Our friend in Madison, Wisconsin gave us the heads up, and good golly some fresh torrented tapes, but we blew off their recent Fillmore show. And we're sorry, because their first studio release in 15 years is easily their best and a definite contender for Album of the Year 2004. The album is called New Roman Times.

Today's Camper Van Beethoven is 3 bands in 1. You get the pop-sensibilities of Cracker. You get the progrock of the Monks of Doom. And you get the classic Camper (w/ violin).
And if you see them live, you might even get an acid-soaked version of Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"!   read more »  

Hardly an "instant" classic, this film took nearly 35 years to make. It was filmed on and near a train that travelled westward through Canada in 1970 w/ the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Buddy Guy, The Band, and many more. The train stopped to play 5 shows.

There was fan rioting at the festival sites because the People somehow got it in their minds that the music was Theirs, so it should be free. But the train rolled on, and the musicians partied down! The promoters just watched their money flow, and now the document is finally untangled.

If you like trains and you like intimate superstar jam sessions, this is your classic film.   read more »  

Desolate. Poetic. Cinematic. Enter the dry crusty world of the Sonora Desert. Quite a scene they have down there.

To make a long story short, Giant Sand evolved from the 80's band Giant Sandworms, and moved from L.A. to Tucson, Arizona in the early 90's. It took songwriter/singer/guitarist Howe Gelb a few years before finally settling with a steady band lineup, who themselves moonlight significantly as Calexico(read on).

New to Giant Sand? Start with the masterpiece - Chore of Enchantment. For an album that was recorded over 3 years in several different studios and w/ different producers, it is one of the most coherant and intriguing "concept" albums since Pink Floyd's "The Wall". The album is a tribute to Howe's friend and co-hort Rainier Ptacek.   read more »  

Hard to believe, but after all these years, the Kinks sound more relevant than ever.

The Kinks are misunderstood because they are belovedly remembered for a handful of songs that inarguably reside in anybody's greatest 100 rock song list. "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night" might be in anybody's top 10.

Back in the day, they defied conventions and were punished for it, while the Beatles and Rolling Stones cleaned up America. The Kinks conjured up the unexpected flavor: 1965, London is swingin', the whole world is gettin' high and gettin' laid, and the Davies brothers belt out "Oh won't you tell me... Where Have All the Good Times Gone??" It also didn't help that labor union snafus banned them from touring the United States for 3 years during the end of the 60's, setting up a pattern of multiple comebacks rather than defending their rightful throne.   read more »  

We mustered up a contingent of folks to check out the Stork Club in downtown Oakland. It's a little rock-and-roll club that has a fun layout and a bar built of Barbies in their boxes. Nice share of Elvis boxes too. We like the venue's rules: band's set will be 25 to 45 minutes in duration. Short and sweet, so we decide to check out multiple unknowns. Featuring the Upsidedown.

The Upsidedown are from Portland, and dress it better than anybody. They lend serious consideration to their headgear. We feel we've just wandered in from the tundra, and are treated to a sonic warmth radiating from a tripped-out Guild with glowing white pedals. Thoughts of them appearing in L.A. at the Knitting Club the night before made us giggle.   read more »  

Whatever may ail you this holiday season, you can always count on Jack McDuff to bring you through! Feel bothered? Alienated? Trapped? Bored? A whee bit stressed? ... this space recommends "Glide On" for smooth, funky organ / guitar music that gets you out of tough fixes.

Take it from a man who feels the pressure of pulling magic tricks from his arse each and every Christmas...... Jack McDuff : Gliiiiiiiiiide ON.

Listened to an audience recording of Velvet Underground from the Boston Tea Party (12-12-68). This show is astonishing, and you can really hear the room. Bass is thick and everywhere while the vocals are lower in the mix, but Lou Reed still cuts through. The sound seperation makes it easy to decipher the fantastic guitar interplay. Mo's drums lay a solid backbeat.

If you consider V.U. sloppy but dig their sincerity and influence, thou shalt reconsider!! The Velvets at their peak are definitive rock and roll. A wondrous racket.   read more »  

So nothing kicks like the Mule. But they are too generous... sure we like getting treated to special guests like Phil Lesh and Greg Allman but for once, please give us an SF show w/out a Dead Set in the middle??

Thank you Warren and thank you Mr. Abst! And you other lads too. We are glad to see that you are a true band again. And we sure like some of those new songs... "About To Rage" hits the spot. "Devil Likes It Slow" was another smasher, but the tonite's keeper is "I'm So Tired" from the Beatles' White Album. I think we'll have to hear it again to believe it, but best I can recollect it was on the money.   read more »  

The band was dressed in uniform as they were filming the 2-show run for a DVD. Not the typical fillmore show... usually it's free-wheeling, cover-heavy, severely jammed out. This was the most "pro" I've ever seen them, as they were really trying to nail down many of the newer songs. Which they did. But no segues and really a much different vibe. This was the disciplined show I always wanted but now I'm looking forward to traditional form in December.   read more »  

Lambchop just played the Fillmore for the first time after their double-release. Interestingly, the CD they are selling on the road -- Nashville Does Dallas -- is better than both!

They were an 8-piece this time out on a range from 6 to 14. Sounded perfect. It sounded like warm, melting butter. As always. And note that Paul Neihaus was back in the fold. The "Strange Nashville" show now features some distinctive showmanship from Kurt Wagner. He bested even the infallible Col. Bruce Hampton for climactic one-note solo! The rage!!!

During all of this, my Berkeley companion took a purposeful nap by the upstairs bar. Just like last time Lambchop played the Great American Music Hall. We let him off easy... I mean, Lambchop is top-shelf naptime music... but he was also able to nap through Los Lobos' "Viking" at the same venue a month later. That takes special talent.   read more »