Ryan Adams: Easy Tiger Live

Ryan Adams' show at the TLA last night was good, of course. But there was a weird kinda energy in the venue that detracted from the experience for me. Maybe it had something to do with the loud, chatty crowd that seems to show up at all of Adams' Philly gigs, or maybe it was the crappy sound (vocals muddy and not enough guitar in the mix), but I was slightly disappointed by the experience.

In other ways, it was awesome. This was the first gig since his skateboarding accident that Adams played guitar, so the band was in a rockin' kinda mood. They played "What Sin Replaces Love", a killer version of "Magnolia Mountain" and the most ridiculously cool version of "I See Monsters" that I could've hoped for. Overall it was a good time, and I'm not exactly sure why I left the venue feeling a little let down, because now that I look over the setlist and think about the show, it was really good. Oh my God. Whatever. Etc. Enough rambling. Here is what they played:

Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
06-28-07
Philadelphia, PA

A Kiss Before I Go
What Sin
Off Broadway
Cold Roses
Please Do Not Let Me Go
Dear Chicago
Bartering Lines
Peaceful Valley
Beautiful Sorta
Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Magnolia Mountain
Two
Easy Plateau
Blue Hotel
I See Monsters

Adams released a bunch of live performance videos through different outlets (free DVDs included with LPs, promos for different internet music stores, etc..), one for each song on his new record, Easy Tiger. Some of the videos appear to have made their way to the ubiquitous YouTube, but I haven't been able to find all the official ones yet.

Lost Highway, Adams' record label, is running a contest for folks who can locate the videos. If you can find 10 or more, you can enter for a chance to be flown to see Adams play live somewhere. Hotel and transportation seem to be included in the deal. Check out the contest here.
(If you need a little help send me an email...)

There's a great interview with Ryan Adams at The Onion's A.V. Club.

I usually like to post audio when I review a show, so here are live versions of all thirteen tracks on Easy Tiger.

Ryan Adams
Easy Tiger Live

Download the songs here.

Buy Ryan Adams' music here.

Cover Of The Week: The Black Crowes do Dylan

The Black Crowes proudly wear their influences on their sleeves while managing to make music uniquely their own. Bob Dylan is obviously a huge influence on the Crowes' music, and back in the day they recorded this Dylan tune as a b-side for the "Hotel Illness" single off of their classic album, The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion.

The Black Crowes - "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35"

Buy The Black Crowes' 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"
Soundgarden - "Come Together"
Pearl Jam - "I've Got A Feeling"
Gomez - "Getting Better"
Muse - "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
Cast - "The Seeker"
Manic Street Preachers - "Been A Son"
Steve Earle - "Breed"
Sheryl Crow - "Keep On Growing"
Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"
Kathleen Edwards - "A Face In The Crowd"
Catherine Wheel - "Spirit Of Radio"
Stanley Jordan - "Stairway To Heaven (live)"
Stereophonics - "Something In The Way"
Mark Kozelek - "If You Want Blood"
Blake Babies - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Kristen Barry - "Don't Cry"
Buffalo Tom - "All Tomorrow's Parties"
RATM - "The Ghost Of Tom Joad"
Turin Brakes - "Breaking The Girl"
Brandi Carlile - "Hallelujah"
Screaming Trees - "Tomorrow's Dream"

B-Side Of The Week: Ryan Adams

Because I'm so psyched about seeing Ryan Adams play tomorrow night at the TLA (I can't bring myself to call it 'The Fillmore'...) and because his new record, Easy Tiger, dropped yesterday, I thought I'd post this little gem. "One By One" is only available on the 7" vinyl single for "Wonderwall" from his fantastic LP, Love Is Hell. Enjoy.

Ryan Adams - "One By One"

Buy Ryan Adams' 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"
Stereophonics - "Carrot Cake And Wine"
Oasis - "Let's All Make Believe"
Guns N' Roses - "Shadow Of Your Love"
Ryan Adams - "What Sin Replaces Love"
Chris Cornell - "Sunshower"
Feeder - "Bruised"
Snow Patrol - "Post Punk Progression"
Jeff Buckley - "Strawberry Street"
Rainer Maria - "Automatic"
Radiohead - "Coke Babies"
Gomez - "Shot Shot (Folk Shot)"
Foo Fighters - "A320"
Turin Brakes - "Balham To Brooklyn"
Pearl Jam - "Long Road"
The Black Crowes - "Darling Of The Underground Press"
Juliana Hatfield - "Girl In Old Blue Volvo Disowns Self"
Gemma Hayes - "Perfect Day"
Veruca Salt - "Sleeper Car"
Audioslave - "We Got The Whip"
Oasis - "Step Out"

Feist: Yahoo Live

Do yourself a favor and go pick up Feist's excellent new CD, The Reminder. And while you wait for amazon.com to load, here's a little live Feist for ya.

Feist - "I Feel It All (Yahoo live)"

Buy Feist's music here.

Matt Nathanson: New Album Teaser, Part Deux

I'm listening to the studio version of Matt Nathanson's unbelievably awesome new tune, "Car Crash" as I write this post. I've seen him perform it live with and without a band, and the studio version lives up to my expectations in spades. You can buy an mp3 of it here (the record, Some Mad Hope, doesn't drop until August).

As part of his promo effort for Some Mad Hope, he's been leaking weekly treats to fans on his mailing list. Here's this week's treat, a live performance of "Car Crash" from a special promo gig he did in NYC recently for some industry folks and whatnot.

Matt Nathanson - "Car Crash (live)"

Watch a video of the performance here.

Buy Matt Nathanson's music here. Now.

Monday Morning Live: Foo Fighters

Your weekly dose of high quality live recordings (no audience boots here!).

This week we've got some Foo Fighters for you. This track was the opening song on their third LP, There Is Nothing Left To Lose, and they really stretch it out live into a 10+ minute epic with a rocking jam in the middle.

Foo Fighters - "Stacked Actors (live)"

Buy Foo Fighters 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"
Lucinda Williams - "Which Will"
Doves - "WWCF --> Pounding"
U2 - "Staring At The Sun"
Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
A Perfect Circle - "Brena (acoustic)"
Juliana Hatfield - "Nirvana"
Ryan Adams - "New York, New York"
Tool - "Intolerance"
Idlewild - "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"
Josh Ritter - "Thin Blue Flame"
Radiohead - "Creep" + bonus tracks
QOTSA - "A Song For The Dead"
Son Volt - "Bandages And Scars"
Coldplay - "Everything's Not Lost"
Sheryl Crow - "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
Muse - "Stockholm Syndrome"
Steve Earle - "Hard Core Troubadour"
Neko Case - "Hold On, Hold On"
Avril Lavigne - "Girlfriend"

Cover Of The Week: Screaming Trees do Black Sabbath

We love the Screaming Trees here at Sweet Oblivion (duh!), and I've been negligent by not posting one of their numerous covers. From the "Dollar Bill" single back in 1992, here's the Trees' thundering version of Black Sabbath's "Tomorrow's Dream".

Screaming Trees - "Tomorrow's Dream"

Buy Screaming Trees 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"
Soundgarden - "Come Together"
Pearl Jam - "I've Got A Feeling"
Gomez - "Getting Better"
Muse - "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
Cast - "The Seeker"
Manic Street Preachers - "Been A Son"
Steve Earle - "Breed"
Sheryl Crow - "Keep On Growing"
Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"
Kathleen Edwards - "A Face In The Crowd"
Catherine Wheel - "Spirit Of Radio"
Stanley Jordan - "Stairway To Heaven (live)"
Stereophonics - "Something In The Way"
Mark Kozelek - "If You Want Blood"
Blake Babies - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Kristen Barry - "Don't Cry"
Buffalo Tom - "All Tomorrow's Parties"
RATM - "The Ghost Of Tom Joad"
Turin Brakes - "Breaking The Girl"
Brandi Carlile - "Hallelujah"

B-Side Of The Week: Oasis

I'm in an Oasis kinda mood today, so here's one of my favorite Oasis b-sides. A little backstory on "Step Out" from Wikipedia:

Originally, it was intended that "Step Out" would be included as a track on Oasis' second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?; however, due to the similarity of the song (and in particular the chorus) to Stevie Wonder's 1965 hit "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", Wonder's publishing company demanded a substantial amount of royalties, else they would proceed with legal action (this was by no means the first, or last time Oasis would be in this position).

Oasis refused, and as such removed the track from the album completely. The last minute nature of this change was evidenced by the fact that some promotional copies of the album were released with "Step Out" included on them (as track 8, between "Some Might Say" and "Cast No Shadow"). These albums, especially the vinyl editions, are very rare and are highly sought after amongst Oasis fans.

Once the issue was (partially) resolved, "Step Out" appeared as a B-side on the fourth and final single released from the album ["Don't Look Back In Anger"]. Tellingly, the songwriting credit for the song appeared as Gallagher/Wonder/Cosby/Moy.

Enjoy this top-notch b-side.

Oasis - "Step Out"

Buy Oasis music aqui.

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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"
Stereophonics - "Carrot Cake And Wine"
Oasis - "Let's All Make Believe"
Guns N' Roses - "Shadow Of Your Love"
Ryan Adams - "What Sin Replaces Love"
Chris Cornell - "Sunshower"
Feeder - "Bruised"
Snow Patrol - "Post Punk Progression"
Jeff Buckley - "Strawberry Street"
Rainer Maria - "Automatic"
Radiohead - "Coke Babies"
Gomez - "Shot Shot (Folk Shot)"
Foo Fighters - "A320"
Turin Brakes - "Balham To Brooklyn"
Pearl Jam - "Long Road"
The Black Crowes - "Darling Of The Underground Press"
Juliana Hatfield - "Girl In Old Blue Volvo Disowns Self"
Gemma Hayes - "Perfect Day"
Veruca Salt - "Sleeper Car"
Audioslave - "We Got The Whip"

Matt Nathanson: New Album Teaser

Matt Nathanson just posted a video of himself performing one of the tracks from his forthcoming August release, Some Mad Hope, on his MySpace page. You can also stream one of studio tracks from the record there too. If you want to pre-order the album from the Awarestore, you'll get an autographed copy of the CD along with a bonus disc containing three live-in-the-studio versions of songs from the new album. If you're a fan it's time to get your butt in gear and pre-order! Here's an audio rip of the live video.

Matt Nathanson - "All We Are (live)"

Buy Matt Nathanson's music here.

Chris Cornell: AT&T Blue Room

Chris Cornell also stopped by the Blue Room with his band recently, and they performed a sweet set of tunes spanning Cornell's entire career.

Chris Cornell
AT&T Blue Room

No Such Thing
Seasons
Hunger Strike
Like A Stone
Black Hole Sun

Download the set here.

Buy Chris Cornell's music here.

Brandi Carlile: AT&T Blue Room

Brandi Carlile and the Hanseroth twins stopped by AT&T's Blue Room for a live performance recently. Enjoy.

Brandi Carlile
AT&T Blue Room

The Story
Late Morning Lullaby
Fall Apart Again

Download the set here.

Buy Brandi Carlile's music here.

Monday Morning Live: Avril Lavigne

Your weekly dose of high quality live recordings (no audience boots here!).

Ah, summer...the time when many of us indulge in guilty pleasures...

Which brings me to this morning's live track. I'm not going to defend it - I like some of Avril Lavigne's songs, in spite of such lyrical 'gems' as

"She's, like, so whatever/
You could do so much better/
I think we should get together now."

Hopefully some of you might find a little joy in a hooky tune with no other redeeming qualities.

Avril Lavigne - "Girlfriend (live)"

Buy Avril Lavigne's 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"
Lucinda Williams - "Which Will"
Doves - "WWCF --> Pounding"
U2 - "Staring At The Sun"
Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
A Perfect Circle - "Brena (acoustic)"
Juliana Hatfield - "Nirvana"
Ryan Adams - "New York, New York"
Tool - "Intolerance"
Idlewild - "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"
Josh Ritter - "Thin Blue Flame"
Radiohead - "Creep" + bonus tracks
QOTSA - "A Song For The Dead"
Son Volt - "Bandages And Scars"
Coldplay - "Everything's Not Lost"
Sheryl Crow - "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
Muse - "Stockholm Syndrome"
Steve Earle - "Hard Core Troubadour"
Neko Case - "Hold On, Hold On"

Wilco: AOL Session & NPR Session

Jeff Tweedy and his mates in Wilco did sessions for AOL and NPR recently where they performed tracks from their new record, Sky Blue Sky. The guitar soloing by throughout both sets is pretty sweet, as one would expect if you've ever seen or heard them live before.

Wilco
AOL Session

What Light
Hate It Here
Side With The Seeds
You Are My Face

Download the set here.

Wilco
NPR Session

Side With The Seeds
Muzzle Of Bees
Sky Blue Sky
What Light

Download the set here.

Buy Wilco's music here.

Ryan Adams: World Cafe Live 06-15-07

Ryan Adams came to Philly yesterday to do a "Free At Noon" concert at World Cafe Live. I taped the show off the radio, but I was too slow getting the post together. Heather's got the set for you over at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends, and it's worth checking out particularly for the new tunes from Adams' forthcoming Easy Tiger. Adams and the Cardinals played a few more songs at the gig after the station went off air, so if I find a good recording of those I'll post 'em here.

Cover Of The Week: Brandi Carlile does Leonard Cohen

Jeff Buckley may have done the definitive version of this Leonard Cohen tune, but Brandi Carlile does an awesome job finding a way to make it her own too. Many folks who've heard Carlile do this cover say she's channeling Buckley during the performance. Regardless, it's a hauntingly beautiful rendition.

Brandi Carlile - "Hallelujah"

Buy Brandi Carlile's music here.

-------------------------------------------

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"
Soundgarden - "Come Together"
Pearl Jam - "I've Got A Feeling"
Gomez - "Getting Better"
Muse - "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
Cast - "The Seeker"
Manic Street Preachers - "Been A Son"
Steve Earle - "Breed"
Sheryl Crow - "Keep On Growing"
Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"
Kathleen Edwards - "A Face In The Crowd"
Catherine Wheel - "Spirit Of Radio"
Stanley Jordan - "Stairway To Heaven (live)"
Stereophonics - "Something In The Way"
Mark Kozelek - "If You Want Blood"
Blake Babies - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Kristen Barry - "Don't Cry"
Buffalo Tom - "All Tomorrow's Parties"
RATM - "The Ghost Of Tom Joad"
Turin Brakes - "Breaking The Girl"

B-Side Of The Week: Audioslave

This week's b-side is from the sessions for Audioslave's first album. This one didn't make the record, but it's a good document of what the band was doing at the time - finding a way to make Rage Against The Machine songs with a different kind of singer on the mic.

Audioslave - "We Got The Whip"

Buy Audioslave'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"
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Loaded Gun"
Stereophonics - "Carrot Cake And Wine"
Oasis - "Let's All Make Believe"
Guns N' Roses - "Shadow Of Your Love"
Ryan Adams - "What Sin Replaces Love"
Chris Cornell - "Sunshower"
Feeder - "Bruised"
Snow Patrol - "Post Punk Progression"
Jeff Buckley - "Strawberry Street"
Rainer Maria - "Automatic"
Radiohead - "Coke Babies"
Gomez - "Shot Shot (Folk Shot)"
Foo Fighters - "A320"
Turin Brakes - "Balham To Brooklyn"
Pearl Jam - "Long Road"
The Black Crowes - "Darling Of The Underground Press"
Juliana Hatfield - "Girl In Old Blue Volvo Disowns Self"
Gemma Hayes - "Perfect Day"
Veruca Salt - "Sleeper Car"

Monday Morning Live: Neko Case

Your weekly dose of high quality live recordings (no audience boots here!).

This week's feature is a live performance of "Hold On, Hold On" by Neko Case. The track is one of the highlights of her 2006 release, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, and her voice really shines in this live version.

Neko Case - "Hold On, Hold On (live)"

Buy Neko Case's 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"
Lucinda Williams - "Which Will"
Doves - "WWCF --> Pounding"
U2 - "Staring At The Sun"
Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
A Perfect Circle - "Brena (acoustic)"
Juliana Hatfield - "Nirvana"
Ryan Adams - "New York, New York"
Tool - "Intolerance"
Idlewild - "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"
Josh Ritter - "Thin Blue Flame"
Radiohead - "Creep" + bonus tracks
QOTSA - "A Song For The Dead"
Son Volt - "Bandages And Scars"
Coldplay - "Everything's Not Lost"
Sheryl Crow - "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
Muse - "Stockholm Syndrome"
Steve Earle - "Hard Core Troubadour"

BRMC: Portland 05-11-2007

MSN recently aired a broadcast of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's show at Roseland Theater in Portland, OR, much like the Chris Cornell one I posted about last month. Though MSN cut four songs from the set when the show aired on the web, it's still a great document of BRMC's current live show.

BRMC
05-11-2007
Portland, OR

Took Out A Loan
Berlin
Spread Your Love
Lien On Your Dreams
Stop
Weapon Of Choice
Punk Song
Red Eyes and Tears (not broadcast)
Promise (not broadcast)
Not What You Wanted
666 Conducer
Need Some Air (not broadcast)
American X
Fault Line
Devil's Waitin'
Mercy
Howl
Aint No Easy Way (not broadcast)
All You Do Is Talk

Download the show here.

Buy BRMC's music here.

Cover Of The Week: Turin Brakes does the Chili Peppers

This week I thought I'd post British acoustic rockers Turin Brakes' version of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Breaking The Girl". It's a fairly by-the-numbers version, but that's a good thing.

Turin Brakes - "Breaking The Girl"

Buy Turin Brakes 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"
Soundgarden - "Come Together"
Pearl Jam - "I've Got A Feeling"
Gomez - "Getting Better"
Muse - "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
Cast - "The Seeker"
Manic Street Preachers - "Been A Son"
Steve Earle - "Breed"
Sheryl Crow - "Keep On Growing"
Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"
Kathleen Edwards - "A Face In The Crowd"
Catherine Wheel - "Spirit Of Radio"
Stanley Jordan - "Stairway To Heaven (live)"
Stereophonics - "Something In The Way"
Mark Kozelek - "If You Want Blood"
Blake Babies - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Kristen Barry - "Don't Cry"
Buffalo Tom - "All Tomorrow's Parties"
RATM - "The Ghost Of Tom Joad"

B-Side Of The Week: Veruca Salt

This week's b-side comes from the sessions for Veruca Salt's stellar 1997 record, Eight Arms To Hold You. "Sleeper Car" starts off quietly before kicking in and rocking out toward the end. It's clear that the song wouldn't have fit in with the tracks chosen for the album, but that doesn't detract from its quality.

Veruca Salt - "Sleeper Car"

Buy Veruca Salt's music here.

-------------------------------------------

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"
Stereophonics - "Carrot Cake And Wine"
Oasis - "Let's All Make Believe"
Guns N' Roses - "Shadow Of Your Love"
Ryan Adams - "What Sin Replaces Love"
Chris Cornell - "Sunshower"
Feeder - "Bruised"
Snow Patrol - "Post Punk Progression"
Jeff Buckley - "Strawberry Street"
Rainer Maria - "Automatic"
Radiohead - "Coke Babies"
Gomez - "Shot Shot (Folk Shot)"
Foo Fighters - "A320"
Turin Brakes - "Balham To Brooklyn"
Pearl Jam - "Long Road"
The Black Crowes - "Darling Of The Underground Press"
Juliana Hatfield - "Girl In Old Blue Volvo Disowns Self"
Gemma Hayes - "Perfect Day"

Monday Morning Live: Steve Earle

Your weekly dose of high quality live recordings (no audience boots here!).

This week's feature track is from a performance by Steve Earle at Cold Creek Prison back in 1996. The show aired on MTV and featured Earle and his band ripping through this song from 1996's I Feel Alright.

Steve Earle - "Hard Core Troubadour (live)"

Buy Steve Earle's 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"
Lucinda Williams - "Which Will"
Doves - "WWCF --> Pounding"
U2 - "Staring At The Sun"
Damien Rice - "9 Crimes"
A Perfect Circle - "Brena (acoustic)"
Juliana Hatfield - "Nirvana"
Ryan Adams - "New York, New York"
Tool - "Intolerance"
Idlewild - "Love Steals Us From Loneliness"
Josh Ritter - "Thin Blue Flame"
Radiohead - "Creep" + bonus tracks
QOTSA - "A Song For The Dead"
Son Volt - "Bandages And Scars"
Coldplay - "Everything's Not Lost"
Sheryl Crow - "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
Muse - "Stockholm Syndrome"

BRMC Kills Philly

Saw Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at the TLA in Philly last night, and they were outstanding. The main set drew on all four of their studio albums, and included a little interlude where singers Robert Levon Been and Peter Hayes traded acoustic numbers. The band left the stage after a killer set, and then returned for an encore that actually felt off-the-cuff.

As an aside, I feel like I have to say that, generally, encores are totally lame. Bands feign leaving the stage when they know for damn sure they're coming back to play another hit or two after they wait for their fans to "draw them back to the stage" with raucous applause. I've been to some shows where the fans hardly put any effort into the encore facade and the band came back out anyway because they still hadn't played the "big single" or some other song that remained on their setlist. It's become a cliche of a cliche, to the point where bands will even acknowledge that they're only pretending to leave the stage for a moment before coming back to play another couple of songs. What's the point?! Just play the songs and then leave on a high note.

BRMC may have planned on coming out again after they finish their long main set, but their encore certainly didn't seem contrived at all. Hell, the engineers had even turned on the PA and the lights after their main set. When they returned they asked the light tech to keep the house lights up so they could see everyone. Then they started taking requests and played four more tunes before leaving their exhausted fans happily sated after 2+ hours of rock. As my friend noted during the encore, it felt like we were catching a college show in a tiny venue, where band and audience almost merge. Great stuff.

Specific highlights for me included the acoustic b-side "Mercy", a really heavy version of "Sympathetic Noose", rollicking versions of "Ain't No Easy Way", "Love Burns" and "American X", and the phenomenal set closer, "All You Do Is Talk". The latter two are the centerpieces of BRMC's new record, Baby 81, and are absolutely essential listens. Here's the full main set, plus the sweet, sweet encore.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Theater Of Living Arts
06-01-07

Took Out A Loan
Berlin
Lien On Your Dreams
In Like The Rose
Ain't No Easy Way
Weapon Of Choice
Whatever Happened To My Rock N' Roll
Stop
Windows
Not What You Wanted
666 Conducer
Need Some Air
American X
Fault Line (acoustic)
Complicated Situation (acoustic)
Mercy (acoustic)
Love Burns
Rifles
All You Do Is Talk
---------------
Six Barrel Shotgun
Sympathetic Noose
Spread Your Love
Shuffle Your Feet

I don't have a recording of this show yet, but here's a little live acoustic BRMC session that Peter did for MPR recently.

BRMC
MPR Acoustic Session
05-30-2007

Not What You Wanted
Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll
Windows
Mercy

Download the set here.

Buy BRMC's music here.

CREDITS: The photos above were taken at the show by Corwin Wickersham.

Cover Of The Week: RATM does The Boss

I remember how psyched I was when I purchased a special edition VHS (gasp!) Rage Against The Machine live show about 10 years ago that came with a bonus CD single. The single was a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost Of Tom Joad", and I couldn't wait to hear the boys in RATM tackle Bruce's acoustic gem. As one might expect, it sounds nothing like the original, with the band putting its own unique spin on the tune. Now you can find this cover on Rage's Renegades album, among other places, but back in the day this was a rarity.

RATM - "The Ghost Of Tom Joad"

Buy RATM'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"
Soundgarden - "Come Together"
Pearl Jam - "I've Got A Feeling"
Gomez - "Getting Better"
Muse - "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You"
Cast - "The Seeker"
Manic Street Preachers - "Been A Son"
Steve Earle - "Breed"
Sheryl Crow - "Keep On Growing"
Nine Inch Nails - "Dead Souls"
Kathleen Edwards - "A Face In The Crowd"
Catherine Wheel - "Spirit Of Radio"
Stanley Jordan - "Stairway To Heaven (live)"
Stereophonics - "Something In The Way"
Mark Kozelek - "If You Want Blood"
Blake Babies - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Kristen Barry - "Don't Cry"
Buffalo Tom - "All Tomorrow's Parties"