The Asheville Disclaimer

Disclaimer Comedy & Charlotte Street Computers present comedian Moshe Kasher at LAB in downtown Asheville, Tues., Oct. 25

2011-10-08T17:39:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Matt Ward & Grady Ray at The Magnetic Field on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011

2011-08-01T23:49:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer Underground Comedy kicks off August with a night of stand-up comedy featuring Knoxville's Matt Ward and Gray Ray. The show will be at The Magnetic Field (in Asheville's River Arts District) on Tuesday, Aug. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $7.

Matt Ward, in an interview with The Daily Times, described his comedy from the perspective of the audience, saying, “Generally, it’s the stuff they’d be ashamed to say out loud, but there’s a dark part of them that agrees with what I’m saying. I’d describe it as raw, uncensored and honest."

Ward has toured across the Southeast, and currently runs a Sunday-night comedy room at Knoxville's Preservation Pub. Owing to his viewpoint on marijuana you wouldn't think he'd remember doing any of this, but you'd be sort-of wrong.

Ward has shared the stage with comedians Doug Stanhope and Kyle Kinane, and produced the show where Stanhope recorded his 7th comedy album, "From Across the Street," in 2009. He also produces an annual charity cancer benefit in Wilmington, NC, called Laughing for Life as well as producing both Port City's Top Comic, The Rocky Top Comedy Contest and The Cape Fear Comedy Festival.

Joining Matt Ward is Grady Ray, a 34-year-old biracial comic from East Tennessee. If you've been looking for an opportunity to laugh at a cop to his face, you're in luck — Grady Ray's day job is keeping the peace in a small town at the foothills of the Smokey Mountains.

Joining them on the show will be Shucky Blue, Chris Morgan and host Peter Smith-McDowell.

Two weeks later, Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents comedian Tim Northern. Tim Northern is a regular performer on the national comedy club circuit, having performed at the 2003 Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and appearing on CBS's Star Search where he advanced to the finals. Following his Star Search appearance, Naomi Judd raved about his performance. "He's the only one that could be a member of Mensa," she said. "I absolutely adore the cerebral humor." As Tim says: "I provide you with two-thirds of the joke, and you provide the other third. It's like do-it-yourself comedy."

Joining Tim Northern on stage will be Becca Steinhoff, Nick Shaheen, and host Cary Goff.

The Magnetic Field is located in the Glen Rock Depot, at 372 Depot Street, in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC. The Magnetic Field has a full bar and dining menu with indoor/outdoor café seating, and features a separate 64-seat jewel-box theatre.

For more information, please visit "Disclaimer Underground Comedy" on Facebook or call 828.216.2331 for more details.

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Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Atlanta's Paul Gallois & Mike Kaiser at The Magnetic Field, July 5, 8 p.m.

2011-06-28T03:17:00.002-04:00

Disclaimer Underground Comedy is proud to host Atlanta comedians Paul Gallois and Mike Kaiser, who will headline a night of comedy at Magnetic Field (in the River Arts District) on Tuesday, July 5 at 8 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $7.

Joining them will be Charlotte comic Chris Layton, Asheville's own talented Minori Hinds and Asheville Disclaimer's Tom Scheve as MC.

Paul Gallois is an Atlanta-based standup comedian who Creative Loafing described as "a strong comedic embodiment of Everyman. Talking about things like beer, pizza, unemployment and childhood games of condom tag, he is a deceptively hilarious story-teller with a self-deprecating style that requests no pity." Paul has been the resident comedian at both The Laughing Skull Lounge and The Funny Farm Comedy Club in Atlanta, GA. In 2009 Paul was voted one of the best new comics in Atlanta. He has also been featured on TBS.com's "Daily Riff" and Comcast Cable's "Who's Laughing Now?"

After a prodigious youth in Buffalo, NY, Mike Kaiser exploded onto the Atlanta comedy scene with the force of one guy telling jokes. His intelligent writing and slender build not only distinguishes him from dumber, fatter comics, but has also earned him the Atlanta Stands Up award for "Best New Comic" in 2010.

Chris Layton is a performer who lives in Charlotte. His onstage material ranges from avoiding his own children to harmonica-playing-bluesmen-turned-psychologists. Layton is a regular on the Charlotte scene and he guarantees you'll feel better about yourself after his set.

On August 2, Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Atlanta comedian Landry at The Magnetic Field.

The Magnetic Field is located in the Glen Rock Depot, at 372 Depot Street, in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC. The Magnetic Field has a full bar and dining menu with indoor/outdoor café seating, and features a separate 64-seat jewel-box theatre.

For more information, please visit "Disclaimer Underground Comedy" on Facebook or call 828.301.9301 for more details.

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Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Mia Jackson at the Magnetic Field on Tues., June 14

2011-06-14T01:13:00.001-04:00

Proudly bringing Atlanta comedian Mia Jackson back to Asheville following her well-received performance at the 2010 Laugh Your Asheville Off festival, Disclaimer Underground Comedy is pleased to announce the next step in its quest to bring the best and brightest quickly-rising comedians from around the Southeast to Asheville audiences.

Mia Jackson will headline the Disclaimer Underground Comedy show at Magnetic Field (in the River Arts District) on Tuesday, June 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $7. This is a great chance to see a full performance from Mia before her featured return to the 2011 Laugh Your Asheville Off festival, which will take place July 12 through July 16.

Mia Jackson, a native of Columbus, Georgia and a self-proclaimed know-it-all, often finds herself literally the center of attention among family and friends. At six feet tall and with an explosive sense of humor, she’s always the life of the party.

Mia has appeared on Oxygen’s "Girls Behaving Badly" and TLC’s "Wild Weddings." She was also a writer on BET/Centric’s relaunch of the Soul Train Awards in 2009. In addition to playing comedy clubs around the country, Mia has become a crowd favorite at events such as Laughing Skull Festival, the Punchline Comedy Contest and Laugh Your Asheville Off.

Mia is a diverse comedian with a different voice and perspective. Her energetic conversational style leaves the audience feeling refreshed and as if they have known her forever. To learn more about Mia, please visit www.miajackson.com.

Joining Mia on stage will be fellow Atlanta comedian Jamille Harley, Greenville comedians Michael Robinette and Justin Blackburn, and host Allie Steinhoff.

The Magnetic Field is located in the Glen Rock Depot, at 372 Depot Street, in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC. The Magnetic Field has a full bar and dining menu with indoor/outdoor café seating, and features a separate 64-seat jewel-box theatre.

For more information, please visit "Disclaimer Underground Comedy" on Facebook or call 828.301.9301 for more details.

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Joe Zimmerman presented by Disclaimer Underground Comedy at The Magnetic Field, Tues., June 7, 2011, 8pm

2011-06-06T12:14:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Joe Zimmerman at The Magnetic Field on June 7, 2011

2011-05-23T23:23:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer Underground Comedy is proud to host Asheville's own Joe Zimmerman, a fan favorite around the Southeast who's quickly making a name for himself around the country with his likeable demeanor and sharp, original material.

Joe Zimmerman will perform at The Magnetic Field (in Asheville's River Arts District) on Tuesday, June 7, at 8 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $7.

Named Charlotte’s "Comedian of the Year" by Creative Loafing in 2006, Joe has rapidly become known at the national level for his likable stage demeanor and original material.

In 2007 he was named “Stand-Out Stand-Up” at the Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy festival, and in 2009 he was nominated by Rooftop Comedy for the Golden Shingle Award — given to the most outstanding rising stars in the country. In the same year, Punchline Magazine wrote that he was one of the top comics to emerge from the NC Comedy Arts Festival.

In 2009 he formed a tour with the Beards of Comedy, who recorded their debut CD “Comedy for People,” which is played regularly on Sirius-XM radio, and available on iTunes. In 2011, Joe placed first in the prelims & quarterfinals of the Laughing Skull Festival, and advanced to the semi-finals.

Opening for Joe Zimmerman will be Laugh Your Asheville Off founder and beloved former Ashevillian Greg Brown. Known for his likable demeanor and impeccable sense of timing, Greg has been creating rapport with audiences everywhere, rapidly developing his own fan base. He has appeared with some of the largest comedic performers in the country including Todd Barry, Bert Kreischer, Alonzo Bodden and many more.

Joining them on the show will be Cary Goff, Tom Scheve (editor of Asheville Disclaimer), Pat Hinson and host Art Sturtevant.

The following week (Tuesday, June 14), Disclaimer Underground Comedy presents Atlanta's Mia Jackson. Mia has appeared on Oxygen’s "Girls Behaving Badly" and TLC’s "Wild Weddings." She was also a writer on BET/Centric’s relaunch of the Soul Train Awards in 2009. In addition to playing comedy clubs around the country, Mia has become a crowd favorite at events such as Laughing Skull Festival, the Punchline Comedy Contest and Laugh Your Asheville Off.

Joining Mia on stage will be fellow Atlanta comedian Jamille Harley, Michael Robinette, Justin Blackburn and host Allie Steinhoff.

The Magnetic Field is located in the Glen Rock Depot, at 372 Depot Street, in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC. The Magnetic Field has a full bar and dining menu with indoor/outdoor café seating, and features a separate 64-seat jewel-box theatre.

For more information, please visit "Disclaimer Underground Comedy" on Facebook or call 828.301.9301 for more details.

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Disclaimer Underground Comedy Series proudly announces the imminent arrival of The Rubber & Glue Tour

2011-01-27T04:16:00.002-05:00

What: The Highland Brewing Co.'s Disclaimer Underground Comedy Series presents The Rubber & Glue Tour (no cover).

When: Wed., Feb. 2, 2010. 9 p.m.

Where: Athena's in downtown Asheville (14 College St., directly next door to Tupelo Honey).

Who: Rubber and Glue Comedy Tour — "Immaturity at its immaturest" — featuring Katie Hughes, Chris Weathers, Michael Robinette, and Justin Blackburn, with a guest spot from Craig Koenekoop, "UNCA's dopest comedian."

Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge presented by Highland Brewing Company, a weekly comedy night that takes place Wednesday nights at Athena's in downtown Asheville, welcomes The Rubber & Glue Tour as the next act of the 2011 Disclaimer Underground Comedy Series.

"While most Wednesdays are open mics at Athena's, we've begun hosting on a monthly basis featured shows by extremely talented and funny comedians who may not yet be on your radar, but certainly deserve to be," said Tom Scheve, a writer and performer who helps organize Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge along with fellow Asheville Disclaimer writer and comedian Cary Goff. "We're proud to host The Rubber & Glue Tour, and as fans of great comedy we can't wait to see the show. All the performers in this tour are comedians who are making names for themselves around the South, and it's only time before they break through on a much larger level."

Previous featured performers at Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge include Rory Scovel and Dave Waite, and Scheve hopes to continue introducing Asheville fans of stand-up comedy to quickly rising comedians and regional comedy tours.

"As it turns out, a bar full of couches loaded down with drunken freeloaders isn't enough — you need a stage and then you need someone really funny on that stage," said Scheve, breaking down the elements of the Disclaimer Underground Comedy Series. "A microphone, and a mic stand. You're going to need an amp. It's quite a production, and I could go on and on. A cord."

Scheve proudly points out that this underground comedy series is "probably the most underground of any underground comedy series outside of a collapsed mine shaft that features delirium, a miracle-trove of grain alcohol, and rising carbon monoxide levels."

The Rubber & Glue Tour will begin at 9 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 2, and is sponsored by Asheville Disclaimer and Highland Brewing Company.

More info: No cover, 18 +, doors open at 7 p.m. First come, first seated.

Web site: http://rubberandglue.tumblr.com/

Facebook: "Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge"

Contact organizer: Tom Scheve, 828.216.2331 or tomscheve@gmail.com

More about:

Katie Hughes has been in Laugh Your Asheville Off and was a finalist in the Funniest Person in the Carolinas competition. Katie Hughes is a perfect blend of smart and silly, making her a comic's comic and an audience favorite. Katie’s wild imagination and energetic irreverence make her a force to be reckoned with on stage.

Chris Weathers is a righteously indignant doofus with a baby’s brain. Chris provides an offbeat vibrance that works perfectly with his gleeful jokes.

Michael Robinette possesses a magnetic personality that makes him impossible to ignore. With his quirky observations and wide range of emotion and energy Michael is capable of connecting with any audience.

Justin Blackburn is one of the most original comedians in the Southeast, with material ranging from grilled cheese sandwiches to talking with demons in the street. He was also voted Upstate Poet Of The Year in The Beat Magazine in 2007.

Mission Hospital neurology unit releases 2011 calendar

2011-01-01T17:03:00.002-05:00

Disclaimer Radio News, June 11, 2010

2010-06-25T07:46:00.002-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Rusty McWhackin tries out some new News Voices; Heath Shuler tackles his living-arrangement issues; and Frank Dribbler eats acid at Bonnaroo, and more in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

This episode of Disclaimer Radio News was originally aired June 11, 2010 on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan" on WWNC 570 AM. Disclaimer Radio News is also heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress.

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8:30pm at The Hangar (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport). Find out more by visiting "Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge" on Facebook or something.

Disclaimer Radion News, May 28, 2010

2010-06-22T04:59:00.002-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Beeeeeer City USA tells Portland what's up, Biff Wad brings home the headlines, Spence Ticker defends himself against bears, and more in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

This episode of Disclaimer Radio News was originally aired May 28, 2010 on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan" on WWNC 570 AM. Disclaimer Radio News is also heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress.

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8:30pm at The Hangar (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport). Find out more by visiting "Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge" on Facebook or something.

Disclaimer Radio Newwwwws! May 21, 2010

2010-05-29T07:16:00.003-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Kind of a slow week in the news actually, but with a local angle, and even less in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress.

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8:30pm at The Hangar (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Radio News, May 14, 2010

2010-05-28T02:45:00.002-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Frank Dribbler reports from Asheville's first comic book convention Fanaticon, Biff Wad brings home the headlines, and more, in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress.

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8pm at The Hangar (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Jesus, sometimes it's all just a damned hassle, if we're being honest.

Disclaimer Radio News, May 7, 2010

2010-05-27T05:29:00.000-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Frank Dribbler only supports anarchy in the hot tub, Biff Wad brings you headlines, Don Yelton loses cakewalk and name-the-Nature-Center's-Otter contest, Spence Tinker works out his political punny headlines, the manager at the Merrimon Avenue BP has some oil spill advice, and more, or precisely that much, in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8pm at The Hangar (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, April 23, 2010

2010-05-15T09:18:00.004-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Rusty McWhackin brings home the headlines, and comes close enough to count, Luscious Lane covers the Obama beat from deep inside the Grove Park Inn spa, Biff Wad stakes out the Sunset Terrace, and more (not really), in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

The Asheville Disclaimer sponsors the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a comedy open-mic every Sunday at 8pm at The Hangar (Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, every Sunday at 8pm, The Hangar.

2010-05-09T15:09:00.003-04:00

Disclaimer Radio News, April 16, 2010

2010-04-26T17:26:00.001-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Briefs from Biff Wad, Biker gangs return to WNC, and a message from Western North Carolina Phonebook Lawyers, anti-rabbit gardening tips, and more, or exactly that amount, in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

The Asheville Disclaimer is also the proud sponsor of the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a night of open-mic comedy every Sunday at 8pm at the Hangar Lounge (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Radio News, Apr. 9, 2010

2010-04-26T17:24:00.004-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: All sorts of good, informative, hopeful and life-affirming things from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

The Asheville Disclaimer is also the proud sponsor of the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a night of open-mic comedy every Sunday at 8pm at the Hangar Lounge (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Radio News, April 2, 2010

2010-04-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Briefs from Lucious Lane, Asheville has good ass-width for Google network, and age finally catches up with Chuck Norris, and more, or exactly that amount, in this edition of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

The Asheville Disclaimer is also the proud sponsor of the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a night of open-mic comedy every Sunday at 8pm at the Hangar Lounge (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclamer Radio News, March 26, 2010

2010-04-01T12:50:00.000-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Announcer Frank Dribbler suspended for Pelosi/shoe-horn/banana comment, next up is "a series of fluff pieces with no news value whatsoever" along with appropriate listener responses, then an update on Dollywood's new attractions and one of them, you'll be very surprised to learn, may be related to a certain country music star's enormous (spoiler alert!) breasts, and more in this episode of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week). The Asheville Disclaimer is also the proud sponsor of the Disclaimer Stand-up Lounge, a night of open-mic comedy every Sunday at 8pm at the Hangar Lounge (at the Clarion Inn near the Asheville Regional Airport).

Disclaimer Radio News, Mar. 19, 2010

2010-03-23T14:28:00.003-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Rusty McWhackin cleans his News Briefs, Sandy Mush considers name change to compete with Asheville for Google's Fiber-optic network, a Hot Pocket assists Heath Shuler in reading the Health Bill, and more in this episode of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio News, Mar. 12, 2010

2010-03-23T14:23:00.001-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Asheville to be recycled immediately according to Luscious Lane, financial analyst salivates over skyrocketing cost of chicken wings, the time-change confuses local stoners and more in this episode of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio News, March 5, 2010

2010-03-23T14:12:00.001-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Rusty McWhackin brings us News Briefs, Bruce Goforth and Patsy Keever try to please the moderators of the Tea Party-sponsored debate, Frank Dribbler conspires to create a city-wide deception toward newcomers, and more in this episode of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Feb. 26, 2010

2010-03-23T13:46:00.002-04:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: Luscious Lane says some rather inappropriate things during the News Briefs, a report from the Sports Fanatic-atic-atic, Heath Shuler pays tribute to WNC native Nina Simone, and more in this episode of Disclaimer Radio News, the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. It can also be heard on "The Doctor Awesome Show," which airs from 3pm-6pm on Wednesdays on Asheville FM ... http://www.ashevillefm.org/

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio News, Feb. 19, 2010

2010-02-23T13:30:00.001-05:00

This week in Disclaimer Radio News: headlines from Luscious Lane, Leicester man's diet of deep-fried cheeseburger skittle calzones holds down Buncombe County's state-wide health ranking, Rev. Ogden chooses the heterosexual lifestyle, school snow-day explanation, and more (not really) from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News is heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM.

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Feb. 12, 2010

2010-02-13T12:31:00.003-05:00

This week Disclaimer Radio News brings you news about the Maggie Valley landslide, Disclaimer Radio Personals, the Sports Fanatic-atic-atic discussing the recent Duke/UNC game, and oh so much more (actually that's about it).

A Valentine to you from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM.

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com or pick up the Mountain Xpress (we appear in it all 7 days of the week).

Disclaimer Radio Nudes, Feb. 5, 2010

2010-02-08T21:52:00.001-05:00

This week Disclaimer Radio News brings you a creepy delivery of Frank Dribbler's introduction, breaking Asheville news, breaking Facebook News Feed bulletin updates, and such and such from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM.

To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Jan. 29, 2010

2010-02-03T12:25:00.003-05:00

This week Disclaimer Radio News brings you breaking Asheville news and things I'd rather not discuss right now, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Jan. 22, 2010

2010-01-27T18:05:00.002-05:00

Never too uppity to totally phone one in, this week Disclaimer Radio News brings you breaking Asheville news, and more, and less, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Jan. 15, 2010

2010-01-27T17:02:00.003-05:00

Breaking Asheville news, Asheville's connection to 'American Idol,' Frank gets desperate, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News, Jan. 8, 2010

2010-01-11T16:05:00.001-05:00

Breaking Asheville news, winter survival tips, and what smokers can do to survive the indoor-smoking ban, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Dec. 18, 2009

2009-12-22T15:33:00.002-05:00

Breaking Asheville news, Cecil Bothwell vs. God, the correct way to pray, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition in the Mountain Xpress, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

How to Spell an Important Jewish Holiday (click image to enlarge)

2009-12-19T12:32:00.001-05:00

Holiday gift-cards to avoid this year

2009-12-17T17:13:00.000-05:00

Holiday gift-cards to avoid

Disclaimer podcast, 12-09-09

2009-12-14T05:11:00.002-05:00

Breaking Asheville news, the swearing-in of Asheville City Council's newest members, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer podcast 12-04-09

2009-12-09T12:01:00.001-05:00

Breaking Asheville news, hangover reviews and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News, Nov. 20, 2009

2009-11-20T19:49:00.002-05:00

Shuler parrots lobbyist, Frank Dribbler examines readers' breasts, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News podcast, Nov. 13, 2009

2009-11-13T17:42:00.001-05:00

Rock slide creates avalanche of photo-ops for politicians, celebrity report from Asheville Film Festival, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News, Nov. 6, 2009

2009-11-07T11:57:00.004-05:00

Post-election coverage in Asheville, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM. To see the Asheville Disclaimer weekly print edition, please visit http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com

Disclaimer Radio News, Oct. 30, 2009

2009-10-30T18:22:00.001-04:00

Asheville City Council candidates trick-or-treating for votes, and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM.

Disclaimer Radio News, Oct. 23, 2009

2009-10-30T18:20:00.001-04:00

Officials at the VA hospital said WHAT now? and more, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer, heard each friday at 5:25-ish on "Take a Stand! with Matt Mittan," which airs between 3 and 6 p.m. on WWNC 570 AM.

Disclaimer Radio News, Oct. 16, 2009

2009-10-16T21:00:00.002-04:00

Breaking coverage of local book burnings and the Ashtober Zombie Walk, from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News, Oct. 9, 2009

2009-10-09T17:58:00.002-04:00

Breaking coverage of Asheville City Council primary election from the armed audio wing of the Asheville Disclaimer.

Disclaimer Radio News — Orig. airdate: Oct. 2, 2009

2009-10-04T20:18:00.001-04:00

Disclaimer Radio News, Sept. 25, 2009

2009-10-01T10:52:00.003-04:00

Hooray for Earth - S/T

2009-05-20T15:02:00.001-04:00

(2008 - Dopamine Records)

The thing that I love the most about Hooray for Earth is that I can't sum up their sound in one sentence. They're not especially complex or groundbreaking but neither do they slavishly adhere to some revivalist schtick for easy definition.
This reissue of the Boston based group's 2006 debut is refreshingly upbeat, optimistic even. It's a nice blend of powerfully dynamic rhythms, catchy vocal harmonies and punchy, crunchy, guitar-driven pop hooks. Singer/Songwriter Noel Heroux has a knack for putting together melodies that stick in your head for days on end. He's not above throwing in some "La la la's" either.
Gary Benaquista switches off on guitar and keyboards resulting in a musical atmosphere that gives equal time to riff-heavy rockers such as "How are You Here?" as well as driving new wave anthems like "Take Care".
Heartily recommended!

The Theater Fire - Matter and Light

2009-02-02T16:10:00.001-05:00

(2008 - Self Released)

I have to admit that I was almost afraid to listen to "Matter and Light", The Theater Fire's new album. The band's 2006 release "Everybody Has A Dark Side" was so disarmingly inventive and engaging with its laid back Southwestern melodies and quirky, droll sense of humor. How could the next album be anything but a disappointment? Such fears proved unfounded however, "Matter and Light" is every bit as good as the former album, if not superior.
Once again the Dallas-Fort Worth seven-piece, fronted by dual songwriters Dan Feagin and Curtis Heath, ambles in its uhurried pace through a plethora of moods and textures. In its own way, each song evokes a dusty, down home atmosphere suited to the particular tale it's telling. The tales in this case touching on a butcher shop from the slaughteree's point of view, gratitude for getting smuggled across the border, testicles and wanting to be Errol Flynn but turning out like your Dad instead.
Things do seem to be somewhat more formal this time out. The orchestration and production are more structured and ambitious on "Matter and Light" which still invokes the band's eclectic jumble of sounds with all the horns, strings, bells, guitars and various keys but this time introduces the different elements to the tunes with greater effect. The whole album still exhudes a laid-back, "front-porch-with-a-bunch-of-friends" vibe but there is also a more sophisticated sense of layering and subtlety going on. Instead of most of the instruments playing most of the time we get the occasional minor player briefly coming in for support to flesh out the arrangements and generally add extra dimention to already satisfying ditties.
Although one may often see The Theater Fire bannered with terms such as "Western" and "Americana" it's important to note that they are not the least but "twangy", nor are they anything remotely akin to "Alt-Country". There are no straight-up cowboy songs or aspirations of Uncle Tupelo or any of the stylistic conciets that one would expect from the typical Americana artist. Instead, the band moves as a gestalt of southwestern sounds and flavors with jangly travel songs, southern fried gothic laments, bordertown jams and the occasional sincere ballad.
Even on a stronger year for music this would be a contender as my favorite album. On a year as forgettable as 2008 it wins hands down.

Come out, Hear music & Support the Free Book Exchange on Saturday Nov. 15!

2008-11-14T15:35:00.002-05:00

If you hadn't heard the news, Asheville has a newish recyclery for your old books. Run by volunteers and surviving on the generosity of donations, The Asheville Free Book Exchange offers exactly the service that the name suggests. In addition to keeping the community's unwanted books in circulation free of charge, the center also features free wi-fi, relaxing couches and a children's section.
The benefit taking place on Saturday will attract the talent of five familiar Asheville artists. The psychedellically ambient Indie stylings of Body of John the Baptist, and Jeff Markham (of The Bluelight Transmission). Veterans of the Asheville scene, Night's Bright Colors will also be playing. With intricate compositions and ecxeptional songwriting, NBC often draw comparisons to artists like Elliott Smith.
There will also be two bluegrass bands to diversify the line up. The plucky, banjo driven Bluegrass lumber Company as well as the more ballad oriented Honeycutters (formerly known as The Bees Knees).
This will be a kid-friendly event with a suggested donation of $5. There will be no alchohol for sale but responsible showgoers will be welcome to bring their own.
The Asheville Free Book Exchange is located at the Riverview Station (191 Lyman St. in Asheville's River Arts District). For more information, you can contact them at (404)933-9173 or email at info@freebookexchange.org

OMG!! Girl Talk @ The Orange Peel tonight!!!

2008-10-14T16:54:00.003-04:00

Girl Talk (or Gregg Gillis) ain't just the king of mash-ups, Girl Talk is your wittiest friend who's gone through every item in the stockpile of pop-culture you call a memory, a musical mad scientist with a short attention span and the DJ that you've wished for at every dance party you've ever been to all rolled in to one. No seriously, I'm serious!! Also yes, he IS the king of mash ups.
To get me all hyped up to write this I've just listened to and am still listening to "Feed the Aninmals", Gillis' fourth album under the name Girl Talk. After 50 minutes and around 300 different samples I should be, by all rights, exhausted. The way Gillis builds, mixes and unfolds his compositions keeps the listener's energy up however. The elements switch up often, sometimes before you want them to to be honest, allowing the momentum ebb and flow while the beat keeps up a consistently brisk pace.
As with any good mash-up, most of the fun is in hearing a familiar song (or two or six) in a completely different context. It's just fun to hear Temple of the Dog's "Hunger Strike" playing on top of some dirty, dance club hip hop. No matter who you are there is at least one familiar element running through every second of "Feed the Animals". Be they snatched from classic rock, dirty south, top 40 pop or any era of R&B, Girl Talk's musical constructs always keep you guessing where they'll go next and pull you through deftly balanced juxtapositions that are anywhere from neat to exciting to fucking rad.
Tonight's sold out show at The Orange peel looks to be the dancinest event of the season. I feel bad for you poor sods who'll be on the outside come 9 O'Clock.

Unicycle Loves You

2008-07-25T13:25:00.002-04:00

(2008 - High Wheel Records)

Without a doubt it's my biases from the 90's that make me think of Chicago's independant music community as a haven for for self-importantly dour experimentalism and stuffy artistes who'd rather have the critics call them "important" than create an enjoyable ditty of the toe-tapping variety. With all the major southeastern scenes undergoing such remarkable facelifts in the last few years I guess it's way past the time that I should dispose of my Shytown expectations especially given the upbeat bounciness created by bands like Unicycle Loves You.
Waiting a couple years to release a debut album is usually a good sign that the band in question is going to produce something that's worth your attention. Formed in 2006 by Jim Carrol (and no not THAT Jim Carrol), ULY have an eclectic yet well-defined sound. Every song on their self-titled debut takes its cues from a slightly different source, selecting musical elements from the last few decades of pop music in a way that compliments the arrangement without stretching the limits of ULY's overall style. Lovely vocal harmonies and catchy, guitar driven hooks ride with confidence over enegeticly upbeat percussion creating some of the most engaging power pop of 2008 so far.
The lyrics dance around subjects giving quick snatches of a half realized picture but never fully revealing their relevance to the casual listner. Even the male/female trade-off that occurs during "Under 18" incorporates the same juxtaposition of disseperate trains of thought rendering it an insular exorcise that refuses to give up its true meaning to anyone but the songwriter himself. Could be obviewscation. Could be stylization. Could just be that last wall between ego and audience that needs to come down before Carroll's full potential as a songwriter can be fully tapped.

Rocket Club! Tonight! EAR PWR! Love It!

2008-07-05T13:35:00.003-04:00

This may or may not be the kids' last local show til after their big multi month national tour.

If you need some convining here's a link to my Mountain Xpress article about em

www.mountainx.com/ae/2008/041608earpwr

Silver Mt Zion @ The Grey Eagle Tonight!!!!!

2008-05-24T16:48:00.002-04:00

Grey Eagle continues its run of bringing a respectable roster of national acts to town tonight with A Silver Mt Zion. Or Thee Silver Mt Zion, or even Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra La La Band.

Call them what you will, the Montreal collective seems to have finally outgrown the rather generic moniker of "Godspeed You Black Emperor sideproject". In fact, with Godspeed on what seems like permanent hiatus, both Silver Mt Zion as well as other offshoot bands like Do Make Say Think are evolving at something of a breakneck pace.

For someone like myself who missed the last couple SMZ releases, their new album "13 Blues for Thirteen Moons" is something of a radical departure from the band's earlier work. After multiple listens though it's not difficult to put to rest the spectre of expectation and embrace the new.

The most noticably different aspect SMZ's current incarnation is the emphasis on vocals and guitar riffage. The band previously specialized in densely complicated orchestral exorcises in tension and release which would often diverge into unexpected directions with minimal vocal chorus that was used sparingly and always in the background. We now get Efrim Menuck's jaggedly unpolished voice right up front delivering buzzsaw lamentations that cut right through the tension.
In some sense A Silver Mt Zion seems to have turned itself inside out. Instead of the repetitive elements anchoring the orchestra, the songs now build with layered deliberation becoming progressively more intense while the strings play and important backup role taking the main riffs to thrilling new heights.
With every song on the album breaking the 13 minute mark it's impossible to speak of Silver Mt Zion without using the words "epic" or "grand", but as breathtaking as these these songs may be they also posess a quality of introspection and more often than not, explosive episodes of quiet desperation.
With the upfront intimacy that a show at the Grey Eagle affords, this show could be not just a great performance but the emothional experiance of the season.

Cryptacize - Dig That Treasure

2008-04-22T16:31:00.003-04:00

(2008 - Asthmatic Kitty)

The most musically refreshing thing to hear in this day and age is a band who's sound seems to be sired by the actual tasts and sensibilities of it's members. That's how you avoid sounding like generic band x with an adiquate but disposable presence and really make music worth remembering. The bay area trio Cryptacize are like that. Distinctive, individualistic, almost iconoclastic but still perfectly accessable for fans of low-key, melodic indie-pop.
Comprised of Chris Cohen (formerly of Deerhoof and The Curtains), Nedelle Torrisi (Kill Rock Stars solo artist and also formerly of The Curtains) and Michael Carreia on percussion, Cryptacize excell in intimately sparse pop music whose arrangements employ frequent changes in both rhythm and key. The every note in a Cryptacize song is given the space and attention to flourish and the chords allowed to ring out clearly and fully.
Their debut album "Dig That Treasure" finds the trio playing with structure and arrangement in a way that comes across as dramatic but never obtusely so. The melodies progress minimally and unobstructed, occasionally veering off into unexpected new territory as tempos and rhythms change seemingly on impulse. Without ever really raising the volume level Cryptacize constantly remind the listener that the dynamic possibilities of the 3 minute pop song are quite literally limitless.
Tonewise the music's shifts often (even within the songs themselves) from solemn and sparse as in "Water Witching Wishes" and "Stop Watch" to an airily spacious jangle in songs like "Heaven is Human" and "Say You Will". Thematically Cryptacize burn at both ends of the spectrum, from mournful lamentations on the unstoppable passage of time to plafully naive assertions that life is a "Cosmic Singalong".
Hopefully future releases will find Cryptacize exploring structure and arrangement with the same dramatic vigor. There's no reason to think that they won't considering how naturally they meld musically. With a sound that's as well-formed as it is malleable it'll definitely be interesting to see where they go from here.

Biirdie - Catherine Avenue

2008-02-06T14:32:00.001-05:00

(2008 - Love Minus Zero/Drive-Thru Records)

It's somewhat condescending when writing about an artist to begin by referring to said artist as "charming". If we were doing free word association however, that would be my instinctual response for the Los Angeles based Biirdie. Fortunately, in this case, there is much more to say.
Comprised of idealistic wanderers from various corners of the U.S., Biirdie has a sound that is ditinctly American and specifically Southern Californian. Their group harmonies and homespun melodies often inspire the moniker of "indie rock's answer to Fleetwood Mac". A casual listen to their second release, Catherine Avenue, may leave the impression that these are innocent songs with simplistic arrangements. Closer inspection reveals a deeper layer of depth however, and lyrics that yearn to re-examine missed connections while lusting for geographical cures.
Biirdie has a flair for playing long songs that don't seem that long when you're listening to them. That's because they're constantly evolving, unfurling even. Songs often begin with an elegant simplicity before slyly adding instuments or subtly leading into increasingly grand new phrases. The changes come about so naturally and organically that it's easy to forget that these moments have to be orchestrated.
In other hands these songs could very well lead to dull pretense and stuffy self-importance. Refreshingly however, these players know the difference between engaging intensity and pointless high drama. They're also not above a bit of sillyness as eximplified by their Camper Van Beethoven-ish cover of The Texas Tornados' "Who Were You Thinking Of?" or "Estelle", Birdie's equivalent of The Beatles' "Don't Pass Me By". It's an unapologetically goofy singalong which suddenly comes into beauty in the closing minute or so.
Over and over again on Catherine Avenue Biirdie show that they don't just know what the musical conventions are, they also understand how those conventions work and how to use them effectively. It's an unassuming album that doesn't so much demand your attention as it does reward it, especially for us misanthropes who more often than not are mistaken for nice.

Zillionaire - The Street Lights Have Been Turned Down

2008-01-29T14:02:00.000-05:00

(2008 - New Granada)

An album like The Street Lights Have Been Turned Down probably won't grab you on first listen and that's okay. It doesn't really want to. The band responsible, Tampa based indie quartet Zillionaire, doesn't deal in hooks and riffs anyway. Instead the emphasis is on nuance and sophistication. Zillionaire is also a band which bears the distinction of carrying on a tradition as opposed to revelling in a trend.
Zillionaire's sound combines the deliberation and intertwined guitars of mid-90's slowcore with elements of the more restrained indie acts of the same era (think Bedhead or Versus). The guitars are, for the most part, free of distortion with deep tones and clean chords that are permitted ro ring free.
One of the halmarks of a truly great album is that the strongest run of songs, the ones most distinctive of the band's identity, come in the middle. Though each of the tracks on Street Lights... have their individual merits, there is a sizeable chunk of the album from around "The Incident of the Water Heater" through "Turn It On" in which it becomes more apparent that the musicians have put a considerable amount of time and thought into these arrangements. These songs are something of a cornerstone for the album with gorgeous vocal couplings and entrancingly simple guitar lines that gracefully compliment eachother while building to a satisfactory release in the occasional noisy sections.
Zillionaire's overall mood may seem dour and gloomy but at times there is the spark of a wry sense of humor. I mean come on the lyrics to "No Contest" are almost entirely comprised of titles from Versus songs. Possibly a statement that they're aware of the occasions in which they put their 90's influences front and center? Zillionaire needn't feel self-conscious of sounding derivative, especially when they're picking up a torch that's been mostly cast aside for quite some time.

Utah Carol - Rodeo Queen

2007-08-22T20:15:00.001-04:00

Utah Carol - Rodeo Queen
(2007, Stomping Ground)

It's apparent from the opening bars of "Rodeo Queen" that Chicago Husband/Wife duo Utah Carol know a thing or two about writing music that billows with a lonely loveliness and just a hint of twang. The knowledge that Grant Birkenbeul and Jija Davis have released a mere three albums in their 12 years of musical collaboration should clue you in on the laid-back pace that their songs follow. Having been satisfied up until this point with a local following in Chicago and a larger fandom in Europe, "Rodeo Queen" has the potential to finally bring these two to the attention of the U.S. indie community.
Let's get this straight right now, we are not talking about the dour downbeat drudgery that has invaded indie rock in the last few years. Utah Carol is way too sappy, and I mean that in a good way, to be completely lumped into the Americana genre. Their style falls somewhere between Iron & Wine and The Starlight Vocal Band mixed with a bit of Ida or Mojave 3. Nearly the entire album is sung in unison by both Birkenbeul and Davis with a smooth, breathy sweetness. While varying in both style and substance, the songs of "Rodeo Queen" are all draped with the same blanket of low-key dreaminess conjured by the lovers' dual warbling.
Despite Utah Carol's propensity for starry-eyed sentimentality, the lovey dovey schmaltz so rampant in some other couple bands is actually kept to a relative minimum. Don't get me wrong, that element IS present but most of the songs paint overly romanticized pictures of the love that got away and all the accompanying notions of regret, heartache, obsession and self-sabotage. With soft guitars and sweet melodies Birkenbeul and Davis often seem to be telling personal stories of other people's lives which is all well and good as long as they keep doing it with such a bleary-eyed, twinkling, coffee house kind of panache.

For your Idfest consideration

2007-04-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

I know there's going to be alot to choose from this weekend in regards to aural pleasure in the Asheville area. One band in particular may elude you Idfest-going eye but is worthy of your precious attention.

Through the Sparks hail from Birmingham, Alabama. They play a paticularly easy going yet thoughtfully paced and structured brand of psych-pop. They're on the same page with bands like Big Star.
On May 1 they'll release "Lazarus Beach". It's an impressive enough collections of songs made all the more impressive with the knowledge that it's their first long player. With an other worldly musical camaraderie and tasteful sensibilities they maintain a perfect balance of grim playfulness, subtle depth and engrossing melody.

Through the Sparks will play the Wedge Gallery at 10:30 on Saturday April 28th as part of Idfest.

If you require more convincing then please feel free to peruse their Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/throughthesparks

2007-02-09T14:29:00.001-05:00

The Asteroid #4 - An Amazing Dream

2007-02-06T13:43:00.000-05:00

The Asteroid #4 - An Amazing Dream
(2007 - Rainbow Quartz)

On these frosty overcast days of mid-winter I usually seek out the familiarity of simple melodies heavily blanketed in swirling reverb. Something airy yet grounded, melancholy but not self-indulgent and, most of all, something that can be at once expansive and sparse. These sounds are my aural comfort food. On their fourth album, An Amazing Dream, Philadelphia's The Asteroid #4 have delivered such an album.
Having never heard of The Asteroid #4 I'm thankfully spared the bias some critics have from the band's apparently awful preceding effort. All I know is that I love An Amazing Dream's billowing...um, dreaminess. Most of the songs are build around a strumming acoustic rhythm guitar peppered with the shimmering jangle of an ultra-effected electric. The ethereal airiness is kept firmly cemented by a grounded yet unassuming rhythm section. The drums and bass work together as an inseparable unit, keeping the momentum brisk and oak solid.
The album only has two real missteps. One is "Into the Meadow", a dismally white bread murder ballad that is very repetitive, very boring and very long. The other is tacked onto the end of the "Belong", the epic closing track. A few minutes after the song ends there is a two and a half minute session of pretentious ramblings about Alan Ginsberg, and yes it is as lame as it sounds.
The Asteroid #4 owes much of their sound and fashion to bands like The Trash Can Sinatras, The Ocean Blue and The Church. In fact An Amazing Dream contains a faithful rendition of The Church's "In Your Eyes". If this were released 17 years ago you'd probably Dave Kendall introducing a video for "Ask Me About Pittsburgh" or "Go Ahead" on 120 Minutes. And with that last reference I betray my age and will now take my leave, thank you and good night.

The British Army ... on LSD

2006-12-06T14:41:00.000-05:00

Barton Carroll - Love & War

2006-11-29T12:34:00.000-05:00

Barton Carroll - Love & War
(2006, Skybucket Records)

The first thing one hears on Love & War is Barton Carroll's mournful mountain warble as he vocalizes a traditional Appalachian lament. In the song a young man says goodbye to his lover as he must leave home. Although the reason for their separation is never stated outright, we can easily assume that there is a war and the boy must go into battle. Why? Well, there is the album's title for one. There is also the fact that the running theme of Love & War is the effect that battle has on the lives of civilians.

Carroll has one of those voices that pours emotion with a weary but steadfast honesty. His delivery may seem frail at times but Carroll's vocals are always front and center, breathing life into the otherwise sparse arrangements. The accompaniment doesn't disappoint either, this is after all the guy who played a truckload of various instruments for Crooked Fingers. The instrumentation, be it a bassoon, piano, violin, or the more traditional guitar/bass/drums combination, is gorgeously arranged but remains minimal, allowing the words to resonate with much more loneliness. Stylistically Carroll switches things up a bit, staying rooted in Appalachian/roots territory most of the time but manages to kick out a couple Tobin Sprout-style indie rock jams as well.

Most musicians, when taking on the subject of war, choose the political outrage/moral high ground road. Carroll would rather chronicle the situations of the individuals who have no choice. His lyricss are not about the politics of war but more about the basic humanity and inhumanity that happens in its midst. The fact that Love & War was recorded way back in August 2001, just before our current situations began, somehow adds to the timelessness of these songs.

So Many Dynamos - Flashlights

2006-11-29T12:33:00.000-05:00

So Many Dynamos - Flashlights
(2006, Skroki Records)

Wow, what a difference a year and a half makes. When we first heard from So Many Dynamos they were a brimming pot full of potential. They were already a good band with a confident, well-defined sound. However they were also mired in hero worship for The Dismemberment Plan, a fact that hindered almost as much as it helped. Now they're back with Flashlights, an album that shows a band that's growing up in all the right ways while still retaining that essential spark of new-band energy.

The first album, When I Explode, had a tense precision about the proceedings. The songs themselves felt tightwound, almost suffocatingly so. A common byproduct of a new band over scrutinizing every detail with a need to impress right out of the gate. On Flashlights the band employ the same tight performances but with more of an openness that comes with virtuosity. They've always sounded confident but now they sound comfortable being confident.

Without pressure to immediately grab attention and "make a name" the songs can open up more, allowing for things like horns and vocal choirs. The guitars still snap with jarring dissonance or by contrast, interplay with mathy tenderness. Clayton Kunstel's drumming, while still precise, is more alive this time out, taking some jazzier excursions to find more of the rhythm between the accents.

It's clear that So Many Dynamos have no intention of divorcing themselves from their influences. It's also clear that they're not about to let their sound stagnate as a rehash of over traversed territory.

Ho-Ag - The News From Pluto

2006-11-29T12:31:00.000-05:00

Ho-Ag - The News From Pluto
(2006, Hello Sir Records)

There are a few things we've come to expect from bands brought to us by Hello Sir Records. These include, but are not limited to, a blitz of guitar driven energy, time signatures that change on a dime, ass kicking riff/melodies and quite a bit of screamin' and yellin'. All of these elements are present and accounted for on The Word From Pluto, the new collection of recorded music from Boston's Ho-Ag.

Their sound lies somewhere in the badlands between the heavy riffage of NoMeansNo and the mathy kookiness of Devo. Drums pound and drive. Guitars nimbly rock the hell out. The occasianally obnoxious synthesizer is for the most part tastefully used and is rarely at the musics forefront.

Ho-Ag play with a vicious precision that rides the line between control and spastic entropy. The music continually threatens to collapse under the weight of its own energy but flashes off into a new direction before that happens. A tasteful dollop of melody and ear for off-kilter hooks distinguishes Ho-Ag from the other wannabe, art-punk mathnicks.

My new favorite web celebrity

2006-11-07T15:23:00.000-05:00

This picture really makes me laugh....alot.

Go to Harvest Records to see people play music

2006-10-29T22:16:00.000-05:00

Don't know much about The New Sound of Numbers but I must say that their show does look like a promising way to spend an evening.

The music happens tonight, October 29, 2006 at Harvest Records in Asheville

Here's their myspace page if you wanna know more http://myspace.com/thenewsoundofnumbers

The Theater Fire - Everybody Has a Dark Side

2006-10-22T11:58:00.000-04:00

The Theater Fire - Everybody Has A Dark Side
(2006, Undeniable Records)

Hey look everybody, my choice for best new label of 2005 is back with a third release. Oh what fun! And yes this one is just as strong and memorable as the first two. Coolness!
The Theater Fire have been kicking around North Texas in some form or another since 2000. On their second album Everybody Has a Dark Side they've blossomed into a laid-back, unassumingly sublime outfit that is quite comfortable in its musical skin. As the thirteen presented tracks ramble through forty odd minutes of playing time, we hear yarns spun about lovers, loners, brothers, dusty strangers and guilt ridden survivors. These stories are set to music that consistently changes things around while avoiding most of the formulaic trappings of americana or roots music.
Things open up with "Kicking Up A Darkness", an account of an approaching stranger that could have been a transplant from a Lambchop or Leonard Coen album. It's the most formally arranged and studio polished song you'll hear. Things don't exactly go lo-fi, they just become sort of... let's say informal. "Fiddleback Weaver" throws in some mariachi horns resulting in a darkly festive border town drinking song. From there the styles jump from front porch sing-a-longs to love lorn soldier ballads to campfire stories to rollicking road tunes to... you get the picture.
Entirely recorded at home with analog technology, the songs on Everybody Has A Dark Side breathe with the laid back, organic energy of a sunny southwestern afternoon. They have the unguarded, casual intimacy of hanging out with old friends and playing songs you've known for years. Mostly sentimental, sometimes mournful and occasionally droll, Everybody... is a refreshingly unambitious late summer treat. It's not perfect, but then again good music should never have that as an aim in the first place.

All this time...

2006-10-04T01:35:00.000-04:00

... and still, the number one search topic that leads people to this blog is "Amish Girls".

Black Fiction - Ghost Ride

2006-09-26T01:41:00.001-04:00

Black Fiction - Ghost Ride
(2006 - Howells Transmitter)

More than anything, Black Fiction wants to be an old, beat-up cassette onto which your best friend has copied his or her eccentricly amateurish bedroom recording project. Every song on Ghost Ride goes out of it's way to be different from the last. The crazy thing is that it kind of works. The problem with Ghost Ride is that it spends too much time trying to convince you that it has been created by amateurs when it is obvious that the opposite is true. For the most part the songs are genuinely creative and well written like the stunning title track, there are however a few time wasters like the band's namesake.
This may be the next step into the SUPER-disaffected-self-aware arena of indie rock where artists go out of their way to include as many elements and genres as possible and at the same time go out of their way to sound like they are very bored and not trying very hard. The result is that Black Fiction is a good album when in fact it could've been a fantastic one. The experimental nature of pushing your limits in order to find your feet is the reason that many a band's first album is it's most memorable. But with Black Fiction it's hard to tell how much of that is genuine and how much is engineered to be odd and hip.
The songs are good enough, employing creative home recording techniques, incongruous instrumentation and darkly misanthropic lyrics. The vocals however are presented with a disaffected, hipster staleness that either attempts to emulate someone else's style or, when delving into more personal lyrical content, refuses any emotion or personality at all.
All gripes aside, Ghost Harvest is different from anything else I've heard this year and, as this shoegazer-packed summer finally winds down, different is what I desperately need right now.

7 more weeks of free busses in Asheville

2006-09-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

Hey Asheville folks, don't forget to take advantage of the free busses whenever you can. The more people ride during the free fare experiment, the more money the city will throw into the transportation system next year.

New Songs + Jukebox = Good Times

2006-09-13T23:41:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, we've updated the jukebox on the website's music page. There's some Conner songs as well as goodness from The Bleachers and Venice is Sinking and some revelry from The World/Inferno Friendship Society.

Enjoy

Iron Hero - Safe As Houses

2006-09-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

Iron Hero - Safe As Houses
(2006, Self Released)

Yet another head-turning band from Athens, Ga that shows enormous potential. For a band with six members Iron Hero is surprisingly taut. This is due to the guidance of an amazing rhythm section.
Thomas Wilcox (drums) and Ben Simpson (bass) keep things steady and under control with tense precision allowing the other players to cover everything is a thick blanket of post-rock atmosphere. The guitars interplay with simple, serpentine phrases which are occasionally washed in reverberated fuzz. The vocals are nice and melodic but don't seem as confident and distinctive as Iron Hero's other elements.
There are gobs of little intricacies on Safe As Houses for future discovery. Thanks to the immaculate production (provided by Josh McKay of Macha) everything shows up in the mix.
Drawing inspiration from the likes of American Football, Tristeza, The Church and Echo & The Bunnymen, I'm glad that the remnants of the post-rock movement has landed in such capable hands.

The Scourge of the Sea - Make Me Armored

2006-09-10T13:53:00.000-04:00

The Scourge of the Sea - Make Me Armored
(2006, Alias Records)

Do my eyes deceive me? Is the label that disappeared after signing every band in Chapel Hill in the early 90's really back? It's true, the label that brought you The Archers of Loaf has returned and they've picked an oddly unmemorable album to do it with.
Don't get me wrong, this debut from Lexington, KY's The Scourge of the Sea is for the most part a perfectly serviceable college pop album. In fact they remind me of early Connells or a less ambitiously literary version of The Trash Can Sinatras. Solidly arranged, mid-tempo ditties sung wispily by heartbroken young men resigning in the face of unrequited love seem to rule the day.
There is, in fact, alot to love on Make Me Armored. The album shows great potential with songs like "Out of the Trash" and "Smitten Kitten" which may have been time-warped from my college radio station from fifteen years ago. Many a melody from this disk has popped into my head long after the spinning is done. However, despite a few saccharine sweet melody lines, Make Me Armored leaves no real lasting impression.
Unfortunately the last few tracks sail along rather lifelessly suffering from frequently trite lyrics. "The Birds of a Feather" in particular suffers from the most distracting case of every-two-lines-absolutely-MUST-rhyme syndrome in recent memory.

Snowlgobe - Oxytocin

2006-09-08T13:25:00.000-04:00

Snowglobe - Oxytocin
(2006, Makeshift Music)

I'm honestly rather unfamiliar with Memphis, Tennessee's Snowglobe, a band that has previously put out two apparently fantastic albums that I've never heard. All I know is that Oxytocin is the first in a series of five albums, each of which will be a "solo-directed project" by a different member of the band. This one here was written and conducted by Mr. Brad Postlethwaite. Incidentally, Oxytocin is a hormone that is released during orgasm, ejaculation and birth.
The musical styles are all over the map. There's some bouncy pop, some gigantic, blown out arrangements ala The Flaming Lips and more than a little attention to detail and orchestration. Most of the songs seem to be built around Postlethwaite's promonent vocal melodies, showcasing some formidable songwriting abilities which although catchy and memorable are for the most part downright uncheerful.
Call it unfocused. Call it diverse to a fault. You can even call it the second coming of Elephant Six if you like. The thing you can't call Oxytocin is uninteresting. Unlike most songwriters Postlethwaite doesn't force his lyrics onto every second of every song. He knows when to let the music breathe. With stacks upon piles of instruments always in the mix there are plenty of rewards for the attentive listener.

The Never - Antarctica

2006-09-06T13:41:00.000-04:00

The Never - Antarctica
(2006 - Trekky Records)

The Never may just be North Carolina's most ambitious indie-rock outfit. Their second album, Antarctica, is half of a multimedia project which includes a fully illustrated storybook featuring 50 original paintings by bandmember Noah Smith. Inspired by the storybook records of our childhoods, Antarctica tells the story of a country boy who is on a quest to return a nuclear bomb to the city. There are also witches and minions and some sort of love story and changing seasons. My details are hazy as I don't actually have the storybook with my promo.
As is necessary in telling a story of youthful innocence combating the ways of the world, The Never's music is unapologetically sentimental and self-important. It's also damn impressive for a sophmore release. Delicate indie ballads, catchy power-pop, riffs, reprisals, interludes and quite a bit of anthemic arrangement all have a hand in telling Antarctica's story. At times I'm reminded of Queen at their most Beatlesque along with a dose of Death Cab For Cutie before they were boring. It's refreshing to hear such layered and dense music coming from people naive enough to sing lines like, "I will find my heart in Antarctica." with sincerity and in four-part harmony.

The Bleachers - Suspicion

2006-09-05T13:19:00.001-04:00

The Bleachers - Suspicion
(2006, Village Industries)

The first two and a half minutes of Suspicion paints a densely moody backdrop for the rest of the album to play-out against. Its a foggy, billowing, wastland of a world with the soft rumblings of thunderclouds far off in the distance. Once the instrumentalists cast off the droning and chanting and lurch foreward into the body of "Witch Trials" however, everything explodes into a controlled but primal flash. Guitars shimmer, drums pound and the bass carries most of the melody as dreamily processed vocals echo to and fro.
Why The Bleachers inspire comparisons to early R.E.M. is beyond me. I mean yeah, the guitars DO jangle and shimmer most of the time and the lyrics are of the hard-to-understand-and-incomprehensible-when-you-do variety, but that's where the similarities end. This trio from Las Vegas is actually more like a striking mix of The Charlatans U.K. and Bauhaus. They've got the shoegazer ear for dreamy melody but a menacing, neo-industrial edge that keeps things nice and interesting.
Another thing I love about Suspicion is that the individual songs, although although being diverse and distinctive, create an emotional arc that connects the album as a single movement. The gentle acoustic melodies of "Don't Make No Roads", the metallic claning of "Slumberjack #2" and the acid house rockout of "Poltergeist" don't simply coexist in a disjointed jumble but rather flow in a logical progression which connects the album as a single body.

Venice is Sinking - Sorry About the Flowers

2006-08-23T02:01:00.000-04:00

Venice Is Sinking - Sorry About the Flowers
(2006 - One Percent Press)

Here is some especially satisfying fare for all you melody loving, indie-minded shoegazers out there. Sleepy guitars and lush strings build and layer around heart melting male/female vocals. Thoughtfully arranged dreaminess that evokes just enough wistful melancholy for those rainy summer afternoons. Not the self-indulgent, "Boo hoo for poor me," variety of melancholy mind you, more like a sudden moment of understanding and acceptance after a great loss.
Sometimes low-key and other times anthemic, the songs on Sorry About the Flowers are mainly of the stalwart mid-tempo ilk. Stunningly gorgeous and with plenty of musical variety to keep things interesting, Venice is Sinking consistently succeed in recapturing the shoegazer stylings of the early 90's.

The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Red Eyed Soul

2006-08-17T13:22:00.000-04:00

The World/Inferno Friendship Society - Red Eyed Soul
(2006, Chunksaah Records)

This is the kind of band that I quickly find myself falling in love with. The World/Inferno Friendship Society is eclectic, vibrant, festive, soulful, irrevrent, creative and generally radiates good times. The band, which employs only two permanent members but may contain as many as twelve at any given time, has been around for several years, entreated the world with a few releases and converted a gracious plenty showgoers into devoted followers.
The players and their truckload of various instruments are tight and together in that non-clinical, feels-like-it's-natural sort of way. At first the vocal stylings of the frontman/ringmaster guy (sorry, there were no credits on my copy) seemed much too white bread for the musicians' jazzy, art-punk mayhem. However, after a couple listens I really couldn't imagine the words being presented any other way. Everything about The Society (as we'll refer to them henceforth) is just that infectious.
As one of the original purveyors of cabaret punk, The Society mix all the fun of a Gypsy Halloween carnival with pop melodies and punk attitudes to summon forth a funtastically danceable anarchy. This new album is somewhat lacking in the punk department, leaning more heavily on body moving theatrics and orchestration but Red Eyed Soul is still a slap in the face of convention. It may not have the frantic insanity of past releases and it may incorperate more ambitious musicianship but there is still a floor stomping good time to be had.

Conner - Hello Graphic Missile

2006-08-07T01:49:00.000-04:00

Conner - Hello Graphic Missile
(2006, Sonic Boom Recordings)

The comparisons and likenesses applied to the Lawrence, Kansas quartet Conner are true and accurate but at the same time somewhat misleading. They do belong in the same bullpen as The Strokes, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand and dozens of other danceable rock revivalists. The mislead is that, while most of their compatriates are all forced swagger and no substance, Conner skips the posturing and just delivers damn good songs. The swaggering coolness is just gravy.
Compiling the best tracks from the band's first two self released albums, Hello Graphic Missile is Conner's first attempt to reach a national audience. Soundwise, the influences vary from T-Rex to Gang of Four to a little bit of Rolling Stones boiled down into modern indie rock structures. Phil Bonahoom's plump basslines bounce along with Bryce Boley's no-nonsense dance/rock beats. The guitars, provided by Tom Wagner and James Duft, marry straightforeward riffage with memorable melodies for a result that is complex but never degenerating into art-wank. Duft's vocals are certainly affected in that Brit Glam / New Wave fashion that The Strokes brought back into vogue.
The initial gut reaction to Conner may be to dismiss them as another face in the crowd of an already overpopulated sub-genre but there is honestly something more to this band. Conner proves that style doesn't necessarily have to mean formula. A band can have a definite sound and still do more than one thing. What it all comes down to is that Conner offers a joyful affirmation of everything that is right about the whole dancey/rock/new wave revival thing. What's more, they're better than most of their fellows and as good as the best.

Widget

2006-07-24T15:16:00.000-04:00

I've got a widget. A brown furry widget that lives in a shoe. I downloaded him from Apple. He likes brown rice and potted meat and publishes posts to Blogger from my swanky widget thingie on OSX. I'm typing on my widget right now. Hold still widget. You can get your own brown fuzzy widget here... www.google.com/macwidgets/

Now I can drunk post even easier, not that I'm drunk now, I just saying, though my widget tells me to have a beer. I'm at work Widget, I tell him. But he doesn't care. He mocks me and has now crashed. So maybe my Widget isn't worth downloading. I'll give Widget another try.

World/Inferno Friendship Society playing in Asheville on Sunday

2006-07-22T03:29:00.000-04:00

Don't forget that Sunday night, July 23rd is your chance to enjoy the cabaret/punk stylings of The World/Inferno Friendship Society at Joli Rouge. Here's what their Wikipedia entry says:

"A rotating cabaret of punk/klezmer/gospel featuring horns, piano, guitar, a number of percussionists, as well as a variety of other instruments, such as accordion, xylophone and orchestra bells. All of this adds up to a mayhem-inducing live presence.
The band has historically had over 30 members, including former members of Dexy's Midnight Runners. Usually one can expect to see about nine or ten members on-stage when they perform. The group is led by singer Jack Terricloth and drummer Benjamin Kotch, who have been the most constant members throughout the group's history.
Their annual Halloween show, Hallowmas, is usually their biggest show of the year and the group tries to make it a memorable event with such things as half the band and most of the audience marching down the street, pumpkins held aloft, during the last (and hallmark) song, Pumpkin Time, which references The Great Pumpkin of Peanuts fame. Pumpkin Time has also featured dangerous, home-made pyrotechnical displays, flying band members, enough candy corn to form a thick sludge under the dancing feet of the crowd, burned effigies, or terrifying, wall-sized singing apparitions."

You can also learn more at www.worldinferno.com

We're Seeking Writers

2006-07-20T22:50:00.000-04:00

We're looking for writers. Funny writers. Politics, Local (Asheville N.C.) Humor, Features, Current Events, Inane Scribblings are all welcome, but must be funny. If you'd like to be published online, have no use for money, and can write things that make us laugh, then we would love to hear from you. Send submissions to captainspiffo@hotmail.com

New songs on the jukebox

2006-07-12T00:45:00.000-04:00

Howdy folks, just letting you know that we've changed the songs over at the website. We've now got songs by cinemechanica, final fantasy, about and Candy Bars. You can find 'em here: http://www.ashevilledisclaimer.com/music/

Three more days to see The Devil and Daniel Johnston

2006-07-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

I saw this at the Fine Arts Theater last night and it was fan-freaking-tastic. It will only be playing through Thursday here in Asheville so get thee to see it. If your unfamiliar with Johnston or the film then go here and be informed: http://www.sonyclassics.com/devilanddaniel/

Cracker is to play Belle Chere

2006-07-07T14:43:00.000-04:00

I just got a tip from one of my contacts that David Lowry and company will be playing in Asheville on Saturday July 29th as part of the Belle Chere city festival thingy. This will be their only show in NC in support of the new album Greenland.

Album Review: Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds

2006-07-05T16:26:00.000-04:00

Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
(2006, Tomlab)

When The Arcade Fire came through town a couple years ago, their string arranger and touring violinist Owen Pallett also served as opening act under the moniker of Final Fantasy. The crowd loved his geekishly sincere songs about romance, magic, myth and video games. Many of us eagerly bought copies of his album, ...Has a Good Home!!!!!!!!!!, but were a bit disappointed that the recording didn't capture the creativity and wonder of his live set. It was pretty good but seemed hastily recorded and had little variety although there were a couple stand out tracks. Now Pallett is back with a bigger budget and sharpened skills. From the opening bars of He Poos Clouds, it's clear that the ante is being uped.
There's more of everything on He Poos Clouds. More orchestration, a greater variety of instruments with highly nuanced arrangement, better production values, more creativity, more melody and generally more realized potential. Pallett's loveably absurd pretenses are also magnified, the recording itself is a concept album based on the 8 schools of magic in Dungeons & Dragons. The title is a sillified reference referrence to some mystical proverb or such.
As could be expected, the primary instruments are strings. This time he brings in an entire quartet as well as quite a bit of harpsichord, piano and percussion. Not so many effects pedals and tape loopings I'm afraid. Don't mislabel this as chamber-pop though. The instrumental choices may imply it and at times even sound it but each song creates it's own nitch with the sound without really adhering to any one genre. To say it another way, the writing style changes even if the instruments don't.
Whereas ...Has A Good Home!!!!! mostly sounds the same, things get a bit diversified here. Some tracks like "I'm Afraid of Japan" sound as if they're composed for quartet, others such as "Song Song Song" and "This Lamb Sells Condos" are more like pop songs that've been adapted. With different instruments a song like "Many Lives -> 49" would be a riff-heavy rocker.
Did I mention that the guy has an amazing voice yet? He does. It's youthful yet seasoned and endlessly emotive, swoonworthy even. It can deliver lines such as, "When his massive genitals refuse to co-operate no amount of therapy can hope to save him marriage.", with the utmost sincerity. With that emo hair and his gayness I'm suprised he isn't a bigger hit on the Myspace circuit.

Album Review: Cinemechanica - The Martial Arts

2006-07-04T15:35:00.000-04:00

Cinemechanica - The Martial Arts
(2006, Hello Sir Records)

Much like Nashville, our friends to the south in Athens, Ga have been busy adding a new chapter to their town's already rich musical history. In the last year bands like Ham1 and Untied States have chipped away at the musical preconceptions most listeners have about Athens. A major player in the current musical scenery is Hello Sir Records, the owners of which perform in one of the labels finest bands, Cinemechanica.
I was wondering when the first of the summertime-road trip albums would get here. The ones you pop in on a long distance drive with friends exclaiming, "Holy Shit! You HAVE hear this!" Then Cinemechanica's debut, The Martial Arts, came along and I stopped wondering.
Embodying a veritable avalanche of energetic riffs and intense rhythms, Cinemechanica are usually filed into genres with the prefix "post". Dueling guitars intertwine, race along together and then unexpectedly diverge summoning order from chaos and then nimbly diving back into chaos. The guitars may be the stars of the show here but the rhythm section is there to underline and punctuate every step of the way. The drums produce a controlled frenzy of snare and cymbal that never drowns out the prominently powerful bass. As for the vocals, they are of the screamin', yellin', make my throat hurt if I try to sing along variety.
The running time may seem brief clocking in at just over 31 minutes, but there is so much energy exuberated in that time that you may need a nap afterward. Every second of The Martial Arts demands your attention. Every riff and abrupt change wants to be the one you remember. These are songs for folks who like their riffs to come fast and furious and seldom pause for a breath.
Cinemechanica's frantic gutar work and masterful execution of complex time changes often invites comparisons to bands like Drive Like Jehu, Q and Not U, Faraquet and Don Caballero. I'll leave the genre classification to you people, just know that Cinemechanica is loud, fast, complex and will kick your indie/emo ass. Also they have given us THE guitar album of summer 2006. So far at least.

Mt. Egypt and Band of Horses at the Grey Eagle tonight, June 19

2006-06-20T00:27:00.000-04:00

Hey all you hep cats. Don't forget that there's a damn good show at The Grey Eagle tonight (June 19th) with....

...Mt. Egypt

"Travis Graves is the singer/songwriter/frontman/forest ranger for Mt. Egypt, a band of honesty, sensitivity, romance and greatness that nods its musical head in the direction of The Flaming Lips, Willie Nelson, The Walkmen, Cat Power, Will Oldham, James Mercer, Neil Young and Leonard Cohen."

..and Band of Horses

"Guitarist/vocalist Ben Bridwell and guitarist Mat Brooke formed Band of Horses in 2004, after the dissolution of their nearly ten-year run in northwest melancholic darlings Carissa's Wierd. Carissa's Wierd trafficked in sadly beautiful orchestral pop, whose songs told unflinching stories of heartbreak and loss, leavened with defeatist humor. And, Band of Horses rises from the ashes of that well-loved and short-lived band. After playing music with each other for over a decade, Bridwell and Brooke picked up together again when Bridwell began fleshing out his compositions post-Carissa's. "It was really just a natural thing we started doing," explains Bridwell. Buoyed by Bridwell's warm, reverb-heavy vocals (which strangely channel a dichotomous blend of Wayne Coyne, Brian Wilson and Doug Martsch,) Band of Horses' woodsy, dreamy songs ooze with amorphous tension, longing and hope."

New Al Qaeda Head Deemed to Have Sufficient “Crazy-Eyes” to Run Organization.

2006-06-19T17:10:00.000-04:00

Asheville Disclaimer News - June 15, 2006: 2:17 PM EDT- Days after the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al Qaeda in Iraq issued a press release announcing its new leader Egyptian-born Abu Ayyub al-Masri. Members of Al Qaeda are very excited, but are wondering if he will maintain their current sick-day policy or get rid of Hawaiian burqa Fridays.

“Regardless of his leadership skills," said an al Qaeda spokesman, "we felt he had mastered the crazy eye needed to be a great al Qaeda leader. Leadership skills are great, but when you’re cutting the head off a hostage on TV, it’s really about the look. Even more than that, it’s about that “crazy eye” look. We think he’s nailed it.”

In a press release by al-Masri himself, he said that his past beheading experience, his many terrorist workshops, and his BA in Infidel Destruction and The Explosive Arts lets him bring to the table a cache of valuable work experience, not to mention a face full of “crazy eye”.

“I look forward to bringing al Qaeda in Iraq into the new millennium. I see our beheading output tripling. I see many new things exploding. It’s really an exciting time to be in Iraq. I look forward to the short time I have left before I’m martyred by a large American bomb. ”

Album Review; About - Bongo

2006-06-15T03:38:00.000-04:00

About - Bongo
(2006, Cock Rock Disco)

A glance at the cover of Bongo would indicate that it is maybe the product of a rap/rock outfit from your local high school. That assumption is not the least bit accurate by the way. Those poorly drawn animal heads pasted on heroin chic bodies merely represent the cut & paste, deconstructionist nature of the album in question.
About is not a band but in fact a studio and stage project by Amsterdam's own Rutger Hoedemaekers. The album Bongo is the result of three years and several collapsed lungs worth of work.
High energy, creative and catchy to the extreme, Hoedemakers rearranges samples and snippets of collected sounds and lays them next to his own recorded material for an eclectic, indie/electro fun fest. About comes across as playfully disjointed with the starts and stops and the hopping of genres between tracks. That incongruity never really disrupts the pop aesthetic of each individual song however. Trendy as the style is, I can't deny that Bongo is as anjoyable as anything the genre has to offer.
The caveat emptor on this one is that the album comes with a mere 32 minute running time and five minutes of that is cluttered, pointless filler. Songs like " Furry Dice (dangling from the guitar)" and "Boo (Hoo)" are pointless excursions and serve no purpose other than boosting the album's playing length over half an hour.
Still, all gripes about the filler aside Bongo is, for the most part, one catchily dancetastic release. I plan to use most of these songs on various summer mixes for family and friends. However it would've been tighter and had more impact as an EP.

Album Review: Candy Bars

2006-06-07T19:12:00.000-04:00

Candy Bars - On Cutting Ti-Gers in Half and Understanding Narravation
(2006, New Granada Records)

I don't even know where to start. Most people read the first few scentences of an album review, just enough to get the gist of a band's basic style, and then move on. That would be the wrong thing to do in this case. You see a certain musical trio from Tampa called Candy Bars has come along with a debut album that is completely one thing without be everything you're tired of about that one thing. That one thing (and stick with me to the end on this) is dreamy, orchestral dream pop.
You'd be right to say that the genre's resurgence is getting old fast. Most of the groups sound identical and are steeped in cliche. What Candy Bars reminds us is that ANY genre, no matter how stagnant, still has the potential to be thrilling and vital as long as there is genuine effort by the artist to find his or her own voice. In the case of Candy Bars that voice is the menacingly eerie whisper of vocalist Daniel Martinez.
With their debut, On Cutting Ti-Gers in Half and Understanding Narravation, the members of Candy Bars have restored some of the mystery to psychodellic pop. They've made a melancholy album of remarkable textural depth that sinks its hooks deeper into your heart with each repeat listening. The music swells and unfurls in a breathingly loose and organic fashion without transgressing into long-winded freeform boredom. The core instrumentation consists of guitar, drums and cello although there's plenty of auxillary layering throughout the album's 11 tracks making On Cutting Ti-Gers far more rewarding through the magic of stereo headphones.
As for the Martinez's lyrics, they almost make sense some of the time and then suddenly flee from grasp and into a surreal, semi-decipherable haze. With the typical passage being in the vein of, "A closed-eye Houdini with a deck of breath plays silk harp in the morning." you should know that these words have no intention of revealing any sort of meaning. Their true function is that of conjuring of vivid but mysterious imagery which may sort of allude to whatever the song is about if indeed it is about anything....ahem.
At it's lowest point On Cutting Ti-Gers... is still a damn good recording and although the album's second half isn't nearly as rivetting as the first, there's still quite a bit of melody and dreaminess to be enjoyed. It isn't quite slowcore, it isn't quite psychodellia and it isn't quite chamber pop but Candy Bars incorperates elements of all three genres into something at once distinctive and familiar.

Wes McDonald playing this Saturday

2006-06-05T13:20:00.000-04:00

Hey folks, just letting you know that Wes McDonald will be playing at Jack of the Wood this coming Saturday (June 10th). If you're unfamiliar with his rock stylings then scroll down and read my review of his new album. Better yet drop by the Disclaimer website website www.ashevilledisclaimer.com and listen to his songs on the music page's jukebox.

Album Review; 13 Ghosts - Cicada

2006-05-31T23:39:00.000-04:00

13 Ghosts - Cicada
(2006, Skybucket Records)

13 Ghosts didn't exist in its current form until nearly a decade after its inception under a different name. The members came together in 1990, played around for a couple years and then scattered until the 1998 death of the original bass player. The two remaining members, Brad Armstrong and Buzz Russell, rekindled their musical partnership the day of their friend's funeral in an attempt to exorcise their own grief. The resulting recordings have never been released but Armstrong and Russell went on to make three proper albums and two EP's. Their third album, Cicada, came out a couple years ago with limited distribution. Now Skybucket Records has come along to bring Cicada to the rest of the country.
The thing about Cicada is that it does not sound like a band's third album. It has the kind of go-for-broke-and-throw-every-passing-idea-into-the-mix quality that most bands shed on their first album. Americana, lo-fidelity cut and paste arrangements, laid back pop, old-timey spirituals, the occasional drum machine, pedal hopping indie rock and straightforeward country all come into stylistic play as Cicada meanders through it's 60 odd minutes on your stereo. Disjointed? Yep! Unfocused? You betcha, but something about 13 Ghosts' complete disregard for clarity makes the album all the more worthwhile.
13 Ghosts' genre-hopping never comes off as forced or desperate. The songs sound natural and perfectly fit into the skin of whatever style they happen to be presented in. This bullseye faithfulness to far-flung sensibilities is no doubt a byproduct of the rotating asseblage of 20 or so contributing musicians who appear on the album. Buried in the ranks are quite a few recognizable names including Daniel Johnston and Azure Ray's Maria Taylor.
While Cicada never jells stylisticly, it certainly does so thematically. I believe it's a concept album, but about what I have no idea. I do know that it is broken into two parts and many songs examine life cut short by untimely death or changed in an instant by unforseen events. The songs themselves often cut off suddenly and immediately throwing the listener into new territory with little time to adjust. 13 Ghosts sounds less like a band and more like a friendly neighborhood recording project with too much talent to keep among friends, Armstrong and Russell would be wise to let it remain that way.

DVD Review - The Passenger (1975)

2006-05-26T13:47:00.000-04:00

The Passenger
(1975 - Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni)

To call the 1975 masterpiece, The Passenger, an existential thriller is mostly correct. Is it existential? Oh sweet Christmas yes! This is Michelangelo Antonioni after all, the man who made Blow Up, La Notte and L'Aventura. A man whose career-long obsession with identity and alienation produced some of the most enigmatic and discussed films ever made. Then there is the "thriller" part of the moniker.
What elements of a thriller do we have? Do we have a hot young star on the rise? Yes, we have Jack Nicholson at his absolute peak, smack dab between Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. We've also got; international intrigue, potentially fatal mistaken identity and an alluring young woman who may provide some steamy answers. However, this is an Antonioni film, the man never had much interest in telling a conventional story. The Passenger, like most of the director's other films isn't about the plot, it's about something much bigger.
Jack Nicholson plays David Locke, a London-based journalist working North Africa. When a fellow traveller named Robinson dies in the next hotel room over, Locke impulsively switches information with the man he barely knows and assumes his identity. Keeping the appointments in Robinson's notebook, Locke revels in what he thinks is a newfound freedom from the stuffy confines of his old life. What he doesn't know is that Robinson was an arms dealer and there are some mighty dangerous folks looking for him. Soon he meets a beautiful young girl, identified in the credits only as "The Girl", and the two trot the globe attempting to escape themselves and the people chasing them.
For an Antonioni film that's a hell of alot of story, but don't worry it unfolds at a snail's pace. Even the chase scene seems poderous and slow. Then again we don't watch Antonioni for mind blowing action. His films are for the most patient of viewers. The story and the people and the dialogue are merely set-pieces, they are only important in their relationship to the world around them. The Passenger's central theme is the desire to be free of the life you have made. While driving down the road in one scene the girl asks Locke, "What are you running from?" Locke tells her to put her back to the dashboard. She does so and watches the road behind them stretch into the distance.
As in other Antonioni films there are no easy answers. The body of the film is constructed and layered in such a way that the central theme is explored in great depth but the resolution is ultimately up to the viewer to put together. In The Passenger's legendary 7 minute, one shot final scene, everything unfolds silently, beautifully and with the kind of tension and release that only a master like Antonioni could build and control.
This is the very first time The Passenger has been available on DVD or available at all in its original restored length. I really wish Criterion had picked this one up and given it the full treatment. The transer is good but nowhere near the level that a film of such scope and beauty demands. There are some nice extras including a rare commentary by Jack Nicholson himself who, although not what you would call "chatty", is clearly in awe of Antonioni and regards his own appearance in one of the director's masterpieces with much pride.

Hazard County Girls - Divine Armor

2006-05-15T18:55:00.000-04:00

Hazard County Girls - Divine Armor
(2006, Rev'd Up Records)

Straight outta bayou country, these three ladies power things up with pounding drums, sultry vocals and gut crunching riffage. After losing their bass player to Nashville Pussy and endless delays resulting from that Katrina storm, Hazard County Girls finally have their second full length release out for people to hear. The result is a mixed bag of fuzz, melody and old fashioned fanny kicking.
Having made the rounds opening for the likes of Hank lll and Rasputina you know to expect an ominous, southern gothic brooding to their sound. Add to that some heavy fuzz with steady mid-tempo riffs and you've got some pulsing black magic melodies to make the stoners happy. Although they seem to be labelled a "female Black Sabbath", Hazard County Girls actually sound more like a doom rock version of Throwing Muses.
Christy Kanes' raspy voice has a darkly coy sensuality and for all the attention paid to pounding drums and chug-a-chugging guitars there is a remarkable amount of melody on Divine Armor. Songs like "Fine Lines" and "Insect" take the band's driving darkness into more restrained and melodic territory with stunning results.
Unfortunately the album does drag occasionally in its second half as some of the more unremarkable tracks go on a couple minutes too long with few dynamic changes. That being said, Divine Armor's high points thankfully overwhelm those few low ones.

Untied States - Retail Detail

2006-05-13T17:37:00.000-04:00

Untied States - Retail Detail
(2006, Self Released)

In modern music, nothing should be cherished so much as the unexpected. Surprises are rare things these days musically speaking. Most songs, and in some cases entire albums, can be predicted by the attentive listener after hearing just a couple bars. Fortunately Atlanta's Untied States have successfully incorperated enough imagination on their second full length, Retail Detail, to keep even the most jaded listeners guessing as to what is coming next.
Born of the near life-long friendship of Colin Arnstein and Skip Engelbrecht, Untied States presents an intriguing pastiche of incongruous parts and pieces jammed together to somehow form a satifying disarray. The 12 tracks on Retail Detail are experimental without resorting to drone or feedback, dissonant without sounding atonal and oddly melodic without sounding formulaic.
There IS structure and cohesion here but it's a different kind of structure, one that hinges on agressively shifting time signatures and jarring changes in tone. It's the kind of giddy inventiveness you'd find with Deerhoof, US Maple or early Sonic Youth. The songs themselves rarely sound like one thing through their short lives. Untied States keep things fresh by switching gears often although there are a couple songs such as "My Cause is My Curse" where the deconstruction slows down a bit to allow for a more traditional post-punk experience.
Although theres quite alot of sonic juxtaposition on Retail Detail, things never degenerate into cacauphanic mess of noise without reason. When two conflicting sections are jammed against one another they simply create tension and thankfully not a mess. Even though there are heaping loads of art flying around on this album it's at least been tethered to a very strong leash. Energetic, engaging and hugely satisfying, Untied States haven't come to bury the A,A,B,A song structure, just to rebel against it a little.

Ian Love - S/T

2006-04-25T15:48:00.000-04:00

Ian Love - ST
(2006 - Limekiln Records)

You may not know is name but Ian Love has been on the NYC music scene for quite a while. He's been in hardore bands and emo bands and toured Europe a few times and been addicted to heroin and essentially lived a colorful and storied life. With his first solo effort however he shows himself as a family man who has finally settled into a life worth holding on to.
Being in a band is great. Being in several bands is also great. Trouble is that musically you can never really know much about youself until you sit down alone and at home with the recodring device of your choice to see what comes out. That's what love has done here, writing and recording these ten songs in the private company of his wife and daughter. He understands how many times he's almost thrown his life away to hard living. These songs mean to bury that old life for good and show the greatfulness he has to still be around for the life of a family man.
But what does it sound like? For one thing it doesn't sound for one second like it was recorded at home. The sound quality is crisp and clean. Love's gentle, family man vocals intimately glide across a tasteful blend of acoustic guitar, piano, mellotron and whatever else he decides to embellish with. When I say gentle vocals I don't mean weary, dour and self-indulgent. I mean a gentle with a spark of excitement, kind of like he's singing these songs directly to his daughter. Musically he keeps things well clear of of folkiness favoring straightforewaryd melodies with subtle and occasionally intricate embellishments.
This is not a perfect album. It's not intended to be. It is in fact a personal act of catharsis embracing beauty along with the blemishes. Love has come through a period of searching and self-destruction to find himself safe, happy and in love. Those previous life experiences are recounted along the way and incorperated into the albums overall theme of joy to have finally found a life worth living.

What’s the world coming to, when a man can’t mutilate the genitals of another man in the privacy of his own home.

2006-04-24T16:15:00.000-04:00

By Philmore McSnaggin

Some people might call me crazy, even old-fashioned, but I thought I was living in the United States of America. Am I right? I just read in the Citizen-Times that two local men were arrested for nothing more than cutting the penis off of other men. I'm sorry folks, but that's not the America I grew up in.

There use to be a time when one man could be another man's man-whore in the privacy of their home and that was okay. I remember the days when you could have gerbil spelunking nights and gag-ball tea parties and that was just fine and tootin'. I grew up with the typical barnyard antics, if you know what I mean, and my neighbors nary raised an eye. What happened to those days? Now a man goes to jail simply for mutilating the genitals and penis of another man? Outrageous! I guess if I dressed another man in leather, kept him in a cage and fed him only raw meat I'd be thrown in jail for that too?

Well folks, the terrorists have won. I was told 9/11 changed everything, but I didn't think it mean that I couldn't castrate a man in my kitchen with a Henkle without fear of prison time. For shame, America, for shame. Tonight, my man-whore and I will shed a tear in the dungeon before I start spanking him with a mounted squirrel ... in the privacy of my own house.

Westside Daredevils - Twilight Children

2006-04-22T03:38:00.000-04:00

Westside Daredevils - Twilight Children
(2006, Self Released)

Knoxville's Westside Daredevils want to be your new favorite bubblegum-pop band. They've got alot going for them too; they've got three part vocal harmonies, melodious guitaristry and enough knowledge about how to put a song together to fill several books. They can indeed build a song. They can put all the parts in the right places and execute them flawlessly. Real fancy stuff too with all the frills and fun. The only problem is that is does feel like these songs have been constructed out of tried and true parts instead of being written to express a point of view.
When I say these boys know all the tricks, I mean, DAMN! If there were an MIT class about writing pop music then Brett Cassidy, Jeff Caudill and Gray Comber would be teaching it. They've got it down to a science. The problem is that the proceedings feel acedemic rather than resonant. After listening to their second album, Twilight Children, three times I couldn't readily recall a single song on it. I remembered thinking, "This reminds me of The Young Fresh Fellows or The Gin Blossoms."but couldn't really remember why. It just didn't stick with me.
Something of that may have to do with the impeccable clenliness of the album. The production is so clean as to be completely steril. Even the frequent distortion and occasional dissonance are squeeky clean, radio ready and pruned of the rough edges that would make them stand out.
Westside Daredevils have alot going on, good pop songs by excellent musicians.However there's no real identity. Twilight Children comes across like bar-bq chicken eaten with a knife and fork. The ingredients and flavor are there but it would be more satisfying if it were more messy.

Wes McDonald - 1:50 In The Furnace

2006-04-19T03:34:00.000-04:00

Wes McDonald - 1:50 In The Furnace
(2006, Skybucket Records)

Wes McDonald is a man refreshingly in tune with his own sensibilities. He's had plenty of time to find his voice with three long-playing releases already under his belt. The songs on his new album 1:50 In The Furnace come across as impulsive, confident and natural, attempting to please no one but their creator. The results are enjoyably worthwhile only with a few missteps.
A couple decades ago Wes McDonald would've been a collage radio king. He'd be in heavy rotation on 120 Minutes and be a darling chick in a nest weaved by Paul Westerberg, Bob Mould and Michael Stipe. Although he seems to be lumped in with the Americana crowd these days , 1:50 In The Furnace is in fact just good old twangly jangly alternative rock from way back when it was still hip and novel to be labeled "Alternative". Listen to "Day One" and try to tell me I'm wrong.
"I Would Never" is an odd choice as a first track although it IS in tune with the individualistic, curve-ball nature of the album. However, it neither sets the stage nor launches you into the rowdy rawkus. It's a decent song, but it's place in the album makes it just be kind of...there with no sequential purpose. Things pick up quickly with the jangly rock of "Shot Stered" which springboards into the shining kinetic strength of "Chinese Rug".
McDonald's music is what we in the industry call "Badass". Songs meant to be mouthed with head nodding in time to the music and hand firmly clutching the working man's beer of your choice. Blue collar indie rock if you will. Catchy guitar riffs set to body moving beats and memorable vocal melodies delivered with raspy twang, damn good stuff.

Lylas - Lessons For Lovers

2006-04-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

Lylas - Lessons For Lovers
(2006 - Ficticious Records)

Another exanple of an album coming out at just the right time of year. The days are longer. The sun is warmer. The evenings of hammocks, front porches and block parties are just beginning. In this lithe atmosphere, brimming with frivolity, the festively baroque chamber-pop stylings of Nasheville's Lylas seem as natural as the emerging greenery.
Referring to their first full-length release as unobtrusively pleasurable may seem condescending but it's not meant to be. Most of the songs on Lessons For Lovers jauntily drift by like a spring breeze and packing 16 tracks into a mere 35 minutes, it never wears out its welcome. Ignoring the frequently tragic nature of the lyrics, Lylas' music bounces by with an entrancing mix of Americana, Old English and 60's English pop stylings.
Delightful as it is as a background piece for those Springtime evenings on the porch, Lessons For Lovers also offers much to the attentive listener. Thoughtfully intricate arrangements showcase delicate melodies born of a plethora of various instrumentation. The results are memorable melodies, beautiful musical twists and at least two pop masterpieces; "His Master's Merriment" and "Years and Years".
Lylas seems like a band with alot of spark and hopefully long life. The constant associations with the likes of Donovan, Belle and Sebastian, The Kinks, The Clientele and The Ladybug Transistor are 100% warrented. Their music is very familiar and easily peggable but at least they're making an effort to bring something of their own to the table. It's not likely to bowl you over from the offset but there's alot of fragile beauty on Lessons For Lovers. Another nice addition to the New Nasheville rennaisance.

Listing Ship - Time to Dream

2006-04-04T15:43:00.000-04:00

Listing Ship - Time to Dream
(2006 - True Classical CD's)

The first thing that I couldn't believe about Listing Ship was that they come from LA. They may possibly be part of a larger punkish, avant-folk-pop scene but I haven't heard sounds like these coming from that particular city in many a year. The second thing I couldn't believe was the discovery that Mike Watt plays bass on most of the album. If nobody told you, you'd never know. The third thing I couldn't believe was that this is their fourth album and yet I'd never heard of them. The internet, music journalists and even my friends in Southern Calli had failed to bring such a wonderful band to my attention.
Listing Ship is fronted by dual songwriters Lyman Chaffee and Heather Lockie and backed by an assemblage of friends and colleagues. Lockie's sprightly vocals carry an exquisitely sweet melodiousness. Sounding at times girlishly naive. Chaffee, by contrast, croons in a soothingly dour baritone comprable. Contrast, by the way, is the very heart of Listing Ship. True to the album's title, the songs of Time to Dream ebb and flow across the American subconscious in a dreamlike haze. With very few uninspired moments Chaffee and Lockie treat the listener to fractured fairy tales, laments, upbeat girly pop, odes, bluegrass ditties and French minstrel revues.
Theres more than a bit of cheekiness present on Time to Dream which thankfully remains innocent and steers well clear of the trappings of ironic posturing. Glancing at song titles like "The Temptation of Miss Piggy" and "Baise Ca" (French for "Fuck That") you know you're in the hands of musicians who are as fun and irreverent as they are serious and proficient. The occasional dashes of pretense seem to deprecate themselves on the spot.
As backing musicians Lockie and Julie Carpenter (Listing Ship's violinist) have performed string arrangements for everone from Lydia Lunch to Brian Wilson to Dave Pajo to Sparklehorse to Arthur Lee of the band Love. Listing Ship seems to smirk at its own pedigree however. Sure they're fantastic musicians with deep respect for American musical traditions but that doesn't mean they can't let their silliness come out occasionally.