Noel Gallagher - Melkweg, 30 November 2011

Amid all the talk of an Oasis reunion, it's worth remembering that Noel Gallagher's solo album was incredibly good, as were the live shows on the tour to promote it. My recording of his Melbourne show is worth a listen if you were there, but if you're after a soundboard recording, this show from the Netherlands should do the trick. It's interesting to hear him say that he sophmore album will be released the following year. Still waiting, but hopefully it'll show up just two years late.

It's Good to Be Free
Mucky Fingers
Everybody's on the Run
Dream On
If I Had a Gun...
The Good Rebel
The Death of You and Me
Freaky Teeth
Wonderwall
Supersonic
(I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine
AHA... What a Life!
Talk Tonight
Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks
AHA... Broken Arrow
Half the World Away
Stranded on the Wrong Beach

Little By Little
The Importance of Being Idle
Don't Look Back in Anger

https://mega.co.nz/#F!4FcGgYaQ!ronl7bQJUtIYG7Jatz9XEA

Hanni El Khatib and White Denim - Corner Hotel, 5 January 2014

This is an old show that I haven't got round to putting up. I'm not really sure why I ended up going to this show - I'd vaguely heard of White Denim and didn't have any idea about Hanni El Khatib. In the end I was glad I went. White Denim were pretty disappointing - the sound mix seemed a little off, but even without they I suspect they just aren't really my thing. They sound a bit like Vampire Weekend, which probably works for lots of people, but I'm not really a fan.

Hanni El Khatib, on the other hand, was fantastic. As soon as he stepped on stage it was clear that this was a step up from the opener. As well as having stage presence and a hell of a lot of energy, he's got a great voice, great songs and a great band. If he makes a return visit I'll definitely be attending again.

White Denim

Pretty Green
River to Consider
Come Back
Say What You Want
A Place to Start
I'd Have It Just the Way We Were
Bass St
Shake, Shake, Shake
Limited to Stature
Cheer Up/Blues Ending
At Night in Dreams

Hanni El Khatib

Head in the Dirt
Nobody Move
Build. Destory. Rebuild
Can't Win 'Em All
Dead Wrong
Human Fly
You Rascal You
Sinking in the Sand
Penny
Skinny Little Girl
Loved One
Pay No Mind
Spit It Out
Fuck It. You Win

House on Fire
Family

White Denim Download
Hanni El Khatib Download

Jason Isbell - Newport Folk Festival, 27 July 2013

I need to organise putting up some of the stuff I've recorded, since there's a lot and some is very good. In the meantime, here's something to get you ready for Jason Isbell's April tour. This is a show from last year at the Newport Folk Festival. I didn't love the new stuff initially but it's grown on me. As an added bonus, I've added a solo acoustic set from, the wonderfully named, Garden and Gun magazine.

Live Oak
Stockholm
Cover Me Up
Codeine
Flying Over Water
Decoration Day
Outfit
Alabama Pines
Elephant
Super 8
Danko/Manuel
Can't You Hear Me Knocking

Different Days [Garden and Gun]
Traveling Along [Garden and Gun]
Live Oak [Garden and Gun]
Stockholm [Garden and Gun]

https://mega.co.nz/#F!pQMTBTCT!oo52rt29wduFoHpFfrZ_5g

Milk Carton Kids - Newport Folk Festival, 26 July 2013

Milk Carton Kids' show at the St Kilda Memo was a highlight of last year. Love Police put up a post about them a few months back that made me think they might be getting ready for a return visit, but there hasn't been any news since then so maybe not.

This show is from the famous Newport Folk Festival just a couple of months after their Australian shows. As usual for these guys, the between song banter is at least as good as the music (although anyone that saw the Australian shows will notice that there are some standard jokes that regularly make an appearance). As a bonus I've also tacked on the portion of their set at the Thornbury Theatre that was broadcast by ABC, as well as their Tiny Desk Concert set (where you get an explanation of the Kenneth's handkerchief).

Hope of a Lifetime
The Ash & Clay
Honey, Honey
Charlie
Michigan
Girls, Gather 'Round
New York
I Still Want a Little More
Memphis

Hope of a Lifetime [Thornbury Theatre]
The Ash & Clay [Thornbury Theatre]
Memphis [Thornbury Theatre]

Michigan [Tiny Desk Concert]
Stealing Romance [Tiny Desk Concert]
I Still Want a Little More [Tiny Desk Concert]

https://mega.co.nz/#F!kBMDHSjD!bZueFVPzMT9qdLdvIzFDwQ

Coming Soon...

The show they didn't want you to hear.

Queens of the Stone Age - KCRW, 3 June 2013

I thought I'd put this up already, but apparently not. So here, to go with the Nine Inch Nails set, is a Queens of the Stone Age promotional set from the middle of last year. As a promotional set the focus is very much on the new album, but there are a couple of older songs at the end.

If I Had a Tail
My God is the Sun
Like Clockwork
Keep Your Eyes Peeled
Interview
The Vampyre of Time and Memory
I Sat By the Ocean
Smooth Sailing
I Appear Missing
Little Sister
Make It Wit Chu

https://mega.co.nz/#F!UFsQRDQJ!DnEuvRuNRCEZ68ZRRgZQJQ

Nine Inch Nails - Rock 'n' Heim Festival (Hockenheim), 18 August 2013

Another show from just a few months back  from a band that will be doing an Australian tour soon. Trent Reznor has said that the band are reworking their sets for each leg of the tour, so this probably won't be much of an indicator of what to expect on their tour, but it does feature material from the new album and some classics that are certain to be played.

Copy of A
Disappointed
Come Back Haunted
1,000,000
March of the Pigs
Piggy
Reptile
Terrible Lie
Burn
Closer
Gave Up
Help Me I Am in Hell/Me I'm Not
Find My Way
The Way Out is Through
Wish
Survivalism
Only
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like a Hole

Hurt

https://mega.co.nz/#F!MY0zWDxb!YumPA3Sfle4PS6sbY7FFKw

Best of 2013 - Albums (Part 2)

 

So very many great albums this year. If you missed out on part one (and care) follow this link. Otherwise, check these out for a few ideas of what might be good to soundtrack your Melbourne heatwave sweatfest.

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

I've seen My Morning Jacket twice, but still only managed to really get into them recently (if you're interested, their 2012 show in Melbourne was great and the recording is really good too). It's hard to say that anyone one track is a standout, but for some reason I find myself listening to (Holdin' On To) Black Metal over and over. This album is solid gold, although Z or It Still Moves are usually recommended as the best entry points to their catalogue.

Wilson Pickett - The Very Best of...

Wilson Pickett isn't as well known as some of his soul contemporaries, but he recorded some really great songs. His voice has the same grit as Otis Redding's, but he didn't have the same big hits, which may explain why he isn't as well known.

Dandy Warhols - Capitol Years

I got into both the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre through the movie Dig! It's pretty surprising how much of their music made it into the zeitgeist of the 90's (probably partly achieved through the number of ads that featured their songs). And unlike some of the music of that decade, this still holds up really well.

Neko Case - The Worse Things Get...

As well as winning the Fiona Apple prize for longest album title, Neko Case has produced an album that manages to be an account of the depression she went through, without actually being horribly depressing (although Nearly Midnight, Honlulu is is pretty bleak). She's playing a couple of shows in Melbourne next month, and I'm looking forward to how these songs translate into the live setting.

The Men - Immaculada

I only put this up a couple of days ago, but I listened to this album a lot last year. It's probably best described as noise rock, but as is often the case with these things, the label probably does more to scare people off rather than encourage them to check it out. Anyway, unlike everything else on this list, this one is free, so you don't have any excuse for not having a listen. 

Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends

Tim Harrington's antics at Les Savy Fav shows are pretty funny, but they can detract from just how good their songs are. I know that I for one didn't realise how good their Laneway set was until I listend to the recording (not one of mine, it was from the guys at Fan Made Recordings, it doesn't seem to be up anymore, but I'm sure they'll make it available if anybody wants it). I've only got their last two albums, and while Root for Ruin is very good, Let's Stay Friends is great. I particularly like Comes & Goes, I think because it sounds so much like a Flying Nun tune, but every track here is great.

Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball

Finally got to cross Bruce Springsteen off my musical bucket list last year (and will be adding some reinforcing lines in a couple of weeks). I haven't listened to the new album yet, but this one was a real return to form after what I thought was a pretty mediocre album.

Josh Ritter - The Beast In It's Tracks

Neko Case's album took a while to grab me because it was a bit of a departure from her previous work, and this Josh Ritter album did the same thing (and possibly for the same reason, given that this is, in a way, a lot darker than this earlier work). Still waiting for him to venture down this way, but at least he is still touring this album, so at least there's some hope.
 
Manchester Orchestra - Simple Math

These guys apparently have a new album that will come out in a couple of months, and have promised an Australian tour this year. Until then, this is their most recent album. Although it's (at least notionally) a concept album, like all good concept albums it can stand independently of the story.

Phoenix Foundation - Happy Ending

In writing this I just found out that the Phoenix Foundation is the organisation that employs MacGyver. That should be enough reason to check this band out, but if not this album of dreamy pop (sometimes described as psychedelic, but that always grates with me) is a great way to soundtrack what's left of summer.

Spiral Stairs - The Real Feel

And last but not least, Spiral Stairs' (of Pavement fame) solo album. Malkmus gets a lot of the credit for Pavement, but Spiral Stairs' songs, although fewer, are all incredible. And while he hasn't produced an album to match Stephen Malkmus' self-titled debut, his solo career has probably produced at least as many great songs as Malkmus has, despite only having recorded three albums, including this one, the first under his own name (the others being released as Preston School of Industry).