The National @ Beacon Theater (Or Part 1in an On-going Joke of How Elwood Is No Longer With It)

The National; So Percussion
@ Beacon Theater
New York, NY - December 14, 2011

Sure I could write about how the National have AMPED up. How they are more of a full-on rock band than ever before without actually changing their songs or their sound. How they are now halfway to being a rock spectacle like their old forerunners the Arcade Fire. How Padma and Doveman weren't there but the horn section is a permanent component of the band. How Berninger was as playfully fun as he's ever been (A Dessner mess-up to the opening of "Fake Empire" prompted a faux "WHAT THE FUCK!" that I found endlessly hilarious for reasons I am still unclear on). And how they do not forget their Fine Arts-y affiliations (witness the Steve Reich-playing Blue Man Group/Stomp for the Caviar set opener called So Percussion).
But nah. Let's talk about me! It's the Internet, you know.

It wasn't that long ago that seeing the National was regular "Pennypacker-on-the-town" business. I was the first person through the door at Terminal 5 when they christened it. I was at the great BAM shows. Etc. Etc. The National were (and still are) part of my elite favorites that I go to on a regular listening basis when nothing else will suffice (you know the crew - the Hold Steady, Metric, and my beloved misfit Dirtbombs). But that's just it. The National were (are) part of the last wave of bands-of-the-moment that I attached myself to. I've been musically stuck in 2007, 2008 for all these years. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have been great. Grinderman/Nick Cave and Tom Waits have been the most exciting musical stories to me of late. See my upcoming Year in Review for more on the few new bands and much older bands that Pennypacker has been listening to.

I spent more time listening to the Replacements this year than any other band.
This is why this blog is no longer relevant.

But that's OK.

I didn't mean for this to happen. I meant to stay hip and cutting edge for a long time. I've already blamed myself and others (bad concert audiences, the Chillwave scene) for this as being a problem. But maybe it isn't a problem. Maybe it's perfectly reasonable stasis. There is nothing wrong with a band like the National being part of the apex, the climax, the ne plus ultra, of a music-learning life. Especially if part of the change is life around you.

The National, maybe more than any other band in the Pennypacker Trust, provide a soundtrack. Matt Berninger's seemingly non-sensical but probing lyrics have the right kind of mature ambiguity to narrate that time you went to a party and felt out of place (or worse, went to a party and felt completely IN place!), the time you went to buy a dryer with your girlfriend's mother, the time you told your friend about having this exact kind of pretentious meta-conversation with yourself and share it on an obscure slice of the Internet. And of course the soundtrack for when they don't have Ewephoria cheese at Fairway and you belt out a Berninger-style "WHAT THE FUCK!".
So this review should not serve as a final goodbye letter to Pennypacker the Schmuck Who Likes Rock n Roll. But it looks like it is the final goodbye to Pennypacker the Schmuck Who Thinks He Can Tell You Which Band to See Right Now. You're on your own. Good luck.

The National @ BAM

The National
@Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House
Brooklyn, NY - May 15, 2010

Years ago, the biggest band in Indie was the Arcade Fire. Premised on one record. And during their run for that record, they had as an opening act the National. Some five, six years later, the Arcade Fire are something of an occasional project that are thought of with more nostalgia than anything else. And the National have continued to rise and rise, in both popularity, praise, and in their own sense of sound and intensity. Record after record, show after show, the National build and build. Alligator may or may not prove to be the peak of their albums, but they have been riding a wave ever since, and right now, everything they touch turns to gold.

This charity show, filmed by DA Pennebaker, and broadcast live on YouTube (and archived here) was an Event. Capital E. Not because of the acclaimed filmmaker documenting it, not because of the celebrities in the crowd, but because the band made it so. People came to SEE and HEAR this band. And they got what they came for. During the immense "Bloodbuzz, Ohio", Matt Berninger made his way out into the crowd and lifted up by hand the seated members of the audience. Just because the National are a band for people with substance doesn't mean the people with substance can't let loose. It's in that way that a band that is sometimes as right and proper as the National can still lay claim to being a rock n roll band.

And the band radiated for all this. In the shine of all the lights from the broadcasting cameras, the National - joined by Padma, and Sufjan, and the rest of their extra bandmates - coursed through High Violet, a record that even with some soggy mid tracks, has enough of that rising tide of shimmering glow that define the band. The National probably break the record for most songs that give goosebumps.

Not to be outdone by the new record, prior successes found new ways to sparkle. "Apartment Story" has reached a new high, becoming something of an anthemic rock song. "All the Wine" is showcased as the heart-pumper it is, though it is being toyed with and reshaped as in an experiment. "Abel" and "Mr. November" remain the showstoppers, your last glimpses of the time our baritone vocalist screamed till he sounded like he bled. Like the last time the National played BAM, Berninger took it to the crowd over and above and across the seats, but this time all the way to the back and practically out the door. Again, despite their sometimes rigid milieu, the National are a ROCK band and you did come to see a rock show.

Perhaps enthused and embued with the energy of the crowd, and the momentum of all the new record is bringing, the National were as talkative and happy as I've ever seen them. Matt wasn't just doing his hypnotic fits, he was letting us know he was enjoying doing them. Good lord, there was even lengthy joking banter between the band. Everything clicked.

So this band is an event. But they make that connection on an intimate level. And this band is in some snazzy company. But they aren't part of a hard-to-figure-out elite. They're just some guys from Cincinnati who moved to Brooklyn and play in a band and they just so happened to become the best at what they do.

The Sonic Parthenon Playlist: Spring 2010 Part 1

In continued proof that the album is dead, this period's playlist is almost exclusively singles. The two exceptions are almost unfair givens, especially considering I only listened to one of them in full for the first time today. That being said, the next playlist may very well be almost entirely made of albums as the Summer of 2010 promises to be a ridiculously productive LP season.

Against Me - "I Was A Teenage Anarchist"
I once dismissed band as a pop-punk throwaway with a take-it-or-leave-it social consciousness, but they got me. An anthem for every bitter, disappointed, idealistic, ideological lefty who remembers their youth of rage when they caught they could make a difference. Sigh. Old times.

Apples in Stereo - "Dance Floor"
Club-infused rock has become the almost dominant form of Indie rock, at least in terms of the screaming multitudes of bands (while more varied and more conventional Indie rock acts - the Spoons, the Animal Collectives, the Grizzzzzzzzzzzzly Bears - zzzz's for sleep) are considered the elite. The very cheery, sunny Apples in Stereo take a stab at the dance floor with "Dance Floor" and completely obliterate everyone else away. The record is probably good. I should listen to it. Soundtrack of the summer.

Birthday Suits - "Table Talk"
A loud, boisterous bit of speak-sing rock. Cute band name.

Julian Casablancas - "Out of the Blue"
Phrazes for the Young kind of loses its way but at least I gave it a try. This single from the Strokes singer's solo record is not only the best of the bunch, it is a killer. The opening verse is some of the most amazing lyrics I've heard in a long, long time:

Somewhere along the way
My hopefulness turned to sadness
Somewhere along the way
My sadness turned to bitterness
Somewhere along the way
My bitterness turned to anger
Somewhere along the way
My anger turned to vengeance
And the ones that I make pay
But never the ones who deserve it
And the ones who deserve it
They'll never understand it.
Yes, I know I'm going to hell in a purple basket
At least I'll be in another world
But you'll be pissing on my casket

Goldfrapp - "Rocket"
So this Lady Gaga. Everyone seems to be making a big deal of this Lady Gaga. Thing is, someone out there kind of has all that same magnetism, and that penchant for catchy, Euro club hooks & melodies, without making a fool of herself. Her name is Alison Goldfrapp. And yes that is her real name. I guess.

John Hiatt - "The Open Road"
Johh Hiatt is more of a respected songwriter than anything else which is a damn shame because he has some of the most thoroughly lasting recording work of any of his peers. From "Sure As I'm Sitting Here" to Slow Turning and Bring The Family to "Perfectly Good Guitar" and "Everybody Went Low", he has never stopped making great music. He didn't break with "My Baby Blue" a few years ago and he's done it again "The Open Road". He has always been one of my favorite artists if only because he makes a hit, it's a grand slam.

The Hold Steady - Heaven is Whenever
You know I like it. But seriously - "The Weekenders" - should be a big hit putting the boys in stadiums. And maybe it just will. Or not. Either way, it's not Separation Sunday or Boys & Girls in America but it is good. Very very good. It is equal parts blatant pop-rock and total classic rock throwback. But there is still the deference to the bar band and hardcore punk that are the combined roots of Craig Finn's lyrics and musical preferences. It's not the Kirby Puckett-style home run of their two big documents, but it's a triple if not an in-the-park play-at-the-plate, like Stay Positive (like the end of the Twins-Braves World Series). Think I'm done with the baseball analogies?

Jaguar Love - "I Started A Fire"
I will never forget how I saw all of 15 seconds of this band at Siren Festival to walk away. It was that bad that fast. Yet, back then they also had "Highways of Gold" which was a catchy rocker once you got passed the grating high pitched vocals of Johnny Whitney (formerly of the terrible Blood Brothers). Now in "I Started a Fire", Whitney has tempered the vocals some and it makes for another hit song. I am almost sorry I hated those 15 seconds. Almost.

Damien Jurado - "Arkansas"
It took a couple of weeks after listening to this song to realize I've seen this guy. He opened for Okkervil River on The Stage Names tour. He was so serene and Indie (big I) as to fade away but that laid back style has found its footing. This almost doo-wop-ish memory is serene in the right way.

Lonelady - "Intuition"
I know nothing much except that I like this song. That goes for knowledge of the artist and life in general. The Internet gives me knowledge. Of the artist. Not necessarily life in general. Are we understood?

The National - High Violet
Upon initial listen of the whole LP, it seems "Blood Buzz Ohio" may be the true highlight. But by no means have the National struck out. "Terrible Love" - which comes off gleaming in that Pitchfork film - is exactly the National as we know them, before a few tracks establish a bit of a more inward, less dramatic affair (not so much a return to the first couple records as a new way of looking at old things). "Afraid of Everyone" represents the real new approach to this record: Matt Berninger has forsaken those Alligator screams seemingly for good. After the bass-voiced Boxer, Matt seems to have discovered a steady higher pitch for large swaths of song. It's good. But the bass in that lurking, menacingly disarming voice is the gravity of the band. To say nothing of the continued swells of symphonic fury the Dessners and Devendorffs do so well. The National's most "Chamber Pop" sounding record yet, (a label I never quite liked but maybe finally understand), High Violet ends with an incredible back-half. It looked the National were going down early in the 5th but leave it to the regional relatives of the Big Red Machine to come from behind and win in the bottom of the 9th. I told you I wasn't done with baseball analogies.

The Sonic Parthenon Playlist: Late April 2009

Army Navy - "Saints"
It's really come to be that today's Indie rock was yesterday's radio hit. In another time and place, this easy California power pop number would have stood atop rock radio. Today, it's an Indie cut. Go figure. Macho men may not dig it, but it's a sweet sound to be passed around, that's for sure.

Metric - Fantasies
The first big candidate for album of the year, Fantasies proves that Metric is indeed making its mark as one of THE bands of this decade. It's one of those fine tuned affairs, well-crafted mixes of rock and dance, and it provides endless loops of melodies to treasure. "Help, I'm Alive", "Sick Muse", "Satellite Mind", and "Gimme Sympathy" are hits tried and true, "Collect Call" is the slick, sensual pop ballad to think about, and it all culminates in the anthem-ready "Stadium Love". This one will be on all year.

Knight School - "Pregnant Again"
If BBQ or Biram were into the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, this is what it would sound like. Thanks to Oh My Rockness for alerting me to this one, it's been a frequent diddy to hum these last couple months.

The National - "So Far Around The Bend"
Dark Was The Night - the AIDS charity comp produced by the Dessner brothers in the National is a large box of contemplative, impressive Indie sounds (especially the Justin Vernon tracks) but the Dessners and their bandmates run roughshod over their friends with this one amazing single that is as good as just about anything this band has produced and that is a high mark to follow.

Bob Dylan - songs from Together Through Life
"Beyond Here Lies Nothin'" is really all it takes to prove that the old man is still living high off his Time Out of Mind rebirth as a bluesman.

Funeral Party - "Car Wars"
Remember a band called the Music? This band sounds just like that band. You'd have thought the 80's dance-pop revival of the last couple years would have kept the Music in the scene but they turned rock with "Freedom Fighters" and then disappeared. These guys also sound like the Rapture. Remember the Rapture? I miss those guys.

The Redwood Plan - "Something to Prove"
A deliberately cheesy anthem song made special by an oddly-voiced female who enunciates every word so succinctly, she sounds like a quaint woman not really involved in the rock scene but discovering the inner Joan Jett inside her.

Comp Crazy

Two potentially mind-blowing charity compilations will be coming out soon, chock full of new material and covers by some pretty snazzy artists. Stereogum has been covering these two developing mega-comps and here's the basic plot so far:

Dark Was The Night is an AIDS-charity comp curated by Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National (who contribute an amazing cut, "So Far Around The Bend"). A collaboration track between David Byrne and Dirty Projectors has already been released.

The track listing:

THIS DISC (DISC ONE):

1. "Knotty Pine" - Dirty Projectors + David Byrne
2. "Cello Song" - The Books featuring Jose Gonzalez
3. "Train Song" - Feist and Ben Gibbard
4. "Brackett, WI" - Bon Iver
5. "Deep Blue Sea" - Grizzly Bear
6. "So Far Around The Bend" - The National
7. "Tightrope" - Yeasayer
8. "Feeling Good" - My Brightest Diamond
9. "Dark Was The Night" - Kronos Quartet
10. "I Was Young When I Left Home" - Antony with Bryce Dessner
11. "Big Red Machine" - Justin Vernon + Aaron Dessner
12. "Sleepless" - The Decemberists
13. "Stolen Houses (Die)" - Iron & Wine
14. "Service Bell" - Grizzly Bear + Feist
15. "You Are The Blood" - Sufjan Stevens


THAT DISC (DISC TWO):

1. "Well-Alright" - Spoon
2. "Lenin" - Arcade Fire
3. "Mimizan" - Beirut
4. "El Caporal" - My Morning Jacket
5. "Inspiration Information" - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
6. "With A Girl Like You" - Dave Sitek
7. "Blood Pt. 2" - Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens and Serengeti)
8. "Hey, Snow White" - The New Pornographers
9. "Gentle Hour" - Yo La Tengo
10. "Amazing Grace" - Cat Power
11. "Happiness" - Riceboy Sleeps
12. "Another Saturday" - Stuart Murdoch
13. "The Giant Of Illinois" - Andrew Bird
14. "Lua" - Conor Oberst with Gillian Welch
15. "When The Road Runs Out" - Blonde Redhead & Devastations
16. "Love Vs. Porn" - Kevin Drew

Do you see Gillian Welch in there?! Gillian Welch!

Meanwhile, War Child, a non-profit designed to help children who are victims of conflict, will be boosted by a compilation record, Heroes featuring some bands who are finally putting on record the kinds of covers we would have expected. Today, Stereogum posted Lilly Allen's cover of the Clash, and Hot Chip's cover of Joy Division. Here's the rest of the hit list:

01. Beck (Bob Dylan: "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat")
02. The Kooks (The Kinks: "Victoria")
03. The Hold Steady (Bruce Springsteen: "Atlantic City")
04. Hot Chip (Joy Division: "Transmission")
05. Lily Allen (The Clash: "Straight To Hell")
06. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Ramones: "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker")
07. Franz Ferdinand (Blondie: "Call Me")
08. Duffy (Paul McCartney: "Live And Let Die")
09. Estelle (Stevie Wonder: "Superstition")
10. Rufus Wainwright (Brian Wilson: "Wonderful/ Song For Children")
11. Scissor Sisters (Roxy Music: "Do The Strand")
12. Peaches (Iggy Pop and The Stooges: "Search And Destroy")
13. Adam Cohen (Leonard Cohen: "Take This Waltz")
14. Elbow (U2: "Running To Stand Still")
15. The Like (Elvis Costello: "You Belong To Me")
16. TV On The Radio (David Bowie: "Heroes")

At long last - the Hold Steady do Springsteen, TVOTR do Bowie, and there are more excuses to look at photos of Lilly Allen.

The records will be officially released on consecutive days: Heroes on 2/16, and Dark Was the Night on 2/17.

Sonic Parthenon's The Year In Music 2008: Part 5

Magnetic Fields
"Nun's Littany" and "California Girls" - two examples of Stephen Merritt channeling the Jesus and Mary Chain and running away with it. Remember when the Raveonettes sounded like this? I wish they still did.

Maps of Norway
One song - "The Runout" and not much more is known about this Minnesota band. Just one compelling song, recalling the best of Blondie, New Wave, and the early 2000's revival. A beautiful female voice leading a crackerjack band. Thanks to MPR's Song of the Day for this.

Metric
Metric technically put out nothing in 2008 but that mattered none. With a late 2007 release of their Live at Metropolis DVD, and working on their new record for most of this year, the band didn't lose a step. The August concert at the Highline Ballroom may have been the show of the year for its consistency, for its absolute perfection. A month later, Emily and Jimmy showed up at Union Pool to play an acoustic set of the upcoming record, sans the much loved "Stadium Love". Late in the year, they gave Canadian radio "Help I'm Alive", a hopeful signature of a stellar album to come. If 2009 isn't going to be dominated by Metric, I'll be very surprised.

Murder by Death
With the stunningly good Red of Tooth & Claw, Bloomington's Murder by Death ended its long New York drought with a killer show at the Bowery Ballroom. They returned with an opening slot for Gogol Bordello at McCarren Park, and they'll be back again soon, making up for all the lost time. Considering how great Red of Tooth & Claw is, it should keep them going for a good couple of years.

MGMT
MGMT owned 2008 in both the mainstream and Indie circles. And though their shows are impossible to get into their music is not. "Time to Pretend" became a real hit in 2008, while "Kids" backed it up with an even catchier melody. "Electric Feel" had both of those songs beat plus the rest of the record and most of the music of the year. In fact, one of the best songs of the decade and one of the best party songs of all time.

My Teenage Stride
On the strength of the exceptional "To Live & Die in the Airport Lounge", one of the great local bands kept the spirit of pop alive. Their show at Don Hill's was fun and they promise to keep making good music but it will be hard to top that instant classic.

The National
Unlike most years, in which a Best Album of the Year loses its title to something from the same year heard in the ensuing 12-24 months, the National are looking good to hold onto 2007's title with Boxer. They didn't need to do much in 2008 so they put out The Virginia EP, a pleasant collection of Boxer excess plus some other tidbits. Ignoring the pretentious and poorly-directed documentary made about them, and considering their exquisite show at the BAM Opera House, as well as their fine opening for R.E.M., the National are heading into 2009 with the signature of a band with one foot in the door of all time greatness.

O’Death
Like a grimy snowball, the O'Death boys took their 2007 shenanigans and turned it into a full-on scuzzy hoedown in 2008, with extremely good opening slots for Murder by Death and Flogging Molly. And now they have the money to buy shirts so they have no excuses.

Obama
He may not play an instrument, he may not be able to sing, but Barack Obama either was part of or inspired a church of music that energized and emboldened a couple of generations to get together and elect the man President. With Stevie Wonder's "Sign, Sealed, Delivered" leading the charge, with Jay-Z and Will.I.Am keeping the youth involved and Will in particular making poetry of the man's words, with a couple of fellows named Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel playing TOGETHER for him, and a host of DIY tunes in the man's name spanning genres and continents, music never played such a big role in an election. Best moment: The use of U2's "City of Blinding Light" for his stage entrance at the Convention, capturing a slice of American history we will never forget and inspiring a re-evaluation of a forgotten gem from the band's last record.

The Okmoniks
Sexy, sexy, sexy. Oh and rock n' roll.

The Orion Experience
From their Luna Lounge performance early in the year to their CMJ jamboree at Public Assembly, the Orion Experience essentially introduced themselves in 2008 and aim to be sticking around. The band's album is a bevy of sexually charged bubblegum delight, led by "Sexy Dynamite", "The Queen of White Lies", and "Obsessed with You".

Black Cab Sessions: The National, Langhorne Slim, Daniel Johnston, Others

This is a pretty neat idea. Film an artist or artists playing acoustically in the back of a black cab in London.
The producer recently appeared on Soundcheck:


Web Site

The National:


Langhorne Slim:


Daniel Johnston:

R.E.M.; Modest Mouse; The National @ MSG

R.E.M.; Modest Mouse; The National
@ Madison Square Garden
New York, NY - June 19, 2008

When I first caught wind of this tour, I instantly assumed that it would be the kind of thing where R.E.M. would pass the torch to the National as the Indie-ethic Pop-Rock Band of the Nation (sorry Mr. Brock for skipping you over). I don't know how the rest of the tour has gone, but based on the sound in the Garden tonight, if you were new to the National, you were probably not very impressed, and you also had no reason to see R.E.M. pass on or cede anything.

Stipe, Buck, Mills, and their two amigos came out wailing and they never let up. Playing only a couple of ballads, and everything being short and sweet, R.E.M. made the case for arena rock to live on just a little bit longer. The hypnotic goings on behind the band - a series of screens that relayed the scene on stage as if it was an already edited and produced performance video - were not only beyond impressive, they were actually distracting. At one point, it was even safe to wonder if the show would have been half as interesting without it. But the ferocity of "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" and "Bad Day" easily silenced that. Other highlights included the Mike Mills-led "Don't Go Back to Rockville", the Johnny Marr-joined "Fall on Me", "Losing My Religion", "Supernatural Superserious", "The One I Love", and "Man on the Moon". Michael Stipe did something I never thought he did...ever: He smiled and laughed a lot. In his dapper striped suit, the ever chatty, chrome domed Stipe had his usual political things to say but had even more to say in the field of being friendly, open, and inviting. Like the band's music.

Isaac and the gang in Modest Mouse sounded exactly as they should have. In fact they sounded even better when I closed my eyes and let their music wash over me. Like their records, either you like it or you don't or you like some of it. I fall into that third category. "Dashboard" was the real highlight, though "Fire It Up" also stood out. Something tells me they are tearing it up right now at the Music Hall of Williamsburg with their sudden late show.

While the Garden was kind to R.E.M. and Modest Mouse, it was surprisingly a bit rough on Brooklyn's best. The hollow cavern of the arena stilted the strings and winds of all types as the National were in deluxe mode, Padma Newsome and the horn section all in cahoots. Of course they didn't sound bad, but if you were new to the band tonight, you wouldn't think they were full of lush, symphonic melodies. In fact, you would have thought they were a loud rock band, as all that came through were the beats and some of the Dessner guitar grind. If there was anything on the up and up, it was Berringer's voice. Already something divine live, Matt's vocals seemed even more powerful and more prominent in the arena.

It's funny. When I first started praising and passing on the gospel of the National, my immediate pitch to the uninitiated was "a little like R.E.M.". Tonight, the two bands couldn't have sounded more different. Don't be fooled though. Whether they were chilling with "Fake Empire" or inspiring warmth with the Barack-dedicated "Mr. November" (I called that one a year ago, though the "Great White Hope" line may not be the best thing to bandy about), the National still laid claim to the mantle that was fashioned by bands like R.E.M. two decades ago - thoughtful, intricate pop-rock that despite whatever torrent of sub-genre labels one may wish to slap down, transcends categories and simply inspires.

Fair Game Canceled. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

In one of the biggest media crimes of the decade, Public Radio International has axed Fair Game (I figured something was up when the show was in repeats for way too long on either side of Memorial Day). Read here and here for the details - though interestingly, the cancellation is yet to be acknowledged on the show web site. The podcast is still being updated with old shows and segments.

As it is noted in places on the links, the comedy on the show was mixed at best. All of Faith's cohorts were pretty annoying (the program could feel like a bad imitation of The Daily Show for radio). But Faith herself is/was a fantastic host. Smart, well-informed, asking very pointed, and very substantive questions, especially by public radio standards, she tooks things to a new level. It also helped that she is absolutely cute as a button in every way possible.

As with most good public radio shows, Fair Game provided informative news segments on issues and trends, and it was also a great source for interviews on independent cinema. But most important of all, it was one of the best sources for new Indie music. The bookings were sensational. Even the artists that I personally did not care for, I respected their presence on the show. Except when they ignored my request for the Dirtbombs and kept the CD I sent. But that was under their old music coordinator so who knows.

The entire Fair Game music catalog

Highlights:
Camera Obscura
Heavy Trash
Holly Golightly
Via Audio and Orba Squara
Au Revoir Simone
The National
The Magnetic Fields
Mountain Goats
Norah Jones
Goldfrapp
Clare & The Reasons
Ira Glass (he's not music but he's Ira Glass so there)

:(

New Hold Steady; National; El Madmo - All Out Today

The new single from the forthcoming Stay Positive is out today on Itunes but you can hear it on the Hold Steady's MySpace page right now. SAXOPHONE!

The National's film - A Skin, A Night - is out on DVD today.

El Madmo - the new Norah Jones project - are out with their debut record today.

Encore, Encore: The National @ BAM

The National; My Brightest Diamond
@ Brooklyn Academy of Music Howard Gilman Opera House
Brooklyn, NY - February 23, 2008

The National took advantage of the excellent acoustics at the BAM Opera House on this, their second of two nights closing out the Brooklyn Next festival. Backed by strings, reeds, and horns (and on "Ada" by Sufjan Stevens), in front of beautiful backdrops, and in a gorgeous piece of art & architecture that is the opera house, the band made a very strong case for the superlative "best band in the world". Though it is a title not given to any band out of the cause of mental health, these guys really are taking a stab it.
The enthralling, enchanting voice and aura of Matt Berninger, singing his peerless lyrics, provide the depth and direction for the bedrock, original sound of the band. They articulate his words in song just about as good as he can himself. This is one successful arrangement. And when he's off running into the crowd, standing on arm rests to pound out "Mr. November", the band is holding the fort down on stage. When he's, whether he admits it or not, essaying the definitive capture of these times in this country in "Fake Empire", they are finding new ways to build a chamber of ethereal and heart pumping sound. And when they all work together as the unit they are on the now classic "Abel" or the towering, perfect "Apartment Story", it is simply the best. Period. The best.
Only 1 disappointment: No "All The Wine". Scandalous.

My Brightest Diamond, the project of Shara Worden, was a quality choice of an opener for this particular kind of show. A hybrid of classical, opera, cabaret, American Gothic, and punk (yes that reads like a description of an electronic-less Bjork but there is some originality here of the first order), this is an acquired taste even if one is aiming to see even a symphonic chamber rock band like the National. If you have the patience, this will work for you. It also helps to be in the setting that it is in.

The National on Fair Game

It was a packed edition so the band was only on the air for one song but you can hear their full set here.

The band will be at BAM's Opera House this Friday and Saturday and L Magazine says it best:
If we were passengers on Oceanic flight #815 from Sydney to L.A., we would want our time-honored "one CD allowed if stranded on a deserted island" pick to be The National's Boxer.

The National Coming to Fair Game

Stereogum leaks the news that the Cinci-five have recorded a set for Faith and the gang, to air presumably soon.

Update: tomorrow.

Dream Ticket: R.E.M., The National, and Modest Mouse

The most local date right now is Jones Beach on June 14th. Then down in Philly at the Mann Center on the 18th. A Gotham date is set for the 19th, venue TBA.

If the National aren't huge after this, Pennypacker will eat his newest fedora.

Sonic Parthenon's The Year In Music 2007: Part 4

The National

• Live Show
• Record: Boxer
• Songs: “Mistaken For Strangers”; “Apartment Story”.
  

Along with Camera Obscura and the Hold Steady, the National dominated 2007.

This triumvirate of bands took up, arguably, the most blog time, the most listens, and the most energy. In the case of the National, it was the most blissfully dark. The band’s penchant for salty and raw but nevertheless dramatic lyrics coated in a garden of lush sounds – spanning a line from Joy Division to Bruce Springsteen – makes them a true standout. The boys are a thinking band, a thoughtful band, a deliberative band but also a no frills, unfiltered, savage excursion into base feelings about the bleak state of the world, the urges of human behavior, and maybe even the melancholia of the good things in life. In addition to having one of the records of the year and two of the best singles of the year (“Apartment Story” should find itself in the Top 10 singles of the decade in a few years) the Brooklyn-by-Cinci boys put on a heck of a show and they even made Terminal 5 sound good on its opening night.
"Apartment Story":

Mistaken For Strangers
Fake Empire (on Letterman)
SPTV: "Mr. November" at Terminal 5

“Need Your Needs” by Georgie James
Very late in the year, this sugary, peppy, dance-rock single made a big impact on the SP earbuds. Stay tuned for more of it in 2008.


Norah Jones

• Record: Not Too Late
• Song: “Thinking About You”
  

Norah’s been long forgotten by the Indie crowd (if she was ever really accepted) but that didn’t stop her from putting out a decent LP that has a lovely title track and a single – “Thinking About You” - that would probably win the old fashioned Best Single by a Female Vocalist award. And that would have been her fourth win in six years.


“North American Scum” by LCD Soundsystem
This one is finding it’s way on a lot of year-end best-of lists and for good reason, James Murphy’s production project doubles as a good rock n’ roll band. And best of all: Murphy sounds like he’s singing with a cold.


Okkervil River

• Live Show
• Record: The Stage Names
• Song: “Our Life Is Not Like A Movie But Maybe”
  

In a great year for band singles, Okkervil’s “Our Life…” rivals the National’s “Apartment Story” for single of the year and also has a best-of-the-decade slot in its future. It is one of the greatest post-break-up analysis songs ever written and Will Sheff sings it with an unmatched passion. The live scene delivers on all the goods – it is truly knee shaking. And oh yeah, The Stage Names is one of the best albums of the year.


Pianos
A hell of a year for the Lower East Side venue: The Hard Lessons, the Love Me Nots, and Looker put on excellent shows. And they have a nice, accommodating person working the live space door.

“Postcard to Nina” by Jens Lekman
A very sweet, very introverted bit of romantic comedy by Indie darling Lekman. His affable attempt to masquerade as his lesbian friend’s boyfriend in front of her old fashioned family makes for a fun 4 minute romp, aided and abetted by a heavy dose of blue eyed soul in the background. It was quite the year for soul music as led by the ladies mentioned elsewhere and producers like Mark Ronson. But this Swedish single may have trumped them all.
Stream

“Radio Nowhere” by Bruce Springsteen
Magic was a turkey, sorry. The opening salvo though was the Boss’ best single in 25 years, which made the ensuing LP all the more disappointing when it turned out to be so bad. But it’s always better to have Bruce around than not. He’s Bruce. And you’re not.
Video

Jay Reatard

• Live Show
• Record: Blood Visions
• Song: “Blood Visions”
  

You may notice no account of the Black Lips in this year-end review. Well that’s because everyone else has them covered (and boy have they been put into overkill. Remember when they played every couple months to no one? That was a long time ago). Next up in the garage punk-turned-hipster-cavalcade is Jay Reatard, though unlike the Black Lips, it remains to be seen if he will embrace the hipsters back. Jay is a tough, tough dude. But despite the uninviting atmosphere, he puts on a hell of a show in support of a more than decent punk record. He also sports some damn fine vocals.
SPTV at CMJ:


“Rehab” by Amy Winehouse
Blah blah blah blah, it’s all about Mark Ronson OK? And the Dap Kings. That’s it. Other than that, she should win an award for Best-Description-Of-My-Pathetic-Life-Turned-Smash-Hit-Single. Whatever.
Video

Josh Ritter

• Live Show

The Historical Conquests may not have been the totally perfect follow up to Animal Years (Pre-Camera Obscura and Hold Steady, the best album of last year), but Josh can do it live.
SPTV Insta-Clip

“Rock N Roll Backlash” by the Woggles
The last of the pocket of Little Steven pushed singles, the razzle dazzle nitty gritty Woggles did what they do best: make fun songs. Still best to see them live though.
Sample

Rodrigo Y Gabriela by Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Another 2006 release but that didn’t stop the duo from packing headlining Roseland at CMJ. Perfect, consistent guitar. Bravo.
"Tamacun" live

Carina Round

• Live Show
• Record: Slow Motion Addict
• Songs: “Come To You”, “Stolen Car”
  

It was a smashing year for British siren Carina Round as she toured in support of her superior follow-up record. “Come To You” and “Stolen Car” are two of the best songs heard this year. And she’s a darling live singer.

New Blanche, National Videos

Well, relatively new:

Blanche's "No Matter Where You Go":


The National's "Apartment Story":

Pop The Champagne: The National Inaugurate Terminal 5

The National; St. Vincent
@ Terminal 5
New York, NY - October 11th 2007

This review was going to be prefaced with a lengthy analysis of the last seven years and how the great Indie revival of rock n' roll could be split in two between a more rockin', fast-paced, stripped down first half and a more mature, thematic, thoughtful second half...but why bother? In reality, it was just an excuse to explain how relevant music jumped from the Hives and Vines to the National. No matter. Let's get into this thing.

First, welcome to Terminal 5. This blogger, by happenstance and without much effort, became the first patron to enter the venue on opening night (trying to escape from the pouring rain can lead to good things). I was able to take in the entire place in its near emptiness and appreciated what the Bowery Presents is attempting to do. A comfortable large venue, with cushioned seats to relax in back - on 2 upper levels - with great surround views of the MASSIVE platformed stage. Granted, the stage looks a bit like a High School prom, but no matter. Terminal 5, in just its opening minutes of existence, promised to be a landmark venue for New York.

While this blogger became a most minor footnote in history, St. Vincent became a more significant one when she became the first artist to play the room. Initially, her deep, dark sound resonated well, and that mysterious three-prong tower of light behind her made for an impressive view, but it became apparent that the material felt hollow without a backing band. She is a gifted singer and songwriter (see/hear "Marry Me John"), but a one-person act for such constructed music just won't do.

Then arrived the National. The National are truly a strong intake of musical oxygen, a deep inhalation of several sounds that, when exhaled, produce something unified and special. Americana roots rock, British 80's pop, and assortment of folk sounds seem to make their way - and who knows if the band would even agree to that - into the distinct, original pop of this most sturdy and yet relaxed of bands. The brothers Dessner and Devendorf recall a host of bands that are tiring to name but they do not sound like them at all. It's a paradigm of sorts. And if it isn't, let's call it one anyway. But more important than the meat-and-potatoes of the stew, it is the end product that defines the band: Inspiring, emotional, soaring, at times anthemic, and at times introspective, and always meaningful. Lead singer Matt Berninger shares the gravity with the rest of the band but at the same time, he commands a marked presence. That voice of his, one of the finest voices in music today, is so loud without even approaching upper octaves. When he does sing loud, it is so much more special than when other singers wail frequently, and it has all the more impact. And when he's in moment, in his trance, he brings everyone into it with him.

Photos
There are too many highlights to mention, from the opening strains of "Start A War" to the thunderous finale of "Mr. November". As the encore got underway, Matt popped some champagne in honor of the new house, and poured a little on the floor in honor of it all. Cheers.

An SPTV Special: The Debut of Terminal 5 Starring the National

"Mistaken for Strangers":

October 2007 Concert Calendar Highlights

-Mountain Goats is sold out tonight but he's playing Studio B tomorrow.

-On Saturday, there is a great alternative to the Arcade Fire-led mega show at Randall's Island: The Hard Lessons at Union Hall.

-The Pipettes cute it up at the Filmore on the 8th.

-Jay Reatard is basically a resident in New York for a chunk of this month with 2 sets of 3 nights in a row, first the week of the 9th at Death by Audio, the Cake Shop, and Don Hill's and then later at CMJ.

-Remember the Hives? They're playing Webster Hall on the 9th before they open up for...wait for it...Maroon 5 at Madison Square Garden. While my exterior patrician facade shows no change, know that inside I am laughing my ass off.

-Remember the Donnas? You're better off seeing them than the Hives on the 10th. They'll be at the Highline Ballroom if you're feeling silly.

-Some chick named P.J. Harvey is playing the Beacon on the 10th.

-The Raveonettes are also doing a 3 night run around town starting on the 10th.

-Terminal 5, the city's next mega venue, kicks off its impressive calendar with the National and St. Vincent on Thursday the 11th. The following two nights, the National will be playing at the smaller confines of the Music Hall of Williamsburg.

-The CMJ Music Marathon kicks off on the 16th. Check back for all the details.

-Starting Monday the 22nd, Morrissey begins a week-long at the Hammerstein. What a guy!

-Khannie and the B, also known as the King Khan and BBQ Show will be at the Cake Shop on the 25th and in Williamsburg the next two nights.

-The Go Team has already sold out their Bowery Ballroom show for the 28th. They'll be at Studio B the next night.

-Halloween night is pretty major this year: The Police, The Black Crowes, Ryan Adams, Demons Claws, and Zap Mama. The best bet is with Ryan but it sold out in just a couple days back in August. Rats.

Sonic Parthenon TV Insta-Clips

Ta Da!

Presenting a series of short clips, taken mostly from Mr. Pennypacker's mobile cellular device. These clips are, for the most part, utterly horrible - not because of the bands obviously, but because of the nature of the device used to take them. But nevertheless, they stand as a record of Sonic Parthenon giggage, and also they stand because Mr. Pennypacker does not know how to use Bluetooth.
As a sample, here is a little of Camera Obscura (yes, I know, I can't stop writing about them!) from their intimate performance at Sound Fix:

Also, the DirtBlanche clips have been moved to this playlist.

The National Conversation

The National; The Forms; Takka Takka
@ South Street Seaport
New York, NY - August 17, 2007

The weather toyed with the packed crowd at the South Street Seaport for this free show headlined by one of the most talked about bands in the country. Rain cut short the sets of the opening acts but finally cleared for good for the main event. The National are critics' darlings (and darlings of the Boss as well), and they have a pretty large and loyal fanbase which have come into being after two excellent records, Alligator and Boxer. The Cincinnati-by-Brooklyn quintet take their serious music pretty seriously but they seem to have a good time doing it in their congenial, pleasant way. They aren't so much too-cool-for-school up there as they are committed and concentrated and content. Whether they are doing their nimble, lightfooted numbers like "Start A War", or their dark New Wave-inspired single "Mistaken for Strangers", or their one real rocker, "Abel", the National are a fluid operation and their body of work is fast becoming a canon for this generation. The National are the best band to listen to thoughtfully while walking or driving in the New York night, and bathed in the reflective light of the lower Manhattan skyline, they hit all the right notes.
Despite the short sets, both the Forms and Takka Takka made an impact. The Forms are more or less on target with their brand of near power-popish indie rock. And Takka Takka's indie rock sounded better this time than at their show at Union Hall a few months ago. And if any of this is inaccurate, then clearly the short sets did cause a cloud under the rain.