In Stores Now: Autolux, Future Perfect

Julian playing along with Autolux.

So the Autolux record was released this week (remember the first Sellout's Steal of the Week?). If you're in Little Rock, Rod has it in stock at Anthro-Pop.

I'm sure I've already told you how much I like this record.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: Campervan Beethoven

So I'm trying to be topical this week. . . No, nothing political. I searched the iPod for something good and spooky for halloween and here it is. From Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, Campervan Beethoven's rendition of the traditional tune "Oh Death." You might remember Ralph Stanley's recent version in that movie with all the traditional music in it.

Funny story: Once in a high school latin class (or was it world history?), we divided into groups and made videos for extra credit. My group performed the killing scene from Julius Caesar. Liberal use of Heinz Ketchup. (uh hum). I, of course, put myself in charge of the "film's" soundtrack. After his death, we had Ceesar stand and lip sync to this song. Art.

Speaking of art, we taped the whole thing at Jennifer Rice's house.

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P.S. I just heard the new Campervan record and it's really good. I hear it's a concept record, but I didn't quite grasp the concept upon first listen.

P.P.S. I hope he doesn't mind sharing his bandwidth, but I highly recommend Mike Wolf's voting "mix tape" over at Randomness Personified.

The Unreliable Narrator Strikes Again

So the raging Dylan discussion going on in the comments made me finally get around to posting about Chronicle Vol 1. I have to admit I was suspicious at first and not really expecting much. Dylan is famous for creating his own mythology, and I fully expected the book to be more of the same. I read it anyway.

I know I shouldn't have been, but I was really surprised at what a great read it is. I was also surprised to find at least two stories in the book that I've heard told straight from people who were there at the time (the most entertaining being the Lanois Dobro episode). I have to say I think Dylan is shooting pretty straight this time. Of course, I suppose I don't really care either way. I am a fan, after all.

I realize he purposefully wrote about Oh Mercy and New Morning instead of Blood on the Tracks and Blonde on Blonde, but I have hopes we get the return of Lanois (and the dobro!) in Vol. 2. The dobro story and his wish that he would have invited Dickinson to the session look like forshadowing to me. . . The story goes that Bob brought a dobro to the Time Out of Mind sessions and taunted the producer with it when the powers-that-be tried to strong arm him.

And like Dr. Sax, I'm afraid the whole counting 3s instead of 2s thing went right over my head.

The Easys Get Lost:Halloween Show This Saturday Night

Beware the Sophomore Slump

So the Easys started recording our second record today. . . Basic tracks for 10 songs. We tracked the first album over a weekend, and then took several long months to finish vocals and mix. We don't have a timeframe set yet for completing this one, but I wouldn't be suprised if we began, completed, and released the new boondogs record before finishing this one!

In any case, we'll post reports here from the various sessions. The big news today is this record belongs to Rob. Synth-heavy, and (gasp) featuring electric drums on some tracks. They (the powers-that-be) have promised me more ELO than Wham! and I think that's what we'll end up with. I do like that New Order electric snare sound. . .

If you haven't heard the first Easys record, jump over to the Loudmouth Mastering site for a free download. If you like it, go buy it at boondogs.com.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: September 67

For about a month in 1997 I worked in the music section of a Borders Books and Music. One of my jobs was to pull all the returns that the store was giving up on and sending back to the distributor for credit. I was aware of Shannon Worrell, but hadn't heard the September 67 record yet. When I got the orders to send it back to the label, I bought it and took it home instead.

It turned out to be a touchstone record for us. Semi-acoustic arrangements, great understated drumming, lyrical nods to Flannery O'Connor.

Shannon has since retired from music, which is a drag for us, but good for her, I'm sure. I still find the record in cut-out bins. FYI, David Lowery made this record with a bunch of folks who worked on the first Sparklehorse record.

September 67: "Busy Building":
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Seven Hours is a World Away: A New Orleans Journal

So we pulled into New Orleans at 11pm Friday night. Despite the provisions packed carefully that afternoon, we still stopped for food on the road. Oh well. Good intentions and all that. After a slight delay at the home of our accomodating hosts (I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say Kirk D. and Red Chuck were fast friends after surviving said ordeal), Chuck and I lit out for a drink at the Columns Hotel (as pictured above).


It was only a matter of minutes before we met new friends from Hattiesburg, MS. Soon we were all accosted by a man Red Chuck later described as "the Right Wing Kerry Supporter." Needless to say, his drunken, racist, leftwing rant was muy entertaining and the perfect end to our first night in New Orleans. We declined the invitation from our Hattiesburg friends to share a "very nice bottle of port" back at their downtown hotel.

Day two began with us sneaking out of our digs very quietly (again, the reader is spared ugly details) for lunch at the Camelia Grill. Everyone was happy. Time to head to the festival.

We decided the high ticket prices and $10 shuttle fees for the Voodoo Music Fest could only be sold to a thirtysomethingjobhaving audience, and that explained the line up of headliners Saturday: Sonic Youth, The Pixies, and the Beastie Boys. Armed with press passes (thank you Oxford American), we skipped the overpriced shuttle and took a cab to the fest.


As reported earlier, Red Chuck had a rather intimate encounter with Thurston Moore. I believe he and Kirk D were both equally moved by Kim Gordon. Chuck and I tried to find Jim O'Rourke backstage to no avail. Lucky for Jim.


The Pixies lived up to the high anticipation. In fact, I was expecting disappointment after so many years and so much hype, but they were really great.

I had no idea I liked Green Day until I sat through most of their set. And the Beastie Boys. . . . What can I say? I remember in detail sneaking License to Ill on headphones in Junior High. Good times.

Out of the festival, back in the cab, back to the Fauburg Marigny. Red Chuck finds himself in a pool contest at Coops with a guy our age with all gold teeth. Kirk D. and I find the jukebox that takes plastic and has a relatively unlimited downloadable catalog of songs. Oddly, I play Love and Rockets, R.E.M. and David Bowie. Whatever.

The night ends with the Pleasure Club at a great little club on Toulouse called One Eyed Jacks. I'm not nearly awake or clever enough to review the Pleasure Club show. But the first time Indy met Michael Jerome (the drummer) when he was out playing with Richard Thompson about 5 years ago, she said "When I fire my drummer and leave my husband I'm calling you!" Good thing she didn't see this or I'd be in trouble:

New Orleans pt. 1: Thurston Moore Tackles Red Chuck

So a full trip report will follow, but the big news of from New Orleans is that Red Chuck was tackled by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth during a guitar fuzz freak out. Red Chuck took the assault to mean he should stop composing music on his ibook and plug the fuzz probe back in. I tried like mad to get photos of the two of them wrestling, but all I got was blur. This photo came seconds before Thurston threw his guitar at Red Chuck and tackled him.

Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?

So Red Chuck, Kirk D. and I are heading to New Orleans Friday afternoon. The plan is to pack food so we only have to stop for gas. That way we should make it in time for 3Now4 at the Dragon's Den and Juliette and the Licks at the HOB. Then Saturday we'll see Sonic Youth, the Pixies, Gomez, the Beastie Boys, James Hall and the Pleasure Club, etc. at the Voodoo Music Festival. And the Astral Project is at Snug Harbor.

Will post reports here. Said reports are sure to include photos of beignets at CDM, po-boys at Mandina's, and white russians at the Columns.

Down in Mississippi

So the good Reverend Greg Spradlin reports he'll be playing in Oxford this evening with Jim Dickinson, Chris Michaels, and Kinky Freidman. Should be interesting. Anyway, they're playing the Thacker Mountain Radio show, which is apparently webcast live at 5:30 central. I plan on catching the re-broadcast on Mississippi Public Radio Sunday night on the way back from New Orleans....

Here's the link-- Thacker Mountain Radio. Enjoy.

Gather 'Round People Wherever You Roam. . .

Julian will be 17 months old this weekend. I will be 32 years. Seems like as good a time as any to list things he's taught me so far:

Primary colors aren't so bad.
There's nothing quite like playing with your dog.
Some books are worth re-reading. . .And re-reading. . . And re-reading.
Loud drums are alot of fun.
If you smile at girls, they smile back.
There's something new to learn everyday.

Sellout's Steal of the Week: AUTOLUX

My new favorite band, Autolux, will release their debut album next month. It's called Future Perfect. I have the record and I'm wearing it out. You might have heard the drummer on records by Sam Phillips or Joseph Arthur. Don't tell the RIAA, but here's the first song on the record. Just promise you'll buy the record when it's released...

Autolux "Turnstile Blues":
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The Other Sam Phillips

So we saw Sam Phillips and band last night in Memphis. "The OTHER Sam Phillips" as Jim D. insists on calling her. I do wonder if any clueless Memphians thought they were there to see the late Sun Records founder. . . Anyway, we sat so close I could have unplugged Patrick Warren's piano.

It was a treat to get to see such a great group of musicians play in a setting so familiar to the boondogs. They were set up on the floor by the front window of the restaurant, and had to overcome PA troubles, noise from the bar, and disinterested Peabody lodgers walking past them to leave throughout the night. In addition to Patrick Warren, the band included my new favorite drummer (sorry Carla) Jay Bellarose and a hip little string quartet, The Section.

After the show Indy asked "Can she sing a bad note?"

FYI, KCRW has a live in studio performance here. Go watch it.

In the beginning there was. . .

Not quite sure yet. . . One Tuesday night at the Whitewater Red Chuck says "you need a blog." Several months later, Kirk says same. Fast forward to today, and Harbs announces his entry to into this world of narcissists. I sign up to comment on his site and the next thing I know, we're in the beginning. And in the beginning there was. . .