MP3: Peter Case – Round Trip Stranger Blues
Peter Case follows in a grand tradition of rock music, existing in the vein of pioneers like Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, The Clash, and other musical heroes who live to break ground and make new things. Continue reading…
MP3: Ivan & Alyosha – “Glorify”
In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s final novel, The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan reads a parable to Alyosha called “The Grand Inquisitor,” in which Jesus returns to earth during the Spanish Inquisition, only to be arrested and sentenced to death by the church. This take on human nature is regarded as one of the most important passages in modern literature.
It’s that kind of source material that lends Ivan and Alyosha — an indie-folk outfit named after the novel — their air of intrigue. New light will be shed on the Seattle quartet, however, as it plays SxSW and travels the West Coast like a band of Karamazov brothers. Ivan and Alyosha are touring to support their new Fathers Be Kind EP, a harmonious collection of soulful, sincere songs with a pop sensibility to match, and they play the Tin Can Ale House on March 24th.
Band member Tim Kim was kind enough to send us a list of the songs inspiring the guys as they travel, and you can read it below. Continue reading…
Todd Snider isn’t your average folkie. One glance at his influences — Bob Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and even Mitch Hedberg — will tell you that both thoughtfulness and humor are integral to his writing style. Equal parts sage and jokester, Snider uses his skills to make wry commentary on everything from unemployment to religion.
Over the years, tastemakers like Rolling Stone have sung Snider’s praises, with the seminal music magazine calling him “America’s sharpest musical storyteller” and “the funniest folkie since John Prine” on separate occasions. Now, he’s touring to support The Storyteller, a new double-disc live album, and these accolades are as relevant as ever. The album features songs from Snider’s entire recording career, and it does well to showcase both his humor and politics, and the seemingly effortless way he balances the two. The album shows the songwriter at his best, engaging the audience with stories and blissfully playing old fan favorites.
That’s why we’re pleased to offer two tickets to see Todd Snider at the Belly Up on February 16. To enter the contest, just comment below and include your email address in the form (your email won’t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on February 15, 2011.
Sundance-honored multimedia artist Brent Green will bring his film Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then to San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts this Sunday.
Green is a self-taught animator whose unusual tales explore the nuances of life, death, and everything in between — even Santa Claus. Gravity is his latest work, and it’s based on the true story of Leonard Wood, a man who built an entire “healing house” for his cancer-stricken wife. For the film, the ever-creative Green constructed a full-scale town in his back yard: “five houses, a handmade working piano, a huge glowing moon, and a giant, wooden, fully functioning God.”
And just as Gravity isn’t your typical film, Sunday night won’t be your typical screening. As an added bonus, Green has put together an all-star band — including Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Howe Gelb — to play a live soundtrack to the film. Having seen Green perform on multiple occasions, I can say with certainty that the show will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced.
In anticipation of the performance, Green also told us a bit about his influences. Brent Green’s Poetic Memory is below.
MP3: Rumspringa – “Criminal Love”
L.A.’s Rumspringa just released Sway, their debut full-length. Produced by Mannie Nieto (The Breeders, Los Lobos), the album works well to showcase the band’s brand of psychedelic-surf-garage-punk. And though Sway is reminiscent of David Bowie, T-Rex, and the Stones — with a little bit of The White Stripes thrown in for good measure — Rumspringa’s sound is wholly their own. With an abundance of original melodies, great lyrics, and solid musicianship, they are clearly going places.
MTV News has called Rumspringa “One of the best LA bands […] in a really long time,” and RCRD LBL has commended them for “running feverish, fast-paced rock-n-roll trails in our head.” We saw them at The Rumble back in August and had a hell of a good time.
Rumspringa will play the Soda Bar on 11/15, and Bar Pink on 12/4. In anticipation of the shows, lead singer Joey Stevens sent us a list of influences. Check it out below.