Tom Evanchuck (12/29/10)

A great way to ring out a year of great shows...  Tom Evanchuck was as superb as ever last night.  It was a nearly packed house at the Barking Spider, even as Rebekah Jean opened the evening.  This was my first time seeing her and I was very impressed.  And appropriately so, seeing Jessica Lea Mayfield take the stage with her for a song.  How fun.

Tom Evanchuck played a lot of new songs.  I was glad he had such a great crowd, but I have to say I miss those days when it was just 7 of us.  :-)

(btw, this was my first concert taking photos with my new Nikon D3100... still figuring things out)

New Amy Ray Song & Live Album

While i've liked the Indigo Girls for years, Amy Ray is still as relevant as ever for me.  Her voice alone just makes me smile... Props for The New Gay for getting this.

I also just ordered my copy of the new album, MVP:

Video Tuesday

Going a little low key this week, and with some beautiful videos, particularly the first two.  James Blake shows us the Limit to your Love.  Next up is another jj video for "Let Them".  Finally a video I've been sitting on for a while... Young Man's "Up So Fast."

Annie Lennox - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Happy Holidays...

Birds Sometimes Dance... Free Holiday Album

An impressive list of performers.  Download it here...

Tracklist:

Blitzen Trapper – Christmas Is Coming Soon!
Therese Aune – Last Christmas
Parenthetical Girls – Festive Friends (Forever)
Laura Veirs – Through December
Moddi – Nordnorsk Julesalme
Evangelcials – The Last Christmas On Earth
Uno Møller – No Sounds of Snow
Le Loup – Shenandoah
Slow Club – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Sufjan Stevens – That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!

New MEN - Video Preview

So exciting... Don't forget, MEN are coming to the Grog Shop on Sunday, March 13th. Mark your calendars - in bold.

Video Tuesday

Some interesting choices if I do say so myself.  Great songs with a diverse set of videos.  Kathryn Calder - Arrow; Broken Social Scene, a slippery (& sexy?) Texaco Bitches; Banjo or Freakout - 105

New Nico Vega Covers EP - FREE

I'd recommend checking out Nico Vega, especially if  you like something with a little harder edge.  I saw them open for the Von Bondies (2/20/09), and I'm so glad to see them putting out some new stuff.

Nico Vega have announced plans to release a new EP, Nico Vega Covers Nico Vega & Rod Stewart January 4^th, 2011.  The EP features a collection of cover versions of the band's previous songs that have been re-imagined in a series of different styles as well as a cover of Rod Stewarts, "Young Turks" - for good measure.

Each week between now and New Years, the band will release a different song from the new EP as a free download.Fans can visit www.nicovega.com for the current available free download, "Million Years."

A Nellie McKay Christmas / 2 Free Songs

What a holiday treat.

The Giving Tree Band and Nellie McKay spread the holiday cheer with a folksy cover of the classic "Here Comes Santa Claus" and Sinatra's "The Christmas Waltz"

The songs were recorded last Christmas. The Giving Tree Band and Nellie performed at a benefit together for Mercy Animals. After the show, Nellie came out to Crooked Creek studios, The Giving Tree Band's home and recording space. They played all night and recorded these two songs. All done live to tape and mixed in full that very night.

While you're at it, go ahead and download a new track from The Giving Tree Band too. A little piece of folk goodness

Cloud Nothings Tonight @ Beachland

A couple preview tracks from Cloud Nothings.  A little cleaned up.  From the new Self-titled album out January 25th on Carpark.

Cloud Nothings "Should Have" by carparkrecords

Cloud Nothings - Understand At All by forcefieldpr