Total Crush: RÜFÜS DU SOL

Reviving my “Total Crush” category, I wanted to share some RÜFÜS DU SOL - a band I’ve been adoring for some time.  I’m so bummed I missed their Detroit performance last year.  😕  Check out their best songs below.

Video Day #tzachill

Elizabeth Moss is in yet another video, this time it’s for Brandi Carlile’s Party of One!  Sub Pop just premiered this Big Sky video by Orville Peck - who’s referenced as a “gay country crooner.” Helado Negro is out with a new video for Pais Nublado off his new record This Is How You Smile (out on 3/8!)

Bonus:  I’ve been charmed with CUCO since seeing him at the Grog Shop back in January, and his new video for CR-V is a good reason why.

Video Day #tzaupbeat

Robyn’s new video for Honey!!  Janelle Monåe continues the part with her video for Crazy, Classic, Life.  Justice shows us what true Heavy Metal looks like with their new video.

Bonus:  This behind the scenes of Robyn’s Honey is a glimpse into why I’m such a fan.

Article: Apple Music arrives on Amazon’s Echo speakers starting December 17

I’ve heard a lot of fanfare lately about this integration of Apple Music with Amazon's Alexa.  I’ve played around a little with Alexa, but I’ll admit I’m still not entirely comfortable talking to computers.  Still, I see this integration as a positive thing.

I did just purchased an Apple HomePod (currently $100 off at B&H Photo!), but primarily for wireless speaker than for Siri.  Here and there I’ve clumsily asked Siri to shuffle a certain playlist, and that’s generally about as far as I take it.  It’s rare I ask Siri to play a particular artist or song, or trust what’s played is specifically what I’m looking for.  Regardless, this type of control is only going to improve and it’s better to get on board sooner than later - I guess.

"Apple Music subscribers will have a new way to listen to music soon. Amazon announced that Apple Music will be available on Echo devices next month, beginning the week of December 17.

'We are committed to offering great music providers to our customers and since launching the Music Skill API to developers just last month, we’ve expanded the music selection on Alexa to include even more top tier services,' said Amazon Devices Senior Vice President David Limp in the statement. 'We’re thrilled to bring Apple Music—one of the most popular music services in the US—to Echo customers this holiday.' Further Reading Guidemaster: Want an Alexa device? Here’s every Amazon Echo, compared

Once the feature rolls out, users will be able to ask Alexa on Echo devices to play songs, artists, and albums from Apple Music after pairing their account to the Alexa mobile app. Subscribers can also ask Alexa to play curated playlists and radio stations, including Apple's Beats 1 station."

(Via Apple Music arrives on Amazon’s Echo speakers starting December 17 | Ars Technica.)

Video Day #tzachill

Happy Sunday.  Some great videos I’m finally catching up on (after catching up on a slew of concert posts).  Blood Orange uses a day in the life of a skater for his new video, Dagenham Dream. Mandolin Orange, one of my favorite folk acts out today, released this gorgeous video for Golden Embers. Mansionair put out this beautifully hyper-affectionate video for Falling.

Bonus: I’d been sitting on this bonus for awhile now.  Mostly because it just keeps getting bumped by other stuff.  I was surprised to see the Gin Blossoms still putting out music (sorry guys), and while the song’s not bad - the skies in this video are gorgeous!

Twist (12/10/18)

While I was seeing Mari / Jess Connelly / Noodles in the basement, I was stopping upstairs to check out the bands in the other space.  I first caught DC native Kai Orion playing the vacuum.  Seriously.  Well, it was more of a vocal treatment, but I’m always amazed at what musicians can make work.  He was definitely on the avant-garde side, both interesting and engaging.

Headlining was Twist from Toronto.  An indie rock band that’s pretty solid.  The next stop for these guys was Mahalls on the next night, so we were both basically racing back to Cleveland that next morning.

Noodles (12/10/18)

My second night in DC, I was able to catch two shows at the amazing Sonbyrd Music House.  I was surprised that 1.) I had never heard of this venue before, and 2.) that they had two stages and two shows happening simultaneously on a Monday night!  The headliner Noodles is was what first caught my attention, but all 3 acts were pretty solid.

Probably my favorite was the opener, Mari.  She had a great band on stage, really a lot of fun with a great personality.  I hope things go well for this DMV native (I just learned that DMV is the nickname for the District, Maryland, Virginia area).

Next up was Jess Connelly, who’s album I was enjoying.  Seeing her live was a little less exciting, but her DJ kicked ass.

 

Noodles was the headliner, calling herself out as one of the few Asian-Americans in the music business, and trying to hold it dow for all the “POC’s” out there.   Her DJ skills were good, and loved the song selections.

Peter Edelman Jazz Trio (12/9/18)

On my way home from DC9, I walked past Columbia Station and heard some great jazz.  Swung in to catch the end of the first set by the Peter Edelman Jazz Trio.  Excellent sound, with some amazing horn solos!  So glad I stopped.

DRAMA (12/9/18)

Another trip to DC for work, another chance to check out some of the great music venues in the city.  This year I was lucky enough to be able to catch shows on both the Sunday and Monday nights I stayed.  I was happy to be making it back to DC9, remembering how much I liked this place from the Michl / Mack show back in 2017.  This time I was seeing DRAMA, who I surprisingly already had in my music collection!  This duo out of Chicago has some great sounds, who have "been described as soulful electronic combining influences of house music, indie, neo-soul, pop and R&B.” Check out their video below! I hope they book Cleveland in their near future… 

Opening was the locally based Lightmare, "a six-piece soul-punk arrangement out of Washington, D.C making songs about love, death, and revolution, in any order and definitely overlapping.”  I enjoyed their sound, and their integration of poetry into the set was reminiscent of Ani DiFranco.

Article: A farewell to the Happy Dog at Euclid Tavern

Thought I’d post this remembrance from the CWRU Observer.  Lots of shows played at this location, I wish I could have attended more… 

"‘We’ve had over 775 different bands play here. Some of them have played more than once, so that’s over 1,250 gigs. Add to that over a hundred poetry events, the dozens of science talks that we did with the Institute for the Science of Origins, and the author talks we did with Literary Cleveland and the East Cleveland Public Library,’ said Watterson. ‘I’m proud of the stuff we did.’

He plans to carry over some of the events, such as the regular poetry shows and monthly bluegrass jam to the West Side Happy Dog.

Watterson said University Circle Inc. plans to preserve the tavern. Happy Dog is working with the development corporation to ensure that whoever takes over the space will have access to the venue’s concert stage and its sound system."

(Via A farewell to the Happy Dog at Euclid Tavern – The Observer.)