Crib Notes

“Out in the Snow” mp3
“Roll On” mp3
“Javelin” mp3

Simon Joyner’s name is deeply ingrained in the secret history of indie rock, and his songs have been praised by everyone from Beck to Bright Eyes to John Peel. His latest release, Out into the Snow (Team Love), is a post-Dylan portrait of flawed characters wandering aimlessly through a somber, Midwestern landscape. Joyner’s soft moan and strum have never jibed with the clamor of a smoky bar scene; for this tour, the Omaha, Neb., indie-songwriter fixture is playing house shows and other non-traditional spaces. Brainworlds open with a dose of head-clearing drones. Coyote Bones play stark, dreary Springsteen-circa-Nebraska country songs that ruminate on life, love and the brutality of the human condition.

Chad Radford: Tell me about your current “Living Rooms and Discrete Places” tour.

Simon Joyner: The idea behind the tour is to play house shows, galleries and places that aren’t traditional music venues. I really like playing house shows because they are a lot more intimate. People are there because they want to hear the music and it’s not the bloated, rock and roll experience where I’m sitting way up high on a stage — I’m usually at eye level with the people who are there, and I’m not in a situation where a someone is thinking, okay, if I book this opening band I can get this many more people in here and we’ll make this much money. Also I don’t have to compete with the sounds and environment of a loud, smokey bar. It was either do it this way, or do what the Beatles did and stop playing live altogether because they didn’t get any enjoyment out of it, which is pretty much what I did. I haven’t played many shows at all over the last decade, aside from a few shows here and there. Playing these kinds of shows really reminds me of why I started playing music and how much fun I had doing it, even before I started recording.

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On Friday night Big Boi took to Twitter to make it official:

THE INK IS ON THE PAPER!!! “BREAKING NEWS!!!!” It’s OFFICIAL! BIG BOI signs SOLO album DEAL with DEF JAM!!! More details to come…

After over a year of wrangling over release dates with his label Jive Records, Antwan Patton has found a home with Def Jam and Island Def Jam Chairman/CEO L.A. Reid — the man who gave OutKast their first deal with now-defunct LaFace Records over 15 years ago. That means Big Boi’s long-awaited Sir Lucious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty album — which seemed dangerously close to becoming another Detox — will finally see the light of day.

It’s scheduled for a May 2010 release. As Big would tweet: Yay!

Several of the singles from Sir Lucious Leftfoot: Son of Chico Dusty have been released and/or leaked over the past two years, including:
>>“Sumthin’s Gotta Give” feat. Mary J. Blige
>>“Royal Flush” feat. Raekwon and Andre 3000
>>“Shine Blockas” feat. Gucci Mane
>>“Tangerine” feat. T.I.,
>>And the latest/greatest “Fo Yo Sorrows” feat. Too Short and George Clinton.

That’s a wealth of bump to be heard from an unreleased album. But Big Boi’s enthusiasm for the project hasn’t died down a bit, as evidenced by the video below (shot prior to yesterday’s announcement) of him in the studio playing a solo version of “Tangerine” for a blogger. Notice how he mentions toward the end that the only thing holding up the drop date for Sir Lucious is jive ass Jive:

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Block Entertanment/Atlantic artist Gorilla Zoe returns after a hiatus with this new track, “Day Dreamer.” Zoe has been the most consistent artist off of Block Ent all the while flying under the radar. I suggest you pay attention or end up like this guy.

(via RapRadar)

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According to Def Jam’s website and the artwork for his new single, “Lose My Mind,” Jay Jenkins has decided that he’s not so “Young” anymore. While one could question why you would decide to wait until you’re one of the biggest names in hip-hop to change your name, I won’t question or disrespect this man’s decision. Hopefully rappers everywhere will take notice and understand that if you’re over the age of 10, you shouldn’t have Lil/Young/Boy or any play on those words in your moniker.

(via RapUp)

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Fri., March 19 — All the Saints, Balkans, Lyonnais. When it comes to the local indie-rock scene, it doesn’t get better than this. ATS pummel the soul and the ears with a slow rumble of Southern gothic noise pop. Balkans play quick and spastic rock, and Lyonnais churn out gorgeous pop/drone experimentation. Some nights they riff on a wash of atmospheric sounds. Other nights they cover artsy and prot-industrial British post-punk, and every show is a heady and compelling spectacle to behold. $7. 9 p.m. 529. 529 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-228-6769.

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My other gig van is a band of horses.

>> Band of Horses‘ upcoming album, Infinite Arms, will be the first to feature contributions from all Horses.

>> Jamie Hince & Kate Moss: Who wears the tight black leather pants in this relationship?

>> Lady Gaga writer/producer/ex-boyfriend Rob Fusari wants his two dollars.

>> The new Hendrix album Valley of the Neptunes is worth it. (iTunes link)

>> Noel Gallagher, Snoop Dogg and Ian Brown are cashing checks from Adidas, right now.

>> The “International version” of  Mary J. Blige’s new album, Stronger with Each Tear, contains “some (some!) Led Zeppelin covers.” Two, to be exact.

>> Download: Jason Isbell, 40 Watt, Athens 7.16.04

(Photo/shop Spencer Sloan)

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YOU HAD ME AT DAM: The combination of free beer and free Dam-Funk proved overwhelming for some

It was like the Dalai Lama was in town and everybody wanted to bask in his presence. The SoundTable was practically vibrating with people Tuesday night for the grand opening show featuring West Coast funk revivalist Dam-Funk (that’s dame funk) on the wheels. But the co-star was the venue itself. Located in the spot that formerly housed hip-hop club Over Da Edge, the SoundTable (483 Edgewood Ave.) has the same basic two-floor layout. Except for the bar and an elevated landing near the entrance, the whole main level is pretty much a dance floor — at least it was Tuesday, where heads bobbed and bodies weaved in between immovable masses of people soaking up the vibe. And the free drinks. With an open bar, it didn’t take long before the Yuenglings gave way to Budweisers. But considering the entry price was also free — with or without RSVP (no annoying list at the door!) — they crowd wanted for nothing.

Some of the Atlanta DJs, artists and influencers in attendance included Daz-I-Kue, Tabone, Mike Zarin, Apple Jac, Kai Alce, Cha Cha Jones, the four-man crew Hollyweerd and manager Coach K, Kim Glenn of Criminal Records, Darryl Harris of Moods Music, and plenty more I’m sure. But the place was so packed it was hard to see past the immediate heads that happened to be in front of you at any given time. It still felt comfortable though, and comforting, like you were in the right place with the right mix of people — a mix that’s pretty rare for Atlanta after dark.

But I can show you better than I can tell you, courtesy the photos provided by Carlos Bell, after the jump.

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By Omar Khalid

Terry Riley

When the preliminary schedule for the 2010 Big Ears festival was announced late last year, more than a few negative reactions popped up on their Facebook page questioning the avant-garde credibility of the fledgling festival. In its second year, Big Ears curators had quite a task following up 2009’s stellar line-up including Antony & the Johnsons, Michael Gira (Swans), Negativeland, Fennesz, Matmos, Jon Hassell, Dan Deacon, Burning Star Core, and many other acts lying outside the boundaries of mainstream music.

While the early version of this year’s line-up featured such experimental powerhouses as Godfather of drone Terry Riley and Dutch punk experimentalists The Ex, the inclusion of other acts, such as ultra popular Vampire Weekend, seemed to dull the edge of the previous year’s sharp adventurousness. Some fans – myself included – eagerly awaiting some kind of fantasy bill of out music were asking, ‘Where’s the improv? Where’s the electronic? Where’s the noise? What happened to the exciting schedule from 2009?’

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Howlies at Galaxy Room

SXSW is an enigma that could not happen anywhere but Austin, Texas. It’s the only time and place where industry cheese and pure, unadulterated music for the sake of art converge on the same city while letting go of pretense. Complete strangers make no bones about chatting you up and asking for your life’s story over breakfast tacos, and you don’t mind telling them. Everyone you meet runs a blog, a record label or they’re there playing a show, even if it isn’t officially recognized by the conference. Its enormity is overwhelming, and it’s impossible to maintain a schedule. Nothing starts when the program says it’s going to start, and it doesn’t really matter. It’s best to just dive in and let the crowd push where it may. The happiest accidents happen that way.

It’s easy to get swept up in the same 10-12 block radius of the fest and never have a dull moment. But there’s no real sense of adventure in that. One major highlight of my short time there this year included figuring out the bus schedule and riding far from the maddening crowd over to End of an Ear Records to see Golden Triangle, Happy Birthday and Pierced Arrows. All of the printed and texted matter said that Golden Triangle was to start at 5 p.m. I got there by 4:30 and they were already done. Bummer. But Happy Birthday tore it up, as did Pierced Arrows.

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The Kool Keith/Binkis Recs concert scheduled for the Loft has been canceled according to Ticket Alternative. Guess we’ll just have to settle for a “Dick Towel” instead. Thanks Spencer.

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Ding Dong had crossover audiences chanting along to his simple chorus on “Bad Man Forward, Bad Man Pull Up” back in 2006. The “Badman” bass line quaked around enough to let us know Ding Dong liked to party, and his offering over the Icon Music Group-produced Party Cup Riddim is a full on floor-burner. Friends Stength, Eklypse, Zhand High, and Tornado (I think that’s everybody) join him on the medley, offering chatty flows over the strobe-lit beat. The track itself, like many of the newer dancehall sounds coming out of both Jamaica and the UK, is not quite reggae, not quite hip-hop, and not quite rave. Watching the video, I can tell you this much… if I walked into this house party and grabbed a “party cup,” I wouldn’t be leaving for a while.

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1) The xx brought “Islands” to Fallon. Word was they’re “snoozy” live, but I thought this was kind of “great,” no? Clear, confident, well played. The song builds, then it recedes. Builds, then recedes. I love it. Although, I guess I could see this type of performance being difficult to enjoy at a crowded, noisy, smoky bar. The takeaway: If you’re going to see the xx live, make sure it’s either on a late night talk show or in the privacy of your own sitting/concert room.

The xx, “Islands”

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Like Andrew W.K., John Cusack also gets wet.

>> Rolling Stone’s Rob Sheffield remembers the late, great Alex Chilton.

>> Kool Keith uses Craigslist, VCR to sell It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia Dick Towels. So many WINS.

>> Spin talks to Sia about dogs, Madonna, and the genius of Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi.

>> The video for Andrew W.K.’s “I’m A Vagabond” is heavy on the Andrew W.K.

>> The syringe that was used to administer the drugs that killed Michael Jackson is going up for auction… Mmmm, has to be a way to work this into a lame Pete Doherty joke, right? (Full disclosure: This story sounds like 10 lbs of cow patty in a 5 lb bag.)

>> Rain drops keep falling only on John Cusack’s head.

>> Um, everyone. DUH!

(photo/shop Spencer Sloan)

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It’s been 14 years since the last studio album from Nashville’s cowpunk pioneers Jason and the Scorchers, but the opening notes of Warner Hodges’ screaming guitar make it seem like they’ve been playing every day since then. Once the purveyors of real alt country, the Scorchers followed many paths over the years, including the road to rock. And Halcyon Times rocks. Hard. Jason Ringenberg’s energetic vocals are strong, and the live-in-the-studio feel of the album is a perfect showcase for the band’s power. With a big assist from former Atlantan Dan Baird, there are a few little snatches of twang (acoustic guitars, story songs, totems) that prove you simply cannot walk away from your roots. Since Reckless Country Soul was released in 1982, Jason and Warner have grown considerably as writers, musicians and human beings; with a hot new rhythm section, the Scorchers’ Halcyon Times are nigh. (Courageous Chicken/Nashville Flash Music) 4 out of 5 stars.

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XXL magazine reports that Atlanta rapper Waka Flocka Flame was arrested on a probation violation yesterday:

According to the Macon-Telegraph, the “O Lets Do It” rapper is currently being held in the Houston County Jail. As of press time the nature of the probation violation is unknown. He originally received probation when he was arrested for possession of a sawed-off shotgun.

2010 hasn’t been kind to the rapper (real name Juaquin Malphurs) — or maybe it has depending on one’s perspective. In January, he was shot twice in an attempted robbery. Earlier this month he was also involved in a dispute that ended with a gun being shot inside of Walter’s clothing store in downtown Atlanta.

The incidents have only added to the hype surrounding his single “O Let’s Do It,” which he’s following up with a remix featuring Rick Ross, Diddy, and his mentor Gucci Mane. The video for the remix was shot at East Point’s own Central Station Monday night.

See behind-the-scenes footage, with Diddy and Ross draped in floor-length furs coats, below the jump:

(Photo courtesy Houston County Jail)

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Did you honestly think that just because Gucci Mane was in Fulton County Jail he’d stop making headlines?

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Hip-hop pioneer Kool DJ Red Alert will be spinning at Ixtlan tonight, and at the Ambiance Lounge in Stone Mountain on Thursday and every Thursday after that. The Bronx native, who moved to the A a few years back, was one of the first to spin hip-hop records on the radio and came up with the likes of DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. Not impressed? He also managed a Tribe Called Quest and Jungle Brothers.

Kool DJ Red Alert. Wed., March 17. Ixtlan Lounge, 2160 Monroe Dr. 404-549-2433. Thurs., March 18. Ambiance Lounge, 5580 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, GA. 404-968-9695.

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Before we get started, I owe you a huge apology. Somehow I neglected to include Freeway’s amazing, Roots-flavored performance of “She Makes Me Feel Alright” from his Fallon appearance Monday night in yesterday’s Late Last Night. What can I say, Ziggy Marley commands an enormous amount of my attention.

Freeway, “She Makes Me Feel Alright”

Okay, on to last night! Jimmy Fallon continued his streak of excellent music acts with Irish popsters The Script, who played “Breakeven,” the song John Mayer spent the entirety of Battle Studies trying to write but didn’t because he was too busy tweeting. Tough breaks for Mayer, awesome breaks for The Script. “Breakeven” is a near perfect, radio-friendly, ear worm; a break up song that chooses to soar when others wallow. Lead singer/keyboardist Danny O’Donoghue takes all those lost love assessments, hysterical confessions, and endless, answerless questions, and reworks them into one big, uplifting sing along.

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This is Chris Jefferies. I met Chris while he was busking in an alley near downtown Austin with his band Plastic Fantastic Lover from San Francisco. They played a primitive, gypsy, arty junk yard kind of sound, complete with accordionorn — though it was hard to hear him or his band mates singing over the hordes of drunk people, and the din of music blasting from every direction. I gave him a few bucks and he gave me a CDR wrapped in some antique magazine pages.

He asked if I had ever heard of Wonder Root I said of course. He was supposed to play there back in Feb., but he went to Miami instead because Atlanta was “too cold” for his liking in Feb. — a legitimate concern when you’re traveling the country playing on the street.

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Where have I heard that expression before?

>> Billy Corgan & Jessica Simpson making beautiful music together. We all knew this was coming.

>> Epic new Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World one sheet revealed!

>> Heather Browne of the excellent I Am Fuel You Are Friends blog made a Friday Night Lights mix. Download it!

>> Ted Leo and The Pharmacists cover Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” for The AV Club’s new cover song series Undercover. How happy does this make me? This makes me very happy.

>> New from iTunes Live from SoHo: The xx

>> The fundamental difference between the Zooey Deschanel/M. Ward She & Him albums and Bruce Willis’ The Return Of Bruno is… ???

>> Led Zeppelin bootlegged?! Now we’ll FINALLY know what they sounded like live!!!

(photo/shop by Spencer Sloan)

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