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“Mind Herb Gardens” kinda sounds like how my mint herb garden sounds….like a slow yet powerful breath of air, trying hard to engulf all the air (and soil) around it.

Willie Lane has always been an intricate guitar player, and right here is your evidence. This songs picks and strums are so freewheeling but still extremely deliberate. It’s spaced out and psychedelic and potentially fitting for a horror-film soundtrack. Take a listen….

The album from Lane is available on LP only, directly from the Willie himself. See here for details.

Willie Lane: “Mind Herb Gardens”

Willie Lane: “Mind Herb Garden”

Pic by Wendy Lynch Redfern, Under the Radar Magazine

Pic by Wendy Lynch Redfern, Under the Radar Magazine

I know that when bands get popular, or when super stars come together to form a “monster” band, they have to play bigger venues. It just makes sense. BUT, there’s also such a thing as “keeping it real.” Smaller venues are more intimate and provide a better experience than huge ones. And often, the bands can’t handle a huge stage. Think about it- how many times have you seen a band in both a big and small space and claimed the big space show to be better?? There’s no way i’ll be attending the Monsters of Folk show at the United Palace. No way. Not even if the album is amazing, which i’m guessing it won’t be based on the first single, which is so mediocre it’s sad.

The Charity thing is a nice touch. ($1 per ticket given to a local charity).

Anyway, the Monsters of Folk (WORST NAME EVER?) is Conor Oberst, Jim James and M. Ward. Click here for tour dates.

Here’s a video of Conor and M doing an AWESOME M song. Back in 2003 and 2004 when the threesome toured together, they played each others songs. I’m not sure if the songs they write together will be any good….we’ll see.

“He could always make a string buzz like it was still 1989.”

“So this is what you, you do it on. Can I help you put it down? That’s really nice!”

HAHAHA. This is classic. And Jermaine is the shit. Check out his killer track suit, awesome Nike’s to match, and he even does the hold (the freeze).

And click here if you want to see a Soulja Boy Crank That Remix!

Come on, admit it, you liked this song. Even when it was appropriated by the Gap and shit and would come on when you went into dressing rooms in 2004, even then, you still liked it. Was this Postal Service album the first in a long-line of indie rock and electronica collaborations? Perhaps. Either way it’s breezy feeling. The nostalgia is dripping from my ears.

I never liked Death Cab, by the way.

I think The Postal Service went on one small tour before they got super popular and then maybe played Bumbershoot or something. Many years ago. Did anyone ever see them?

The Postal Service: Such Great Heights

The Postal Service: Such Great Heights

Sub Pop said the new No Age EP, “Losing Feeling,” out in October, will only be available in vinyl and digital formats. Makes sense…. Will a CD ever be thought of with nostalgia, as a record is?? I doubt it because it sounds digital, just like an mp3. It doesn’t sound warm and mature like a record.

BONUS: (thanks Aquarium Drunkard)

No Age: Boy Void

No Age: Boy Void

I think i’m a bit late getting to this band but it seems YellowFever are super-interesting, lo-fi and fuzzy- which makes for a mind freeze. And that’s good cos it’s so sticky outside. The band hails from Austin and is in town for 4 shows this weekend. Dates and mp3′s below.

The 411 on YellowFever: the band features former Voxtrot member Jennifer Moore.

Shows:

Tonight: Cake Shop with Air Waves

Friday: Whitney Museum with Woods

Saturday: Market Hotel with the Beets

Sunday: Monster Island Basement with Blank Dogs

TRACKSSSS

YellowFever: Culver City

YellowFever: Joe Brown

click the above links

YellowFever: Culver City

YellowFever: Joe Brown

The Times has a really interesting story today that deals mostly in nostalgia. Though the piece starts with Harry Potter and the fans of the books and movies it then veers into more interesting territory: music. The story elaborates on the idea of a comeback and cleverly shows that what Gen Y-ers want is to feel what they felt when they were in their teens. And Britney, the Backstreet Boys and Blink-182 (not to mention Eminem) are all back. Don’t call it a comeback.

Case in point, Eminem’s new album “Relapse,” which has been getting terrible reviews, by the way, has already sold 1.2 million copies. That’s a ton these days.

Even though I was born in 1982 (the article says Gen Y starts roughly in 1980), I feel i’m more of a Gen Y-er. Maybe I was mature for my age…HA.

Be sure to view the slideshow, too.

This is the biggest and saddest news I’ve heard in awhile. While I think Conor Oberst’s career will go far no matter what he’s doing, under the moniker Bright Eyes he was his most passionate, most honest and most creative. His solo work is strong, and his tours will always inspire, but on hearing the first Monsters of Folk single, I don’t think that project will live up to what Oberst is capable of.

The Omaha World-Herald interviewed Robb Nansel, head of Saddle Creek Records and childhood friend of Oberst, and he said that what Oberst expressed to him was that there would probably be one more Bright Eyes album and that was it. (Oberst told Rolling Stone previously that he would soon drop the name.)

Siiiiiiigh. This is not definite, I don’t think. Take a read and you decide. BONUS: old school Bright Eyes MP3.

Bright Eyes: Neely O’Hara

OK. Maine was awesome because there was no cell service, supposed wireless but i didn’t even go there, and electricity from 6 to 9 pm only. I got some bug bites and nearly died in a canoe and then again on ATV backroads, but all is well. I’m back in Brooklyn and feel like i missed a lot! What were some of the last 5 days highlights?!

I’m going to start catching up now….

Pic by Paul Newhouse

Pic by Paul Newhouse

Will resume blogging Thursday, July 23. Don’t forget the Dirty Projectors on Sunday. Don’t miss it!

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