Last March The Decemberists released their newest album, Hazards of Love. Colin Meloy, the ringleader, summoned the help of Becky Stark (Lavendar Diamond) and Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) to tell his fantastical tale.
The Story: A widowed, evil rake has the duty of narrating this rock-n-folk musical. Margaret falls in love with a shape shifting man named William whose mother is the ever possessive Queen of the Forest. Margaret becomes pregnant with William’s child and runs away from her family to be reunited with her true love.
Hazards of Loveis both outstanding and captivating from start to finish. Its ”Shakespearean lyrics” meets rock-n-roll/folk tunes must be listened to in its entirety to get the full effect.
Favorite tunes off this masterpiece: “Won’t Want for Love,” “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid,” “Hazards of Love III (Revenge!)”
TV on the Radio can be found under the sub genre of rock n roll known as “art rock.” Basically, TV on the Radio’s music is so avant garde, those that need to put a title to everything had to throw the band into this broad description of music. Isnt all music art? (Just sayin)
The Brooklyn based band is currently on tour promoting their newest album, Dear Science.
6,557 miles, two and a half weeks, 600 CDs and one man make Killing Yourself to Live one of the best books about death I have ever read. That might not be saying much, as I have read maybe 5 books about death, but trust me Killing Yourself to Live is good.
Chuck Klosterman takes the reader along as his traveling companion as he embarks on a curious roadtrip about rock-n-roll and death. His mission: to understand why one of the best career moves a rockstar can make is to die. ”Somewhere at some point, somehow, somebody decided that death equals credibility.”
The reader suddenly becomes Chuck’s confidante as he reveals his partying, love life issues, family stories and rock-n-roll legends who have met their demise. Published in 2005, Killing Yourself to Live is, in my opinion, a masterful piece of witty nonfiction, pop-culture literature.
“It’s a fine line between clever and stupid.. Yesterday I was clever. Beautiful notes flotaed from my fingers up towards the heavens. Today I was a wimp. Soft. Limp. Tasteful. Where did I go wrong? What were my crimes?” The Union Hall Basement, home to concerts, readings, magic shows, spelling bees etc, is a small, dark room decorated with random old paintings that makes you feel like you have just walked into a great aunt’s spooky living-room, minus the furniture.
The erie portraits and stale aroma of the joint can set up a book reading better than light dimmers and comfy chairs. I had barely heard of Dean Wareham and his bands Galaxie 5000 and Luna, but I knew just from the cover of the book that it would be an interesting night. I know, “don’t judge a book by its cover,” but lets be honest everyone does, a good cover can lure you into reading a book you wouldn’t normally read. And so here I was, standing in a dark, dank basement, squished against a couple dozen strangers, waiting to hear a reading from a guy I knew little to no background about just because of a book cover.
Black Postcards gives the reader an inside scoop into the music industry, Dean’s recollection of growing up listening to rock-n-roll, personal struggles on the road and his family life, and a bands strife to become successful.
Small plastic animals were being thrown into the crowd from a paper bag held by a scruffy looking man wearing a top hat. It was during the set up of the upcoming band, so I, along with friends, assumed he was a quirky part of the crew to keep the crowd alive and entertained. As time went on and Les Savy Fav began to play I was still convinced this man was not a member of a band, but rather slightly disturbed. Tim Harrington just might still be slightly insane, but along with that insanity comes a brilliant stage performer who puts on one of the weirdest, intriguing shows you could ever set your eyes upon.
Mr. Harrington has the element of surprise in his favor. One minute he is feeding cake to the crowd, the next he is climbing up the rafters of the stage in a skin tight belly shirt, and for the grande finale he sports a seemingly clear body suit, that was painted with human organs in their perspective places on Tim Harrington’s body.
Les Savy Fav is a little bit of rock and a little bit of roll, definitely one of those bands you want to listen to with the volume turned up. Keep an eye out for their new album INCHES; it is supposedly the album they have been writing since the band’s inception in 1995. Les Savy Fav will be playing this sunday, 10/12/08, at The Music Hall of Williamsburg. I highly suggest going to this show, the last thing you will be is bored.
