Headphones

Song: Headphones

Artist: Matt Nathanson

As you probably already know, Matt Nathanson has released a new single as a little teaser of his upcoming album.  Lucky for us, he has also been playing the new song while out on his summer tour.  I have to say, was a little thrown the first time I listened to "Headphones".  Initially, I thought it was a huge departure from what I expected to hear, but now that I've listened to it a few (hundred) more times, I've kind of reneged on that.

It turns out that, yes, it is a different sound than Matt's earlier work, kind of a trip a little further down that road he started on with Last of the Great Pretenders.  He continues to branch out away from the acoustic sound of his past and more toward a rich, full band sound.  Personally, I'm a big fan of the direction Matt is taking with his music.  This is the kind of song that reminds me why I love the kickass sound system in my car so much.  The kind of song that I can hear and feel, right in my chest where the bass hits.  However, as different as it is, it still contains all of the elements that make Matt's music so wonderful, it's all just wrapped up in a shiny new package.

First of all, there is that voice. That voice is a warm, safe place to hide while the storms blow over.  The voice that so many people have been drawn to and captivated by.  With "Headphones", as with a lot of the last album, he further proves that his voice can hold its own against a lot more than just the soft melodies of an acoustic guitar.  Then there are the lyrics.  Matt has been known to be vocal about his struggles with writing lyrics, but it never shows in the end result.  His lyrics are always witty and perfectly natural, like they just rolled off his tongue, and this song is no different.  My favorite line in this one is: "Good things whisper, bad things shout.  I don't hear 'em now!"  After all, only really great music can truly drown them out.

"Headphones" is such a great song, it makes me super excited to hear what the new album will have in store of us, whenever it's ready to be released into the world.

Matt Nathanson @ Mercury Ballroom 07/26/2014

Artist: Matt Nathanson
Venue: Mercury Ballroom, Louisville, KY
Date: 07/26/2014

Finally, a current picture!  This was from last night's M&G (btw, I was much happier than I look in that picture. That must be my "crapping my pants and trying not to say anything too dumb" face.)

Set List: (I know this is dismally out of order, but I think I remembered most of them.  Please feel free to correct me)

Kill the Lights
Car Crash
Faster
Mission Bells
Kinks Shirt
Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave) (!!)
Last Days of Summer in San Francisco
Romeo & Juliet {Dire Straits}
Detroit Waves
Room @ the End of the World
American Girl {Tom Petty}
Still
Angel
I Saw
Suspended
Headphones
Come on Get Higher

As you've probably gathered already, we got to start this concert season with Matt Nathanson, Aaron Tap & Co. again this year.  Every time we see them, they find some new and different way to blow my mind, and this time did not disappoint.  But hang on, I'll get to that.

The evening had two openers, the first was Matt Mackelcan. He did a short but sweet set that I felt was very well received by the audience.  He's an unassuming performer and seemed very appreciative of people being there and listening, which is always nice to see.  During his set, he brought Aaron Tap out on stage for a couple songs (which I'm sure didn't hurt his credibility with this crowd).  Aaron produced his previous release Slow Down and is working with him on his upcoming From Where I Stand as well.  If you're not familiar with him, you should totally get that way.

Next up was Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.  You probably know Andrew from Jack's Mannequin and/or Something Corporate.  I know I will ostracize myself by admitting that I'm only marginally familiar with his previous bands, but it's a fact.  What I do know is that he's a very impressive performer.  He's like an endless supply of energy and enthusiasm, which is awesome.  He did everything from singing standing on his piano to jumping on the keys to play it with his feet.  Nuts.  I thoroughly enjoyed his set and he was very popular with the audience.  One of the girls I was with got to meet him after the show and she was fan girling like crazy, which is always fun.  I love it when people are excited to meet the artists they adore and aren't afraid to express that excitement. Also, I have to mention that after his set, we witnessed an amazing feat of packing abilities.  The road guys literally turned his entire piano up on its side and put it in a box.  And our movers couldn't even manage a treadmill without damaging the drywall.  What the hell?

Anyway, moving on.  It was finally time for our headliner to take the stage.  Just as it was last time we saw them, the line up was Matt Nathanson (well, obviously), Aaron Tap, Shiben Bhattacharya,and Chris Lovejoy (you know, the drummer from Lexington, KY...Detroit...Lansing...the dude gets around).  This particular combination of artists seems to be the perfect mix.  They opened with the carnal delight Kill the Lights off Last of the Great Pretenders and we knew right away that we were in for rock show tonight.  There was not going to be any pussyfooting around, they got right down to business.  It was after that song that I noticed that Matt brought backdrops this time, with pictures and whatnot projected on them as he played.  I thought, "Holy shit, they have really brought us a full-on rock show, with all the bells and whistles, right into this small, intimate venue.  The best of both worlds!"  I had no idea at the time how accurate that thought would turn out to be.

The show turned out to be by far the most rock and roll show I've seen Matt and the guys play.  They played a bunch of fast, ass-shaking music like Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave) [my personal favorite...which is why they played it, right??], Detroit Waves, Kinks Shirt and his newest song Headphones.  The latter was absolutely amazing live.  Even better than I'd hoped!  And of course there was the ever popular clap-along-song Faster.  I always feel a little creepy during that song because I have to stare at Aaron Tap so intently to accurately follow along with the clapping.  Heh - I have abysmal rhythm, but I managed to do okay last night.  Amongst all of these songs, we did get to see Aaron play the ever loving shit out of his guitar, which was (of course) my favorite thing.  To the delight of everyone, they also covered Tom Petty's American Girl.  As we all know, Tom Petty is untouchable, but they rocked that fucking song.  Andrew McMahon joined them on stage for it and those few minutes of music absolutely melted our faces.  Amazing.  

Earlier in the evening, Andrew came back out on stage to give some piano support for the not frequently played Last Days of Summer in San Francisco.  Matt wasn't quite as chatty as the last time we saw him, but we did get some back story on several songs and this particular one was heartbreaking.  While most all of his songs are real and honest, it's not that often that we get a glimpse of the current internal state of the artists we're watching.  We got that last night and as they played that song, it was all over their faces and it was a touching and beautiful gift they gave us.  He also played his cover of Dire Straits' Romeo and Juliet, which we all know from At the Point.  It's such a great song and Matt totally does it justice.  He dipped back in the catalogue and played us some acoustic classics from past records such as Still, Angel and Suspended.  Even amongst all the powerful rock they were playing last night, these songs are still able to instantly create an entirely different atmosphere.  The room becomes quiet, transcendent and wonderful.  He closed with what he calls "the hit", Come on Get Higher.  Sure, it's a crowd favorite and it's a beautiful song, to be sure, but I think All We Are casts a more magical spell.  It's cool though, both are incredible songs that leave a calm, peaceful feeling in your soul as he sends you back out into the world.

Once again, for nearly two hours, everything outside that room ceased to exist.  It becomes just you, the artists on stage and the feel of the drum in your chest.  Everything else drops away and becomes completely insignificant.  All in all, the night was a great illustration of Matt's ever-expanding range as a performer.  I would be remiss if I neglected to mention that I finally got to meet Matt for the first time last night (as evidenced by the above picture).  How cool is it that he still did a meet and greet even though they then had to drive 12 hours to Virginia to play again tonight?  He was every bit as friendly and gracious as everyone had told me he is, in spite of the fact that I was all shaky and nervous and weird(er than usual).  So that was kind of beyond awesome. 

Next up for us are Amanda Shires Isbell, The Black Keys and Carbon Leaf.  I'm hoping for a Dr. Dog show in the near future, but that's not in the cards just yet.  Matt mentioned a potential fall album release too, so I'm super excited at the prospect of another show in the fall!!  :)

Happy Birthday, White Horse!

Today, one of my favorite albums of all time turns two years old.  Ryan Schmidt's White Horse EP was released the day before my birthday and with it's intelligent lyrics, stunning vocals, finger picked guitar, and Paula Kelley string arrangements, it is definitely my favorite accidental birthday present ever.  Even though it's only been around for two years, this album (and one song in particular) has been very important to me.


When White Horse EP came out, I was in a pretty bad situation career-wise and change was looming on the horizon.  I knew that change was imminent and that always freaks me out.  I listened to this album every single day on the way to work for months.  It was just such a calm, serene place to spend my mornings, it made it possible for me to face the days.  Then on the way home, I would listen to it again to clear my mind and shake loose the day.  It was quite literally this and two Betty Goo albums that got me through those last few miserable months at that job. 

Several months after White Horse EP came out, the aforementioned change came into my life and I had to make some decisions.  When I decided to do what I felt was going to make me happiest in my everyday life and not necessarily what was the most popular decision or the one everybody around me understood, I needed support.  I found that support in a little song called "Go Where You Belong".  This is far and away my favorite song on White Horse EP and probably my favorite Ryan Schmidt song, period.  When I started my new job, I made it a point to listen to "Go Where You Belong" last thing every morning before I got out of the car.  It's kind of my own 'lucky song'.  Whenever I need a little boost, a little encouragement, I listen to this song, sometimes several times in a row.  As a matter of fact, I fully intend to have a bit of the lyrics tattooed on me next time I get inked.

So, Happy Birthday, White Horse!!  And Congratulations, Ryan, on the 2 year anniversary of having made the world a more beautiful sounding place. 

For everyone else, here's a link of where you can buy White Horse EP (I tried to embed it, but for some reason that wouldn't work for me), but trust me, one little click is not too much effort.  You can also go there and listen to the entire album and many of Ryan's other releases as well, including his newest stuff, which I would highly recommend doing.

http://ryanschmidt.bandcamp.com/album/white-horse-ep

Favorite Song? Be serious.

A friend asked me earlier today (or she may have asked last night, either way, I got the message this morning) what my favorite Matt Nathanson song is.  For another person (besides me), or another artist, this might be a simple question.  For example, my favorite Matchbox Twenty song is "Long Day" from Yourself or Someone Like You.  That's right, a song from their debut album grabbed me, latched on and, sadly, they've never topped it for me.  Not so with Matt.  Why, you ask?  Don't his songs latch on?  Of course they do!  They get a good hard grip on you and these suckers do not let go, they embed themselves and become part of your permanent soundtrack, part of your fabric.  It's because he keeps getting better.  Every single album he releases one-ups the last one.  I don't know how he does it.

Even so, I came up with an answer right away, then I changed my mind 8 times, then I circled back around to my original impulse.  Let me preface this by saying, that I really do like all of Matt's songs and I can honestly say that I love the vast majority of them.  But I was asked to pick a favorite, so here goes my thought process.

The first song that popped in my head was "Annie's Always Waiting  (For the Next One to Leave)" and I almost replied to her immediately with that, but something stopped me.  What was it?  Well, Matt's entire catalogue weighed on my mind and songs that I had loved fiercely long before "Annie" was ever written.

There are so many amazing songs here to choose from, it's almost impossible to pick just one.  I mean, I can put my entire Nathanson collection on shuffle and I know I will not go wrong at any turn.  I'm naturally inclined toward the powerful songs that make me feel the feels, such as "Little Victories", "Weight of It All", and "Bulletproof Weeks".  They're all so beautiful and I can listen to them at absolutely any time.  I can always just how "favorite" a song really is by how often I skip it and I really never skip these, ever.

Then there is "Pretty the World", which has one of my favorite arrangements of any of Matt's songs.  When that song drops into the chorus, it just does something to me that I can't explain.  It's impossible not to physically react to this song.  He played this song the first time I saw him headline and I'm telling you, this song actually makes the world a better place.  Stunning.

So after all that rambling, I think I've come down to my top 5 favorite Matt Nathanson songs: 
5. Car Crash
4. Heart Starts
3. Kiss Quick (this one is still hands down, bar none my absolute favorite song to hear him perform live - it is a religious experience)
2. Mercy
1. Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave)

So you see, I ended up with my first impulse.  After all this pondering and deliberating, I think it's okay to call this song off the newest record my favorite, right?  I mean, love the shit out of this song for a multitude of reasons.  First off, you have Aaron Tap counting off to start it, then the thing just explodes out of the speakers like a physical being.  There are drums all over the damn place and an infectious, insistent guitar that demands affection.  This song is more along the line of the type of music I grew up listening to, it sounds like home to me.  Then, there's the lyrics.  You know that line in "Bitter Sweet Symphony": "I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me"?  That's what this song does.  Somehow, I feel like this song knows me, it exposes deep wounds, and yet it still somehow makes me feel better about everything all at the same time.  Every time I listen to it, the music, the lyrics, the whole thing...I feel like it was written just for me, and that, my friends, is the magic of a truly great song. 

Dr. Dog @ Headliners Music Hall 11/02/2013

Artist: Dr. Dog (with guest Benny Yurco and the Revealers)
Venue: Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
Date 11/02/2013

Once again, I didn't take this pic (I'm sticking to my no phone at concerts policy), we were a bit closer than this, but this was basically our view

Set List: (I know that this is dismally out of order, I always think at the time that I'll be able to remember the order, but that's a pipe dream, (furthermore, I'm not even 100% certain if The Beach was in the encore or the regular set list, I just know they played it), but I feel like it's pretty complete regardless)

1. The Truth*

2. Heavy Light*

3. Broken Heart

4. That Old Black Hole

5. Say Something

6. The Breeze

7. Hang On

8. Oh No

9. These Days

10. Stranger

11. How Long Must I Wait

12. Races

13. Too Weak to Ramble

14. Cuckoo

15. Love

16. The Beach

17. Wake Up

18. Heart It Races

19. Jackie Wants a Black Eye*

20. Lonesome*

Encore:

21. The Way The Lazy Do*

22. The Beach

23. Rock & Roll

24. Die, Die, Die

25. The Rabbit, The Bat and The Reindeer*

*These I know are in the right place.

You know how with a lot of things in life, the anticipation of it turns out to be better than the actual event?  Yeah, well, a Dr. Dog concert is most definitely not one of those things.  We hit Headliners Music Hall in Louisville last night for the second time in two weeks to see Dr. Dog and they absolutely blew the roof off the place, as expected.  It had been a little (15 days) less  than a year since we saw them last and, if I have any say in it, it won't be that long before we see them again.  They are so good live that's it's absolutely astounding.

Their openers, Benny Yurco and the Revealers were a fun, eclectic five piece band.  Their playing was a little loose and jangly, but they had the attention of the audience and they put on a good show.  We had decided to go up to the balcony for this show, so we had a cool looking-down-on-them kind of view of this show.  The Revealers had a very intricate percussion section that was fun to watch from above.  I wasn't familiar with their music before the show, but you didn't need to be in order to dance along to it and enjoy it, and that's the hallmark of a good opening band. They did one cover, You Just Keep Me Hangin' On by The Supremes (or Vanilla Fudge, or Kim Wilde) and the crowd really got into it.  They seemed a tad bit stifled by the tiny space they had available on what is already a small stage, but they made it work and I thought they did a good set.  After that, we got to watch the guys disassemble The Revealers' equipment and set up for Dr. Dog.  It was a pretty involved process that took over 30 minutes, but it was cool, the anticipation was just building the whole time.

Finally, it was time for the main event and they came out and opened with The Truth off their new album B-Room.  It went over pretty well and proved that lots of people in the crowd already own and know the new record, which was cool.  But things didn't get really cranked up until they laid into Heavy Light from Be the Void.  This is when the crowd really got drawn in and began that bobbing in unison thing that happens at every Dr. Dog show.  I knew once it started that it wouldn't stop until the lights came up, and I was right.  They turned Heavy Light into an amazing acid-rock inspired jam session that was quite heavy indeed.  It's a great song made even better last night by their embellishments.  The set list included several favorites off Be the Void which I was pretty excited about because I love the shit out of that record.  Once again they played That Old Black Hole (still my favorite), These Days and How Long Must I Wait?  All the songs from that album are huge crowd favorites and always get a great response. 

They also dipped back in their bag of tricks last night and pulled out Say Something and Oh No, both from 2005's Easy Beat and Heart it Races from the 2007 Architecture in Helsinki Heart it Races EP. All three songs proved that, young though they may be, this crowd was a bunch of long time Dr. Dog fans (or at least the kind of fans that have gone back and collected the older CDs).  It certainly wasn't only the new songs that were being appreciated last night.   However, my favorite moment of the night was when they played Too Weak to Ramble.  I had hoped for a slightly simpler arrangement on this one, I would have been happy with an acoustic guitar, Toby's voice and Scott's delicate harmonies, but we got a little more band involvement than that.  As it was, the crowd was a lost a little bit on this one and they got kind of chatty during this song.  That disappointed me because it was beautiful and powerful and I wish audiences these days could just be still (and shut up) for a second and appreciate a moment like that when it's given to them.  But, regardless of what everyone else was doing, I was right there with him.

One thing that I've come to realize is that there isn't a lot of chatting with the audience at a Dr. Dog concert.  They've come to play their songs and they let the music do all the talking for them.  Which is not to say they don't have any personality, because they do.  They're friendly and seem like nice guys, but they just get up there and play their guts out and go home, that's what we came to hear, that's what they came to do, end of story.  And it's a good thing I guess, because with a set list that size, if they were talkers, we'd still be there right now (although honestly, I'd be cool with that).  Problem is, they keep adding amazing records to their repertoire, but you can't neglect Fate or Shame, Shame just because B-Room wants some air time, right?  And they certainly didn't.  Last night, there was a little something for everybody and there was no reason anyone should have gone home unsatisfied.

They closed the show with Jackie Wants a Black Eye from Shame, Shame and Lonesome from Be the Void.  Both perfect closers and when one is followed by the other, we were really wondering what kind of encore they could possibly come out with after that.  I mean, both songs are huge and permeate the crowd and have them swaying together and screaming along to the refrains of "We're all in it together now, as we all fall apart!" and "What does it take to be lonesome? Nothing at all!!"  How can you possibly follow that?  Well, if you're Dr. Dog, you follow it with a five song encore of some of their old favorites plus the one song off the new album that you know is going to over the best live, that's how.  After the audience screamed to the point that my left ear still hurts, they finally came back out and started the encore with The Way the Lazy Do from their 2007 release We All Belong.  I love that song!  How did they know?  Then there was The Beach which was really amazing live (I really think this was during the encore, but maybe I'm nuts, my brain was all scrambled on Dr. Dog awesomeness by this point), and the Dr. Dog live show classic Die, Die, Die from Takers and Leavers EP.  As always, we were thrilled to hear that one again.  Then Toby did an astoundingly energetic version of Rock & Roll from B-Room.  How he had that much energy left after such a long show, I'll never know, but it was incredible and the song was just as great live and I had hoped it would be when I heard it on vinyl the first time.  They closed the show with one of my all time favorites, Fate's The Rabbit, the Bat & the Reindeer.

Once again, it was just as mind blowing as I had hoped it would be.  Nothing existing while you're inside that venue except the music and the lights and the awesomeness taking place on stage.  When the show is over, you just want more, it's never enough, but when watching them perform, you know you've already gotten everything.  They leave it all on stage every night, I don't know how they do it.  And they are such talented musicians, just watching them play the intricate guitar parts on their songs for two hours is a treat for me.  Then add in the way they can trade instruments back and forth like it's nothing and you realize just how talented these guys really are.  The most fun was watching Scott and Toby interact on stage (or, I should say, effortlessly not interact).  They're both bouncing around all over the place and yet, somehow know where each other are all the time.  And even when they do make contact, it's not the collision you'd expect.  I mean, seriously, they literally stepped on each other's feet at one point and there was no stumbling or awkwardness.  I'm sure it comes from so many years of playing together and just being so comfortable on stage together, and it a joy to behold.  In fact, that pretty much sums up a Dr. Dog show, even the heavy parts, it is two solid hours of joy.

Carbon Leaf - The High Watt - 10/29/2013

Artist: Carbon Leaf (with guest Andrew Duhon)
Venue: The High Watt, Nashville, TN
Date 10/29/2013

View from our hotel balcony - that brick building in the upper center is Cannery Row where The High Watt is located.

  

Set List: (I know this one is accurate because, since my friend wasn't there to take a picture of the set list for me, I bought a live recording of the show...best decision ever!!)

1. A Song for the Sea

2. What About Everything

3. Comfort

4. One Prairie Outpost

5. Alcatraz

6. Life Less Ordinary

7. Love Rains Down

8. Desperation Song

9. She's Gone

10. Midwestern Girl

11. Two Aging Truckers

12. Another Man's Woman

13. Block of Wood

14. Ragtime Carnival

15. The Fox & The Hare (!!)

16. Februaery Detailles

17. The Boxer

Encore:

18. A gospel song (I'm not sure the name)

19. Let Your Troubles Roll By

 



 My take from the Carbon Leaf merch table (friendliest merch people ever, btw!!).

 

Yesterday my Husband and I made (what is fast becoming) our annual pilgrimage to Nashville, TN for a concert.  This time we hit the music city to see Carbon Leaf and Andrew Duhon at The High Watt, a small, intimate room that is part of Cannery Row.  I was not familiar with Andrew Duhon before I heard he was opening for them, but I had a chance to check out some of his music before the show and we were both excited to hear him play.  Let me tell you, I honestly can't remember when I saw an opening act that captivated a room the way he did.  With his bluesy voice, harmonica and heartfelt lyrics, we were all drawn in immediately.  Not to mention, his finger-picking is a thing of beauty.  The audience paid attention to him as if they were all there to see him specifically, which is always a nice thing to see.  Like I said, I'm not really familiar with his songs, so I can't speak too much to which ones he played specifically, but I thoroughly enjoyed them all and I look forward to getting to know his music.  For his last song, I do know that he broke out the slide and played us a real blues number from his new album, The Moorings, called Sidestep Your Grave.  This song really showcased where his voice and his playing belong.  The crowd went nuts, I went nuts - it was awesome.

 

After he finished, it was time for Barry Privett, Terry Clark, Carter Gravatt, Jon Markel, and Jason Neal, the men of Carbon Leaf, to take the stage.  Before last night, I had never been to a Carbon Leaf show before, so I had no idea what to expect.  I'm kind of a recent fan (although my collection of their albums is almost complete after shopping in Nashville) but I know enough to know that they cannot be defined by genre.  They are largely Celtic influenced, but they have entire records that don't really reflect that too much.  Also, I'm only familiar with about half of their catalogue, so I rather expected them to play a lot of songs that I don't know.  Suffice to say I was really excited to see what would unfold.  If you're familiar with them (and if you're not, you should be) you can see from the set list that they ended up playing a perfect combination of older and new songs.  They played all the favorites from Indian Summer and still properly supported the two new albums Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle and Constellation Prize. Somehow they managed to play everything I wanted to hear and then went back and picked out some songs that I didn't know, but they knew I'd love.  These guys are really good at making a set list!

 

They opened with A Song for the Sea from Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle, it's a beautiful song, especially to hear them perform it live, but the crowd really got involved when they next broke into the classic What About Everything off Indian Summer.  Everybody in the place got caught up in this song and they held us in their grip from that point on.  The audience participation reached it's peak during One Prairie Outpost. This might be my most favorite Carbon Leaf song because it's pretty much perfect and apparently I'm not alone on that point.  Somewhere in the first verse, Barry stopped singing altogether and the audience (that couldn't possibly have been more than 250 people because that's all The High Watt holds) sang it to/for him loud enough that we can be heard over the band on the live recording.  He smiled pretty big about that and seemed pleased by it, it was certainly one of my favorite moments of the night.  In fact, Barry, Terry and Carter seem to have a lot of fun on stage in general.  They are very connected with the audience and that always makes for a fun show, it makes it feel like we're all in it together, which is how a live show should feel.  I don't mean to leave Jason and Jon out, but I couldn't see Jason from where I was during most of the show and Jon is wicked good on the bass (or anything else he picks up to play it seems), but during shows he kind of stays in the back and plays, which is cool, I'm just glad he's playing.

 

As I had hoped, the night included a number of loud, fast songs that simply demand you clap your hands and sing along such as She's Gone, Another Man's Woman, The Boxer, and Life Less Ordinary.  My absolute favorite moment of the night was when the multi-talented Carter busted out his hurdy gurdy and they played The Fox and the Hare (which we have claimed as "our song").  I mean seriously, how often do you see a hurdy gurdy played live??  It was so much fun to sing along with these songs in that hot, sticky room full of strangers, led by such great showmen on stage.  The best part of a Carbon Leaf show is that they are so talented that they can weave exactly the opposite spell with equal skill.  At one point it was only Barry and Carter, two stools and microphones and they played Midwestern Girl, a quiet, acoustic, beautiful song, for a completely captivated audience. 

 

For their encore, they sang an a cappella gospel song.  I'm not sure the name, but it was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking.  They said it was for Lou Reed, but I couldn't stop thinking about mothers who are no longer with us, my own and others, and I was very nearly in tears by the time they finished.  It was such a powerful moment.  They invited Andrew Duhon and his harmonica back on stage to finish out the night with an absolutely epic rendition of Let Your Troubles Roll By, during which Carter's fingers did some amazing stuff.  Overall, it was exactly why we buy tickets to live shows, with hopes of experiencing that kind of magic.

Matt Nathanson @ Headliners Music Hall 10/23/2013

Artist: Matt Nathanson
Venue: Headliners Music Hall, Louisville, KY
Date: 10/23/2013

This pic is not from last night, or even from Headliners.  In fact, it's 2 years old, but it's the only one I have handy.

Set list (I remembered them all, and actually had them remarkably in order, but I have to credit @seriousbeagle's picture of the set list for the 100% accuracy):

1. Mission Bells
2. Modern Love
3. Run
4. Heart Starts
5. Car Crash
6. Kill the Lights
7. Sunday New York Times
8. Room @ the End of the World
9. Wedding Dress
10. Bulletproof Weeks
11. Suspended
12. Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave)
13. Kinks Shirt
14. Under Pressure
15. Farewell, December
16. Birthday Girl
17. Faster
18. Come On Get Higher

So, we started our fall concert lineup last night at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville with the illustrious Matt Nathanson and man, what a way to start.  Everybody else we see this next couple weeks is going to have to bring their A-game to live up to the show Matt, Aaron and Co, put on last night.  But, I digress, let me start at the beginning.

Joshua Radin opened for them and his set turned out to be a perfect storm...a perfect shit storm.  If you've been to many shows, I'm sure you've seen this sort of thing go down before.  Let me lay it out for you.  It goes like this: an opener comes out that not many people in the audience seem to be familiar with, and it's the kind of audience that's not in the mood to humor an opener that they're not especially interested in.  By that I mean that the ice clinkers are in full force, clinking their ice, having their conversations, paying no mind to the guy on stage trying to do his job.  Add to that, the guy on stage, while a decent performer and all, isn't one of those larger-than-life showmen (like our headliner last night, for instance) who takes over a room and captivates an audience, so he's kind of lost in their (I assume) mostly liquor-fueled conversations.  So the whole thing just kind of went to hell in a hand basket.  I can see both sides of this issue.  From his side, it's totally disrespectful and rude for the audience to carry on talking and not paying attention when he's up there trying to share his heart and soul with them.  On the other hand, they paid their money and if they want to stand around and drink and gab, I suppose that's their prerogative.  Although, personally I didn't appreciate it because I didn't pay to listen to people talk quite that loud through the show, but that's just me.  And I have seen a couple openers that have actually sucked quite a lot and have gotten drowned out by the audience a lot worse than he did and they kept their cool and went on with their set as if everything was fine whereas Mr. Radin kind of lost his cool and showed his ass last night.  But, I guess he was just wasn't in the mood to take any shit and we all have days like that.  Anywho, moving on.

After all that drama, Matt Nathanson, Aaron Tap, Shiben Bhattacharya, and their drummer I didn't get his name (I hope somebody comments with it so I can add it) (Edit: Chris Lovejoy is the drummer - thank you to the commenters who know more than I do, and my apologies to Chris for not knowing his name), finally took the stage.  And just to be superficial for a second, Matt's hair is all grown out and totally epic, I was quite glad he hadn't had it cut.  Anyway, they opened with Mission Bells which, just for me personally, isn't the opener that Mercy is (but you gotta remember that Mercy is the first song I ever saw him play live so I have a soft spot for that one), but you can't open every show with the same song and I thought it went over really well live and it got the night off to a great start.  After that was Modern Love which is always a fun, energetic song that gets the crowd into the show.  We got a little back story before Heart Starts, which is one of my favorites from Last of the Great Pretenders, and I love Matt's stories, so I was glad that he was more talkative this time than the last time he played Louisville.  In fact, he got more and more chatty as the night went on which was nice to see because I take it as a sign that he's relaxed and having a good time himself.  As he got into Heart Starts, we found that his breathy high notes didn't make it to the show with him, (they must have been chillin' in the bus listening to some of that vinyl he's been amassing while on tour), but it was cool, I felt like the audience was understanding and we tried to do our best to fill in for him (I mean, our best sucks compared to his best, but we did what we could).  I mean, good lord, the man sings pretty much every night, these things are bound to happen to from time to time.

After that he dipped back in the catalogue and broke out Car Crash and here is where his live show completely disassembles you if you let it.  In fact, last night was filled with the songs that get in and break down the little pieces.  The kind of songs that I can just close my eyes and ride along on the swell of the music.  They wipe out all the bullshit and there's nothing there but the music and the image of fingers on guitars and the feel the drum in my chest.  I can literally let go and know that I'll be alright, if you will.  There was Car Crash, Wedding Dress, Suspended, Room @ the End of the World, Sunday New York Times, Farewell, December...just live music perfection.  I get into the fast stuff too, don't get me wrong, but I really dig these slower, floaty tunes.  I can't help it.  The most stripped down moment of the night came when he played Bulletproof Weeks for us.  Apparently Matt didn't used to play this song because of the ouch factor, but he's decided to start adding it to set lists and I think it's a great addition.  It's a quiet, powerful man-and-his-guitar moment.  I noticed that the chatty ice clinkers got cranked up a bit again while he was playing this one which irked me, and I hope he doesn't think the gravity of the song was lost on everyone.

Nor was the show all a quiet, acoustic, singer-songwriter affair.  A lot of the songs on the new record are very rock and roll, Kill the Lights for example.  It's a sexy little tune on vinyl and he revels in the sexiness of it when he plays it live.  It was an absolute celebration of carnality and it was wonderful.  Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave) is my favorite song on Last of the Great Pretenders and I was tickled pink that he played it last night.   It's so fun to see Matt really getting into the rock star vibe.  Playing the shit out of his guitar, jumping around up there, owning that stage.  I know that he had a shoulder injury from going ass over tin cups off his bike a few days ago and that sort of thing doesn't heal quickly (he even had a visible injury on his elbow), but there was no sign of it in his performance.  He was as energetic and into his playing as I've seen him.  It was a joy to watch. Me being me, I have to admit though, my favorite moment of the night was when they played the Queen/David Bowie classic Under Pressure.  Only because it was during this song that Aaron Tap broke out his beautiful, soaring tenor and it absolutely made my night.  I mean, I've heard it happen on my iPod and my ear buds and my car speakers, but I've never actually heard him go full throttle live before.  I'm telling you, it really was something else.  Wow.

So there you have it, the first concert of the fall was a rousing success.  They're playing the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, TN tonight which was the first place we saw Matt headline and I wish we were going.  Sadly, it's not happening.  Next up for us is Carbon Leaf at The High Watt in Nashville next Tuesday, then Dr. Dog back here in Louisville next Saturday.

Last of the Great Pretenders - Matt Nathanson

Album: Last of the Great Pretenders
Artist: Matt Nathanson
Release Date: July 16, 2013

Track List (original release):
1. Earthquake Weather
2. Mission Bells
3. Last Days of Summer in San Francisco
4. Kinks Shirt
5. Sky High Honey
6. Annie's Always Waiting (For the Next One to Leave)
7. Kill the Lights
8. Heart Starts
9. Birthday Girl
10. Sunday New York Times
11. Farewell, December

So yes, I know it has taken me a month and a half to write about this album.  There are reasons for that, but it's all boring real life stuff that I won't snore you to death with. Just trust me, shit has been hectic; however, I've been spinning this thing silly since it was released.  My first comment though is this, when you have a genius lyric on your record like: "I'm the last of the worst pretenders", why on earth would you fly in the face of it when naming the album??  I don't follow.  I'm sure there are 500 perfectly viable reasons for that decision, none of which had to be passed by me for approval.  And honestly, "Last of the Worst Pretenders" isn't that great of an album title, but it still bugs me every time I hear that line.  But, I'm just weird that way.

Speaking of great lyrics, however, he has done it again on this album.  If you follow Matt Nathanson anywhere (twitter, facebook...where ever) you've surely seen him bemoaning the lyric writing process.  Seems so odd to me because I've always loved the shit out of his lyrics and these are no different.  I mean, "just because you learn to breathe, underwater doesn't mean, you ever shake the fear of being drown" ("Birthday Girl") are you kidding me?  The album is full of little gems like that, as we have all come to expect from Matt.  My personal favorite, and perhaps least favorite at the same time (and aren't those always the best kind??), is from "Annie's Always Waiting (for the Next One to Leave)": "My mother, she taught me how to doubt myself. Now, she lives in my head like it's a tree house.  I see her clearer in the mirror more and more each day." Ouch. 

Unlike Matt's last offering, Modern Love, I'll admit that I didn't immediately love this record all the way through the first time I heard it.  But I'm a Matt fan, so I kept listening and the whole thing really has grown on me.  Seems to me that this album is more Matt than past albums have been, or at least it is more present day Matt.  I'm sure they have all come from a genuine place, but this one, with it's San Francisco-centric nature and focus on existing, healthy relationships rather than those going up in flames, it seems like he's drawing more from his present life than from past devastation.  The music itself has also changed direction a bit from past albums, he has almost completely shed the singer/songwriter sound on Last of the Great Pretenders.  The music is more rock/pop sounding, more of a full band sound than a boy-and-his-guitar sound.  He has taken the sound he started to develop on Modern Love and run with it.  I love that, after 20 years of music making, he's still growing and developing and changing it up, I think it's awesome and I can't wait to hear what he does next.

My favorite song on the album is "Heart Starts".  I love this song all to pieces for a few reasons, not the least of which our first 4-letter word, on wax, from Mr. Nathanson.  And then there is the mention of his wife in the second line (or at least, I'm taking it that way - what other "b" could it be??) - I could not love that more if I tried.  This song, with it's "I want to feel it kick in, I want to feel it kick in, this time" refrain is straight up heartwarming. If you're looking for something warming a little further south, LOTGP's swoon-worthy song of choice is "Kill the Lights".  With lines like "you be stunning baby, I'll be stunned, keep glowing, I'll follow your explosions," it's an irresistible love song with a perfect dose of lust.

Overall, I'm really loving this record.  I've been listening to it all over the place and I'm still hearing new things and noticing new and different things about it and I always take that as a sign of a great album.  The album art is perfect too, this is a great album to wander around in and that image perfectly describes the way I felt the first time I plugged into this album, blocked everything else out and did nothing but listen to it.  I highly recommend you let this one in.

Smoke and Mirrors

At the end of our road is a sign for guitar lessons.  For a second I thought, "I should do that, that would be fun!"  I mean, I took piano lessons for a few years many years ago and I can still play a tiny bit (mostly with my left hand because my right hand and my brain aren't really connected very much), so it seems like it would be possible for me to learn.

But on the other hand, I don't really want to learn to play guitar, that would take all the mystery and wonder out of it.  Watching someone play guitar for me is much like going to a really good magic show where it all looks seamless and possible.  Why would I want to break that down into a series of simple, possible movements?  Learning how to do something always makes it seems less amazing when someone else does it, don't you think?  Watching someone play guitar is so magical and wonderful, I would never want to mess with that experience.

So the guy at the end of the road can keep his guitar lessons.  He can show the secrets to some other person and I'll just stay in the dark because sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.

Who Do You Let In Your Bedroom?

As I would imagine is evident, I listen to music pretty much all the time.  Or at least every chance I get.  For instance, today while I was re-grouting our kitchen floor I listened to Rooftop Suicide Club's Always Like This (Which I came to own recently as the result of one person's awesomeness and generosity.  How I deserve to be on the receiving end of that, I'm still not exactly sure, but I totally dig it.) and Betty Goo's Superchthonic and Gooicide. Then to cap off a busy day we sat on the back porch with a big old glass of spiced apple wine and listened to Paula Kelley's Nothing/Everything.  No event is too small to have a soundtrack. 

Speaking of Nothing/Everything, it is a beautiful record and you really should own it.  I mean, if you like awesome things, of course.  It is dimensional and fun and sad and, I think, is perfectly complimented by her earlier release The Trouble With Success or How You Fit Into the World.  Honestly though, you just can't go wrong with anything The Divine PK has written, it's all...well...divine. 

But that's not what I'm here to ramble about (all evidence to the contrary). My second favorite thing in the world to soundtrack is going to sleep (the first is driving, so settle down pervs).  I know that sounds weird but I don't go to sleep like normal people.  My Husband, for instance, falls into bed and is generally asleep within mere moments.  I, on the other hand, will stare at the ceiling (or into the darkness) for half an hour at least, sometimes a couple hours before the Sandman comes to visit.  It's my own charming version of insomnia.  I like to see the silver lining though and the fact is, my lack of sleep affords me a great opportunity to listen to some of my favorite songs in a near perfect setting.  In my headphones, in the dark, with little else to distract me.

There is a certain openness of the soul that happens as I lay in the dark waiting for sleep.  A kind of vulnerability that just cannot be attained when I'm dressed for the day ready to face the world.  I mean, when I'm there, makeup scrubbed off, hair down, contacts out, jewelry off, there are no defenses, no mask, no bullshit.  Just me and the sounds pouring into my ears.  So naturally I choose my nighttime songs carefully.  I can't just put my iPod on shuffle and risk some kind of crap happening to my impressionable ears. 

Most nights, this is the time I want to listen to the stuff that really gets in.  I want to hear the arrangements with the most dimension, the lyrics that really hit home, sometimes even the songs that cause big cathartic tears to slip out of the corners of my eyes.  To that end, here's my most recently sleepy time play list:

1. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon and Garfunkel
2. "Relapse" - Betty Goo (This is one of those with a lyric that is so ouchie that I'm pretty sure I'm hearing it wrong, but I swear he says "so take my hand, Jeanne, smooth my hair and show me that I'm loved and you really, really care".  Jeanne was my mom's name and that line, wrapped up in that song, kills.)
3. "Hate Me" - Blue October (I'm pretty sure this song is not really very good, but something about it just slays me)
4. "Long December" - Counting Crows
5. "Someday" - Dr. Dog
6. "Lost Horizons" - Gin Blossoms
7. 'Sunday Morning Coming Down' - Johnny Cash (this song makes me cry every single time, I can't really explain it)
8. "Heavy Heart" - Madi Diaz
9. "All We Are" - Matt Nathanson (I love this song and it takes me back to the end of the concert in Nashville which was an absolutely perfect night, so now it's doubly perfect)
10. "Farther Down" - Neon Trees
11. "Thinkin Bout You" - Pat Monahan
12. "Night Racer" - Paula Kelley
13. "Heavy" - Train (far and away my favorite Train song, it's so wonderful and bluesy, I wish they'd go in this direction again, even just for a song or two here and there)
14. "Remark" - Rachel Platten
15. "Night the Bells Rang" - Ryan Schmidt
16. "Then I'll Be Smiling" - Matt Nathanson
17. "Who Wants to Live Forever" - Queen
18. "Disarm" - Smashing Pumpkins
19. "Perfect Blue Buildings" - Counting Crows
20. "The Boxer" - Simon and Garfunkel

No Musician Is An Island

Have you ever watched a movie because of who directed it or produced it or wrote the screenplay?  Of course you have, we all have, and they count on it, that's why trailers so often contain the line "from the director of..." or "by the people who brought you..."  That kind of decision has very little to do with the actors.  For instance, if Quentin Tarantino is involved with a movie, I'll watch it.  That surely is not because of his beautiful face.  It's because I've never seen a movie he was involved with that I didn't think had merit.  At this point, just the fact that he thinks the project is worthy of working on will make me watch it.  Who stars in it has no bearing on my desire to see the movie.  My husband is the same way, if Joss Whedon (Avengers) or Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) is involved, he's there but if Michael Bay (Transformers) had a hand in making a movie, forget it.

So what's my point you're asking?  Well, when was the last time you purchased a record solely because of the guy who produced it?  Or engineered it?  Or played guitar on it?  Personally, I have found a number of really talented musicians by researching who worked on albums I really love and finding out what else they've had a hand in.  I believe my most recent such discovery was Jesse Macht who is just ridiculously good, but I might not have found him if not for his producer.   I was inspired to mention this by this article over at Tape Op.  Go ahead and read it, it's worth it.  He gets the point across much better than I ever could and with a different point of view.  You can come back.  It's cool, I'll wait...

The article was originally brought to my attention on Aaron Tap's blog (which you can find here).  There is little I could say on the subject that they haven't covered, except that I can speak on the subject as a music fan rather than someone in the industry.  As fans, it is essential that we remember that for all intents and purposes nothing you listen to was created by one person.  Sure, there might be one person's name on the album cover or one guy's face in the video but trust me, he was not alone in that endeavor.  And from out here, it's damn near impossible to determine who influenced the sound the most.  Who sang the backing vocals?  Who decided to put that drum in that spot?  Who wrote the string arrangement?  Who played the piano?  Who organized and actually performed the finger snaps that you love so much?  Who decided how loud the lead vocals should be in comparison to the instruments?  Each of those people affected the end result that has had such an impact on you and they are each essential. 

So I implore you, take a look around, read some liner notes or google it if nothing else (there are myriad resources available online for this kind of information) and find out who did what and what else they've done.  Find someone who's taste suits yours and check out their back catalogue.  Let's make an effort to make music purchasing and listening a bit less passive and give it the attention it deserves.  After all, these people (even the ones you've never heard of) have put their heart in soul in this end product, the least you can do is acknowledge that it means something to you and give them some support.

We Can Tell

It has long been my experience that things end up getting written in three main ways.  First, because someone is paying someone else to write it.  That simple.  News articles, album reviews (Ha!), things of that nature fall into this category.  These are not the things I'm here to ramble about. 

The second way is because a person has an end goal in mind.  A best-selling book, a hit song, an acceptable blog post - something of that nature.  The person has a goal and subject matter in mind and they go searching for the inspiration, the meaning, the heart of it.  Sometimes we take the experiences of others and use them as fuel for this fire.  Or we dig deep to our pasts and the things that lurk within for inspiration.  It's a task.  It's not always easy and sometimes down right painful.  But very often, it works.  To an extent.

Then there is the best way.  When something bubbles up inside the writer and just demands to come out.  It spills over, it cannot be contained.  It can be born of experiences or emotions or memories or anything, it doesn't matter.  What does matter is that it will no longer fit inside and it must be unleashed into the world.  It pours out freely and is cathartic in its release. When that happens, the thing written exists on it's own.  Just the fact that it's out is good enough. The work was done on the way out.  But these organically written things often have the best potential to become something great (if these are ever shared with other people).  They can become best-selling novels, hit songs, brilliant blog posts, etc.  However, their true beauty lies in the fact that they really don't need to be any of those things. 
Here's the thing - people can tell.  Alright, maybe not in the case of books and whatnot, but after watching interviews and reading many articles about how different people write music, when it comes to songs I believe we can tell the difference between those that were forced that those that forced their way out.  There are songs that you can just tell are part of someone.  They come from deep within, they demanded to be let out into the world.  The whoever wrote them didn't have to dig for the inspiration, it was just there.  Personally, I believe those are the best kind.

Current Play List (I'll Get To It!)

I don't sleep very well or very much.  I've been that way my whole life; although, it did get notably worse a couple years ago.  More on that...um...never.  Anyway, as a result, every night when we go to bed, I listen to my iPod and play my gameboy until I get sleepy.  Last night the following conversation took place:

Me: These are snore cancelling ear buds, but I leave the left one out until you fall asleep so I can hear you when you say some random shit.
He: Do I say random shit?
Me: OH YEAH.
He: What's Pi to the fifth place?
Me: .....
He: Random like that?
Me: (after laughing hysterically) No, not usually quite that random.
He: You should tweet that.
Me: Whaa?  Now we're deciding what to say based on whether or not I'll tweet it?
He: Well yeah, I'm playing to a bigger audience now.
Me: Hahahahaha
He: You should tweet that too.
Me: HAHAHAHA

How could this possibly relate to music you ask?  Well, I'll tell you.  During this exchange, the unequalled Paula Kelley was singing in my right ear.  How did that impact the aforementioned conversation?  Well, because the song she was singing ("You Gonna Make It?", by the way) is part of the little play list that has kept me sane here lately.  That bit of sanity is what has allowed me to have even a shred of humor left in me after all that has happened the last couple (horrible) weeks.

So, just in case a shitty couple weeks befalls you in the future, let me share with you my musical Prozac:
1. Brollo (Acoustic) - Jon Palmer & the New Complainers
2. Radio - Jon Palmer & the New Complainers
3. Handbag - Betty Goo
4. Horseface - Betty Goo
5. Vanity - Betty Goo
6. Uncommon Courtesy - Betty Goo
7. Washed Up - Betty Goo
8. Over Your Head - Boy Wonder
9. X-Large - Boy Wonder
10. What About Everything? - Carbon Leaf
11. Lonesome - Dr. Dog
12. That Old Black Hole - Dr. Dog
13. Get Away - Dr. Dog
14. You Gonna Make It? - Paula Kelley
15. Slug - Paula Kelley
16. Lucie - Paula Kelley
17. The Girlfriend - Paula Kelley
18. The End of That - Plants and Animals
19. Song for Love - Plants and Animals
20. Don't Care What Time It Is - Rachel Platten
21. 53 Steps - Rachel Platten
22. You Don't Have To Go - Rachel Platten
23. All I Seem To Do - Rachel Platten
24. Don't Wanna Be Here - Rachel Platten
25. I Could Be a King - The Dunwells
26. Get Gone - White Arrows
27. Landslide - Steve Adamyk Band
28. Lost and Found - The Kill Van Kulls
29. My Time Has Just Begun - The Dead Trees
30. Pineapple Girl - Mister Heavenly
31. Sing In My Meadow - Cowboy Junkies
32. I Want to Forget - Psychic Twin
33. Church Clothes - Matt Nathanson
34. Lost Myself in Search of You - Matt Nathanson
35. Mercy - Matt Nathanson
36. Under Attack - Ryan Schmidt
37. White Horse - Ryan Schmidt
38. Go Where You Belong - Ryan Schmidt
39. Wasted - Micah
40. Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam

It Is a Beautiful Thing to be Affected

In this world of constant contact and the ability to reach out and touch more people in more distant places than ever before, it seems we somehow keep becoming more and more isolated.  We share every thought, every action, every stupid thing that passes through our minds on facebook or twitter or whatever and yet, real human to human contact has become more and more rare.  We're closed off in our little bubbles, jaded and untouchable.  It's almost like we pride ourselves on not giving a shit about anything.  But closing off the part of ourselves that connects to other people is like cutting of an essential piece of our humanity.

What's wrong with being affected?  What's wrong with feeling something and letting someone else make you feel something?  Our ability to empathize and share emotional experiences is what makes us exceptional.  And therein lies the magic of music.  In my opinion, no other art form has the ability to tap into our deepest, squishiest parts like music (or, at least, not mine).  And the exact effect it has on us depends on the song we choose and what we need it to do. 

Sure, it enters through your ears (or possibly right straight through your skin if you're at a live show), but it flows throughout your entire body.  It fills your head with sound, flooding out all other thoughts if necessary.  It trickles down into your heart, with the power to make it race or slow it down.  Music lets you swallow that lump in your throat and gently loosens the knot in your stomach or, if that's what you came for, it can bring forth that lump and let you have a good cry.  It can calm some restless legs or make you jump up and dance (or wiggle about with glee...not exactly the same thing).  And on its journey it has the ability to tickle every little part in between.

And when all that happens to you, when you let it happen, it is a celebration of humanity.  They say music soothes the savage beast and it's true, it can soothe that savage beast that exists within all of us.  Or it can set the savage beast on a rampage of emotion.  While I put a lot of stock in keeping your shit together and not barfing every emotion you have all over everyone, I can't understand why anyone would want to completely shut down that vulnerable, impressionable part of themselves.  To take the music in and let it change you, become part of you, do things to you that no amount of drugs or therapy will ever do, is a truly beautiful thing.