B-Side Of The Week: Stereophonics

I've been reminiscing about the days before Stereophonics lost the plot. Their first two and a half records were outstanding, but things took a turn for the sublimely bad after that. This week's b-side hearkens back to the good ol' days. "Carrot Cake And Wine" was released on the "A Thousand Trees" singles from 1997's Word Gets Around, which I believe will see a re-release this year.

Stereophonics - "Carrot Cake And Wine"

Buy Stereophonics' music here.
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Previous B-Sides Of the Week:

Centro-Matic - "Not Like Anyone Would Mind"
Nirvana - "Even In His Youth"
Radiohead - "Bishop's Robes"
Catherine Wheel - "Capacity To Change"
The Black Crowes - "Waitin' Guilty"
Jeff Buckley - "Thousand Fold"
Idlewild - "Good Times Wasted"
Foo Fighters - "Baker Street"
Muse - "Fury"
Screaming Trees - "Silver Tongue"
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Loaded Gun"

Monday Morning Live: Lucinda Williams

This week's live track comes from Lucinda Williams' visit to KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic in 1992. "Which Will", with its sparse arrangement and haunting vocals, has always been one of my favorite songs that Lucinda sings.

Lucinda Williams - "Which Will (live)"

Buy Lucinda Williams' music here.
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Previous Monday Morning Live Tracks:

Alice In Chains - "Love, Hate, Love"
K's Choice - "Believe"
Soundgarden - "Beyond The Wheel"

Nirvana: 11-22-1989

Just came across this Bleach-era Nirvana show. It's got amazing sound quality and a sweet set list.

Nirvana
11-22-1989

Scoff
Love Buzz
Floyd The Barber
Dive
About A Girl
Spank Thru
Big Cheese
Sappy
Breed
Been A Son
Negative Creep
Blew
Help Me I'm Hungry

Download the show here.

Buy Nirvana's music here.

Damien Rice: WXPN Live Concert

There are a lot of great things about Philadelphia's WXPN, and one of my favorites is their Live At Noon concert series. Every Friday at 12 PM they host a free live concert at World Cafe Live. All you have to do to get a ticket is sign up on their website and show up at the door before show time. They even sell bag lunches for folks who want to come to the show on their lunch break! Damien Rice was featured for one of these free shows in December 2006.

Damien Rice
WXPN Live At Noon Concert
12-15-2006

Older Chests
Cannonball
The Animals Were Gone
Coconut Skins
Accidental Babies
Delicate
Volcano
The Blower's Daughter

Download the concert here.

Buy Damien Rice's music here.

My Old Kentucky Blog posted Damien Rice covering Prince's "When Doves Cry". The version includes a sweet Led Zeppelin tease in the middle. Check it out.

Gob Iron: KEXP 12-02-2006

Gob Iron, Jay Farrar's (Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo) and Anders Parker's (Varnaline) take on traditional/folk music, performed live for KEXP is Seattle in early December last year. Gob Iron's music is spooky, earthy, bluesy and otherworldly in its folkiness, and this live set is outstanding. If you like Jay Farrar's solo material you need to check out Gob Iron.

Gob Iron
KEXP 12-02-2006

Death's Black Train
Hard Times
Interview
Death Is Only A Dream
Wayside Tavern

Download the set here.

Buy Gob Iron's record here.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan 01-22-07

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan performed live on the BBC's Radio 2 on Monday while in the midst of a very brief tour, their first together, supporting 2006's Ballad Of The Broken Seas. This is a full-band set, and it may be their first radio performance together too, but I'm not sure. The last time I heard Campbell on the radio playing these songs she had someone else sing Lanegan's parts because he was off touring with The Twilight Singers.

Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
BBC Radio 2
01-22-07

Rambling Man
The Circus Is Leaving Town
(Do You Wanna) Come Walk With Me?

Download the songs here.

Buy Ballad Of The Broken Seas here.

Cover Of The Week: Soundgarden does The Beatles

It's been a busy week so I haven't been able to post anything but the weekly features. Hopefully I'll get back in the swing this weekend.

Is it overkill to bookend the week here at Sweet Oblivion with Soundgarden? Of course not! Anyway, this cover is too good not to share. From their "Hands All Over" single off of 1989's Louder Than Love, here's Soundgarden crushing the popular Beatles tune "Come Together".

Soundgarden - "Come Together"

Buy Soundgarden's music here.
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Previous Covers Of the Week:

M.A.C.C. - "Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun)"
Gov't Mule - "30 Days In The Hole"
Veruca Salt - "My Sharona"

B-Side Of The Week: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have a bunch of songs with the word "gun" in the title or lyrics, and this week's b-side is one of them. "Loaded Gun" was on the "Spread Your Love" singles from their debut record, and it's got the fuzzed-out psychedelic rock feel that marked their early work. Enjoy these 6+ minutes of joyous rock noise from BRMC.

BRMC - "Loaded Gun"

Buy BRMC's music here.
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Previous B-Sides Of the Week:

Centro-Matic - "Not Like Anyone Would Mind"
Nirvana - "Even In His Youth"
Radiohead - "Bishop's Robes"
Catherine Wheel - "Capacity To Change"
The Black Crowes - "Waitin' Guilty"
Jeff Buckley - "Thousand Fold"
Idlewild - "Good Times Wasted"
Foo Fighters - "Baker Street"
Muse - "Fury"
Screaming Trees - "Silver Tongue"

Monday Morning Live: Soundgarden

Nothing like a little live Soundgarden to start your Monday morning off right. "Beyond The Wheel" is my favorite track off their first full length, Ultramega OK, and this live rendition, recorded on tour in 1993, is much more visceral and intense than the studio version.

Soundgarden - "Beyond The Wheel"

Buy Soundgarden's music here.
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Previous Monday Morning Live Tracks:

Alice In Chains - "Love, Hate, Love"
K's Choice - "Believe"

My Morning Jacket - Acoustic Chorale

I just finished watching My Morning Jacket's Acoustic Chorale performance on concert.tv and just had to post the audio. The 6 song mini-concert DVD was given out as a limited edition bonus to folks who bought MMJ's live DVD, Okonokos at select independent record stores last year. Every now and then the bonus discs show up on eBay. I missed the promo, but at least I have digital cable to bring some sweet MMJ goodness to my home. The version of "I Think I'm Going To Hell" is unbelievable.

My Morning Jacket
Acoustic Chorale

Bermuda Highway
At Dawn
Sooner
Where To Begin
I Think I'm Going To Hell
Strangulation

Download the songs here.

For folks that want a rip of the video from the DVD, a fan posted one here.

Buy My Morning Jacket's music here.

More Richard Ashcroft

My recent Richard Ashcroft post was very popular so here's a few more radio session tracks for your listening pleasure.

BBC Radio 1 in 2000

"C'mon People We're Making It Now"

XFM Radio in 2003

"Buy It In Bottles"
"Check The Meaning"

Download the songs here.

Check out my other Richard Ashcroft post here.

Buy Richard Ashcroft's music here.

Cover Of The Week: Veruca Salt does The Knack

Veruca Salt made one of my favorite pop rock records of all time in 1997's Eight Arms To Hold You. The full-on rock guitars and killer harmonies from guitarist/songwriters Louise Post and Nina Gordon were a combo made in heaven for me. Gordon left the band not long after the Eight Arms... tour ended, and though Post has continued making music under the Veruca Salt moniker, the band just isn't the same anymore.

This week's cover is Veruca Salt doing their sexy/sleazy version of The Knack's classic "My Sharona". Enjoy.

Veruca Salt - "My Sharona"

Buy Veruca Salt's music here.
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Previous Covers Of the Week:

M.A.C.C. - "Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun)"
Gov't Mule - "30 Days In The Hole"

Steve Earle: 10-29-1999 Acoustic

I recently found this soundboard 1999 Steve Earle solo acoustic gig and thought it was fantastic. The set includes songs from Earle's entire career up to 1999 along with a couple of covers. I had to break the show up into two zip files and one single mp3 to accommodate SaveFile's size restrictions.

Steve Earle
10-29-1999
Solo Acoustic

Steve's Last Ramble
More Than I Can Do
Now She's Gone
Goodbye
Taneytown
South Nashville Blues
CCKMP
My Old Friend The Blues
Someday
Valentine's Day
Outlaw's Honeymoon
The Devil's Right Hand
Brand New Companion
Hometown Blues
Tom Ames' Prayer
Billy Austin
Angel Is The Devil
Christmas In Washington
Telephone Road
I Ain't Ever Satisfied
I Feel Alright
Guitar Town
Copperhead Road

Download Part I (ZIP)
Download Part II (ZIP)
23 Copperhead Road

Buy Steve Earle's music here.

B-Side Of The Week: Screaming Trees

Sweet Oblivion fave Screaming Trees is the featured band for this week. The Trees released a slew of b-sides during their career, and I had a hard time choosing the first one of theirs to be posted. I chose "Silver Tongue" because it's a great song, possibly my favorite of their non-album tracks, and a good friend's band named their last album after it. The tune was released on the "All I Know" single from 1996's Dust.

Screaming Trees - "Silver Tongue"

Buy Screaming Trees' music here.
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Previous B-Sides Of the Week:

Centro-Matic - "Not Like Anyone Would Mind"
Nirvana - "Even In His Youth"
Radiohead - "Bishop's Robes"
Catherine Wheel - "Capacity To Change"
The Black Crowes - "Waitin' Guilty"
Jeff Buckley - "Thousand Fold"
Idlewild - "Good Times Wasted"
Foo Fighters - "Baker Street"
Muse - "Fury"

Monday Morning Live: K's Choice

Most music fans have a few bands that they love that no one they know seems to like or have even heard of. These bands are like a precious little secret, only to be revealed carefully to fellow music fans with great care and discretion. K's Choice has always been one of those bands for me. I know that they're not particularly unknown, especially in Europe, but I've always felt like I am one of the only people I know who is into them. Actually, saying I am into them doesn't quite do my fandom justice - I'm a major fan.

Anyway, you may remember K's Choice from their minor radio hit "Not An Addict" back in the mid-90s. Seeing the video for that song is what turned me on to the band in the first place. This Monday's live track is a performance of the standout lead track off their finest record, Cocoon Crash, performed at the Pinkpop Festival in 1998. It's a gripping performance, and the vocal interplay of siblings Sarah and Gert Bettens takes center stage during the rocking outro.

K's Choice - "Believe (live)"

Buy K's Choice music here.
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Previous Monday Morning Live Tracks:

Alice In Chains - "Love, Hate, Love"

Richard Ashcroft: BBC Radio Performance 2000

This brief but sweet Richard Ashcroft session comes from BBC Radio 1 back in 2000. It features acoustic renditions of two tracks from his 2000 release, Alone With Everybody, and an acoustic version of The Verve's hit "Bittersweet Symphony". "Money To Burn" is my favorite song from Ashcroft's solo work, so I was psyched to find this performance.

Richard Ashcroft
BBC Radio 1
05-06-2000

Bittersweet Symphony
Money To Burn
You On My Mind

Download the set here.

Buy Richard Ashcroft music here.

More Brandi Carlile

I totally spaced when I posted earlier and didn't realize that the live version of "The Story" streaming on Brandi Carlile's MySpace is absent from the Live From Neumo's EP, so here it is. Better late than never, I suppose.

Brandi Carlile - "The Story (live)"

Also, I just got an email from Carlile's mailing list that included links to a preview of the studio cut of "The Story":

Windows Media
Windows Media Broadband
Flash (recommended)
Real Audio
Quick Time

Cover Of The Week: Gov't Mule

I love Warren Haynes' guitar playing and vocals, and his band, Gov't Mule, is known for doing fantastic covers during their live sets. Here's a studio cut from the band back when they were a power trio with Allen Woody on bass doing Humble Pie's "30 Days In The Hole". The track was originally released on the compilation Hempilation 2: Free The Weed in 1998.

Gov't Mule - "30 Days In The Hole"

Buy Gov't Mule's stellar new record, High And Mighty here.
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Previous Covers Of the Week:

M.A.C.C. - Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun)

Brandi Carlile: New Album Update

From Brandi Carlile's website, here's some news regarding her forthcoming sophomore release.

The new album, titled The Story, is finished and the release date is set for April 3rd! It was recorded in Vancouver and produced by T Bone Burnett. The final track listing is:

1 - Late Morning Lullaby
2 - The Story
3 - Turpentine
4 - My Song
5 - Wasted
6 - Have You Ever
7 - Josephine
8 - Losing Heart
9 - Cannonball
10 - Until I Die
11 - Downpour
12 - Shadow On The Wall
13 - Again Today

Which leads us to...

"The Story" - The Song

"The Story" is the first single at radio and will start getting airplay (knock on wood) in mid-February. Please listen for "The Story" and let your favorite local radio station know they should be playing it!

"The Story" will also be available digitally on January 16th on iTunes, Sony Connect, Rhapsody, Wal-mart, Best Buy Music, Yahoo, Napster, Zune and MTV Urge.

"The Story" Ringtone and Ringback tone will be available on January 23rd. Check with your cell phone carrier for details.

Spring Tour

The new headlining tour will be finalized in the coming weeks and we hope to announce the dates in early February. Brandi will be hitting the road in late March for about eight weeks.

Can't wait! Here's a little preview of the new record via a live rendition of "Turpentine" that is streaming on her MySpace page. Tragically, it appears that this song, and therefor possibly some others, were left off of her Live From Neumo's EP.

Brandi Carlile - "Turpentine (live)"

Buy Brandi Carlile's music here.

I posted last year about Carlile's three unreleased EPs, so if you like you can check them out here:

Brandi Carlile - Room For Me
Brandi Carlile - We're Growing Up
Brandi Carlile - Open Doors

B-Side Of The Week: Muse

Muse released their astounding record Absolution in 2004, and there were a few excellent b-sides that accompanied the release. "Fury" is without a doubt the best of the bunch, and it can be found on the "Sing For Absolution" singles or on the Japanese version of the album. It's classic Muse - heavy, dark and awesome.

Muse - "Fury"

Buy Muse's music here.
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Previous B-Sides Of the Week:

Centro-Matic - "Not Like Anyone Would Mind"
Nirvana - "Even In His Youth"
Radiohead - "Bishop's Robes"
Catherine Wheel - "Capacity To Change"
The Black Crowes - "Waitin' Guilty"
Jeff Buckley - "Thousand Fold"
Idlewild - "Good Times Wasted"
Foo Fighters - "Baker Street"

Noel Gallagher: 11-07-2006

Though I'm sure this show made the rounds back in '06, I just found my way to it and thought I'd post it for other folks like me who missed out the first time around. Oasis songsmith Noel Gallagher played some acoustic dates at the end of last year with Gem Archer, including this set from Toronto that was broadcast on the radio. One of the great debates amongst Oasis fans is whether or not the songs sound better when Noel sings them than when brother Liam does. Any thoughts?

Enjoy this treat of a set list.

Noel Gallagher & Gem Archer
Toronto, ON
11-07-2006

It's Good To Be Free
Talk Tonight
Fade Away
Cast No Shadow
The Importance Of Being Idle
Listen Up
Half The World Away
Wonderwall
Whatever
Slide Away
=Encore=
Strawberry Fields Forever
Don't Look Back In Anger
Married With Children

Download the set here.

Buy Oasis records here.

Monday Morning Live: Alice In Chains

A new year calls for new features on the ol' blog, and after a little thought I decided that each Monday I'll highlight a live track. After all, nothing cures a case of the Mondays like a little live rock n' roll.

I just got back to work after a two week vacation, and it's always tough to get back into the swing of things after a long respite. The title of the first 'Monday Morning Live' track sums up my conflicted feelings about going back to work after some quality time off. Recorded in Glasgow on March 3, 1993, here's Alice In Chains with "Love, Hate, Love".

Alice In Chains - "Love, Hate, Love (live)"

Buy Alice In Chains' music here.

Michael Franti: KEXP 10-13-2006

Another late discovery for me from 2006, Michael Franti and Spearhead's new record is a lyrical firestorm. Song after song on Yell Fire obliterates the direction our government is heading, and though I don't tend to get into reggae-influenced music much, it's hard to ignore Franti's passion and talent. I absolutely love the title track, so in addition to this unbelievable solo acoustic set in front of a live audience in Seattle's Sonic Boom record store for KEXP, I included a smoking full-band rendition of "Yell Fire" from a performance in Amsterdam last year. You can watch the entire Amsterdam show here on Fabchannel.

Michael Franti and Spearhead
12-13-2006 Amsterdam

Yell Fire (live)

Michael Franti
Solo Acoustic
10-13-2006 Seattle

East To The West (live)
Yell Fire (live)
Sweet Little Lies (live)
Interview
Hello Bonjour (live)
Keep On Walking (live)
One Step Closer To You (live)

Download the songs here.

Buy Michael Franti's music here.

Josh Ritter - NPR Live Performances 2006

At the end of each year, a few friends and I exchange mixes comprised of some of our favorite tunes from the past year. Josh Ritter's 2006 release, The Animal Years, missed my radar in '06, but the sensational "Girl In The War" from said album appeared on a friend's compilation. After hearing the song I had to run out a grab the record right away. Ritter performed a bunch of tunes from the new record on NPR's 'World Cafe Live' and 'In Performance' during '06, and I've compiled them for you here.

Josh Ritter
NPR Live Performances '06

Girl In The War
Wolves
Monster Ballads
Idaho
In The Dark
Good Man
Thin Blue Flame
Here At The Right Time

Download the files here.

Buy Josh Ritter's music here.

Damien Rice - WFUV Radio 11-15-2006

I enjoyed Damien Rice's first record, at least the first 4 or 5 songs for sure. I decided to pick up his new one, 9, after hearing enough good things about it to give it a try. I haven't really digested 9 yet, so I won't comment. However, I did come across this radio performance from November '06 that features a few of the new songs.

Damien Rice
WFUV Radio
11-15-2006

Interview
9 Crimes
The Animals Were Gone
Rootless Tree
Eskimo

Download the songs here.

Buy Damien Rice's music here.

Cover Of The Week: M.A.C.C. does Hendrix

My last b-side post, a cover done by Foo Fighters, was so popular that I decided to spin it into a weekly series. So now every Friday I'll post a cover song for you.

The inaugural cover of the week was suggested by a friend. It's a Jimi Hendrix tune, "Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun)", as covered by M.A.C.C. The band is Mike McCready (guitar) and Jeff Ament (bass) from Pearl Jam, along with Matt Cameron (drums) and Chris Cornell (vocals) from Soundgarden. McCready is a self-professed Hendrix disciple, so it is no surprise that he and his Seattle friends got together to make this stunning contribution to Stone Free: A Tribute To Jimi Hendrix in 1993.

M.A.C.C. - "Hey Baby"

Buy the album here.

MySpace Tracks

Every once and a while I run through the MySpace pages of artists I like hoping to find some exclusive songs posted. Here are a few that I came across this morning. There's a link at the bottom to download the songs.

Juliana Hatfield - "This Is What I Think Of You"
A new song from Ms. Hatfield, although there aren't any lyrics to speak of.

The Hiders - "Into The Sun (live)"
A good friend introduced me to this band, and he ranked their debut album #1 in his 2006 rundown. They're definitely worth checking out.

The Jim Cuddy Band (w/ Kathleen Edwards) - "Married Again"
Edwards posted about this duet she sings with Toronto act Jim Cuddy on her website, so naturally I had to check it out. Good times.

Drive-By Truckers - "Outfit (live)"
A random live tune posted by the DBT.

Rob Dickinson - "Hush Little Baby"
Yep, the lullaby. Dickinson recorded it randomly last spring, and if nothing else it's worth one listen if you're a fan.

Download the songs here.

B-Side Of The Week: Foo Fighters

This week's b-side comes from Foo Fighters' early work. "Baker Street" is a rocking cover of the old Gerry Rafferty tune (remember the saxophone solo anyone?) that appeared on some of the "My Hero" singles from 1997's stellar The Colour And The Shape. As is the case with many non-album tracks, "Baker Street" also appeared on different compilations and EPs. My copy of it came from a 4-track bonus EP included with the German version of The Colour And The Shape.

Foo Fighters - "Baker Street"

Buy Foo Fighters' music here.
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Previous B-Sides Of the Week:

Centro-Matic - "Not Like Anyone Would Mind"
Nirvana - "Even In His Youth"
Radiohead - "Bishop's Robes"
Catherine Wheel - "Capacity To Change"
The Black Crowes - "Waitin' Guilty"
Jeff Buckley - "Thousand Fold"
Idlewild - "Good Times Wasted"