Don’t ask me why I obsessively look to rock ’n’ roll bands for some kind of model for a better society. I guess it’s just that I glimpsed something beautiful in a flashbulb moment once, and perhaps mistaking it for prophecy have been seeking its fulfillment ever since.
- Lester Bangs
If you are in the Columbus,OH area this Saturday night, Feb 13, I can think of no better way for you to beat the mid-winter blues than by hanging out with Langhorne Slim at the Summit. This will be my 4th time seeing Langhorne and he never ceases to put on an amazing show. He is such a passionate, genuine performer...it's gonna be a great time!
Be sure to get there eary too...The support act is equally as awesome, April Smith And The Great Picture Show...here is a tune off her latest record, the wonderfully titled 'Songs For A Sinking Ship.'
This new Langhorne Slim album is incredible. I've been listening to it a ton over the last few weeks and just wanted to take a second and pass along the title track.
One of the most memorable sets I took in at 2009's Lollapalooza was Pennslyvania's Langhorne Slim. He is incredible live and his love of performing is totally infectious. Love the man. Which makes me so happy to report that his third full length record, 'Set me Free', will becoming out on September 29 of this year. Can't wait to hear it all...til then, here is tune to serve a sneak preview. Check it out after these upcoming tour dates: 10/15 - Bell House - Brooklyn, NY 10/17 - TT The Bears - Cambridge, MA 10/21 - Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH 10/22 - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI 10/24 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI 10/25 - 400 Bar - Minneapolis, MN 10/26 - Waiting Room - Omaha, NE 10/28 - Jackpot - Lawrence, KS 10/29 - Hi Dive - Denver, CO 10/30 - Urban Lounge - Salt Lake City, UT 11/02 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA 11/03 - Media Club - Vancouver, BC 11/06 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA 11/08 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA 11/09 - Rhythm Room - Tempe, AZ 11/11 - Mohawk Outside - Austin, TX 11/13 - The Basement - Nashville, TN 11/15 - Cats Cradle - Carrboro, NC 11/16 - The Southern - Charlottesville, VA 11/17 - Rock N Roll Hotel - DC 11/19 - Johnny Brenda’s - Philadelphia, PA
BEST SHOWS/SETS I SAW IN 2008: 5) Langhorne Slim (Columbus) 4) The Hold Steady (Cleveland) 3) My Morning Jacket (Coachella and Columbus) 2) The Swell Season (Coachella and Columbus) 1) Prince (Coachella)
BEST SONGS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET A CHANCE TO HEAR LIVE, THAT I DID ACTUALLY GET TO HEAR IN 2008 4) 'Cactus'(Pixies cover) - The Swell Season @ Coachella
3) 'It Could Be Sweet' - Portishead @ Coachella 2) 'Bittersweet Symphony' - The Verve @ Coachella 1) 'Creep'(Radiohead cover) - Prince @ Coachella
BEST STALKING OPPORTUNITY REALIZED IN 2008 1) Minnie Driver @ the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood (And I didn't even rush the stage...I was really proud of myself) * Minnie Driver - 'Down' MP3
BIGGEST LIVE MUSIC DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2008 1) Jens Lekman @ Coachella - Maybe it was too early in the day, or maybe I built him up too much in my music obsessive mind...either way, it just fell flat :-(
LOUDEST SHOW OF 2008 1) Stephen Malkmus @ Coachella - What??? Seriously...my ears haven't been the same since April.
BEST STAGE BANTER OF 2008 1) Glen Hansard - In a LANDSLIDE! I have never seen somebody so genuinley happy to be on a stage playing music in all my life.
WORST STAGE PRESENCE I WITNESSED IN 2008 1) Bill Callahan - I LOVE your music Bill, I really do...you just looked painfully uncomfortable up there. To make it up to you I will play one of my favorite songs of yours.
Got my ticket today to see Langhorne next week for a mere 8 dollars. Eight dollars. That's it. The 'convenience' charge alone for the Raconteurs show I went to yesterday was over eight bucks.
Thank you Langhorne Slim...for playing for us poor people, you are loved. I am now posting a song from your new album in hopes of turning people on to your amazing music and this brilliant record...see you next weekend.
It's official. My interest in Langhorne Slim has morphed in like a month from passing curiosity to full blown obsession. I just can't hear enough of his smart, witty lyrics and that wavering, almost faltering voice. It's new folk gold I tell you.
Here is the title track from his last full length album, "By The Time The Sun's Gone Down" and the 'English Tea', a tune from his 2006 "Engine" EP. New material coming later this year.
I never really saw my taste in music shift. But it happened. It was subtle and slow and took place over several years, but it happened.
Like all music geeks, I will never forget the first show that I spent my own money to go see. It was White Zombie @ the Newport Music Hall in Columbus,OH on Thanksgiving night, 1993. And I VIVIDLY remember excusing myself early from the family get together and the look on my aunt and uncle's faces when I told them I was leaving early to see White Zombie. I am almost positive that they had some sort of prayer session after I left, you know, in an attempt to save my everlasting soul or whatever. The show was great...at least my 18yr old male mind thought it so. There were cool biker looking guys drinking beer everywhere, scantily clad, slightly scary looking women, and even a fist fight!
Fast forward to 2008 and my Itunes is full of new folk and indie rock. Thank you college. Thank you internet. Thank you to the few eternally cool souls who have pointed me in the right musical direction over the years.
I say thank you because I have seen the dark side - or what happens when one does not evolve musically. My oldest brother suffers from this affliction. Apparently, whereas my musical tastes kept evolving and (i hate this word, but it's the first one that comes to mind) maturing, his got stuck in 1986. Don't get me wrong, every know and again I feel the need to revisit my youth and play a Bon Jovi or a Def Leperd tune, but I do not unwind with Lemme and Motorhead's 'Ace Of Spades' album. And it's not the genre that strikes me as so sad, but the fact that he doesn't even listen to new metal bands. For him, anything after 1986 is 'weird'...now, he has never said this, but it's true, whether he says so or not.
So...I think this entire ramble started because I found myself really digging the Langhorne Slim stuff that I FINALLY got around to listening to...so here is one of his songs, as well as the Tim Easton song that I borrowed the title of this post from.
...or my email is anyway! Hey, it's me Blair...the Certain Songs staff of one. I just do this for the love of the music and am in no way trying to rip anybody off, so if you are an artist or a record label and you are not happy that I am promoting your music, or you want me to take a song down, just shoot me an email and I will most definitely oblige.
And please support the artists I post here in whatever way you can if you do download a song...go to a show, buy some merch, buy an album...these songs are the soundtrack to my life and I just love to share them. But I can only do that if the insanely talented artist responsible for said songs are able to eat.
I also love hearing new stuff...so any submissions can also be sent to my email, I will try my bestest to listen to everything and get back to you all...peace,love,rock n' roll.
csmusicblog@gmail.com
Monthly Mix Tape
Mission Statement
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the east coast. Roughly twenty years old. Got coaxed out by a certain perfect ratio. Of warm beer to the summer smoke. And the meat loaf to the billy joel. Certain songs they get so scratched into our souls.
She goes low on the seats when she gets high in her car. She looks shallow but shes neck deep in the steamy dreams of the guys along the harbor bars. She's pulling out her shirttails and jacking up her socks. Stern and stoned and confident, coming up towards the jukebox. Born into the only songs that everybody finally sings along. B-1 is for the good girls. It's only the good die young. C-9 is for the making eyes. It's paradise by the dashboard light. D4 is for the lovers. B12 is for the speeders. And the hard drugs are for the bartenders and the kitchen workers and the bartender's friends. And they're playing it again. Ellen Foley gives us hope. Certain songs they get scratched into our souls.
I guess you're old enough to know. Kids out on the west coast are taking off their clothes. Screwing in the surf and going out to shows. They get high and ride around in gtos. I guess you're old enough to know. CERTAIN SONGS THEY GET SCRATCHED INTO OUR SOULS. - The Hold Steady
