Saturday night in Milwaukee, Riverwest will be the spot to be. Milwaukee's own Lotus Land Records celebrates 7 years with a free bash at Mad Planet. Check a couple heaters below culled from the companion soundtrack that accompanied the fall screening of The Super Noble Brothers.
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Download: Judson Moore - Push and Pull
Download: Carl Temple – Soul Day
November 29, 2007
Planet Madness
king khan &...
The King Khan & BBQ Show pairs two primitive rawk gurus who first played together in Montreal's Spaceshits in predictably rough-and-ready fashion. The duo's last for In The Red Records, 'What's For Dinner?', was an admirable slice of howling caveman stomp, but it's nothing compared to the band's legendary live show, which finds the two men smashing away at guitars, drums, and tambourines, and creating a racket big enough to put six-piece garage bands to shame. - a.v./chicagothese guys have been receiving a decent amount of exposure ever since the black lips named them as one of their favorite bands back in may, but to be honest i'm really digging the soulful full band treatment of king khan's other outfit the shrines a lot more than the "caveman stomp" that he & bbq are creating...at least from what i've heard...regardless, their live shows are supposed to be crazy & they're playing the note on saturday...hence the onion write up above.
download: king khan & the shrines - welfare bread
download: king khan & the shrines - no regrets
Saturday at DvA Gallery
Portland based studio Grass Hut Corp visits Chicago this Saturday. Be sure to get to DvA Gallery at 2568 N. Lincoln and check out the goods. Be sure to check out my personal faves Le Merde and Bwana Spoons. 
the leather canary xmas mix #1
i realize it's still november, but after seeing charlie brown's christmas special on tv the other night it's starting to feel like the holiday season has officially begun, so i thought i'd start sharing a few of the christmas mixes i've put together over the past couple years...i know there's a lot of similar music being posted on other blogs this time of year that's more hip & eclectic than most of these tunes, but i guess i'm just drawn to songs that have a little more familiar feel around the holidays...also, i thought i'd mention that this set is broken up by lines from the greatest christmas movie of all time, national lampoon's christmas vacation...i can't understand people who don't watch this two or three times a year, nothing else even comes close (but scrooged, a christmas story, home alone & die hard would probably round out my christmas movie top five)...anyways, if you don't want to download the whole thing, a few standout tracks include sam cooke's "christmas means love", the band's "christmas must be tonight" & ray charles' "that spirit of christmas", all of which close out the mix...hope you enjoy it.download: the leather canary xmas mix #1.zip
01. "last minute gift ideas"
02. mavis staples - christmas vacation
03. ron sexsmith - maybe this christmas
04. my morning jacket - xmas curtain
05. darlene love - christmas (baby please come home)
06. albert king - santa claus wants some lovin'
07. "where do you think you're going?"
08. tom petty - christmas all over again
09. shemekia copeland - stay a little longer santa
10. john lennon & yoko ono - happy xmas (war is over)
11. the flaming lips - a change at christmas
12. margie joseph - christmas gift
13. "tis the season to be merry"
14. otis redding - merry christmas, baby
15. ben folds - bizarre christmas incident
16. stevie wonder - what christmas means to me
17. low - just like christmas
18. the kinks - father christmas
19. the pretenders - 2000 miles
20. "it's not big, it's just full"
21. james brown - soulful christmas
22. alison krauss - only you can bring me cheer
23. the ebonys - christmas ain't christmas
24. the smashing pumpkins - christmastime
25. sam cooke - christmas means love
26. the band - christmas must be tonight
27. ray charles - that spirit of christmas
28. "happy hanukkah"
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related: if you're looking for a way to help those in need this time of year, one way you can is by going to www.freerice.com & testing your vocabulary...for each word you get right, 20 grains of rice will be donated to the united nations world food program.
the comedian
i'm happy to see that one of my brother's best friends, pat mcgann, has finally found a constructive outlet for all the wise ass comments he's delivered over the years...way to step up, pat...very funny stuff.
November 28, 2007
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Read a nice article in Timeout on the band Pieces of Peace. The lost
Download: Pieces of Peace – “I Still Care”
November 27, 2007
check your local listings
hey, another picture of bill murray...this summer's crossroads guitar festival (which murray hosted) will be featured on pbs's great performances series tomorrow night...there's really no way the two hour program will be able to convey just how wonderful the event actually was, but you should still check it out...an extended two disc dvd set was also released last week...& in case you missed it the first time, check out our friend mike biondi's extensive review here.download: eric clapton - i shot the sheriff (nassau coliseum, 06/28/75)
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previously: "the two on the right"
alberta cross
i first came across alberta cross a few months ago, when their seven song debut was released in the states & the track, "lucy rider", was popping up on more than a couple sites, but i guess they sort of got lost in the shuffle...well, my loss...this east london duo is really good & while they may wear their influences on their sleeves, they've definitely got their own voice...still, it doesn't hurt that those influences include "the band, van morrison, & leonard cohen"...if you're not already familiar, check these guys out.download: alberta cross - the thief & the heartbreaker
download: alberta cross - hard breaks
download: alberta cross - old man chicago
November 26, 2007
white hottt
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Believe the hype. Really feeling White Williams - authentically refreshing mix of style and sound. A bit more more accessible than his pal and tourmate Dan Deacon in my opinion. His full length release Smoke out now on Tigerbeat 6.
Download: White Williams - New Violence
Download: White Williams - Headlines
Download: White Williams - Violator
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UPDATE: Catch White Williams at Schuba's on Saturday January 19th as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival.
new black mountain
jagjaguwar is currently offering up black mountain's new 8-minute epic "tyrants", from the group's forthcoming album in the future (only ten days after the track first popped up on sucka pants)...bang your heads, people...the label also announced that the band will embark on a north american tour in febuary along with howlin' rain (whose self-titled release was one of last year's best)...there are currently only a couple west coasts dates confirmed, but here's hoping they make it through the windy city, cause i'm still a little sore i missed them the last time.download: black mountain - tyrants
download: howlin rain - calling lightning with a scythe
download: howlin rain - roll on the rusted days
November 23, 2007
November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
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November 21, 2007
November 20, 2007
bill murphy
check out bill murray's tiger beat questionnaire from the movies rock supplement that came with the latest issue of vanity fair...then go read jessica lee jernigan's phenomenal 1999 interview with him, in which he opens up about french clowns & elvis presley (via the apartment)...speaking of elvis, here are a few tracks from his greatest album, 1969's from elvis in memphis.
download: elvis presley - wearin' that loved on look
download: elvis presley - i'm movin' on
download: elvis presley - in the ghetto
related: murray's little shop of horrors co-star & fellow comedic icon, steve martin, is releasing his critically praised memoir, born standing up, today...one passage even recalls martin's backstage vegas encounter with elvis, in which the king told him "son, you have an ob-leek sense of humor"...also receiving critical praise, saturday night live's stage show at the ucb theatre this past weekend, which was put on to raise money for the snl crew workers who were laid off because of the writers strike.
download: elvis presley - wearin' that loved on look
download: elvis presley - i'm movin' on
download: elvis presley - in the ghetto
related: murray's little shop of horrors co-star & fellow comedic icon, steve martin, is releasing his critically praised memoir, born standing up, today...one passage even recalls martin's backstage vegas encounter with elvis, in which the king told him "son, you have an ob-leek sense of humor"...also receiving critical praise, saturday night live's stage show at the ucb theatre this past weekend, which was put on to raise money for the snl crew workers who were laid off because of the writers strike.
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related: the playlist has the full rundown of movies rock's 50 greatest soundtracks (teen wolf ain't on it), while goldenfiddle is offering the issue's celebrity musician blindfold test with david cross & demetri martin.
kevin drew - cocaine skin
saw this kevin drew b-side over at cause=time last week & like the rest of his recent solo album, spirit if..., it's fantastic...the track is from the arts & crafts sampler, vol. 4, which was released back at the end of august & features a couple unreleased b-sides from stars & the most serene republic, as well as two new songs from jason collett's forthcoming album (& not the ones posted here)...remixes from feist (below) & apostle of hustle were also included on the canadian version...the cd's been available at a&c shows, so keep an eye out..
download: kevin drew - cocaine skin
download: feist - sealion (chromeo remix)
November 19, 2007
the pointer sisters
great episode of soul train this past weekend...going back to the fifth season & featuring performances from the pointer sisters, bt express & michael from good times...it also had a soul train line set to an isley brothers tune for like the 5th week in a row...anyways, the most intriuging aspect of the episode was the pointer sisters, who before neutron dancing their way through the eighties were all about long funky grooves...in fact, both songs performed on the show, off 1975's steppin', are seven minutes plus...if your only exposure to the group is the beverly hills cop soundtrack, please check these out.download: the pointer sisters - going down slowly
download: the pointer sisters - how long (betcha' got a chick on the side)
previously: "people all over the world"
related: can't bring up the pointer sisters without bringing up their definitive version of the legendary allen tousaint's "yes we can can" (toussaint also penned "going down slowly)...it's the first track off their first album & easily the best thing they ever recorded...this song is so fucking good.
download: the pointer sisters - yes we can can
related: learning was never so much fun.
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November 16, 2007
new wsp
i've probably seen widespread panic close to 30 times, & even though i haven't bought one of their albums in about eight years or seen them in concert since jimmy herring joined the band, i still consider them one of my favorite bands...but i have been drifting away from them quite a bit, & that's probably why this new song completely slipped by me...it's been available as a free download on their website since mid october & i really dig it..the horns, the backup singers, it sounds like they're getting a little bit of their southern soul back...good stuff.download: widespread panic - up all night
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unrelated: now that i think about it, i'm a little pissed i passed on this show because of high ticket prices..."ambulance blues"?...come on.
110 pounds of soul excitement
still recovering from an incredible evening with sharon jones & the dap-kings at the park west last night...we showed up early enough to belly up at the stage & catch ralph "soul" jackson join opening act, the rabbit factory review, for one of the best renditions of "sunshine of your love" i've ever seen from someone who knew almost none of the words...by the time the dap-kings took the stage, the house had pretty much filled up, & the boys seemed cool, calm & collected (pretty sure the drummer was stoned out of his mind) as they revved up the crowd with a few slinky soul numbers before sharon came charging out of the gate...& as soon as she did we were cooked, the woman's got more energy in her little toe than everyone else in the room had combined, but that didn't stop us from trying to keep up as she stomped & scraped the shit out of the stage while singing her funky heart out the whole time...it was fantastic...bosco & the band were as tight as the trumpet player's pants & even the slower numbers, like a cover of james brown's "its a man's man's man's world" were electrifying...i think it's an absolute crime that this show wasn't sold out, but those of us who did get tickets were definitely rewarded, cause sharon jones & the dap-kings proved that they're one of the most exciting live acts in music today...here are a few of the band's remixes from the recent scion cd sampler vol. 19 - daptone records remixed...go to spinner & grab up the rest of the tracks from other daptone outfits the budos band, the daktaris, & the sugarman three...now.related: earlier this year, sharon jones was cast for a role in the upcoming denzel washington movie, the great debaters...in addition to acting, she also lent her voice to a majority of the soundtrack, which will feature all "pre-1935 blues, folk, jazz, and gospel classics"...the movie comes out on christmas day, but the soundtrack will be available 12/11.
November 15, 2007
runnin' down a dream
finally sat down & watched peter bogdanovich's documentary on tom petty & the heartbreakers the other night & thought it was great...an engaging & very well made look into one of the most enduring bands of the past 30 years (check out greg kot's review)...the one thing that really bothered me though, was that through four hours of highly detailed recounts & observations on every single one of petty's albums from 1976 up until last year, the film completely ignored his 1996 soundtrack to she's the one...granted, it's not exactly a milestone in the man's career, but it's still a really good album, & the fact that it wasn't even mentioned when everything else was covered in such depth is kind of mind boggling...actually, one song from the album was featured, "angel dream (no. 4)", during a transition in the film, right before the rick rubin/wildflowers segment (wildflowers, by the way, came out two years before she's the one)...oh well, besides that the film was very interesting & very entertaining & for as long as it was, it never really dragged (alright, i was checking my watch near the end)...plus, after it was over, i reached right for my copy of hard promises...anyways, here are a couple tracks from the unmentioned soundtrack.download: tom petty & the heartbreakers - grew up fast
download: tom petty & the heartbreakers - zero from outerspace
download: tom petty & the heartbreakers - angel dream (no. 4)
related: one of the best parts of the film was the abundance of old footage bogdanovich had to work with...one particular segment that i really liked was an in studio take of the unreleased "keeping me alive", from the long after dark sessions...petty admits that fighting producer jimmy iovine for the addition of this track & a few other acoustic based songs would have made the album stronger, to which iovine replies "yeah, after the third album you should probably shoot your producer."...anyways, it's a great little song.
download: tom petty & the heartbreakers - keeping me alive
November 14, 2007
bonus
in case you haven't heard, wilco released a european tour edition of sky blue sky overseas this week, containing a bonus disc which features studio takes of "the thanks i get", "let’s not get carried away" & "one true vine", as well as live versions of "impossible germany" & "hate it here" recorded in denver this past september...all three of the studio tracks have already been available as b-sides or bonus songs with different versions of the album, but just in case you only purchased your one original copy (& live outside the uk), wilco is letting you download the bonus disc here...good deal.download: wilco - let's not get carried away
beachwood sparks - by your side
i grabbed this track from the daily growl a few weeks back & it's remained a constant part of my playlist ever since...i can understand the comparison made to gram parsons, but to me this sade cover sounds a lot like a twangier take on the flaming lips, circa 2001, which coincidentally was the same year the song was released...regardless, it's pretty fantastic.download: beachwood sparks - by your side
November 13, 2007
leon
go check out best week ever's homage to leon black, who was without question the best thing about this past season of curb your enthusiasm (my regards to marty funkhauser)....sunday night's finale was great by the way, the final two minutes were quite possibly the funniest two minutes of television all year...anyways, here's a phenomenal track from another great leon...enjoy.download: leon ware - why i came to california
November 12, 2007
invitation to the set
(via vulture)
download: clipse - re-up anthem (nick catchdubs remix)
previously: "re-up"
download: clipse - re-up anthem (nick catchdubs remix)
previously: "re-up"
related: here's another behind the scenes preview, this time for generation kill, an upcoming hbo miniseries on the iraq war, from the creators of the wire (via big screen little screen)...& while on the subject of the war, i saw the documentary no end in sight this weekend, it's a fascinating (& infuriating) look at how the occupation of iraq failed so miserably...definitely one of the best films of the year & one that everyone should see.
November 9, 2007
new jason collett
Arts & Crafts is set to release the third collection of new songs by Jason Collett. The new album, titled Here's To Being Here, will be released throughout North America on February 5, 2008. Here's To Being Here captures the essence of Jason's live performances and features the energy and musicianship of his touring band, Paso Mino. "This is very much a guitar record, in the sense of it being very tasteful...that's the greatest accomplishment of this record" says Collett, "recording in bigger spaces and live off the floor was the ideal I wanted to shoot for with this record. Recording this way allowed for spontaneous creations, which led to many wonderful little accidents." Here's To Being Here was recorded and produced in Collett's hometown of Toronto, ON, by musician/producer Howie Beck. The album also features guest performances by fellow Broken Social Scene member and Apostle of Hustle front man Andrew Whiteman, as well as Tony Scherr (Norah Jones, John Scofield), Liam O'Neil (The Stills) to name a few. -arts & craftsnice...i was a big fan of collett's last solo effort, idols of exile...really good roots-based rock...& the two new tracks that arts & crafts are offering up are just as good...collett will be in town next saturday opening for feist at the riv...pretty sure it's sold out.
download: jason collett - out of time
download: jason collett - charlyn, angel of kensington
download: jason collett - we all lose one another (idols of exile)
download: jason collett - i'll bring the sun (idols of exile)
related: collett's label mates, apostle of hustle, are playing the metro tomorrow night with do make say think...both bands recent albums are really good & apostle of hustle's contribution to the forthcoming huey lewis tribute is great...especially the "i'm alone with you" part around the 2:50 mark...the compilation also features performances from catfish haven, will johnson, & oh no! oh my!, among others...as a diehard huey lewis fan (my very first concert was the news at alpine valley in 1986) it's great to see him getting a little attention, even if it did start out as a joke.
download: apostle of hustle - national anthem of nowhere
download: do make say think - in mind
download: apostle of hustle - i wanna new drug (huey lewis)
download: oh no! oh my! - finally found a home (huey lewis)
2002
when i saw lucero at an all ages show at the metro last year, i was a little taken back by all the youngsters running around...i'd say the majority of the audience was still in high school, & i hate to say it, but it kind of took me out of the show (granted, we showed up late, & pretty drunk, from an alejandro escovedo gig across town, but it was still surprising)...anyways, tonight's show with bobby bare jr. is 18 & over & well worth the $14 it'll cost you to get in...although i wasn't that into bare's latest release & haven't paid as much attention as i probably should have to the last couple lucero albums, both acts know how to put on a killer show & will treat the metro audience to a great time (even though they're probably better suited for the empty bottle or the beat kitchen)...i probably would have been even more excited for this show a few years back, but you don't get a much better bill for down home country-rock...here are a few tracks from two of my favorite albums of 2002.download: lucero - sweet little thing
download: lucero - nights like these
download: bobby bare jr. - i'll be around
download: bobby bare jr. - dig down
November 8, 2007
tim meadows
(via stereogum)
related: also via stereogum, a rundown of last night's festivities at the beacon theater, including a video of my morning jacket (& a shaven jim james!) covering "tonight i'll be staying here with you".
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update: here's the audio for "tonight i'll be staying here with you", via hidden track, who've also posted streaming recordings of jim james & calexico performing "goin' to acapulco" & the roots doing "masters of war"...both of which are excellent.
.download: my morning jacket - tonight i'll be staying here with you (11/07/07)
November 6, 2007
(and the winner is) pt. 2
on the heels of dave's post about the limited edition jay-z blue magic pack, i thought i'd thow up the sample track used in "roc boys"...it's called "make the road by walking" by menahan street band, a collaborative effort from members of the dap-kings, el michels affair & the budos band...excactly...also, in keeping with the american gangster theme, i'm posting a couple funky cuts from the film's score (by the bomb squad's hank shocklee), as well as the public enemy track that rolled with the film's closing credits...fantastic movie by the way; crazy story, good music, great performances & a ton of recognizable faces that made it even more interesting (i.e. common, rza, t.i., anthony hamilton, stringer bell, sol star, buffalo bill, tre styles, brand walsh, etc.)...definately worth your money.download: menahan street band - make the road by walking
download: hank shocklee - club jam
November 5, 2007
(and the winner is)
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CHI town cats better start making there way down to Milwaukee Ave. now to get in-line ... KICKS HI Blast today featured the special "BLUE MAGIC" Pack which will be available for sale at Saint Alfred tomorrow, November 6th. Anyone have a hook on tickets to the House of Blues show on Wednesday?
Download: Jay-Z - Roc Boys
Download: Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street
the two on the right
"On the heels of a stunning collaboration at the Chicago Crossroads Guitar Festival in July of 2007 and after much speculation, Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton announced today three eagerly anticipated concerts at New York's Madison Square Garden. In what will be one of the must see shows of this decade Winwood and Clapton will perform together February 25th, 26th, 28th, 2008." (via where's eric)download: blind faith - can't find my way home (electric version)
download: blind faith - sleeping in the ground (slow blues version)
previously: "fell down on my knees"
orchestral disco?
like just about everyone else, i've recently been enjoying the orchestral folk-pop of jens lekman's latest, night falls over kortedala...but not quite enough to catch the swede's show at the logan square auditorium last friday (although it would have been interesting to see how the sample heavy arrangements lent themselves to a live setting)...anyways, i still wanted to do a post on the guy because i was intrigued by a four-tack ep he curated earlier this year called four songs by arthur russell...arthur russell has a pretty interesting story (which will actually be told in an upcoming documentary); a classically trained cellist & composer involved in the new york art scene, he was unsuccessfully recruited by the talking heads in the mid 70s & eventually paved the way for garage & house music with his unique brand of disco...lekman's compilation (for which he contributed only one of the songs, "a little lost") focuses on the stripped down material from the later part of russell's life, & it's a pretty low key dreamy affair, but still worth a listen...almost the complete opposite is my favorite russell song, "kiss me again", released as a 12" under the name dinosaur in 1978 (featuring david byrne on guitar), it's a fantastic 12 minute workout that never lets up...the alternate b-side version (below), which i like a little better, pushes the cello to the front & isn't as glossy as the original mix...highly recommended.download: jens lekman - the opposite of hallelujah
download: jens lekman - a little lost
download: dinosaur - kiss me again (version)
related: speaking of david byrne (kind of), the knee plays is being reissued tomorrow...you can find out everything you ever wanted to know about the project, here.
download: david byrne - in the future
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update: pitchfork's got video of jens lekman performing in someone's apartment after friday night's chicago show.
November 4, 2007
after hours it was coo
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My basic attempt at weekly Canary appearances have been failing miserably. But no complaining or excuses, since I’m here now let’s give the LC a much needed dose of hip hop. A few recent trips to LA warranted some great scores via the west coast TTL storefront and Amoeba. Look for some follow-up heaters here soon.
The selections below are from DJ Platurn off his Best of ATribe Called Quest. Some really amazing re-edits and deep digs on the samples.
In Trese (below), the sample used for "After Hours", off People's Instinctive Travels and Paths of Rhythm, is from the Richard Pryor track "Crap Game", which appeared on the 1976 Richard Pryor Meets Richard & Willie and the SLA. Maybe a better google-er than I can find the full sample listings off Platurn's disc but the samples below in Ocho + Dose were a couple of my faves.
Platurn's similar treatment with De La Soul is also highly recommended.
Download: Tribe - Ocho
Download: Tribe - Dose
Download: Tribe - Trese
Related: future roommates ?
happy birthday
a quick birthday shout to my partner here at the leather canary...your getting old as fuck, man...enjoy the day.
download: smokey robinson - just my soul responding
download: smokey robinson - just my soul responding
November 1, 2007
a massive night
the hold steady took the stage last night dressed as banditos, in mustaches, ponchos & cowboy hats, & proceeded to terrorize the sold out metro crowd with a rollicking & chaotic set that pretty much solidified them, in my eyes, as the best straight up rock n roll band working today...the show was being recorded for a live album, & there were cameras rolling from all angles, but i think it'd be hard to capture just how much energy these guys generate from their fans (there were enough sing alongs & hand claps to make jeff tweedy's head spin)...the costumes were shed pretty early on, beginning with craig tossing his hat into the crowd only a couple bars into the the second song, which was right around the same time tad puked on stage (i'm almost positive this happened), but the intensity level was through the roof the entire night, even when the band previewed two new songs, both of which were great (especially "lord i'm discouraged"), all eyes were on the stage...& as always, they seemed to be having just as much fun as we were...they let us know it too, as many times as craig finn has probably uttered the line "there is so much joy in what we do" before diving into "killer parties", it will always sound sincere...anyways, if there was one thing i was expecting on halloween & didn't get, it was a couple cover songs (like the ones below), but looking back, the setlist was excellent & the show couldn't have been better...chicago definately didn't seem tired last night..
setlist:
stuck between stations
the swish
chips ahoy!
hot soft light
massive nights
party pit
ask her for some adderall
barfruit blues
modesto is not that sweet
same kooks
chillout tent
you gotta dance (with who you came to the dance with)
lord i'm discouraged
you can make him like you
your little hoodrat friend
southtown girls
encore:
citrus
first night
girls like status
killer parties
download: the hold steady - hey hey what can i do (led zeppelin cover)
download: the hold steady - american music (violent femmes cover)
download: the hold steady - against the wind (bob seger cover)
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related: we ran into miguel from catfish haven at the art brut after party (he'd just finished a set of misfits covers over at the double door) & he was very enthusiastic about his favorite band from cmj, drug rug...check 'em out.
download: drug rug - tiny people
download: drug rug - day i die
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related: speaking of cmj, you can listen to the hold steady's live performance on kexp, recorded during the festival, here.
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