New Release Spotlight: Pierre de Reeder

 Rawk Releases   

Artist: Pierre de Reeder
Album: The Way That It Was
Recommended if you like: Rilo Kiley, Elliott Smith
From their press kit:
Already revered by one of music’s most passionate fanbases as the bassist for wildly successful indie-popquartet Rilo Kiley, Pierre is finally ready to share his own “little piece” in a series of poignantand engaging plaintives on love, life and the reflective moments that weave throughout them.
Standout Tracks: “Shame on Love","Never Thought”
Worth a second listen?:
If you’re a Rilo Kiley fan, this is required listening. I’m a fan of the Rilo Kiley side projects of Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett (Elected) and you can add Pierre de Reeder’s solo album to the list. I love this album’s sunny melodies and personal yet not sappy lyrics.
More info: myspace
Listen: “The Long Conversation” (dl)/“Never Thought”(stream)

New on the Radio

 Rawk Radio   

Not a big week for new releases and the one I’m interested I will post a review of tomorrow. So just radio adds for now…

(alt rock)
The Academy Is...- About A Girl
Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire
Offspring - You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid
Puddle Of Mudd - Livin’ On Borrowed Time
Stereolab - Neon Beanbag
(triple a)
Augustana - I Still Ain’t Over You
Blues Traveler - You, Me And Everything
Brazilian Girls - Good Time
Jem - It’s Amazing
Stereolab - Neon Beanbag
Stills - Being Here

Again, proving that I need to listen to more Triple A radio....

The Faint and Jaguar Love at SOMA

 Rawk Shows   

I’ve got my timing to arrive at SOMA shows down to a science. I missed the first opening band all together and got there in time to get to my regular perch by the sound guys for Jaguar Love. Since their show at the Beauty Bar, I’ve had the chance to hear a lot of their new material, so I was way more familiar with what they played. They started off with “Bats Over the Pacific Ocean” and then right into “Highways of Gold”. During “Highways”, it was pretty obvious to me that the sound guy was having trouble with Johnny’s vocals, which is bad because it’s Johnny’s distinct vocals that make their sound so unique. They never quite got it right until near the end of their set, but I was able to make out a few of the new songs from their forthcoming album - “Jaguar Pirates”, “Georgia” and “The Man With The Plastic Suns”. They ended strongly with “My Organ Sounds Like....” and then it was all sorts of nervous energy until the Faint hit the stage. Set list first....

The Faint
SOMA San Diego
8/9/08

Encore:
Paranoiattack
The Geeks Were Right
Glass Danse

Oh, the Faint. Where do I start? Light show? Check. Black and White visuals projecting behind the band? Check. A whole venue full of sweaty kids (and some old peeps like me) dancing their a$$es off on a Saturday night? Check.

All eyes were on Todd Fink as he strolled on stage in his all white get up with black glasses (I guess that’s what I’d call them) and got the crowd going with three favorites - “Agenda Suicide”, “Dropkick the Punks”, and “Hospital” (only found on Saddle Creek’s 50). That was a good time to introduce a new song, “Machine in the Ghost” which fit right into the dancetastic set thus far. Todd kept throwing in new songs in the middle of crowd favorites which really kept the pace of the show moving. I really enjoyed “Forever Growing Centipedes” between “Desperate Guys” and “Birth”. The crowd pretty much freaked out when they hit “Disappear” and it was a non-stop groove fest to bring us to “Worked Up So Sexual”.

The encore just sealed the deal. “Paranoiattack” brought everyone to an even higher level of excitement. Todd introduced their new single “The Geeks Were Right” and even though (according to the official setlist that was going to be the last song), they ended the show with “Glass Danse”. Somewhere during the evening, Todd commented on how much better San Diego was as opposed to L.A. and he also made it a point to end the show by thanking the San Diego fans for being so good to them. Very nice. And a perfect ending to another stellar Faint performance in SD.

The Faint - Fasciinatiion

 Rawk Releases    Rawk Shows   

Artist: The Faint
Album: Fasciinatiion
Recommended if you like: to dance
From their press kit:
Working on their own without any time constraints, the songs went through many recorded incarnations before finding their final forms.  The result is the best album in the band’s career, a record that is the purest culmination of The Faint’s brilliant musical instincts, ideas and aesthetic, with each member contributing equally to its creation.
Standout Tracks: “Psycho”, “Forever Growing Centipedes”
Worth a second listen?:
This is the Faint’s first album since they left Saddle Creek and started their own imprint blank.wav. I don’t know if I will like anything they do as much as Wet From Birth but Fasciinatiion is a solid album. There are plenty of the joyous dance songs ("Get Seduced” and “Psycho") that we love them for, but then they’ll throw in a slower song like “Fish in a Womb” to keep you on your toes. Oh and I have to give them props for name dropping Strawberry Hill Boones in “Fish in a Womb”. Wow, that takes me back to high school.
More info: official/myspace
Listen: “The Geeks Were Right” (DIOYY remix)

The Faint are currently on tour in support of the album and will be at SOMA on Saturday 8/9. You know I will be there to see the spectacle. Show review to follow!

Cory Chisel - Cabin Ghosts

 Rawk Releases    Rawk Shows   

Cory Chisel will be playing at the Casbah on Friday 8/8 for an early show (7pm!) I took his current EP for a few spins to prep for the show…

Artist: Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
Album: Cabin Ghosts (EP)
Recommended if you like: americana, alt-country
From their press kit:
“blend of 60’s soul, New Orleans swagger, and good old rock n’ roll...The Wandering Sons play with the kind of heart that’ll woo any crowd.” - Daytrotter
Standout Tracks: “Lovers and Friends”, “It Won’t Be Long”
Worth a second listen?: Not your typical sleepy singer-songwriter fare. Cory Chisel’s voice does have a neo-soul tinge to it, which is instantly interesting to me.
More info: official/myspace
Listen: “Home in the Woods”

Kings Of Leon Fall Tour

 Rawk Shows   

Okay, this is more my speed...Kings of Leon will be touring in support of their album Only By The Night to be released on 9/23. No info on when tix are on sale. I’m gonna have to be creative with my travel schedule to make one of these dates. Crossing my fingers for the SD date....

October (w/The Stills and We Are Scientists)
11 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
12 San Diego, CA House of Blues
15 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Theatre
17 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
18 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
20 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
21 Portland, OR Schnitzer Hall
23 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium
25 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
26 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Events Center
28 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater
29 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
31 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom

November (w/The Whigs and We Are Scientists)
1 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
3 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
5 Milwaukee, WI The Eagles Ballroom
7 Toronto, ONT Kool Haus
8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
10 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
12 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Ballroom
18 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
19 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Rock Band Live Tour

 Rawk Shows   

OMG tween girl heaven. Look who is going on tour together....(wait for it....)

Panic At The Disco, Dashboard Confessional, Plain White T’s and The Cab

I’ll admit for a brief moment I thought about going, but it’s at the Sports Arena, so no. Tix are on sale Friday. All dates if you rawk on....