Song for the day.

 

In my effort to once again become somewhat of a contributing factor to the dying Hip Displeasure, I have decided to introduce and play one song a day (groundbreaking territory, I know).

First up, Jim Ward’s “On My Way Back Home Again”.

Download or stream here.

Hip-D’s Top 20 of 2007: 4-1

4. The Ike Reilly Assassination – We Belong to the Staggering Evening

“After the good, but sobering Junkie Faithful, The Ike Reilly Assassination is back and ready to kick your teeth in if you even so much as look at them crooked. Ike, I love your rockabilly punk style.” – stacey

3. Okkervil River – The Stage Names

“It isn’t lyrically obtuse, but it’s still great rock and roll and manages to sustain itself through the entire disc.” – Patrick
“New to Okkervil River with Black Sheep Boy, I was expecting more of the same. When I didn’t get that, though, I wasn’t disappointed. The Stage Names is like one-stop shopping. It’s poppy and dirty-rock-y and a little Motown-y and I even love how they throw ‘Sloop John B’ in on near the end of the CD. This just gets better and more enjoyable with each listen.” – stacey

2. The National – Boxer

“The buildup at the end of ‘Fake Empire’ is one of my favorite moments on record this year. A great album start to finish.” – Patrick
“I knew nothing of The National until they came near my town this year and a friend insisted I see them. I had actually begun to tire of going to shows alone, so the idea of seeing a band I had never heard and having to go it alone didn’t really appeal to me, but I found myself at their show anyway. I also found myself buying their entire output of CDs a week after the show. The National became my sleeper hit of the year; to not see a ‘guy and guitar’ at the top of my list truly is a feat, but the more I listened to them, the more I liked their subtly intense sound. They’re like a less epic Frames and I’m a sucker for piano, horns and string spattered pop music.” – stacey

1. Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

“Purists might disagree. This could be the best example of what Spoon does.” – Patrick
“Most of the time I forget about Spoon. It’s not that I don’t like them, I just forget they exist. Then I hear a song on the radio and before you know it, I’ve popped a CD in the stereo and it’s stuck in there for days. Ga x 5 was a grower for me, but once my favorite radio station started playing ‘Don’t You Evah.’ I was hooked once again. There are chimes and horns and crack cocaine, I think, because I can’t stop listening.” – stacey

Hip-D’s Top 20 of 2007: 8-5

8. Wilco – Sky Blue Sky

“This is Wilco getting older.  This is more Wilco than Tweedy and it works nicely.  My dad probably would like this CD, but so would my young, hip dad circa 1976.” – stacey
“Much better than A Ghost is Born.” – Yail Bloor

7. Babyshambles – Shotter’s Nation

“I like it. It kicks my ass. Long live Pete.” – Yail Bloor

6. Black Francis – Bluefinger

“I don’t know if this is what’s called “included by default” but there is not one bad song on this album.” – Mark H.
“…this guy can shit in a cup and feed it to his bass player and it will still be better than almost anything out there…” – Yail Bloor

5. Modest Mouse – We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

“‘March to the Sea’ may be the song of the year.” – Loog
“I liked it on first listen…it’s still good tunage.” – Mark H.

Hip-D’s Top 20 of 2007: 12-9

12. Band of Horses – Cease to Begin

“I don’t care what you say, if you liked Everything All the Time you should like Cease to Begin and not only like, but maybe like it more.  Do me a favor and put this on in your car during your next trip to wherever.  I accept cookies as a form of thank you.” – stacey

11. Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

“If Animal Years was Ritter’s Guthrie, this is his Dylan.” – Patrick
“The Historical Conquests may not be quite as good as last year’s The Animal Years, but Ritter knows what he’s doing.  He knows where he stands musically and he’s going to explore every corner of that.  Keep it coming, Josh.” – stacey

10. The Broken West – I Can’t Go On I’ll Go On

“Catchy power-pop in the vein of Wilco’s summerteeth.” – FT
“…quite enjoyable…perfect for the fine weather we are having here these days.” – Loog

9. Kings of Leon – Because of the Times

“Good rock and roll rekkid with some slow southern burner action going on.” – Loog

Hip-D’s Top 20 of 2007: 16-13

16. Tim Armstrong – A Poet’s Life

“Everything after #2 is debatable, and more just a random list of albums.” – Loog

15. Deadstring Brothers – Silver Mountain

“The addition of a female voice is a bit jarring at first for those familiar with their previous albums, but this ends up being a solid effort at the end of the day.” – FT

14. John Doe – A Year in the Wilderness

“Is it just me or is this the first time that a deadline has ever been adhered to?” – jasmine

13. Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha

“Keep coming back to it.  One or two duds, otherwise perfect.” – Patrick
“Rock music for the intellectual in your life, Bird branches out a little with ‘Armchair Apocrypha’, but largely stays true to himself.  The guitar is a bit more pronounced than we’re used to, but it’s mixed with the same whistles, piano, violin and witty lyrics we know and love.” – stacey

Hip-D’s Top 20 of 2007: 20-17

20. The White Stripes – Icky Thump

“Jack and Meg never forgot how to bring it.  A searing rock album.” – Patrick
“They got me.  I’m buying anything they put out at this point.  This does not disappoint.” – stacey

19. Nicole Atkins – Neptune City

“Do not write her off as another chick with a guitar.  You will not only be sorely mistaken, but you will also miss out on her ‘little bit psychedelic, little bit country, all pop candy’ goodness.” – stacey

18. Jim White – Transnormal Skiperoo

“An incredibly strong follow-up to his masterwork (Drill A Hole in That Substrate and Tell Me What You See) that gets better with each listen.  Jim White is an American treasure.” – FT

17. Jason Isbell – Sirens of the Ditch

“I didn’t do any blurbs.” – Yail Bloor
“You’ll get blurbs later, Poonami” – Loog

It’s That Time of Year Again!

Those Hip-D staff members who chose to participate have submitted their 2007 lists, so we are ready to unveil our annual Top 20 Albums.  Starting Monday, we’ll list four albums per day, concluding with numbers four through one next Friday.

So, get ready for more fun than you can handle in one sitting!

Lollapalooza 2007

When Lollapalooza started back in 1991, I begged my mom and dad to let me go. Since I was just 14 years old and my parents were in no way interested in seeing Jane’s Addiction, Ice-T, Nine Inch Nails and especially not Butthole Surfers, I was repeatedly denied. This was a yearly event – Lollapalooza tickets would go on sale, I’d cry about no one understanding me and that not going to Lolla would “ruin my life forever” (and honestly, how many things wouldn’t ruin a teenager’s life forever?), and then of course, I wouldn’t go. By ‘95-’96, when I was old enough to buy my own ticket and make my own decision, I didn’t want to see any of the bands playing. When Perry Farrell brought the festival to Chicago, I came up with plenty of excuses not to go. August in Chicago brings high temperatures and humidity, with tens of thousands of people, I’d be stuck in crowds all day, food would be expensive, etc. This year, though, at $60 for a weekend pass, I could no longer refuse.

Friday brought temperatures in the 90s. I was overwhelmed when I got to the festival and spent the better part of an hour sitting under a tree trying to get my bearings and stay somewhat cool. I wandered over to the Myspace stage and watched a few minutes of Ted Leo. Despite the personal problems in his life right now, he was at his best on Friday. His voice was strong and clear and he didn’t talk between every song like he’s known to do.

AT&T set up an interactive tent across the field from the Myspace stage which housed televisions, computers, video games and couchs as well as the coldest air conditioning I’ve ever experienced. The AT&T volunteers were handing out personal battery operated fans which surprisingly came in handy over the weekend.

The rest of Friday afternoon was a blur. I saw a little of Viva Voce and Polyphonic Spree, but neither was all that memorable. PS ditched the robes and came out in what looked like black military gear. Tim DeLaughter was as vocal and odd as usual. I wouldn’t say that the band sounded bad, just not any different than when I saw them in 2004 at Park West in Chicago.

I wandered over to a small stage and waited for the Rapture to begin. The shade was finally starting to expand beyond the trees as the sun set behind the stage. Relief from the heat! Didn’t last for long considering the Rapture would whip the crowd into a dancing frenzy. They broke out hits from Echoes and last year’s Pieces of the People We Love which got everyone moving around… as much as Chicagoans move around, at least.

Friday night also brought the sounds of Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, The Black Keys and LCD Soundsystem. I caught a few minutes of each artist, but the real buzz was about the Daft Punk show that was still to come.

I admit, I’m a very casual Daft Punk fan. I danced to “Around the World” at numerous clubs when I was younger and know DP songs when I hear them, but that’s about it. Their show consisted of the two guys wearing helmets and DJing from a pyramid/spaceship on stage. Oh, and a hell of a lot of lights. I didn’t really understand the hype of it all. No live performance, no new material, no variations from a show that could’ve been controlled with the touch of a finger. The set was interesting, but hardly earth shattering like I expected.

I skipped Saturday’s festivities in favor of watching the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Phillies. From what I hear, the weather was great that day. Naturally…

Sunday’s weather was at about 90% humidity and probably in the upper 80s to lower 90s temperature-wise. Also known as MISERABLE. I got to the festival too late and missed White Rabbits. I watched the 1900s instead and was mildly impressed. Remember that air conditioned AT&T tent I was raving about? I sat on a couch in there for about an hour and watched a broadcast of Dax Riggs… and I still have no idea who he is.

While sitting in A/C heaven, I plotted my day. David Vandervelde (excellent! gives me hope that Chicago music isn’t dead) then Rodrigo y Gabriela (good, but no different than when I saw them at the Old Town School of Folk Music last year. except, of course, for the thousands of extra fans). I also caught a little bit of Dios (Malos) and enjoyed the two songs I heard from them.

I then met up with a friend and we walked over to see Amy Winehouse. I wasn’t expecting anything at all from this set. I assumed that she’d be a drunken mess, if she showed up at all. Man, was I wrong. Outside of her having zero stage presence, her singing was stellar. Adding to the soul set was her backing band, The Dap Kings. They were tight and added some light-hearted fun to her boring ass. The backing singers did a few choreographed dance moves and the crowd loved it.

It was food time by this point. I bought a portabello mushroom wrap for $8 and ate the hell out of it while alternately listening to and making fun of Paolo Nutini.

The rest of the afternoon was spent watching Iggy and the Stooges (he’s 60!), the few minutes of Peter, Bjorn & John before their power went out, and the ever-annoying !!!. They’d be so awesome if they ditched their singer.

Next up was My Morning Jacket. They’re always a treat. The guys came out in purple tuxes and freshly cut hair. That latter statement might not seem like a big deal, but when Jim James cuts his hair, it’s news. After rocking the f out for about half the set, they brought out the Chicago Youth Symphony to accompany them on a few songs. Some of the kids (probably all in their mid-teens) looked terrified, while a few gave off a vibe of, “I’ll be headlining Lollapalooza in 10 years.” The band played songs off It Still Moves and Z and closed with a cover of the late Chicago native Curtis Mayfield’s “Move On Up”. That made me love the band even more. They come to Chicago, give major exposure to our youth and then close their set with a song honoring one of the most respected soul singer-songwriters of our time. That’s respect.

After MMJ blew my socks off, I trudged back across Grant Park to see Cafe Tacuba. Unfortunately for the band, they were playing against TV on the Radio and the thousands of people who were on the other side of the park preparing for Pearl Jam. Fortunately for myself and the hundreds of true Cafe Tacuba fans, there was room to dance and stay cool. I have no idea what the hell these guys were singing about, but it sure was a lot of fun. The band is impressive and the singer is a maniac who sometimes wore a wrestling mask that looked like the head of a chicken while dancing all over the stage. Apparently they came back for three encores because their fans wouldn’t let them leave.

The main attraction of the weekend was Pearl Jam. I’ve never seen them live, so I was pretty excited to have this opportunity. After chatting up a Chicago police lieutenant, I discovered that 80,000 people were there to see Pearl Jam. Because I’m also a bad Pearl Jam fan, I only wanted to hear the songs that I love. Some are hits, some aren’t, and when I didn’t hear them, I grew tired of their cock rock and Eddie’s seemingly endless rants about everything from the environment to the president. I’m glad that he’s preaching to the masses, but when I want to hear “Spin the Black Circle”, I don’t want anything to get in the way. I stuck around for about 40 minutes, heard “Elderly Woman”, “Evenflow” and a few songs that I didn’t recognize.

All in all, I enjoyed the festival. Had I paid $160 or $200 for that weekend pass, I probably would’ve expected a little more, but for $60 I can’t really complain. Highlights: Amy Winehouse, My Morning Jacket and the Rapture, $2 water, inexpensive (and good!) food, and plenty of bathrooms that didn’t make me want to gag. Two thumbs up, Lolla.

Reviving Interests

I’m not burnt out on music, sometimes I just don’t have the energy to even be a “fan”. So it’s always exciting when I’m reminded how nifty the listening experience can be. Generally, it takes another person to revive this in me. Most recently there have been two; my boyfriend and a “music geek” friend I rarely see.

It’s easy to forget how important music is in my life in my geographical location. Small town, few musically inclined friends, no immediate venues, et cetera et cetera… I was slowly morphing into some sort of musically monotonous robot. I went to shows. I even thought I enjoyed them, but nothing stuck. I bought CDs, but rarely listened to them all the way through. It became more about padding my “collection” numbers than anything else. I surely would have been a fantastic MMR, but, really, I want more out of this life. I want to live, dammit!

My humble matchbox twenty fangirl beginnings would come back to me in sad waves. ‘I will never feel that excitment again’ I thought, and in many ways that is true. So much energy was expended on the following of a band, in many ways I will never be at that point again.

My 2006 purchases far exceeded any year prior, but I can honestly say I didn’t listen to 80% of those purchases all the way through. 2006 was a hard year for me personally and most of the time I just didn’t feel like listening to music. My ever-growing list was more shopping therapy than music therapy.

Then, slowly but surely, my personal issues began to subside and I met my boyfriend and was in more consistent communication with my “music geek” friend. And suddenly, music was exciting again. Even though my boyfriend and I are on different paths, I wanted to share my music with him. I burned CD upon CD in effort to find our most musical common ground. I had someone to go to shows with and I became more open with different genres, because I really wanted to seek out new bands that would be more up his alley. Even when he didn’t take to much of what I was sharing with him, just having someone new and difficult to please was a challenge I was more than up for.

I got to visit my “music geek” friend and we stayed up until 2.30 in the morning drinking and listening to music. We dug through his CD bins and he gave me several, informing me he was going digital and was going to sell them anyway. I, only recently, got my first Bowie because of this. I had forgotten how easily entertained I was before that night. We talked about shows we were planning to see and when I mentioned a friend wanted to see Wilco with me later this Spring he said “she can’t appreciate Wilco like I can”, this statement isn’t actually true, but I loved being in the presence of someone with that attitude.

So, as it happens, my interest in music was awoken at a time when I can buy the least amount ever, but maybe it’s better that way. And, oh, have you heard Elvis Perkins yet? He may be my “standard”, but man was I still wowed when I saw him for the second time last month (!!).

You Said It Was A Good Size! 7″ Review by Mark

The Ergs!
Books About Miles Davis b/w Only Babies Cry (Whoa Oh)

A nice lead off for the soon-to-be-released full-length. The A-side tells us a story of love and longing, one that inspires you to write a love letter, because THIS time it’ll be different. Easily the most mature Ergs! song in their entire catalog, and I think it’s great. Jeff Erg strums a sad but comforting melody, like a bucket of ice cream after the break-up. Mikey Erg, unable to hide behind his drum set, standing bare and vulnerable, sings with his heart in his throat. The lyrics and music have one fleeting moment of freedom, but the players probably decide that it’s best to just go home.

On the B-side we get a Paul Baribeau cover. I can understand that if you’re covering a lo-fi folk rock artist, you’d want to do it differently (and the Ergs! do; they rock it up several notches), but I say buck that trend, because I want more acoustic Ergs!! At least Mikey kept Baribeau’s cotton-gargle intact (though I’m not sure if that was purposeful or just Mikey’s vocal prowess showing its limits). Anyway, bring on the new album!
Linkage: www.whoaohrecords.com