Grant Manship

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 29th, 2006

The Rolling Stones - "Dead Flowers" from Sticky Fingers

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - The Owl

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 28th, 2006

Bobby Bare Jr. - "Where Is My Mind" from The Longest Meow

David Vandervelde Joins Secretly Canadian

There have been some rumors swirling that David Vandervelde would be joining the Secretly Canadian family and it's now official.  Secretly Canadian made the following announcement to welcome David to the fold:

DAVID VANDERVELDE appeared before us one hot summer day like a dynamo. The sound we heard coming through in stereo was that of our coming-of-age years screaming back at us - a faithful reminder that our beauteous days of bowing before pin-up rock stars and carving iconographic logos on desktops and in famous treetrunks have not passed us by. No, David Vandervelde is here to remind us that the truest, most primal and addictive properties of rock n' roll are ageless. Indeed, this Chicagoan (by way of the dunes of West Michigan) recorded the A-side to his debut single a few years ago at age 19, yet he shows the maturity and swagger of a man much longer in the tooth. Bearing a resemblance to MARC BOLAN and DAVID BOWIE on these two songs, we're eagerly anticipating his upcoming debut full-length, which will open the door into a much broader musical universe. Secretly Canadian is very proud to welcome David Vandervelde to the family.

The Jacket b/w Murder In Michigan 7" single will be available in all good record stores on November 21, 2006.

I've had the songs available on his MySpace page spinning in heavy rotation for a while now.  I'm particularly fond of "Nothin' No".  I've found it to be one of those songs I can't get out of my head and end up listening to it on repeat for hours on end.  You can check out the song "Jacket" from the forth coming single below:

• David Vandervelde - "Jacket" from Jacket 7" Single (mp3)
  

You can also catch David live on the following tour dates w/ Bobby Bare Jr. and Centro-matic.  David will be playing all of the shows solo or with a friend except for the Chicago, IL Double Door show.  The Moon Station House Band will be backing him up in Chicago for a full-on rock extravaganza!

• 11/09/06 St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
• 11/10/06 Chicago, IL - Double Door 
• 11/11/06 Maumee, OH - The Village Idiot
• 11/12/06 Columbus, OH - The Basement
• 11/13/06 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
• 11/14/06 Washington DC, - Rock and Roll Hotel
• 11/15/06 Philadelphia, PA - The Khyber
• 11/16/06 Boston, MA - Middle East
• 11/17/06 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
• 11/18/06 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
• 11/20/06 Nashville, TN - Exit/In

Grizzly Bear on KEXP

I've been meaning to post this ever since I heard the performance but for some reason I've been slacking.  I'm about to wear out my copy of Grizzly Bear's new album Yellow House and this performance on KEXP is further proof of just how good the band is. 

A big thanks goes to Pop Drivel for posting the mp3's of the set.  The site is trying to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association this weekend so head over there and make a donation to say thanks if you can!  Check out the songs from the Sept. 14th, 2006 performance below:

• Grizzly Bear - "Plan" Live @ KEXP (mp3)
• Grizzly Bear - "Shifts" Live @ KEXP (mp3) 
• Grizzly Bear - "On a Neck, On a Spit" Live @ KEXP (mp3) 
• Grizzly Bear - "Knife" Live @ KEXP (mp3)

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 27th, 2006

Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcycle" from Yip/Jump Music

Ryan Adams Rapping?!?

Bewildered was the word that came to mind as I was trying to figure out how I felt about this.  That was the feeling I had right before the headache kicked in.

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 26th, 2006

The Changes - "On a String" from Today Is Tonight

Favorite New Release of the Week - Sept. 26th, 2006

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos

My Morning Jacket makes exceedingly good records, from the handmade charms of 1999's "Tennessee Fire" to the epic, inverted pop of last year's "Z." But there has always been something undeniably magical about the band's live performances that the studio can't capture, an energy that vibrates bone deep and lifts buildings off their foundations.

On some nights, the shows are literally transforming. You can arrive with a world of hurt weighing you down and by halfway through "Lowdown" it's all golden. The only problem is that the shows always end.

Until now. With "Okonokos: Double Live Album," My Morning Jacket's crazed, electric energy has been expertly captured. A DVD of the same show, recorded at the Fillmore West, follows on Oct. 31, but the record — out Tuesday — more than stands on its own.

"Okonokos" is a true concert experience, its many transcendent moments sharing space with happily wrecked solos and the occasional splintered high note from singer Jim James. This is not a complaint. This is what live music is all about: a shared, human experience, imperfections and all. We're living in the moment here.

Extremely picky fans might take issue with song selection, seeing as how "Tennessee Fire" is represented only by "I Think I'm Going to Hell," but the album's flow is impeccable, and there are far too many highlights to detail. Let's just say that you won't hear a more deeply moving version of "I Will Sing You Songs," and epic rockers such as "One Big Holiday," "Run Thru" and "Anytime" never sounded better. And "Lowdown" is here, too, just in time for one more emotional rescue.

If there's a better rock band, anywhere, than James, Patrick Hallahan, Two Tone Tommy, Bo Koster and Carl Broemel, it hasn't yet made a record. And if you haven't yet bought a My Morning Jacket record, start right here.

- Jeffrey Lee Puckett, September, 23 2006 via The Courier-Journal

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 25th, 2006

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "Lay and Love" from The Letting Go

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 22nd, 2006

¡Forward, Russia! - "Thirteen" from Give Me a Wall

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 21st, 2006

Darkel - "Be My Friend" from Darkel

SPECIAL BENEFIT - PLEASE READ

From the Rogue Wave website:

On September 30th 2006, San Francisco band Rogue Wave will host a benefit concert to raise money for their drummer Pat Spurgeon, who is in desperate need of a kidney transplant.

The benefit concert will feature performances by Rogue Wave, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), Ryan Miller (Guster), John Vanderslice, and other special guests. Daniel Handler (AKA Lemony Snickett) will MC the event.

Pat was born with one kidney and it failed. He had his first transplant in 1993, which served him well until now.  After 13 years, it has started to deteriorate. He has been on dialysis since April and is hoping desperately to find a donor. Some of their friends have gotten tested to see if they are a match, but Pat has yet to hear good news.  Provided he finds a donor, there will be an enormous amount of costs that both Pat and his donor will incur.

In a logical world, medical insurance would cover his donor's and his expenses after the procedure, but it does not; so he and his family must carry the financial burden. The expenses can be huge. We are trying to raise money for costs like: donor's travel, care, bills, lost work wages, etc., as well as Pat's expenses, care, bills, etc. while he is in recovery.

If you cannot attend the show, we encourage you to donate whatever you can.

Click here to go to the band's site and donate!

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 20th, 2006

Teddybears - "Punkrocker" from Soft Machine

Favorite New Release of the Week - Sept. 19th, 2006

Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go

Bonnie "Prince" Billy is a crafter of songs. Stripped down and uncomplicated, his timbre and tone are dampened to a familiar patter that plays out with whimsy and wear. And even with sparing accompaniment on The Letting Go – the flourishes of strings and the backing vocals of Dawn McCarthy – Bonnie's simple compositions remain the most spirited of the textures that emerge. The verse of "Cursed Sleep" is strung up and captive to a cycling progression over which he sings, "She was older still, and holds my love against its will." "Cold & Wet" exposes the artist's ability to meld off-center vocals and loose guitar into a bluesy puddle, contrasted with the tight, secular gait of "Big Friday," a testament to a savior of the female persuasion.

Despite the mostly acoustic compositions on the The Letting Go, the inclusion of strings and other orchestration allows several of the tracks to reach epic crescendos, only to drift back to those simple, uncomplicated songs that are Bonnie's forte. Bonnie "Prince" Billy is undoubtedly one of today's finest songwriters; one whose approach remains subdued, yet powerful. The Letting Go maintains his trademark style while giving those simple songs the opportunity to puff and billow with passionate, dusty bravado.

- Jamie Lee, August 16, 2006 via Glide Magazine

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 19th, 2006

The Strokes - "Someday" from Is This It

Peter and the Wolf MP3 & Tour Dates

Austin's Peter and the Wolf have signed with The Worker's Institute and are getting ready to release Lightness on Oct. 31st in North America (Nov. 6th everywhere else). 

The album is made up of songs written and recorded by Brian Redding Hunter (who goes by his nickname, Red) in bedrooms, living rooms, and hotels around the country.  "Red" describes the record by saying, "Lightness is a whole record about that feeling when you wake up all sentimental from a dream and you want to call your friends and ask How is your health, how's your dad, how's travels? It is about those good mornings when you're just wishin' everybody well."

Here's a track from the record for your listening pleasure:

• Peter and the Wolf - "Safe Travels" from Lightness

Peter and the Wolf will also be previewing their album at shows around Texas the week of Oct. 9th before hitting the road with Califone as they work their way towards the CMJ Music Marathon in NYC.  The tour dates are as follows (an * designates the shows with Califone):

• Oct 10: Austin, TX - The Peacock
• Oct 11: Houston, TX - Super Happy Fun Land
• Oct 12: Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
• Oct 14: Tucson, AZ - Big Az Music Fest at Club Congress (Outside)
• Oct 17: Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge*
• Oct 18: Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
• Oct 19: Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground*
• Oct 20: Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar*
• Oct 21: Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle*
• Oct 22: Knoxville, TN - The Pilot Light
• Oct 23: Atlanta, GA - The Earl
• Oct 25: Charleston, SC - The Map Room (FREE)
• Oct 26: Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 (w/ Swearing at Motorists, Hudson Bell)
• Oct 27: Winston Salem, NC - The Garage
• Oct 28: Charlottesville, VA - Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
• Nov 1: New York, NY - Pianos (CMJ)
• Nov 4: Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place*
• Nov 5: Pittsburgh, PA - Garfield Artworks (w/ Beach House, Over the Atlantic)

Robbers & Cowards Pre-Order and In-Store Performance

The Cold Ward Kids are gearing up for the release of their new album Robbers & Cowards on Oct. 10th.  For those of us outside Southern California we  can pre-order the album through Insound and then wait patiently by the mailbox.  The difference here is all you lucky Southern Californians can check out the band's In-Store performance at Fingerprints, a record store in Long Beach, the day the album is released.

Details from the bands MySpace page on how to get into the show are as follows:

THESE DETAILS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. THE ONLY WAY TO GET INTO THIS SHOW IS TO PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM ON THE FINGERPRINTS WEBSITE OR GO TO FINGERPRINTS AND PRE-ORDER. IF YOU DO ONE OF THESE THINGS, THEY WILL GIVE YOU A WRIST BAND TO GET INTO THE SHOW!

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 18th, 2006

Adam Green - "White Women" from Jacket Full of Danger

Pet Sounds to a Pet

With all the talk surrounding the 40th Anniversary of Pet Sounds I found this video of a listeners dog reacting to outtakes from the album to be pretty entertaining.  The makers of the video had this to say, "This is our dog (still a puppy), Marilyn. One day I had on outtakes from the Beach Boys album Pet Sounds and we noticed that Marilyn was "listening" to the music."

I imagine Mike Love has probably had the same confused look on his face every time he's heard the results of Brian Wilson's genius over the years.

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 15th, 2006

TV on the Radio - "Tonight" from Return to Cookie Mountain

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 14th, 2006

The Album Leaf - "Always for You" from Into the Blue Again

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 13th, 2006

Catfish Haven - "Crazy for Leaving" from Tell Me

Cold War Kids, Dr. Dog, and Elvis Perkins on KEXP

So Much Silence has a nice post about the recent visit Cold War Kids, Dr. Dog, and Elvis Perkins made to KEXP.  You can check out the post and mp3's from the performances here.

Favorite New Release(s) of the Week - Sept. 12th, 2006

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain

As passionate as ever, but now with a little more polish, TV on the Radio's second album (and Interscope debut), Return to Cookie Mountain, is their most satisfying work since they exploded onto the scene with Young Liars. More than some of their indie rock peers, TV on the Radio seems comfortable on a major label. They've always been a band with a big, unapologetically ambitious sound, and on Return to Cookie Mountain, they give that sound room to breathe with a lush, expansive production. The sonic depth throughout the album is a sharp contrast with the density of their first full-length, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, which was so jam-packed with sounds and ideas that it was nearly suffocated by them. However, Return to Cookie Mountain is hardly slick or dumbed-down for mass consumption. In fact, the opening track, "I Was a Lover," is one of the band's most challenging songs yet, mixing a stuttering hip-hop beat with guitars of Loveless proportions and juxtaposing inviting vocal harmonies and horns with glitches and trippy sitars. "Playhouses" is only slightly less radical, with its wildly syncopated drumming and Tunde Adepimbe's layered, impassioned singing.

At times, Return to Cookie Mountain threatens to become more impressive than likeable -- a complaint that could also arguably be leveled against Desperate Youth as well -- but fortunately, TV on the Radio reconnects with, and builds on, the intimacy and purity that made Young Liars so striking. David Bowie's backing vocals on "Province" are only one part of the song's enveloping warmth, rather than its focal point, while the album's centerpiece, "A Method," is another beautiful example of the band's haunting update on doo wop. Meanwhile, the mention of "the needle/the dirty spoon" on "Tonight" cements it as a gorgeous but unsettling urban elegy.

As with all their other work, on Return to Cookie Mountain TV on the Radio deals with the fallout of living in a post-9/11 world; politics and morality are still touchstones for the band, particularly on the anguished "Blues from Down Here" and "Hours," on which Adepimbe urges, "Now listen to the truth." Notably, though, the album builds on the hopeful, or at least living for the moment, vibe that emerged at the end of Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. The sexy, funky "Wolf Like Me," which is the closest the album gets to rock in any conventional sense of the term, and "Dirtywhirl," which spins together images of girls and hurricanes, offer erotic escapes. And by the time the epic final track, "Wash the Day," revisits the sitars that opened the album with a serene, hypnotic groove, Return to Cookie Mountain gives the most complete representation of the hopes, joys, and fears within TV on the Radio's music.

- Heather Phares, September 12, 2006 via All Music Guide

Catfish Haven - Tell Me

Don't be distracted by George Hunter's voice. A hickory-smoked, holy-rolling Jeremiah Bullfrog rumble, his raspy growl makes you believe he was born to sing soulful blues pleas like 'Whoa-hon't you lay... me... down by your fire?' in backwoods booze cans where fish are mounted on the walls. It's all the more remarkable coming from a dude who looks like he should be lining up for a Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show. But fixating on Hunter's voice makes you miss the real power behind the Chicago trio's debut LP: the rhythm section. Bassist Miguel Castillo's slinky, dirty-ass bass lines snake around Ryan Farnham's measured, cowbell-juiced percussion with effortless precision, transforming the raw blues-rock boogie of Catfish Haven from generic bar band to something fresh, visceral and hurtin'. Tell Me does flag near the tail end, with syrupy melodies that veer dangerously close to Hootie & the Blowfish territory, but thanks to smart production, most tracks here make you feel like you're at the Harlem Square Club with Sam Cooke or, uh, toking by a campfire with CCR.

- Sarah Liss, September 7, 2006 via NOW Magazine

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 12th, 2006

Grizzly Bear - "Knife" from Yellow House

Damien Jurado MP3 & Tour Dates

Damien Jurado will set out on a coast to coast tour on Sept. 26th.  The tour will serve as support for his new album And Now That I'm In Your Shadow which will hit the shelves on October 10.  Here is a track from the new album:

• Damien Jurado - "What Were the Chances" from And Now That I'm In Your Shadow (mp3)

You'll also be able to stream the rest of And Now That I'm In Your Shadow, two songs at a time, starting on Sept. 12th with new songs being released every Tuesday on his website.  The tour dates in support of this album are as follows:

• 09/26/06 Provo, UT - The Velour
• 09/27/06 Denver, CO - Marquis Theatre
• 09/29/06 St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
• 09/30/06 Chicago, IL - Park West
• 10/01/06 Ferndale, MI - Magic Bag
• 10/03/06 Toronto, ON - El Mocambo
• 10/04/06 Montreal, QC - La Salla Rossa   w/ Two Gallants
• 10/05/06 Cambridge, MA - T.T. the Bear's   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/06/06 New York, NY - Knitting Factory   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/07/06 Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell's   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/09/06 Washington DC, - Black Cat Backstage   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/10/06 Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/11/06 Atlanta, GA - The EARL   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/13/06 Austin, TX - Emo's   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/14/06 Denton, TX - Hailey's   w/ Rosie Thomas + David Bazan
• 10/16/06 Phoenix, AZ - Modified   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/17/06 Tucson, AZ - Plush   w/ Rosie Thomas
• 10/18/06 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
• 10/19/06 Los Angeles, CA - Hotel Cafe
• 10/20/06 San Francisco, CA - Swedish American Hall
• 10/28/06 Seattle, WA - The Paradox

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 11th, 2006

David Bowie - "Heroes" from "Heroes"

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 8th, 2006

Centro-Matic - "Triggers and Trash Heaps" from Fort Recovery

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 7th, 2006

Sound Team - "Handful of Billions" from Movie Monster

Catfish Haven MP3 & Tour Dates

Catfish Haven are about to release their full-length debut on Secretly Canadian entitled Tell Me.  The album will hit the shelves this coming Tuesday, Sept. 12th so be sure to pick it up!  Here's a track from the record for your listening pleasure:

• Catfish Haven - "Crazy for Leaving" from Tell Me (mp3)

You should also make a point to catch the band live on their current tour where they'll be joined by label mates Magnolia Electric Co. as well as Birdmonster on various dates.  The dates are as follows:

• 09/07 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
• 09/08 Brooklyn, NY - Union Hall
• 09/09 Cambridge, MA - Middle East (Upstairs)
• 09/10 Montreal, QC - Zoobizarre w/ Birdmonster
• 09/11 Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern w/ Birdmonster
• 09/12 Rochester, NY - Bug Jar w/ Birdmonster
• 09/13 Palatine, IL - Durty Nellie’s w/ The Zombies + Mooney Suzuki
• 09/16 Chicago, IL - Double Door
• 09/19 Washington DC, - Black Cat
• 09/20 Richmond, VA - Gallery Five w/ Magnolia Electric Co.
• 09/21 Charlotte, NC - Casbah at Tremont w/ Magnolia Electric Co.
• 09/22 Atlanta, GA - The EARL w/ Magnolia Electric Co.
• 09/23 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club
• 09/24 Chattanooga, TN - Rhythm and Brews w/ Magnolia Electric Co.
• 09/25 Nashville, TN - The Basement
• 09/26 Memphis, TN - Hi-Tone w/ Magnolia Electric Co.
• 09/27 Baton Rouge, LA - The Spanish Moon
• 09/29 Cincinnati, OH - East End Cafe
• 09/30 Athens, OH - The Union w/ Southeast Engine
• 10/05 Bloomington, IN - Second Story
• 10/06 Champaign, IL - Mike ‘n Molly’s
• 10/07 Murfreesboro, TN - Grand Palace Records
• 10/10 Austin, TX - Emo’s
• 10/13 Phoenix, AZ - Modified Arts
• 10/16 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
• 10/17 Hollywood, CA - Cinespace

Daytrotter Sessions - Bonnie Prince Billy

Bonnie Prince Billy is featured this week over at Daytrotter so be sure to check out his story and free songs.

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 6th, 2006

Chad VanGaalen - "Red Hot Drops" from Skelliconnection

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 5th, 2006

M. Ward - "Requiem" from Post-War

Favorite New Release of the Week - Sept. 5th, 2006

Grizzly Bear - Yellow House

Grizzly Bear have grown from one man, Edward Droste, in a bedroom to a four-piece band - and their second album soars over the high bar of expectations set by their 2004 debut, Horn of Plenty.

The psychedelic hues of their rustic folk have turned vivid, especially on shimmering opening track Easier, with banjo, acoustic guitar, wind and brass instruments enlisted alongside subtle electronica. The lo-fi has gone large-scale, each song slowly unfurling to reveal dense, dreamy rhythms, choirs of silky voices and opulent melodies rich in atmospherics.

It's like wandering through Brian Wilson's mind on a clear day in 1967. The searching waltz of Marla dances with the Beatles-esque Knife, while Plans is a clod-hopping journey through hope and Lullabye a claustrophobic dream. Yellow House isn't an album to dip into; instead you dive in and sink to the bottom, at once drenched in emotion and uplifted.

- Betty Clarke, September 1, 2006 via The Guardian

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 4th, 2006

Thom Yorke - "The Drunk Machine" from Harrowdown Hill - EP

$50 iTunes Gift Certificate Giveaway

To celebrate the site turning a year old I decided to give away a $50 iTunes gift certificate.  Thanks to everyone who entered and congrats to Juliet who won!

1 Year Ago Today...

I started doing whatever it is I've been doing on this site.  Hopefully those of you who have visited the site have enjoyed it and discovered some new music in the process.  For those of you who visit the site, I'd like to say thanks!  Be sure to check back on Monday when I'll announce a little giveaway in celebration of the sites 1 year anniversary.

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Sept. 1st, 2006

Archie Bronson Outfit - "Dart for My Sweetheart" from Derdang Derdang