The National "Slow Show": Frightened or Frightening?

One of the biggest questions, and not to mention, hurdles, facing us as a planet today is whether or not Matt Berninger of Brooklyn based band The National utters the word frightened or frightening in the third stanza of the sixth song from their most recent album Boxer, their fourth (I'm just trying to keep with the numbers theme of this long sentence). This question arose through my posting the lyrics to Boxer here at Sixeyes in June of 2007, a few months after that The National, in a surprising move to me, linked my post of those lyrics on their website. That's why I threw up this post, I got a few comments about the song "Slow Show" and was running dry on ideas for this here blog. So, I've uploaded several different versions of the song, all live performances which range from the close-up intimacy of a Daytrotter session to a live festival venue such as Austin City Limits.

Now I stand on the frightenin' side of this debate (especially when I first get up in the morning... I'm very, very frightenin'). But I don't want to influence you in any way, so give these versions of the song a listen, preferably with earphones/headphones. And if you have the time, please leave a comment on this contentious issue.

Here's the song in question. Thank you and goodnight.

The National: "Slow Show"
slow show (daytrotter )
slow show (Austin City Limits - 2007)
slow show (Optimus Festival portugal - July 2008)
slow show (white session)
slow show (OYA Festival )
slow show (Vega, Copenhagen - 2007)

And if you didn't already know the band has a tour lined up for this spring, go here for the details.

BUY the band's music here.

(photo credit: jayme thornton)

Morrissey: Live at the BBC Radio Theatre, London, February 11/09

Morrissey's latest solo effort, Years of Refusal, gives listeners solid, churning rock, Moz's mope and wit, and on top of it all, his voice sounding fantastic. I've been listening to it for a couple of weeks now, at least, and haven't grown tired of it at all. But don't take my word for it (seeing how I'm as old as old Moz), here are a few critical blurbs that feel the same way:

Uncut: "...this is still one of the most thrilling landmarks in the musical landscape. “Something Is Squeezing My Skull”, “Mama...” and “That’s How People Grow Up” are all welcome new gems in the Moz treasure chest..."

allmusic: "...Years of Refusal is a full-bodied, full-blooded album that also happens to be fully realized ..."

Spin: "...our man from Manchester has been weirdly unstoppable, making vital music, throwing exhaustingly energetic live shows, and honing in on 50 as well as or better than any rocker this side of Neil Young ..."

These mp3s give you his recent concert for the BBC which showcases half of the new album and it does sound very good as it was a live FM broadcast.

Check his myspace page for tour dates, he and the band will soon embark on an exhausting tour taking them right into July.

BUY the record here or in your favourite indie shop.


Intro
Something Is Squeezing My Skull
Mama Lay Softly On The Riverbed
Black Cloud
This Charming Man
I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Best Friend Of The Payroll
That’s How People Grow Up
Why Don’t You Find Out For Yourself?
The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
Reader Meet Author
Seasick, Yet Still Docked
I Keep Mine Hidden
I’m OK By Myself
Outro

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The National: 2009 Spring Tour and More!

I just got some great news from The National:

Hello everyone!! We hope you're staying warm through the winter! Actually, it's 58 degrees in New York City today which is both wonderful and unnerving at the same time!

Meanwhile, we have lots of news to announce! Firstly, we have scheduled a short US / Canadian tour in late May. We'll be trying out new songs (!) and playing some old ones too of course! The shows are listed below with on-sale dates. You can find links to buy tickets here.

21 May: Kool Haus, Toronto (on-sale Feb 14th @ 10:00 AM)
22 May: Metropolis, Montreal (on-sale Feb 13th @ Noon)
23 May: House of Blues, Boston (on-sale Feb 20th @ 10AM)
24 May: 9:30 Club, DC (on-sale Feb 14th @ 10AM)
25 May: 9:30 Club, DC (on-sale Feb 14th @ 10AM)
27 May: Variety Playhouse, Atlanta (on-sale Feb 13th @ NOON)
28 May: Lincoln Theater, Raleigh (on-sale Feb 13th @ Noon)
29 May: Electric Factory, Philadelphia (on-sale Feb 20th @ 10AM)

Secondly, the charity compilation that Aaron & Bryce produced for the Red Hot Organization, "Dark Was The Night", will be released this coming Tuesday, February 17th!!! (February 16th outside the US). Please help us support Red Hot's effort to raise money and awareness to combat the HIV / AIDS epidemic and go out and buy yourself a copy next week. It is well worth the money and you'll be contributing to an important cause. The record features 31 exclusive tracks and will be released digitally, as a double CD and triply vinly LP! You can learn more about the project and stream songs here.

Thirdly, if you live in New York City, be sure to catch Clogs (link to: www.clogsmusic.com), featuring Bryce, Padma, and Aaron along with special guest vocalists, on Thursday, February 26th at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. They’ll join Bell Orchestre (which features members of Arcade Fire) and the Brooklyn Philharmonic as part of BAM’s Shuffle Mode series. You can get 20% off tickets by using promo code 9826 when ordering their tickets by phone at 718.636.4100 or online at: http://brooklynphilharmonic.org/?q=shufflemode&subcal=true

Finally, tickets are available now for Bryce's contemporary music festival, Music Now, which takes place this year March 11th and 12th at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, OH. Kronos Quartet will perform on both nights. The Books will also perform on March 11th and the renowned Kora player Toumani Diabaté will perform on March 12th. The first evening Kronos Quartet will play two new pieces commissioned for the festival, one from Tyondai Braxton, of Battles and one from Richard Reed Parry, of Arcade Fire and Bell Orchestre in addition to work by J.G. Thirlwell (Foetus), Glenn Branca, and Michael Gordon. The second evening the Quartet will explore music from around the world, including Africa, Mexico, India, Greece and the Middle East. You can learn more about the festival and buy tickets here.

Ok, thats all for now! Thanks so much!!


* * * * *

The National Live in Lisbon, Portugal @ the Optimus Alive Festival July 2008
start a war [mp3]
brainy [mp3]

BUY The National's music here.

Marc Bolan Begat Devendra Banhart?

I have never spent much time delving into the glitter of Marc Bolan's T Rex. Of course there are several songs that made an impression over the years, but I have never even held a T Rex album in my mitts... ever. Now along comes (and don't ask me where I found this song as I can't for the life of me recall) a song by the late Marc Bolan (originally Mark Feld) called "Dreamy Lady" and all I can picture when enjoying it is Devendra Banhart's big (formally) hairy mug . Mr Banhart must be a fan, or perhaps, and I think this highly likely, Banhart in his very early years (around 10 or 11, maybe) must have discovered Bolan's inspired take on hippie psychedelia and his unmistakeable vocal stylings and it left a permanent mark. So, here is Bolan doing the aforementioned song from his 1976 album called Futuristic Dragon and some Banhart for you to compare. It's uncanny, but Bolan could not possibly be Banhart's father, as he died four years prior to Banhart's birth in '81, although the now clean shaven Banhart (in the picture above) vaguely resembles Bolan. Just coincidence? I think so.

T Rex
dreamy lady [mp3] from Futuristic Dragon
BUY T Rex music

Devendra Banhart
be kind [mp3] from Nino Rojo
lover [mp3] from Smoky Rolls Down Thunder Canyon
BUY Devendra Banhart music
*Banhart is currently working on a new album. You can see more pictures at his myspace page.