Archive: 2006

Gov’t Mule has returned to the studio to record the follow-up to it’s 2004 ATO Records release D

Rhino has remastered and repackaged two of the most classic Crosby, Stills, and Nash recordings. The groundbreaking self-titled debut and Daylight Again, with its interesting cover design, now sound magnificent reformatted in HDCD.

hile it was not a perfect show, The Headhunters performance on this night was raw and to the point. With the addition of George Porter to this group and the super sized keyboard skills of Jerry Z, the Headhunter’s legend is surely kept alive.

Lake Trout has grown to become a mature, focused band of rock careerists. The classic rock seeds of their youth and the jazz and hip-hop flavors of young adulthood merged with electronic inspirations, providing the the ability to weave those digital threads into ghostly indie rock.

The mid-1970s represented a particularly busy studio period for the Grateful Dead, and on March 7, Rhino will continue its Dead reissue program with the release of five studio titles from this period, each remastered and expanded with outtakes and/or concert recordings.

The trip down memory lane begins with 1973’s “Wake of the Flood,” the first album released on the band’s then newly established Grateful Dead Records label. It was also the first album to feature Keith Godchaux on keyboards. Making the new version a little more special is a previously unreleased live take of the album’s “Eyes of the World,” an acoustic demo of “Weather Report Suite” and studio outtakes of “Prelude/Part I/Part II” and “China Doll,” a song that would appear on the band’s next release.

The next year’s “From the Mars Hotel” is considered one of the better Dead studio sets. Its notable tracks include “China Doll,” as well as “U.S. Blues” and “Scarlet Begonias.” A live version of the latter is added to the reissue, along with concert takes of “Money Money,” “Wave That Flag” and “Let It Rock.” A studio outtake of “Loose Lucy” and acoustic demos of “Pride of Cucamonga” and “Unbroken Chain” also appear.

The 1975 album “Blues for Allah” appeared amidst long break from the road, and the dividends were evident in the recordings. Joining such favorites as “Franklin’s Tower” and “Crazy Fingers” are a half-dozen instrumentals captured during the studio sessions.

A return to touring left little time for the studio, so it wasn’t until 1977 that “Terrapin Station,” the Dead’s first album for Arista, appeared. It was the first album since 1968’s “Anthem of the Sun” to find the band working with an outside producer, in this case Keith Olsen, who had worked with the Byrds and Fleetwood Mac.

The album included Bob Weir’s venerable “Estimated Prophet” and a version of the Motown staple “Dancin’ in the Streets.” In its reissued form, “Terrapin” pairs instrumental outtakes of “Peggy-O” and “The Ascent” with studio outtakes of “Catfish John,” “Equinox” and “Fire on the Mountain,” as well as a live recording of “Dancin’ in the Streets.”

Completing this volley is 1978’s “Shakedown Street,” which was produced by Little Feat’s Lowell George at the Dead’s own studio, located in San Rafael, Calif. Rarities added to the original lineup include an outtake cover of the Olympics’ “Good Lovin’,” a staple of the Dead’s live set through the years. Also added are live versions of “Ollin Arageed,” “Fire on the Mountain,” “Stagger Lee” and “All New Minglewood Blues.”

There’s been no word if the surviving members of the Dead will mount any sort of tour in 2006. At deadline, the only thing on the books is a run of Phil Lesh & Friends shows that the Dead bassist will stage in New York (Feb. 10-12, 14-15, 17-19), Providence, R.I. (Feb. 21-22) and Philadelphia (Feb. 24-26).

Weir’s Ratdog is expected to tour in the spring, and it’s possible more will be heard from SerialPod, the group drummer Bill Kreutzmann formed with former Phish members Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon. The trio played a few late 2005 shows and Kreutzmann’s Web site says only to stay tuned for more info.

Source billboard.com.

Gritty singer/songwriter Will Hoge and his band begin a 3-month, 56-city tour of the U.S. and Canada on January 26.

The road trip comes in support Hoge’s upcoming album, The Man Who Killed Love. Known for his working-class, soulful rock

Originally scheduled to be handed out at a Feb. 6 ceremony in Los Angeles, the inaugural New Pantheon Awards have been bumped to an as-yet-undetermined date in March.

“We’ve decided to reschedule the inaugural event for the New Pantheon awards to give us greater opportunity for reaching our goals of making the best show possible,” organizer Tom Sarig said in a statement. “Rescheduling to March 2006 will in effect allow us to achieve the vision we set out to accomplish.”

The New Pantheon Awards aim to continue the mission of the now-defunct Shortlist Prize in recognizing noteworthy albums that have sold less than 500,000 copies in the United States.

The 10 finalists for the award are Animal Collective’s “Feels” (Fatcat), Antony and the Johnsons’ “I Am a Bird Now” (Secretly Canadian), Fiona Apple’s “Extraordinary Machine” (Epic), the Arcade Fire’s “Funeral” (Merge), Bloc Party’s “Silent Alarm” (Vice/Atlantic), Death Cab For Cutie’s “Plans” (Atlantic), the Decemberists’ “Picaresque” (Kill Rock Stars), Kings Of Leon’s “Aha Shake Heartbreak” (RCA), M.I.A.’s “Arular” (XL/Beggars Banquet) and Sufjan Stevens’ “Illinois” (Asthmatic Kitty).

The albums were selected by a panel of listmakers that includes Elton John, Elijah Wood, Beck, Margaret Cho, John Legend, Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard, Keith Urban, Ric Ocasek, Shirley Manson, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda, Suzanne Vega, Dave Matthews and Keith Urban.

Source billboard.com.

Jenny Lewishas booked a headlining tour in support of her debut solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, with a month’s worth of dates starting in early March.

The Rilo Kiley frontwoman will be backed by the Watson Twins, a pair of Kentucky-born sisters Lewis recruited for the album.

The trek launches March 4 at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco. She’ll wind her way all around the country, wrapping back home in Los Angeles April 1.

Prior to the tour, she’ll do three early February dates in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City.

Before completing her solo record, Lewis spent several months last year on the road with Rilo Kiley, including a North American support stint for Coldplay.

Source pollstar.com.

Heavy Ornamentals, the eighth album from The Gourds, contains thirteen new songs that are full of the classic Gourd elements – enigmatic lyrics, soaring melodies and an unfettered sense of musical freedom.

Having ventured more than 3000 miles for my last New Year’s extravaganza, I decided a more local approach would suit the bill to ring in 2006. By the night’s end I was in no way disappointed, and in fact I was pleasantly surprised. I live in the heart of a wonderful city (Portland Oregon) and spent my New Years Eve traversing three separate gathering/parties and dancing at one joyous local concert that matched up two local musical staples Asbury Park and Big Island Shindig.