mansun)

When I was 17 and firmly entrenched in the belief that any band from Britain was far better than any band from anywhere else, there was one band that really wowed me, really knocked my socks off, more than any other. That band was Mansun. Here was a band, I reckoned, that had “it,” something very special. They concocted songs about a fantastically twisted sort of British life, slightly sinister modern folk tales gone awry about stripping vicars and the like. Everything they did was done with panache, and even when the ferociously fickle music press was abouting face and doling out low blows, Mansun kept churning out great music, to the delight of their fanatical fanbase.

Six, the album which from what I remember did not fare well critically, still sounds remarkably ahead of its time even today, ten years after its release. I loved it then, and I love it possibly even more now. If you’ve never given a listen, there’s no time like the present to make amends. Paul Draper, Mansun’s former frontman and songwriter, has kept on making music of his own. You can and should give him a listen, too, and check his blog for updates and musings. In the spirit of Six’s tenth anniversary, I asked Paul some questions. After reading what he’s got to say, check out a clip of his favorite song to perform, taken from the V2000 festival.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Paul Draper: Very good thanks. A bit tired from recording, but apart from that, relatively healthy.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
PD: I listened to the Elbow album this afternoon, Seldom Seen Kid. Can’t remember what the last track was I listened to on it.

LET: The 10th Anniversary of Six is upon us. How do you think the album has aged, and are as happy with it now as you were then?
PD: I listened to it for the first time to jog my memory for the blog. It doesn’t sound ten years old. I don’t remember being too happy with it at the time but it sounded good when I listened back to it.

LET: Playing music is _________.
PD: A vocation I think. I don’t know why I’m compelled to do it, it’s something about getting something from the inside to the outside I think. Also it’s cathartic for me, lyrically that is.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
PD: I think some of the Prince albums from Dirty Mind to Parade, I was amazed how he put his records together.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
PD: Beatles. I loved the Beatles when I was a kid and owned every track on vinyl, they were my first obsession as I was a song lover, not a band lover. I’ve grown much fonder of the Stones over the years though.

LET: What're your top 5 albums (of this minute, this year, or ever)?
PD: Kate Bush - Lionheart
Beatles - Abbey Road
Prince - Purple Rain
QOTSA - Songs for the Deaf
Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
PD: "Purple Rain" or "Spinal Tap".

LET: What’s your favorite song to perform in concert?
PD: “Wide Open Space”.

LET: How many instruments do you play (proficiently and/or recreationally)?
PD: I’m crap at all of ‘em!! but have turned my hand to everything on record.

LET: Please explain your typical (if there is such a thing) songwriting process, and how you know when a song is ready:
PD: I mess around with chords and hum over them and collect all the ideas on a dictaphone. Then I glue ‘em all together in a structure then get my notebook out, by this time I have an idea for the lyrical direction and I make it work with the music.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
PD: I used to be a half-empty person, but now I’m a half-full person, or trying to be.

LET: Apart from you, of course, who among your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
PD: Hmm, I like the Elbow and Radiohead albums and I like the last Joana Newsom album.

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
PD: I always go over events from the past, square them up and get on with things.

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
PD: Cob Records in North Wales.

LET: What do you think of the beast we know as the music industry these days? And how does it differ from the days when Mansun was first releasing music?
PD: Well it’s more difficult to become massive because it’s all so fractured nowadays, but it’s easier to do your own thing because you can get your music out via the net very easily these days.

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on?
PD: One time going to Tokyo the airplane had to make an emergency landing at a military base, we couldn’t get off because there was no immigration, then the flight crew had to be changed as we'd been on the plane too long. Finally, when they got a new crew flown to the base and we did the last half hour of the flight to the airport we'd been on the plane a day and a half without getting off.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
PD: Shaken, only coz that’s how Bond has it.

LET: Best song ever written?
PD: “Man with the Child in his Eyes”, Kate Bush, that’s just for today.

Meet Paul Curreri and Devon Sproule (Valentine Duets)

Sometimes, fortuity simply blows in the wind, and I'll stumble across a gem that more people need to be digging. Such was the luck I encountered whilst I was doing my daily blog perusing, and I happened across a track by Paul Curreri and Devon Sproule. Cover Me posted their wonderful latest piece on Randy Newman's “Sail Away”, and they posted the couple's version of “You Can Leave Your Hat On”. Damnation, thought I, this is some mighty fine music here. Let's go see what more I can find. Just a few minutes of googling later, and I was led to Paul's site. I quickly found the Valentine Duets section and knew I was in the right place.

I'd like to give you a bit more background on the duo, but the site isn't the most informative (the bio seems more like an exercise in creativity than anything else), but it appears the two started putting out an annual series of covers every Valentine's Day starting in 2003 and going through this year. It must have worked out well for the two of them, based on the fact that according to the press materials, they've since married. Beyond that, we're on our own to discover what makes this native Virginian tick. I'd like to think there are stories aplenty of run ins with UFOs, drunken bets made with high ranking clergymen and lost sex tapes, but that's really just conjecture on my part.

For your part, all you have to do is listen to some of the Valentine tracks I found most enjoyable. "Cigarettes and Whiskey" is a family favorite, my grandfather having sung it often. The rest are just enjoyable takes on classics. You can check out Paul's site above for even more acoustic, kinda bluesy, kinda folksy goodness above.

mp3: Honky Tonkin'

mp3: Blue Skies (I. Berlin)

mp3: Cigarettes & Whiskey

The Untitled Interview #11: Starring Hardy Morris (Dead Confederate)

This might be the first time Dead Confederate is making an appearance on LET, but I can guarantee you it won't be the last. Ever since first hearing the stunning, swirling nouveau psychrock drenched with backwoods moonshine of the Athens droners on WOXY many weeks ago, I've been pretty severely into them. The band is currently working hard and spreading their good word across the land, and will hold court (somewhat) locally in Baltimore on the 13th, with a Richmond date soon to follow. I strongly suggest if you're anywhere near one of their shows you go see what all the hullabaloo is about, because Dead Confederate is thisclose to blowing up something huge.

For your reading pleasure, I present to you the results of the when Megan sent mouthpiece Hardy Morris some questions. True, he cheated on the Beatles/Stones question, but our shared love of Radiohead means I can overlook it. You can also take a peek at Dead Confederate tearing it up something fierce live, with "The Rat," as a means to further whet your appetite.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Hardy Morris: I am just fine.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
HM: “Coast to Coast” by Elliott Smith.

LET: Playing music is ___
HM: The only thing I'm decent at.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
HM: Harvest by Neil Young.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
HM: Neil Young.

LET: What're your top 5 albums?
HM: These were the most influential....
Harvest (Neil Young)
Dirty (Sonic Youth)
On the Beach (Neil Young)
OK Computer (Radiohead)
Bleach (Nirvana)

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
HM: "Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii".

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
HM: Amsterdam dude.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
HM: Whichever.

LET: Apart from your band, which of your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
HM: I couldn't call them my peers, but Radiohead is obviously heads, shoulders, and miles ahead of the curve (that they already created!). It's very inspiring and humbling at the same time. Perfect.

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
HM: "Need water!"

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
HM: Wuxtry in Athens, GA man!!

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on, and where were you going?
HM: Flight to Seattle I guess.

LET: Favorite Dead Confederate?
HM: Never thought about it.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
HM: Whatever's quicker.

LET: If Dead Confederate was a drink, what would be in it?
HM: Bourbon and blood.

LET: If you weren't in a band, you'd be:
HM: Helping good bands and throwing shows.

LET: A tire blows on your van. Who's changing it, and how do you come to this decision?
HM: Whoever is awake and sober. Because they are awake and sober.

LET: Which feels better: leaving to go on tour, or coming home from a tour?
HM: Leaving for sure.

LET: Best song ever written?
HM: “Flesh Colored Canvas” (Dead Confederate).




[Photo by Skylar Reeves, via DC's Myspace]

Album Review: A Shoreline Dream – Avoiding the Consequences

When's the last time you really spent some time staring at your zapatos? Has it been a while specifically because you couldn't find a soundtrack with which to undertake this journey of potential self-discovery?

Well, shoegazers rejoice, as A Shoreline Dream has arrived (assumedly at a somewhat lackadaisical pace) with their latest, Avoiding the Consequences. Creating sonically textured soundscapes, the band concocts moody music that occasionally jumps the boundaries of the genre. At times, the tone is more desperate and yearning than one might expect from such a group. There's some pathos tinged grooving here that lends the air a more nuanced feel, and that's alright, mama.

Largely devoid of vocals, there is sporadic singing here and there, such as is evidenced in “Projections”, that lend a bit more depth here and there.

So give that footwear some love by taking a good, long look at your relationship with said shoes and, while you're doing that, pop A Shoreline Dream into your mp3 player to find further inspiration. i probably could take this further, and make some really bad "sole" puns, but I'm not going to do that. I respect you too much as a reader to do so.

mp3: Peel You Open

Whither Festivus: All Tomorrow’s Parties 2008 Review

Somewhere, deep within New York’s Catskill Mountains, time has stopped. There, as the sun beats down golden and tranquil, among the idyll of leafy trees and quiet, clear air, it is not 2008, but more akin to 1975. The glory of nature is matched only by the sheer surreality of the once-yearly spectacle known as All Tomorrow’s Parties, a Rock’n’Roll summer camp unlike anything I’ve ever encountered, or are likely to encounter again (until next year, that is!). I’m here to tell you that ATP08 was by far the best show of 2008, and might just be the best show I’ve ever been to.

All Tomorrow’s Parties is not a new concert concept. While most of us probably first think of the Velvet Underground song, ATP has been putting on festivals for years and years now. ATP08 was the initial foray into New York, and what a first time it was. Between the lineup, the setting, and the time warp of venue/hotel, it was as close to perfect as a festival could ever hope to be.

We started the day (night, more accurately, as it was pretty late by the time we got to the site at Kutsher’s) in a giant ballroom with spectacular houndstooth wallpaper, celestial themed walls, and oh yes, Thurston Moore. The most incredible thing (if I had to choose one) about the festival is that in such a small space, such great acts were gathered, and you could wander to and fro and see amazing act after amazing act. So after a few Thurston numbers, we ventured to the smaller Stage Two and took in some of Patton Oswalt’s hilarity. After some drinking and some strolling around the site, we hopped on our chariot (the big yellow bus, oh yes) and went back to the Raleigh, our home sweet home for the weekend. Several hours of drinking followed.

Days Two and Three were equally as ridiculous. I’m still, a couple weeks out, rendered into stunned speechlessness about the quality of the bands, so instead, here’s who I saw…Day Two: Growing, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra, Wooden Shjips, Harmonia, Alexander Tucker, Les Savy Fav; Day Three: My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr., Lilys, Mercury Rev, Mogwai, Spectrum, The Wounded Knees. All were beyond fantastic. I’d say that the two winners of the weekend, for me, were My Bloody Valentine (as if there was any doubt), and Mercury Rev. It had been about ten years since I had seen the Rev, and they rocked my world something fierce. And what can you say about MBV? I lost count of how many times my jaw dropped, and despite wearing earplugs, my hearing was off for days after returning to Richmond.

It was a mad, mad, mad, mad weekend. The music was non-stop and top-notch. The festival-goers were the cream of the crop, the best patrons I’ve ever seen at a rock show. Hell, we even ran into some fellow Richmonders. The site defies explanation, the madcap wallpaper and the Deep End bar and the playground…it was the most fun you will possibly have at a festival. No rushing to stages seemingly on opposite ends of the Earth, instead you need merely glide from one end of the hotel to another. No excessive heat causing copious amounts of sweat as you sunburn the day away outdoors, instead the fresh mountain air is there when you choose to venture outside. And the bands, o, the bands. It would take a miracle to come up with a more impressive roster of bands, especially given the size of the festival.

In short, my hat is off the to wonderful people who put together such a killer festival. I can’t wait to see what ATPNY09 will bring. If you're interested, and you really ought to be, tickets are already on sale for next year. Sure, there's been no bands announced yet, but trust me, it'll be the best concert of next year no matter who's on the bill.

[photos of Kutsher's, Wooden Shjips, and Mercury Rev. All by Megan Petty]

Live Review: Brothers and Sisters @ DC9, September 14

We’ve all been at these shows, the ones where a band we know is great is playing but the crowd is what you might refer to as sparse, the shows where you know you’re seeing something people in a few months will be kicking themselves for not going to, the kind of show where you scratch your head and wonder where everyone is. So it was with the Brothers and Sisters show at DC9. Not that it was empty, mind, but the attendance was rather thin. And frankly, that’s a shame, because those of you who weren’t there missed a great, great set from one of my favorite Austin bands.

Brothers and Sisters is rapidly becoming one of my pet bands, and I was intrigued as to how they would turn out live. I am pleased to report that the Courtney sibling-led band is even better in the flesh than in recorded form, which endeared them to me even more than before the show (after all, I do so love a band that’s better live). Whether it was a sweet version of the ever-so-charming “One Night,” newer songs from album Fortunately like “Mason City,” “The Wind,” or “You’re Gone,” or a fantastic, twanged out folktastic cover of America’s classic “Sister Golden Hair,” Brothers and Sisters’ earthy, earnest country was a glorious aural experience. The tandem of Will and Lily Courtney’s boy-girl vocals was warm and rich, the steel guitar more poignant, and the overall set was better than I had hoped. Between songs, Will’s somewhat bashful banter was adorably endearing, and the whole of the band exuded a down home affability that made the songs somehow even more likeable. Song after song was a treasure, and it was obvious that this is a band that loves and believes in what they’re doing.

And at the risk of sounding overly trite, I believe in them too, and I sure do hope that the next time Brothers and Sisters roll into your town you’ll go. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

From the Library: 21 Nights/Indigo Nights

I'm an unabashed Prince fan and have been since I saw my first concert featuring the pint-sized genius. My parents, not having a clue who the guy was at the time, got me tickets to the Purple Rain tour for my ninth birthday and I haven't looked back since. Somewhere along the way, I made a promise to myself that whatever His Royal Badness put out for consumption, I'd buy, especially if it was music. With this in mind, I went out and bought 21 Nights, a coffee table book of pictures taken during his recent stint in London over, you guessed it, 21 nights. I happened to read an interview with the Artist Formerly Known As The Artist Formerly Known As Prince in USA Today last week, and my interest was piqued. Paraphrasing greatly, he said this book was going to give the first true documentation of his career, albeit a very slim portion of it. To be honest, I wouldn't have really cared, as the real reason to buy it for me was the accompanying CD, Indigo Nights, made up of various tracks from the shows. Regardless, I was pumped, and using a variety of coupons and my discount card, I picked it up for 60 percent off the cover price, so I figured I was stylin' on this one.

Sadly, this book doesn't quite live up to the expectations I had (and being the major fan I am, my expectations were pretty wide open in the first place). First off, there is no "story" here at all. I was thinking there would be some biographical angle, but the only written words are lyrics from various songs. (As a side note, there was a time when I could name any Prince song if you read me just one line of lyrics. Damn, I didn't recognize a quarter of these songs. And for a guy that's seen every U.S. Prince tour since Purple Rain except one and owns every album, that's saying something, and it ain't something good.) While the pictures are gorgeous and lush, it seems like a whole lot of filler to me. Here's the band. There's Prince looking better-dressed trying to pick out his outfit for the day than I did on my wedding day. Quite frankly, it feels like a way overextended tour program. But hey, I didn't buy this for the book, right? I bought if for the music, so everything else should just be gravy.

Here's the thing I simply do not understand. I go to roughly 25-50 concerts a year and have for the past decade or so. I've seen everyone from Kenny Loggins to Big Daddy Kane, from to Broken Social Scene to Dolly Parton, and damn near every genre in-between. The case of the matter is NO ONE puts on a show quite like Prince. He's got the tightest band, plays like a man possessed every time and, quite frankly, is just too damn funky for his own good. So why in Winnie-the-Pooh's name can't the man put out a decent live album? Sure, he's done a few incredible live tracks on studio albums ("Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" ranks as one of the best live tracks I've ever heard by any artist), but full live albums don't come close to capturing the man's performance capabilities. One Nite Alone...Live was a letdown and I'm afraid Indigo Nights isn't a whole hell of a lot better. Sure, the selection is far more interesting and quite a bit funkier, and there are a few new tracks here, but this one probably is for the die hards like myself. And this makes me sad.

Things kick off with "3121," which intros with "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and segues in and out of "DMSR". For those of you keeping score, Prince has dropped all profanity from his shows since going Jehovah's Witness, so the lyrics are altered slightly for "DMSR". Things then pump into "Girls & Boys," one of my all-time favorite deep purple concord jams, but this is not a great version. While having the audience sing parts of a song might be great for an actual live performance, hearing the crowd instead of the singer on CD seems kind of wasteful. Of all things, a nearly unrecognizable from the original "Song of the Heart" pops up next, followed by a decent "Delirious" and then a monologue bemoaning paparazzi and claiming Prince is just an average Joe Six Pack (c'mon, guy, who are we kidding here?) Next, The Purple One does start to hit his stride with a blues suite consisting of "Satisfied" and the new "Beggin' Woman Blues". Inconceivably, he seems to be about a half beat ahead of the band on the latter track. And then the true high points arrive in the likes of some of the funkiest jams you're likely to hear this year. Interestingly enough, he turns over the vocal duties for a lot of the rest of the show, proving that his taste in throaty Sistah singers is uncannily amazing. "Rock Steady" could be the highpoint of the album, which turns into an instrumental version of Zep's "Whole Lotta Love". "Alphabet Street" makes an appearance before the titular track provides a damn spicy salsa beat. From there, it's a bit of filler to my ears, though the "The One/The Question of U/Fallin'" suite is pretty damn impressive.

I'm not quite sure how to rectify that the best stuff here is not Prince material and often not even Prince singing, but what can you do? It's undeniably funky in places, soulfully perfect in others, but still not something I think will energize the masses.

Do you still need to see this genius the next time he comes to town? Yes, even if you have to sell your comic book collection to do so. Should you be ashamed of yourself if you don't have a copy of Sign O' The Times? Not only should you be ashamed, you probably should start doing penance right now. Do you need to rush out and buy the book? Regretfully, probably not.

Singles Club: Raveonettes

If there are two things we love here at LET, it's the Raveonettes and free music. Combine the two and, hell, that's better than marshmallow fluff and sex, as far as I'm concerned (though Megan says the jury's still out). The Danish duo is releasing a series of four digital EPs over at Vice Records and they were kind (or inebriated) enough to offer the first one for free. I understand you have to pay for the others, but how much of a good thing can you expect?

For this outing, the band employed the aid of producer 80KIDZ, Alec Empire-conspirator Nic Endo and Danish DJ Trentemøller. Now, if you felt the one thing missing from Lust Lust Lust was a complete re-interpretation of some of the tracks into heavily techno jams, well, today is your lucky day, indeed. I've always felt that the best covers of a song dramatically change the structure while retaining the original feel. If that's the goal, mission accomplished here.

The Untitled Interview #10: Starring Ripley Johnson (Wooden Shjips)

I love Wooden Shjips for a multitude of reasons, not least of which because listening to them evokes a certain reaction unreachable by most bands. That unholy mess of tangled fuzz, dizzying drone, and intensity will most likely cause all sorts of confusion, disorientation, and loss of motor skills. The first time I heard the Shjips, I didn't know which way was up, my right from my left, or where I was. But hot damn, I don't know about you but I loved, and love, every second of it.

In mere hours I'll be seeing the Shjips at All Tomorrow's Parties here in the lovely Catskills, where the man, the myth, the legend Ripley Johnson will be kicking some sonic ass. Johnson was kind enough to answer my invasive questions, see below. And another reason I love the Shjips? Finally, someone answered the Beatles or Stones question correctly. If you're at ATP, make sure to see Wooden Shjips. If not, pretend you are by purchasing their music and turning it up nice and loud.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Ripley Johnson: I'm great. Thanks.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
RJ: "In the Kingdom #19", Sonic Youth. I'm listening to EVOL right now.

LET: Playing music is _
RJ: sweaty fun_.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
RJ: Exile on Main Street by the Rolling Stones. I wanted to live in a chateau in the south of France and party and make records in the basement.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
RJ: Stones, natch. I really don't care for the Beatles. Believe it, haters.

LET: What're your top 5 albums (of this minute, this year, or ever)?
RJ: I'll give you the 5 top records of this morning:
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Strictly Personal
Vermonster - Holy Sound of American Pipe
Sic Alps - U.S. EZ
Suicide - Ghost Riders
Les Rallizes Denudes - some 80's boot with no name

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
RJ: "Psych Out" with Jack Nicholson as the leader of a band called Mumblin' Jim and the world's most ridiculous fake ponytail. It also has a cameo by the Seeds in a cemetary. Plus it has my second favorite actor, Bruce Dern.

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
RJ: Tokyo or somewhere on Ibiza.

LET: What's your favorite song to perform in concert?
RJ: We've been doing a cover of Neil Young's "Vampire Blues". That's my new favorite.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
RJ: Half-full. Always.

LET: At how many festivals have you performed? And which festival has been your favorite, either in terms of performing or spectating?
RJ: We've done 6 or so I think. They've all been fun, but the first time we went to SXSW was probably my favorite just because it was so overwhelming and overwhelmingly fun.

LET: What are your initial impressions of the lineup for All Tomorrow's Parties?
RJ: Yes! That was my first impression. A lot of the bands I've never heard before. That's what I like about festivals, hearing bands for the first time. Though I've heard of them. I've never heard Shellac, Mogwai, Mercury Rev, Built To Spill, Tortoise, or about 80% of the other bands. It will be fun.

LET: Apart from your band, of course, who among your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
RJ: Los Llamarada, Sic Alps, Earthless, the Bad Trips, Expo 70, XYX, Fabulous Diamonds, Times New Viking, Der TPK, etc...

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
RJ: Cup o' joe, morning paper, cat get off me.

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
RJ: Amoeba.

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on, and where were you going?
RJ: SF to Casablanca. I have a thing for Morocco.

LET: If you could share the stage with any musician, living or dead, who would it be, and how come?
RJ: Neil Young, because I respect him and he lives just down the peninsula. Maybe we could be friends and he would invite me over for BBQs.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
RJ: Whatever's quickest.

LET: If you were a wooden ship, you would be: a) a dinghy, b) a canoe, or c) a galleon.
RJ: Canoe.

LET: Best song ever written?
RJ: Really? "Song To Abe Lincoln" - Roky Erickson

The Untitled Interview #9: Starring David Klein (Birdmonster)

It’s funny, I quite can’t remember when I first became a Birdmonster afficianado. But one day, several years ago, I found myself rocking out (resistance was futile) at a Birdmonster show in Hoboken, New Jersey, and the rest was history. Fast forward a couple years and the band is celebrating the release of album numero dos (that’s number two for all you gringos) From the Mountain to the Sea, and are soon to be touring their pants off across this fair land of ours (and happily, there are several October dates across the Richmond/DC area, thanks guys).

Which brings me to the victim of this installment's interview. Birdmonster Guitarist David Klein (he of the shredding riffs and killer coif) always has pearls of wisdom to impart, the latest of which you can read below. Just remember, friends, that when you see Birdmonster on tour, there will not be any Don Henley covers in the set. And as a special treat, please enjoy the video for new song “The Iditarod.” It's rather fantastic, and I do believe you’ll love it.







Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
David Klein: I am doing quite well.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
DK: That Ludacris song at the end of Tropic Thunder.

LET: Playing music is ___
DK: So tribal bro. Soooooo tribal.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
DK: It was probably the first Iron Maiden record.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
DK: BEATLES.

LET: What're your top 5 albums?
DK: This changes all the time. Right now it is:
The Clash - London Calling
Crooked Fingers - Dignity and Shame
Paul Simon - Graceland
Radiohead - The Bends
Ryan Adams - Cold Roses
The Beatles - Let It Be
The Arcade Fire - Funeral

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
DK: Beethoven's 2nd.

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
DK: Berlin.

LET: Apart from your band, which of your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
DK: The new Ra Ra Riot record is great. Also, there are some amazing tracks on the new Dr. Dog album.

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
DK: If McCain gets elected I am going to shit my pants.

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
DK: Fingerprints Records in Long Beach, California. Amoeba in SF is a close second.

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on, and where were you going?
DK: I'm like John Madden--I generally bus to Europe and Asia. Boom! I just drove across the Ocean.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
DK: I would not be able to tell the difference.

LET: If you weren't in a band, you'd be:
DK: Bereft of Taco Bell.

LET: Favorite song on the new album? And/or your favorite overall Birdmonster song?
DK: Again, this is something that changes everyday. “My Love For You” has been in my head recently.

LET: Which feels better: leaving to go on tour, or coming home from a tour?
DK: There is always a lot of excitement on the way out, but the surreal drive across the bridge gets me every time on the return.

LET: You once told me that you were planning to learn “Heart of the Matter.” Can we DC gig attendees expect to see that on the set list?
DK: I must have been drunk. Absolutely not.

LET: Best song ever written?
DK: “Heart of the Matter”.

[Photo by Megan Petty]

For The Record (Label): Audio Eagle

Inspired by the always excellent HearYa music blog and their spectacular Dan Auerbach Week, I've decided to spread the Black Keys love and give the drummer some. Dan has done some killer production work with various artists on the Alive Records label, but Patrick Carney upped the ante and started his own label, Audio Eagle. While most of Auerbach's work seems to focus on his wheelhouse of dirty, sludgey garage rock blues sound, Carney seems to be a bit more all over the board, courting much more of an indie rocker sound with such bands as Houseguest, Beaten Awake and Royal Bangs. (I'm afraid I haven't heard anything from the fourth label mate, Gil Mantera's Party Dream.) While the genres are different, the quality of artists is not. Both these cats know their music and are surrounding themselves with some damn fine talent in the production studio. So sit back and enjoy these tunes produced by the Black Keys' drummer. If you dig them as much as I do, make sure to check out these bands when they hit your burg.

mp3: Royal Bangs - Broke Calculator

mp3: Beaten Awake - Browns Town

mp3: Houseguest - Muted Mesa

Live Review: Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ DC9, September 5

For those of you that have not yet had the pleasure of attending a show at DC9, I need to impress upon you one very, very important detail about this particular venue: it is small. Very small. Not the smallest venue ever, surely, but small enough to make you feel a wee bit claustrophobic on nights when a hugely, hotly, hyperly hyped band from foreign shores lands, selling out the venue in advance and ultimately pushing the fire code numbers to the limit.

Needless to say, when I ventured up 95 for the Does It Offend You, Yeah? show, the place was quite possibly more jammed than I've ever seen it. Great for the band, great for the venue, bad for any possible notions of personal space. It was a night of ceaseless sweat, endless dancing, and unstoppable awesomeness. Those little scamps came, saw, conquered, and left us wanting more all in the span of just about an hour.

It wasn't the best show I've been to all year, but it just might be the most entertaining. The super full club was enraptured, and jumped up and down so much and with such lustful abandon that on numerous occasions I was pretty sure the floor was about to collapse, killing us all. But hey, there certainly are worse ways to go. While I lost count of the number of times I was elbowed, poked, and kicked, I was just pleased to see people enjoying themselves as much as I was. And the gleeful performance given by Does It Offend You, Yeah? was most definitely worthy of our adulation. They rolled through bits and bobs from the album You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into, such as the synthily anthemic "Dawn of the Dead" and my pair of favorites (perfectly played back-to-back), "Being Bad Feels Pretty Good" and "Let's Make Out." It was as if we were witnessing modern day Pied Pipers, because the kids couldn't stop dancing. Each song was given a welcome you'd expect from a large venue, never mind a tiny one. It was the perfect Friday night show, the best way to kick off the weekend.

When it's all said and done, their song "We Are Rockstars" might be tongue-in-cheek, but on this night, the members of Does It Offend You, Yeah? were every bit the rock star.

Live Review: Mike Doughty @ Birchmere, September 9

Less than 24 hours after returning from my honeymoon, I felt obligated to jump back into the thick of things for you, our adoring public, and attended Mike Doughty's "Question Jar" concert stop over at the Birchmere. For I believe the second time around, Mr. Doughty peppers his show essentially with a Q&A audience participation period between all the songs, wherein attendees are encouraged to submit questions into a, you guessed it, question jar, which he then answers throughout the duration. Accompanied by the phenomenal Andrew "Scrap" Livingston on various string instruments, the two played songs from all of Doughty's solo albums and more than a couple of tracks from his earlier days with the esteemed Soul Coughing. Shorn of locks, Doughty played everything from "Circles" to "Tremendous Brunettes", "Put It Down" to "Sunken Eyed Girl".

Now, I'm an unabashed fan and probably post way too much on his fan site (those of you who frequent said site, you can find me there under the oddbodkins moniker), but I'll have to admit, I've been a little less than blown away the past few times I've seen him live. For me, at least, the allure of a Mike Doughty show rests squarely on his intimacy with the crowd and unparalleled audience banter. The larger his ensemble has grown of late (such as opening for the Barenaked Ladies a couple of years back), the less compelling the performances have become. Thankfully, last night was a throwback to his earlier solo days (remember the stunning brilliance of Smofe + Smag?).

Mike joked easily and often with the crowd, as did Scrap, and it felt more like a performance by a good buddy in his kitchen than it did an "actual" concert. This is where the man's strengths lie, so it was quite the return to the glory days, as far as I was concerned. Mike and Scrap made it through the entire question jar, which ran the gamut from two requests for sex to what should people do if the Large Hadron Collider does inadvertently create a black hole that will destroy the earth. The duo answered all questions with the sense of humor that makes a Doughty show worth seeing. You see, catching MD is a lot like wearing your favorite flannel: while it may or may not be the most stylish apparel, it's comfy as hell and you love wearing it, plain and simple. To put it another way, when the mood is right, it's simply a perfect fit.

Sadly, I may be in the minority in this opinion, as I don't believe I've ever seen the Birchmere so empty. Management went so far as to quadrant off half the parking lot, and it didn't seem to imposition anyone at all. Still, their loss was the audience's gain, as M. Doughty reminded me why I got into his sound in the first place. Forget the "medium rock" sound of the past few albums, last night at the Birchmere was vintage Mike of the "small rock" genius.

The Untitled Interview #8: Starring Will Canzoneri (Darker My Love)

My oh my how I do love me some Darker My Love. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you will too. Over the course of two albums they’ve honed a nice little sound indeed, all retrosexual with lots of fuzz and soul, soul, soul. And they sure do sound like California, though at this point that can mean so many things (most likely involving sun-related adjectives) I’ll let you interpret that as you will.

The thing you need to glean, my friends, is that Darker My Love is dynamite. They are also touring with the one and only Dandy Warhols, which is a cause for joy if ever there was one. Go and see them in your citay, I know I’ll be seeing them on September 22 (and yes, it is in fact marked on my calendar) at the 9:30 Club. In the spirit of the recent release of their second album, 2, and their potentially Bacchanalian tour with the Dandys, I contacted Camp Darker and was gifted with the following from lovely Will Canzoneri, he of much keyboard-tickling. Read on, and go to the show. As ever, you can thank me later.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Will Canzoneri: Mortified.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
WC: Well, right now I'm listening to this record by a band called Jelly. I found it in the dollar bin at Amoeba. It's from 1977. You know Amy Madigan, the actress? You know, the mom from “Uncle Buck”. Turns out she was a singer before all that, in a slick-ass late 70's L.A. Rickie Lee Jones/Nicolette Larson kinda studio thing. Tom Scott-arranged horns, cream-of-the-session-player crop. I picked it up because she looked real cute, and then I realized it was her. This is the only time I'll ever listen to it.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
WC: All Summer Long by The Beach Boys. Probably the album cover more than the music. It looked like endless fun, frolicking on the beach with your bros and some babes in California. I was 9. Turns out, of course, I was right.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
WC: Really? One or the other?

LET: What're your top 5 albums (of this minute, this year, or ever)?
WC: Of lately:
Beau Brummels / Bradley's Barn
The Chills / Kaleidoscope World
NRBQ / Tiddlywinks
Rotary Connection / Aladdin
Dennis Wilson / Pacific Ocean Blue

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
WC: What's that old Richard Dreyfuss movie where he's an angsty classical pianist and he gets laid by his hot archrival in his motel room? Yeah, that one.

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
WC: Europe. That's a city, right?

LET: What's your favorite song to perform in concert?
WC: Our cover of Can's "Mother Sky," which we don't seem to play anymore.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
WC: Whatever it was, I drank it.

LET: Apart from your band, of course, who among your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
WC: There's a guy here in LA we know named Aaron Embry who has a project with his wife, among others, called Amnion. Rob and I first saw him when he was playing keys for Daniel Lanois a few months ago, and we got them to play with us at our record release show here at the Troubadour. Amnion is my musical wet dream. I mean, literally, it's that amazing, perfect-in-every-way shit I hear in my dreams that I can't put together in my waking life. That show was the first time I'd seen ‘em live, and they fully infiltrated me in a way I haven't been in a good 5 years or so. I'd say it's kind of a cross between Donny Hathaway's live album and the New Radicals, with the songwriting intelligence quotient upped by 5. And if you haven't copped to the fact that New Radicals did some really sweet shit, then Amnion might not be for you.

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
WC: I shoulda gotten up earlier.

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
WC: Can't deny that it's Amoeba.

LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on?
WC: The longest I was on a plane was when I flew Continental from Boston to Phoenix. We had a stop in Cleveland, where it was sleeting, and I was stuck on the plane at the gate for - I kid you not - 7 hours. 7 hours of "we should be pushing off from the gate any minute now." They wouldn't let us off, and they wouldn't feed us. Nothing. Stale-ass air, miserable passengers, deadbeat flight attendants... and I got nothing for it.

LET: This one's for Rob. What's your favorite and least favorite thing about Richmond, and why did you leave?
WC: I'm putting Rob on speakerphone here:
"I actually lived in Midlothian, which is just outside Richmond... but I used to love going to the Richmond Braves games when I was younger... I saw a lot of great players play before they were in the majors. Worst thing is the humidity. The reason I left was cause my dad got a new job in Massachusetts. I then got made fun of for saying "yes ma'am" and "yes sir" to all my teachers so I conformed to a "wicked vocab" after that."

LET: You are all about to embark on a nation-wide tour with the Dandy Warhols. Please list five words describing what the experience of this tour could be like.
WC: Courtney Taylor-Taylor-Taylor-Taylor.

LET: If you could share the stage with any musician, living or dead, who would it be, and how come?
WC: I dunno, probably some Beach Boy. Pick one.

LET: Shaken or stirred?
WC: I've always wondered if I'd start drinking martinis when I'm older.

LET: Best song ever written?
WC: The chorus to Billy Joel's "The Stranger." The sheer skin-crawling awfulness of the verse - so sleazy and plain bad it makes you feel like the slimiest slime ball piece-of-shit there ever was - makes the chorus sound like the pinnacle of human achievement.

At the Cinema: Control

"Control" is a band biopic, a love story, a tragedy. It is uber director Anton Corbijn's homage to and interpretation of the myth of Joy Division, a stark black and white opus powerful in its bleak austerity. Mostly, it is the story of Ian Curtis, whose tragically brief story is fairly well-known at this point, though Corbijn's thoughtful flick gives new insight into the troubled, doomed Curtis.

"Control" is a fitting name for the film, because in addition to the song "She's Lost Control" being one of Joy Division's best-known songs, the theme of control is central. Be it Ian's control over his destiny, his lack of control over his health and his fate, the control Curtis' familial obligations have over him as his story unfolds, and ultimately the lack of control anyone has in saving Curtis from himself.

We first see Curtis, played brilliantly by Sam Riley, as a teenager, nicking pills from elderly ladies and swanning about in his bedroom to David Bowie. After proposing in a sun-dappled pastoral scene, young Ian marries his school sweetheart Debbie (Samantha Morton), and they move into a small house together. At this point, the movie sunlit and bright, as was Curtis' future. Inevitably, darkness begins creeping in with Ian's diagnosis of epilepsy and subsequent prescription-related problems. Cracks also appear in Ian and Debbie's marriage, despite the birth of a daughter. Curtis meets and falls in love with Belgian fanzine writer Annik, who seems to represent the opposite of Ian's safe, predictable life in gray Macclesfield. As with most, this love triangle doesn't end well.

It's all there, Joy Division's first television appearance, the contract with Factory Records written in blood by Tony Wilson, the announcement of the U.S. tour, and Curtis' dark final few hours watching Werner Herzog. But in addition to what we already knew, Corbijn deftly presents a portrait of an artist as a young man, a troubled soul in turmoil, and a gifted singer with incredible talent. It's an incredibly sad story, and the glimpses of happiness are rendered that much more acute when pitted against so much gloom and doom. It's perfectly acted, perfectly shot, and just about flat-out perfect. "Closer" is a must for anyone who loves Joy Division, and pretty much anyone who likes great movies. If you're anything like me, though, make sure you've got some tissues handy.

Live Review: Yndi Halda @ Ghostprint Gallery, August 18

It started off like any other Monday, that is to say inauspiciously and perhaps even somewhat badly. By the time the end of the working day arrived, I was in need of some serious soul-soothing. Thankfully, two things happened to completely turn the day around (and make me a very happy girl indeed): a friend told me about a show going on at the Ghostprint Gallery, and a band called Yndi Halda was one of the bands on the bill. It was to be a very good night indeed.

In true Richmond style, the Ghostprint Gallery serves several purposes; by day, a fully functioning gallery space, with an area behind the main wall for tattooing, and occasionally by night serving as a venue space. It’s a unique space to see a show, and it was perhaps the perfect place to see Yndi Halda’s first show in Richmond. At first, the gallery was pretty empty. Gradually, though, people began to fill the small room, and it’s lucky for those of us who were there that we were around to witness such as was about to transpire.

I’d never heard of Yndi Halda, but now having seen them live I can safely say I’m a believer. What happened that night at Ghostprint was nothing short of spectacular. One minute, a gaggle of youthful guys from across the pond is fiddling about with their instruments, and the next thing you know a wall of painfully beautiful sound hits you like a ton of bricks. They were magnificent. Straddling the oft-fragile beauty of Sigur Ros and the loud, louder, loudest noise of Mogwai, Yndi Halda presented themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The set was intense, only cracking when one of the band would glance at another and both would smile briefly, but beamingly. Their Violin mixed with violent guitar angle proved fiercely dynamic, and they stormed through a short (song-wise, not length-wise) set with vim and vigor. My ears felt like they might be blown off at any moment, so loud was the music, but it couldn’t have been any other way. I felt rooted to the spot, and was transfixed by what was happening in front of me.

When it was all over, there was a collective pause, as if we all had to stop and collect ourselves before anyone could move. It was one of the best Monday nights I’ve had in quite some time, and Yndi Halda are definitely one of my favorite new live bands. Maybe it was the right time at the right place, but oh what a show.

[Photo by Melissa Koch]

The Untitled Interview #7: Starring Will Courtney (Brothers and Sisters)

I’ve been enamored with the utterly captivating band Brothers and Sisters since I first stumbled upon their deliriously sun-drenched little ditty “One Night” months and months ago. Their charming boy-girl vocals, unpretentious musicianship with the perfect dashes of twangs and drawls, and effortless charisma caused my senses to fall in deep smit with these Austin-ites, led by the Courtney siblings. In a nutshell, they’re flat-out irresistible.

And so, it seemed only natural to seek out Brother Will Courtney (that's him on the left) for a little brain-picking session. He kindly indulged me, as you can read below. To get you even more excited about going to see the band’s current tour (which hits DC on September 14th at DC9, and where you will most definitely see me), check out some live Brothers and Sisters action below. You’re welcome.

Les Enfants Terribles: How the hell are you?
Will Courtney: Very sleepy, Megan.

LET: What was the last song you listened to?
WC: A 30-second clip on iTunes of Glen Campbell singing "Jesus" by the Velvet Underground.

LET: For your money, who is/was the best Austin band ever?
WC: Brothers and Sisters.

LET: Playing music is ___
WC: The last thing I do before I fall asleep.

LET: What album most made you realize that you wanted to make music?
WC: Rubber Soul (the US Capitol version). Every single song is perfect. Lily and I wore out several copies of that tape as kids.

LET: Beatles or Stones?
WC: Well, I guess you know that answer now, but... I worship the Stones and I think most bands would tell you that Stones are who they'd wanna drink with.

LET: What're your top 5 albums?
WC: Randy Newman - Good Ol Boys
Glen Campbell - Reunion with Jimmy Webb
Beach Boys - tied Friends and Love You
Velvet Underground - Loaded
Neil Young - Time Faded Away

LET: Favorite music-related movie?
WC: I'll break in down into three: Favorite movie with great music, "Harold and Maude". Favorite musical movie is "Annie". Favorite concert movie, "Last Waltz".

LET: What city or venue would you like to play, but haven't yet been to?
WC: I think I'd like to play somewhere in Spain.

LET: Half-full or half-empty?
WC: Cup is half-full, but the water's not clear.

LET: Apart from your band, which of your peers do you think is making the best music these days?
WC: I honestly love so many of my friends' bands better than bands you usually hear about. Right now I'm really into my friend Jack Gibson's group, Tenlons Fort.

LET: What's the first thing you think when you wake up in the morning?
WC: I wonder if my girlfriend has some coffee for me.

LET: The greatest record store in the world is:
WC: Amoeba Hollywood!!!
LET: What's the longest flight you've ever been on, and where were you going?
WC: Long ride to Athens, Greece and a guy died in the middle of the Atlantic. The pilot asked that we just keep watching "Father of the Bride 2" while they do CPR.

LET: Favorite other brother/sister duo, in music:
WC: Carpenters

LET: Shaken or stirred?
WC: Definitely shaken

LET: If you weren't in a band, you'd be:
WC: A solo artist

LET: Which feels better: leaving to go on tour, or coming home from a tour?
WC: Leaving.

LET: Best song ever written?
WC: "God Only Knows"

Album Review: Crystal Castles - s/t

I confess, I was in love with the boy-girl duo known as Crystal Castles long before I ever listened to their fantastic self-titled release. You see, for those of us who spent our formative years in the early 80s, the term Crystal Castles harkens back to the era of She-Ra (she lived in the Crystal Castle) and He-Man, that most excellent pair of fantastical cartoon heroes living in a fantasy world somewhere between ancient times and the far distant future. The nostalgic part of my latched on immediately, and then a wonderful thing happened: I sat myself down and listened to the record. That was many moons ago, and I am still faithfully, obsessively listening to them, overcome with an incomprehensible inability to stop myself.

Crystal Castles the album has what I like to call an arcade aesthetic. The 17 tracks are heavy on the retro-fitted bleeps (straight outta 1983, y’all) and powering-up pops and level-ending screeches. At times the synths venture into some somewhat dark, heavy ground, but for the most part the whole album feels like a damn good time, Super Mario sounds and all. After all, when a band launches an album with a great interpretation (“Untrust Us”) of an already wonderful song (Death From Above 1979’s aggro-licious “Dead Womb”) and turns it into a song that says “just try not to like me,” you really can’t go wrong. And of course, let’s not forget that bad grammar is so hot right now. Illustrating the band’s love of intentionally losing the plot, the second track comes in awkwardly, and demonstrates a noticeable flipping of the script. “Alice Practice” is the pseudo-demo that got Crystal Castles a bunch of attention, and it’s an aggressive bleep-fest with serious attitude. It still makes me furrow my brow, and yet I cannot help but love it.

As with most albums, there’s a handful of tracks I tend to listen to even more than the others. On Crystal Castles, those songs are the swaggering swirl of “Air War,” the slow(er) yet undeniably dancey “Courtship Dating” (see video below), and the nearly perfect duo of the eerie groover “Vanished” and dissonantly feisty “Through the Hosiery.” But really, the entire album is delicious. I’m pretty sure the world would be a much happier place if everyone stopped what they were doing and got down with Crystal Castles.

Crystal Castles is, at first glance, a rather schizophrenic affair, what with so many styles, tempos, and seemingly endless variety of Atari bleeps and random samples. It all works together beautifully, though, I promise. After all, if it wasn’t spectacular, odds are I wouldn’t be ready to proclaim it one of my best albums of the year.

Wedding Bells!

We here at Les Enfants Terribles would like to wish a hearty congratulations to one of our own, Mister Terrible Chris, who got himself good and legally wed this weekend. It was an awfully nice day for a white wedding, and now Chris can say he's been involved in one of those life changes they talk about when explaining employee benefits at the workplace. We wish the happy couple many happy returns, and may you both have many happy years together. Cheers, Mr. & Mrs. Terrible!