We’ve got to hand it to Neko Case. Over the last decade-plus she’s somehow managed to balance recording and touring not only as a member of the fantastic indie-pop act The New Pornographers, but also on her own as a solo act. On September 3, the redheaded chanteuse will release her latest studio effort with the emotionally wrought title of The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You via ANTI Records. Case, who’s is looking to follow the success of her 2009 record Middle Cyclone which debuted at number three on the Billboard charts, has lined up a fall North American tour in support. The singer-songwriter, who will make a handful of festival appearances this summer including a stop at Wilco’s Solid Sound this weekend, will kick off her 25-date run on September 6 at the A.V. Fest Hideout Block Party in Chicago.
If you’re not into a night with Ms. Case, then maybe you’ll be interested in hitting one of these recently announced tours…
This past weekend, some 80,000-plus music fans descended upon Manchester, Tenn. for the 12th installment of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. While the dust has barely settled on this year’s edition, the folks at Bonnaroo365, the fest’s multimedia arm, have already begun to role out new editions of their fantastic Hay Bale Sessions series. While we expect a plethora of new uploads in the coming weeks the first one out of the gate sits comfortably in our wheelhouse featuring HT fave Father John Misty, who performed at That Tent on opening night.
Unless you’ve been completely off-the-grid for the last week or so, the story about Mumford & Sons having to cancel their Bonnaroo headlining spot last minute and Jack Johnson getting the proverbial call to the bullpen to step in last minute is old news by now. The mellow-grooving singer-songwriter was en route to Manchester for a sit-in with his longtime friends ALO, where he planned to to preview some material from his upcoming studio album From Here To Now To You, when fest organizers reached out asking if he would like to spend a little more time on-stage than originally planned. Johnson, who is no stranger to the various tents and stages, having played the ‘roo four previous times – including its inaugural edition in 2002 and as a main stage headliner in 2008, obliged despite the fact that he hadn’t played live with his band in over a year.
For his impromptu headlining set Johnson got into the Bonnaroo spirit mixing material from throughout his career, inviting out ALO’s Dan Lebowitz and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to collaborate with him and throwing in a handful of covers for good measure. While both Steve Miller Band’s The Joker and Sublime’s Badfish have been staples in his set lists, Johnson did debut a new cover tune – an island-vibed take on the Mumford & Sons song The Cave. The abbreviated version of the song, which was quite the classy move, received a very enthusiastic response from the crowd. Let’s check it out, as well as new tune that Johnson wrote about the entire surreal weekend…
While it may be too late to make a recommendation to those headed to Bonnaroo or to those already finding themselves firmly entrenched on the festival grounds, but we thought we’d offer up one more just in case you’re checking out HT while you’re in Manchester. It may be easy to stick to seeing acts at the large stages and tents, Bonnaroo also features a number of intimate stages that offer an alternative to the throngs of crowds trying trying to catch the big name acts. From noon to roughly one o’clock in the morning both up and coming acts and familiar faces will be on display at Cafe Where?, New Music On Tap Lounge and the Solar and Sonic stages.
While you certainly can’t go wrong stopping and taking in a few songs for anyone, we’d like to point you in the direction of Rayland Baxter,who hails from just up the road in Nashville. The singer-songwriter, who released his debut album Feathers & Fishhooks last year via ATO Records, plays a breezy brand of impassioned country-folk that’s grounded in his emotionally charged lyrics. You’ll have two opportunities to catch Baxter, as he plays a set at the On Tap Lounge today at 2:40 PM, and will take to the Sonic Stage tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM.
Let’s check out the music video for his album’s lead track The Mtn Song…
At roughly three o’clock Central Time this afternoon, HT faves Nikki Bluhm & The Gramblers will have the distinction of officially kicking off the the 12th installment of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, when they take to the stage at That Tent. For those of us that were unable to make the trip to Manchester this year, there is no need to fret. As has become the norm, we will be able to experience the sights and sounds of the fest from the comfort of just about anywhere you can find a wi-fi connection thanks to the folks at Ustream.tv. Beginning tomorrow afternoon some 40+ sets will be streamed live for your viewing pleasure.
Amongst the acts that you’ll be able to catch will be headliners Paul McCartney and Mumford & Sons, as well as sets from HT faves likes Wilco, Jim James, Gov’t Mule, ALO, Father John Misty and The National. Also of note Ustream.tv will broadcast Friday night’s all-star hip-hop Superjam, which features Lettuce backing the likes of RZA, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Schoolboy Q, Earl Sweatshirt, Solange and Chad Hugo with the promise of special guests. Check out the full schedule below.
List Time: Rolling Stone’s 40 Greatest Stoner Albums
Back in April we mentioned that 2013 marked the 25th anniversary of Sub Pop Records, and that the venerable indie-label was celebrating the occasion with a special one-day free festival dubbed Sub Pop’s Silver Jubilee. Set to take place on Saturday, July 13, in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, the all-day fest will feature art exhibits, a record fair and of course lots of bands from throughout the label’s history. In addition to Saturday’s festivities, which will feature the likes of Built To Spill, Father John Misty, J. Mascis and Mudhoney, Sub Pop has also announced that they will host a night of comedy at the Moore Theatre on Friday, July 12. The charity event, whose proceeds will benefit a number of local organizations including KEXP, boasts an impressive roster of talent as well with Eugene Mirman, David Cross, Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunholer all set to perform.
If you can’t make it out to Seattle to celebrate Sub Pop’s 25th anniversary, then maybe you’ll be able to hit one of these recently announced tours…
Later this week upwards of 80,000 music fans will descend upon Manchester, Tennessee to see scores of bands, comedians, DJs and more at the 12th installment of the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. The fest humbly began back in 2002, hosting around 50 mostly jam-oriented bands across four stages. Over the past decade-plus Bonnaroo has grown exponentially and will see nearly as many acts perform on its first day alone then did as at the whole event during its inaugural year. For this year’s fest, the promoters have once again put together a lineup that is stacked from top to bottom with a little bit of something for nearly every type of music lover. As has become the norm around these parts, we will once again be dedicating a number of posts this week to all things ‘Roo.
With each passing year what we’ve come to love about Superfly’s approach to Bonnaroo is their free-wheeling spirit to book just about anyone, from any genre of music, especially when it comes to legacy artists, throwing festgoers a handful of unexpected curveballs each year. The 2013 edition of Bonnaroo is certainly no different, as you catch classic rock legends Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, country music icon Dwight Yoakam, parody song master “Weird” Al Yankovic and jazz-fusion courtesy of John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension. While you certainly can’t go wrong in checking out any of the aforementioned acts, the one that got us talking the most around HT Headquarters was the prospect of seeing Texas boogie-rock-act ZZ Top, who surprisingly are making their Bonnaroo debut this year.
This week’s videos feature acts that you should check out at Bonnaroo…
Sure you can spend your entire weekend in Manchester seeing music from a buffet of genres, but then you’d be neglecting all the high quality talent that will be appearing at the fully air-conditioned comedy theater. Since 2005, fest organizers have brought a veritable who’s who of the best comedians around to perform, and this year is no different. While we highly recommend taking the time to check out some comedy, if you’ve only got time on your busy ‘roo schedule to see one act, we’d like to make the case for David Cross.
While Cross might be best known of late for role as the never-nude, “analrapist” Tobias Funke on Arrested Development, he’s been one of the faces of the alt.comedy scene since the early ’90s – thanks in part his acerbic, whip-smart stand-up material and his innovative and much beloved HBO sketch show Mr. Show. Cross, who made his Bonnaroo debut back to 2007, has taken a break from the stand-up scene over the last handful of years, so expect brand-new material.
Let’s check out this bit from Cross’ most-recent stand-up special 2010′s Bigger and Blackerer about Coors Light beer drinking innovations and ridiculous SkyMall products…
You’ll have a couple of opportunities to catch David Cross in action, as he will appear at the Bonnaroo Comedy Theater with James Adomian on Saturday from 4:30 to 5:45 PM, and again on Sunday afternoon from 2:45 – 4:00 PM.
I think I can speak for the entire HT Staff when I say it’s good to see John Fogerty getting some well-deserved adoration for his highly-recommended new studio album Wrote a Song For Everyone. The 14-track effort, which debuted at number three on the Billboard charts, features the former Creedence Clearwater Revival front man teaming with an impressive lineup of musicians ranging from Bob Seger to Tom Morello to My Morning Jacket to Dawes on both CCR classics and a handful of new Fogerty originals.
Fogerty, who will team up with jam titans Widespread Panic at the first annual Interlocken Festival this fall, has also started to roll out a series of theater dates, that will feature full-album performances of either Bayou Country or Cosmo’s Factory. Prior to all that though, the 68-year-old singer-songwriter has dropped the music video for Mystic Highway. The reflective clip features some vintage footage of Fogerty from throughout his 40+ year career, as well as a not so subtle reference to his legal troubles with his former band mates. Let’s check it out…
The summer concert season is upon us and the Hidden Track staff knows that it’s virtually impossible for us to afford every show we want to hit, and still be able to pay our insanely expensive New York City rents. Luckily for us, there are a plethora of fantastic free concerts throughout the summer that don’t cost a dime. We decided to weed through all the listings and present to you our 6th Annual NYC Free Summer Concert Picks. Let’s take a look…
Official Info: Releasing numerous records a year under his own name, Ty Segall has formed a new outfit, Fuzz, with Charlie Moonheart, who has played in his live band (they were also both in Epsilons). In Fuzz, Segall sings but is on drums and like their name implies, this is the kind of thick and heavy Rock that descends straight from Jimi Hendrix. The band’s debut single came out covertly, with no mention of the band members and sold out its initial vinyl pressing. Both songs, “This Time I Got a Reason” and “Fuzz’s Fourth Dream” are both flaming embers of molten rock that evoke serpentine head-banging and rage skyward on evil riffs.
Maybe not since the heyday of MTV’s Unplugged has an artist released two albums of the same material that are so diametrically opposed as Emily Wells. Last year the singer-songwriter released Mama, a ten-track collection that fused hip-hop beats with lush string arrangements and folkie guitar all set to Wells’ unique vocal style that is part sexy croon and part Joanna Newsom-esque weird-twee. On June 11, the songstress will release Mama Acoustic Recordings via Partisan Records, a stark bare-bones re-recording of her debut that features just Wells playing the tunes on an acoustic guitar.
Let’s check out this live in-studio performance of the album’s lead single Darlin’…
At just 19-years-old, Jake Bugg is kind of a big deal in his native country of England. The young and talented singer-songwriter was chosen to by the BBC to appear on Glastonbury’s “Introducing” stage when he was just 17, which earned him a recording contract with Mercury Records. Last year Bugg, who puts a modern spin on some classic influences – like The Beatles, Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers, as well as nodding to more contemporary Brit-pop acts like Oasis, topped the U.K. charts with his highly recommended 14-track self-titled debut.
Bugg, whose album was released in the U.S. earlier this spring, is staring to gain some momentum on this side of the pond thanks in part to his wise-beyond-his-years sound and some notable accolades from the likes of Rolling Stone and the New York Times. It’s the record’s lead single, Lightning Bolt, which has helped to break Bugg in recent weeks. The tune combines the lyrical vigor of early 1960′s Bob Dylan with 1950′s rockabilly and skiffle sounds. Let’s check out the music video…
Since returning to the music venue business with the opening of Brooklyn Bowl back in 2009, Pete Shapiro has continued to add to new rooms to his growing portfolio over the last few years. Shapiro’s latest venture is aimed at a slightly different audience, as he has announced the opening of The Rock And Roll Playhouse – a kid-friendly space at 280 Bond Street in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn.
The venue will feature “20 different programs for the different age groups including: Beatles for Babies, Little Rockers, Rockers, and Big Rockers; Reggae for Babies and Little Rockers; Rock and Roll Storytime for Little Rockers; a theatrical Rock and Roll Stories for Rockers; World Music for all age groups; Drawing Rock and Roll; and Introductory programs focused on Songwriting, Guitar, Percussion and Keyboards.” The Rock And Roll Playhouse, which is slated to open this winter, will include classes for adults, a full bar and food courtesy of the folks at Blue Ribbon Brassiere.
List Time: Five Albums That Are Song-For-Song Covers of Other Albums
Finally, last year David Byrne and St. Vincent teamed up to release Love This Giant, a twelve-track collection that received a heap of critical praise. The duo, who mounted an extensive world-tour that featured a slew of musicians and dancers, will once again head out together for a lengthy world tour that kicks off with a gig at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey on June 12. Prior to all that though, Mr. Byrne and Ms. Clark have announced the release of Brass Tactics – a new five-song EP that you can download for free. The EP features a previously unreleased tune that didn’t make the album, as well as two live tracks recorded last year and two remixes. Here’s the track list…
David Byrne & St. Vincent – Brass Tactics EP
Cissus (previously unreleased) / I Should Watch TV (M. Stine Remix) / Lightning (Kent Rockafeller Remix) / Marrow (live) / Road To Nowhere (live)
While modern country music is easily one of the most popular, if not the most popular genre of music going today, it’s not something that we give much press to around these parts. So you’ll have to forgive us if we’re a little late to the party on finding out the fact that Darius Rucker has been burning up the country music charts with his cover of Old Crow Medicine Show’s signature tune Wagon Wheel. Rucker, who came to fame with as the front man for Hootie & The Blowfish, has been making country music records since 2008 – and is arguably having one of the best second acts of a career that we can remember in quite some time.
Rucker has been fully embraced by country fans since the release of his debut Learn To Live, which spawned three number one singles on its way to being certified platinum for sales of over a million copies. A year later he was named Best New Artist of the Year by the Country Music Association, which also marked the first time an African-American had won the award since it was introduced in 1981.
Rucker got the inspiration to cover the Old Crow via Bob Dylan song, when he heard the faculty band at his daughter’s school playing it. The tune, which he turned into a 1950′s country-influenced song, appears on his recently released record True Believers and features assistance from the folks in Lady Antebellum. Rucker has sold 1.2 million copies of his take since the beginning of April – making it the most successful song of his young country music career. Let’s check out the video…
Last year longtime HT faves The Felice Brothers self-released God Bless You Amigo, a 21-track collection of home recordings that the ramshackle folk-rock act sold in hopes of either buying a new touring van or help record a new album. In a recent interview with Asheville, North Carolina’s independent newspaper Mountain Xpress, the band’s lead singer Ian Felice revealed that they had gone with the latter, stating that they had recorded the new album live with no overdubs, which now just needs to be mixed. In addition to the brief interview, which you can watch here, Felice also performed a new untitled song, which we can only assume will appear on their upcoming release.
The Felice Brothers have a number of high profile festival appearances lined up this summer, including Newport Folk, Pickathon and Grand Point North, and have also announced a string of West Coast dates with Conor Oberst this fall.
. Let’s check it out…
, when fest organizers reached out asking if he would like to spend a little more time on-stage than originally planned. Johnson, who is no stranger to the various tents and stages, having played the ‘roo four previous times – including its inaugural edition in 2002 and as a main stage headliner in 2008, obliged despite the fact that he hadn’t played live with his band in over a year.
last year via ATO Records, plays a breezy brand of impassioned country-folk that’s grounded in his emotionally charged lyrics. You’ll have two opportunities to catch Baxter, as he plays a set at the On Tap Lounge today at 2:40 PM, and will take to the Sonic Stage tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 PM.
about Coors Light beer drinking innovations and ridiculous SkyMall products…
. The 14-track effort, which debuted at number three on the Billboard charts, features the 
, a ten-track collection that fused hip-hop beats with lush string arrangements and folkie guitar all set to Wells’ unique vocal style that is part sexy croon and part Joanna Newsom-esque weird-twee. On June 11, the songstress will release 
via Partisan Records, a stark bare-bones re-recording of her debut that features just Wells playing the tunes on an acoustic guitar.
, a twelve-track collection that received a heap of critical praise. 
, which spawned three number one singles on its way to being certified platinum for sales of over a million copies. A year later he was named Best New Artist of the Year by the Country Music Association, which also marked the first time an African-American had won the award since it was introduced in 1981.
and features assistance from the folks in Lady Antebellum. Rucker has sold 1.2 million copies of his take since the beginning of April – making it the most successful song of his young country music career. Let’s check out the video…
