September 24 at the Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD, the Les Claypool Experience served up their new album in its entirety, plus a sprinkling of old faves.

By Evan Haga

You can blame cell phones, the Internet or any other attention-sucking technology, but the fact remains that chops in commercially successful rock have taken a nosedive over the past two decades. When the San Francisco-rooted trio Primus made its ascent in the early to mid-1990s, chart-topping rock meant guitarists like Mike McCready and John Frusciante - players with real guitar-shop-clerk skills. In today's world of overblown anthems and melodramatic banjo bashing, there aren't too many licks worth copping.

Primus, fronted by the singer and bass guitarist Les Claypool, was the most unabashedly chopsy, in that you couldn't mention the band without discussing Claypool's astounding slap- and fingerstyle bass technique. But the band eventually became a hit because alt-rock was a valuable entity and Claypool's circus trickery served interesting, aesthetically focused music: Crazed, prog-ish, psychedelic hard rock and funk that didn't so much groove as stomp and trundle forward. Claypool's bass held center stage as guitarist Larry LaLonde's careening guitar solos, which fell somewhere between thrash metal, Zappa, Hendrix and Greg Ginn, provided near-constant chaotic atmosphere. But the real hook lied in the songs' sense of humor, which was directly descended from Zappa: more wry and bewildering than actually funny, often seemingly indeterminate but laced with political and satirical barbs. (And you shouldn't underestimate the giggle factor of Claypool's singing voice, a sort of NorCal-yokel holler.)

At a recent sold-out show at the controversial yet superb new Fillmore venue in Silver Spring, Md., Primus seemed unchanged from those heady days two decades back - as did its audience: kind of rockin', kind of hippie-ish and fairly druggie, much like Ween's crowd but a few degrees less weird. There was good reason for the band's fine form: They've kept going pretty consistently since forming in the mid-1980s, save for some years of hiatus during the 2000s, during which time Claypool took a logical step into the jam-band scene. But because they hadn't released a new album since the late '90s, their touring during the second half of the aughts was overcast with nostalgia; not anymore, as the band released a rock-solid new studio LP in September called Green Naugahyde. In Maryland, as on all stops on their current tour, they played all of it, in order.

The Green Naugahyde performance was the second half of an extremely well-designed three-hour show (with intermission) that felt much shorter, despite the elastic, improvisational detours that swept through a lot of it. The stage set - psychedelic projections book-ended by giant astronauts with restless faces - was familiar, but the band's calling-card songs - "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver," "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver," "Tommy the Cat" - didn't make the cut. Not that anyone noticeably cared; Primus has more to do with texture and ability and owning a wholly unique sound. In the first set that sound arrived via stompers like "To Defy the Laws of Tradition," "John the Fisherman" and "Southbound Pachyderm"; the spooky, restrained, march-like funk of "My Name Is Mud," and the set-closing blowout "Harold of the Rocks."

"Harold," off 1990's Frizzle Fry, foreshadowed the new stuff in set two: Outsider funk-rock that's crazy and prankish yet locked-in tight rhythmically - symbolic of when the '80s collided with the '90s in that Faith No More sort of way. Along with a fair share of throwaway oddities, the groove-driven tunes were as strong as anything in the first set: the totally danceable "Tragedy's A'Comin'," the prog-rock arpeggiations and lyrical wake-up call of "Jilly's on Smack" and the nutty hillbilly dosado of "Lee Van Cleef."

Still, material is always secondary with Primus; the band's the thing here. Claypool, always way high in the mix, took Larry Graham's work to head-scratching levels of virtuosity, per usual. But he also bowed otherworldly arco lines on his upright, and turned remarkably guitar-like during some of the solo sections, weaving in and around LaLonde with melodic and harmonic smarts and effortless facility. (He's always doing a lot, but it never looks that way.) Recently rejoined drummer Jay Lane held down the funk and became a prog-rock colorist when he needed to. LaLonde, probably the best player out there who is only the second most important person in a power trio, went from hard-rock-Garcia mode to certified shredder to something more angular and flinty and of his own devising. In all, Primus made you feel like you'd seen something special, something that no one else was capable of doing.

"Now free of all corporate obligations."

By Blurt Staff

Garbage - Shirley Manson (vocals, guitar), Steve Marker (guitars, keyboards), Duke Erikson (guitars, keyboards) and Butch Vig (drums, loops) - is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on their fifth studio album and their first in seven years. The new album is being recorded in a basement in the Atwater Village area of Los Angeles, CA, the first to be recorded outside of Madison, WI. The as yet untitled album will be released next spring.

The band offered a somewhat cryptic description of the processes going on in the studio: "Years-worth of pent-up music came out in some bizarre ways- bleary cell phone memos became real songs, conversations turned into lyrics, and new computer gizmos inspired wicked tangents. Ghosts came in, had their say. Everyone brought ideas, and everyone fought their corner.  At the end of the day it all gets shoved through the four-way brain filter that is Garbage and it ends up sounding like nobody else. Red feathers and black tar."

Garbage's last album was 2005's Bleed Like Me, and a best-selling greatest hits collection, Absolute Garbage,  was released in 2007. Now free of all their corporate obligations, the band has been able to start again with a clean slate on their own terms. They add, "We are making a record filled with the music we love to hear. The new songs have been inspired more by what we haven't been hearing rather than by what we have."

The King Is Dead, so natrually - Long Live the King...


By Blurt Staff


Nov. 1 brings a new EP from the Decemberists, and as you might surmise from the title, Long Live the King, it's a kind of followup to this year's The King Is Dead. Among the treats: a cover of the Grateful Dead's "Row Jimmy."


1 E. Watson
2 Foregone
3 Burying Davy
4 I 4 U & U 4 Me
5 Row Jimmy
6 Sonnet

Long-in-coming online resource.

By Blurt staff

Gram Parsons' daughter Polly Parsons and The Gram Parsons Foundation have finally created an online portal for everything Gram Parsons, which will include everything from music to photographs, from videos to social networking: The Gram Parsons Official Website (www.gramparsons.com).

It's billed as "an online community where people can share stories, photos and knowledge about this legendary musician... a fan resource as much as a tribute, offering tribute concert and fan gathering updates and to-the-moment Twitter and RSS Feeds."

Polly Parsons noted, in a statement, "Over the last few years, fans have been requesting for an official online destination to connect with my father and his music. My sincere wish is that this site becomes a wonderful place to visit, hang a while, read stories from those closest to him and the musicians that love him, listen to music, learn about and BE with Gram, My father would love to know you're visiting!"

The site's home page features the live RSS and Twitter feeds, documenting the constant activity about Gram, as well as hosting Gram TV, which is currently "playing" a clip reel from the 2004 tribute concerts which featured Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakum and others. The foundation's goal for Gram TV is to update content to feature the up and coming artists who are inspired by Gram's music.

The site also features a music page, streaming songs and lyrics from Sweetheart of the Rodeo (The Byrds), Safe at Home (The International Submarine Band), Gilded Palace of Sin and Burrito Deluxe (The Flying Burrito Brothers), and the solo albums GP and Return of the Grievous Angel. The archive tab for The Official Gram Parsons Website opens a treasure trove of online content, ranging from videos hosted on the Gram Parsons Official YouTube channel, streaming interviews with Gram, Gram Parsons quotes, articles and photographs. There will soon be an online store with Official Gram Parsons merchandise along with a "gift" to all the long standing fans in time to mark what would have been Gram's sixty-fifth birthday on November 5.

The mission of The Gram Parsons Foundation is to support musicians and artists from around the world with addiction and recovery services. The foundation's dedication to helping those with substance abuse issues is further shown at Polly Parsons' Hickory Wind Ranch, the premiere sober living homes for men and women in Austin, TX. It was only natural that Polly was driven to provide support and a nurturing environment by helping other members of the artistic community in need - a full circle moment. The goal of Hickory Wind Ranch (www.hickorywindranch.com)  is to help every member of their community learn how to live a full and rich sober life and to achieve physical, emotional and spiritual balance. Hickory Wind Ranch is proud to share their gift to the community through their involvement with A&E's Intervention. 

Like the Gram Parsons Foundation on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

Like Gram Parsons on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

By Blurt Staff

Kid Sister has a new track with Riff Raff titled 'Hide & Seek' - it's produced by Sinden and 5kinandbone5.  She's also got a new EP coming soon on Fool's Gold Records that will be announced shortly, so meanwhile, here's the video.

Every track, stereo, mono, you name it, in special collector's layout.

By Blurt Staff

50 years after The Beatles first entered a  recording studio, the complete collection of those tracks will be available for the first time in North America when THE BEATLES WITH TONY SHERIDAN: FIRST RECORDINGS: 50^th Anniversary Edition, is released to stores November 8^th on Time Life.  The 2-CD set comes with a specially-designed book that is a historical trove of concert and intimate photos taken by Astrid Kirchherr and others who were with The Beatles during the early days of their career.  The book also includes handwritten biographies by each member of the group, signed contracts, original artwork taken from posters and records, and text by  Hans Olof Gottfridsson, who has spent years researching this period of the Beatles' career.

In North America, it is generally believed that the Beatles' recording career began on Capitol in 1964. Few know that it actually began on the German Polydor label in 1961. As Gottfridsson  notes in the book for THE BEATLES WITH TONY SHERIDAN: FIRST RECORDINGS, Polydor executive and big band leader Bert Kaempfert discovered the group in a German nightclub, signing them to his own company and then releasing the songs through Polydor. The night they signed the contract at Kaempfert's kitchen table, the four Beatles wrote brief autobiographies, reproduced here in their original handwriting. 

The set includes every recording they made for Kaempfert and Polydor in 1961 and 1962.  Multiple versions  have been released throughout the past several decades - some in mono, some in stereo - each with distinctly different sounds.  Most notably, the US versions of these tracks were overdubbed with another guitar player and drummer in an attempt to mirror the edgier sound the group had evolved into, unbeknownst to American fans at the time of their release in 1964.   All versions of every  track, including mono and stereo mixes, are included in the double disc set.

Many of the Polydor tracks feature Tony Sheridan on lead vocals, a decision made by Kaempfert.  However, John Lennon sings lead vocals on "Ain't She Sweet," and George Harrison plays an instrumental, "Cry For A Shadow."

Below: some of the previous collections' cover art.

The hostess with the mostest.

By Fred Mills

Next to Charlies Sheen and Manson, there's probably no celeb we are more eager to hear from, memoir-wise, than Nirvana widow Courtney Love. It's clear that there are some personal accounts that need to be recounted, and some setting straight of records - and Love's near the top of the list.

So it was great to learn yesterday that love intends to "set the record straight" about her tumultuous life via an as-yet-untitled memoir. Rolling Stone reports that Love has signed a contract with William Morrow (part of Harper Collins) and that the book has a tentative publication date of Fall 2012, just in time for that year's Christmas shopping season, natch.

Expect to get Love's spin - and make no mistake, Love (and no doubt her co-writer or ghost writer) will be in full spin mode - on her life with and without Kurt Cobain and all that other stuff that she's gotten mixed up in over the years. "All that other stuff" of course could make for a multi-volume collection...

Due out next week, Oct. 4, on Sacred Bones, it's the latest step in Nika Danilova's steady evolution. Listen to song streams, below.


By Selena Fragassi

You can take the farm out of the girl-but why would you want to? Born and raised on a 100 acre homestead in the middle of Wisconsin, Nika Danilova (aka Zola Jesus) clearly had plenty of spare time and haunting inspiration-her dad was a hunter after all-to help her prepare lush albums filled with ethereal, dark soundscapes that have been the predecessor for a new flock of goth pop doves.

Zola Jesus - Seekir by sacredbones Zola Jesus - Vessel by souterraintransmissions

After a rush of solid EPs, Danilova has built a fortress with her latest LP, Conatus, that furthers her classically trained Liza Minnelli husk with the bad seeds of a Siouxsie Sioux. The operatics of her voice make it the most intriguing instrument on the album but the new exploration of violins and cellos that feminize the massive drum fills make Conatus even more astounding. Don't be fooled; it's exactly Danilova's Midwest charm infused with Middle Age drama that make her the pick of the crop in this evolving genre.

Due Oct. 18. And the Deluxe Collector's Edition, out Oct. 25,  will only set you back 500 bucks! If you live in the U.S., you may be one of 750 lucky fans...

By Blurt Staff

That's a lotta Smiths - as you'll see, below. As previously announced, on Oct. 18 Rhino is releasing a comprehensive Smiths box titled, smartly, Complete. That would mean eight albums, in both CD and vinyl formats, each fully remastered by guitarist Johnny Marr, in one ultimate collection. COMPLETE includes all four of the band's studio albums - The Smiths (1984), Meat Is Murder (1985), The Queen Is Dead (1986), Strangeways, Here We Come (1987) - and their sole live album, Rank (1988). They are complemented by three fan-favorite compilations: Hatful Of Hollow (1984), The World Won't Listen (1987) and Louder Than Bombs (1987). Marr and engineer Frank Arkwright remastered all eight albums using the original tape sources.

The CD boxed set version features each album packaged in a mini-LP replica sleeve complete with the original artwork, including gatefolds and inner sleeves where relevant. The vinyl boxed set version consists of the original albums - five single LPs and three doubles - pressed on 180-gram audiophile vinyl and presented in all their 12" glory with beautifully restored artwork. Each will be available at physical retail outlets for suggested list prices of $78.98 (CD), $249.98 (LP) and $39.99 (Digital).

A Deluxe Collector's Edition will be offered as well, exclusively at Rhino.com. Packaged in an individually numbered, trunk-style box, this version is limited to 4,000 pieces worldwide, with only 750 available in the U.S., only at Rhino.com. It contains all eight albums on CD and vinyl, accompanied by all 25 of The Smiths' singles on 7" vinyl (including rare and deleted artwork). The set also includes: 12" art prints of all eight album sleeves; a poster featuring the artwork for the albums and singles; expanded liner notes by renowned author Lois Wilson; and "The Complete Picture" DVD of the band's music videos. The Deluxe Collector's Edition is available for pre-order now exclusively at Rhino.com for $499.98 and will be released on October 25.

Track Listing:

The Smiths

1.       "Reel Around the Fountain"

2.       "You've Got Everything Now"

3.       "Miserable Lie"

4.       "Pretty Girls Make Graves"

5.       "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"

6.       "Still Ill"

7.       "Hand in Glove"

8.       "What Difference Does It Make?"

9.       "I Don't Owe You Anything"

10.    "Suffer Little Children"

Meat Is Murder

1.       "The Headmaster Ritual"

2.       "Rusholme Ruffians"

3.       "I Want the One I Can't Have"

4.       "What She Said"

5.       "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"

6.       "Nowhere Fast"

7.       "Well I Wonder"

8.       "Barbarism Begins at Home"

9.       "Meat Is Murder"

The Queen Is Dead

1.       "The Queen Is Dead"

2.       "Frankly, Mr. Shankly"

3.       "I Know It's Over"

4.       "Never Had No One Ever"

5.       "Cemetry Gates"

6.       "Bigmouth Strikes Again"

7.       "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"

8.       "Vicar in a Tutu"

9.       "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"

10.    "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"

Strangeways, Here We Come

1.       "A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours"

2.       "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish"

3.       "Death of a Disco Dancer"

4.       "Girlfriend in a Coma"

5.       "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"

6.       "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"

7.       "Unhappy Birthday"

8.       "Paint a Vulgar Picture"

9.       "Death at One's Elbow"

10.    "I Won't Share You"

Rank

1.       "The Queen Is Dead"

2.       "Panic"

3.       "Vicar in a Tutu"

4.       "Ask"

5.       "His Latest Flame/Rusholme Ruffians" (Medley)

6.       "The Boy With The Thorn in His Side"

7.       "Rubber Ring/What She Said"

8.       "Is It Really So Strange?"

9.       "Cemetry Gates"

10.    "London"

11.    "I Know It's Over"

12.    "The Draize Train"

13.    "Still Ill"

14.    "Bigmouth Strikes Again"

Hatful Of Hollow

1.       "William, It Was Really Nothing"

2.       "What Difference Does It Make?"

3.       "These Things Take Time"

4.       "This Charming Man"

5.       "How Soon Is Now?"

6.       "Handsome Devil"

7.       "Hand in Glove"

8.       "Still Ill"

9.       "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"

10.    "This Night Has Opened My Eyes"

11.    "You've Got Everything Now"

12.    "Accept Yourself"

13.    "Girl Afraid"

14.    "Back to the Old House"

15.    "Reel Around the Fountain"

16.    "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"

The World Won't Listen

1.       "Panic"

2.       "Ask"

3.       "London"

4.       "Bigmouth Strikes Again"

5.       "Shakespeare's Sister"

6.       "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out"

7.       "Shoplifters of the World Unite"

8.       "The Boy with the Thorn in His Side"

9.       "Money Changes Everything"

10.    "Asleep"

11.    "Unloveable"

12.    "Half a Person"

13.    "Stretch Out and Wait"

14.    "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"

15.    "Oscillate Wildly"

16.    "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby"

17.    "Rubber Ring"

Louder Than Bombs

1.       "Is It Really So Strange?"

2.       "Sheila Take a Bow"

3.       "Shoplifters of the World Unite"

4.       "Sweet and Tender Hooligan"

5.       "Half a Person"

6.       "London"

7.       "Panic"

8.       "Girl Afraid"

9.       "Shakespeare's Sister"

10.    "William, It Was Really Nothing"

11.    "You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby"

12.    "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"

13.    "Ask"

14.    "Golden Lights"

15.    "Oscillate Wildly"

16.    "These Things Take Time"

17.    "Rubber Ring"

18.    "Back to the Old House"

19.    "Hand in Glove"

20.    "Stretch Out and Wait"

21.    "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"

22.    "This Night Has Opened My Eyes"

23.    "Unloveable"

24.    "Asleep"

7" Singles - Deluxe Collector's Edition Only

1.       "Hand In Glove" b/w "Handsome Devil" (Live)

2.       "Reel Around The Fountain" b/w "Jeane"

3.       "This Charming Man" b/w "Jeane"

4.       "What Difference Does It Make?" b/w "Back To The Old House"

5.       "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" b/w "Suffer Little Children"

6.       "William, It Was Really Nothing" b/w "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"

7.       "William, It Was Really Nothing" b/w "How Soon Is Now?"

8.       "How Soon Is Now?" b/w "Well I Wonder"

9.       "The Headmaster Ritual" b/w "Oscillate Wildly"

10.    "Shakespeare's Sister" b/w "What She Said"

11.    "Barbarism Begins At Home" b/w "Shakespeare's Sister"

12.    "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" b/w "Meat Is Murder" (Live)

13.    "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" b/w "Asleep"

14.    "Bigmouth Strikes Again" b/w "Money Changes Everything"

15.    "Panic" b/w "Vicar In A Tutu"

16.    "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" b/w "The Draize Train"

17.    "Ask" b/w "Cemetry Gates"

18.    "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" b/w "Half A Person"

19.    "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" b/w "Half A Person"

20.    "Sheila Take A Bow" b/w "Is It Really So Strange?"

21.    "Girlfriend In A Coma" b/w "Work Is a Four-Letter Word"

22.    "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish" b/w "Pretty Girls Make Graves"

23.    "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" b/w "Girlfriend In A Coma"

24.    "Last Night I Dreamt Somebody Loved Me" b/w "Rusholme Ruffians"

25.    "Sweet And Tender Hooligan" b/w "I Keep Mine Hidden"

Also check out video for "Goodbye Girl." Album reworking 2009 release in dub format is released in November.

By Blurt Staff

KING MIDAS SOUND is Londoner / experimental / dub producer KEVIN "THE BUG" MARTIN, Afro Caribbean Poet ROGER ROBINSON and Japanese Graphic Artist / Musician KIKI HITOMI. They released their debut album "Waiting for You" on the Hyperdub label in December 2009. Now, in the tradition of dub, they have reworked their album with help from friends GREEN GARTSIDE (Scritti Politti), GANG GANG DANCE, FLYING LOTUS, ROBERT LOWE, NITE JEWEL, HYPE WILLIAMS, KODE9, COOLY G and others. Titled Without You, it arrives in November.

This album starts to bridge the gap between the Lovers Rock of their debut and the full on onslaught of their live show which has been described as "My Bloody Valentine in dub." In August the band released the first taster - a video for the KUDEO reworking of "Goodbye Girl":

King Midas Sound: Goodbye Girl (Kuedo Reversion) Hyperdub 2011 from Hyperdub on Vimeo.

Now the band releases the second of four videos related to this project - the first part of a documentary on the band directed by Inumikaku (Hiroo Tanaka):

King Midas Sound Documentary Part 1 from Hyperdub on Vimeo.

Tracklisting:

CD:
01. Goodbye Girl - Kuedo rework
02. Without You - D-Bridge revoice
03. Lost - Flying Lotus rework
04. Earth A Kill Ya - Gang Gang Dance rework
05. Tears - Kiki Hitomi revoice
06. Spin Me Around - Cooly G revoice
07. Goodbye Girl - Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe rework
08. Say Somethin' - Joel Ford revoice
09. Lost - Nite Jewel rework
10. Sumtime - Hype Williams rework
11. Meltdown - Kode 9 and the Spaceape rework
12. Earth A Kill Ya - Mala rework
13. Goodbye Girl - Deep Chord presents Echospace rework
14. Come and Behold - Green Gartside revoice
15. Cool Out - Ras G & the Afrikan Space Program rework
BONUS HIDDEN TRACK 16. One Ting - Dabrye rework

Vinyl - double LP:
Side A : 1. Goodbye Girl - Kuedo rework
2. Without You - D-Bridge revoice
3. Lost - Flying Lotus rework
4. Miles & Miles - T++ rework
Side B: 1. Earth A Kill Ya - Gang Gang Dance rework
2. Tears - Kiki Hitomi revoice
3. Spin Me Around - Cooly G revoice
4. Goodbye Girl - Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe rework
Side C: 1. Say Somethin' - Joel Ford revoice
2. Lost - Nite Jewel rework
3. Sumtime - Hype Williams rework
4. Meltdown - Kode 9 and the Spaceape rework
5. Come and Behold - Green Gartside revoice
Side D: 1. Goodbye Girl - Intrusion rework
2. Goodbye Girl - Deep Chord presents Echospace rework
3. Goodbye Girl - King Midas Sound Dub
4. Cool Out - Ras G & the Afrikan Space Program rework