Introducing: Soft Power

When I heard Mary Timony's new project, Soft Power had scheduled a show in town I was more than a little excited. Then I heard the two tracks that are posted on the bands myspace page, and I'm down right giddy at the prospect of catching this band Live. Soft Power is Mary Timony, T.J. Lipple (Aloha), Jonah Tagaki, and Winston Yu. Timony has returned to familiar territory, but this is not a Helium retread. Soft Power deliver smart angular rock not unlike her beloved former band, but there's added elements of psych and kraut rock thrown in, the results are more than impressive.

Don't miss out when Soft Power play TT The Bears Sunday with support from Dave Derby's, (x-Dambuilders) Gramercy Arms.

[Mp3/Stream] Soft Power - La La La
[Mp3/Stream] Izabella

Soft Power myspace

Elephant Jokes

With albums credited to Circus Devils, Boston Spaceships,Cosmos, and a solo album already released this year it looks like Robert Pollard is just getting warmed up because on August 11th he'll unveil his thirteenth album under his given name. Elephant Jokes comes via Guided By Voices, Inc. and is comprised of 22 songs that clock in just over the 46 minute mark. The two tracks that I've heard are fantastic, and dare I say classic Pollard. Expect big guitar riffs (provided by Pollard himself) and smart pop hooks. Coming to a record store near you to satisfy your late summer rock and roll fix courtesy of The Fading Captain.

Marc Woodworth, Author of Bee Thousand (33 1/3 Press) did a bang up job writing the press release for Elephant Jokes :
I’m sick and tired of all you backward-looking crybabies. You know who you are: "If only it were 1994..." The present is the new past! So lay down the terrible burden of your quest for perfection. Inspired spontaneity is what you truly want! And there’s an abundance of the real thing on Elephant Jokes, a record released this very year by Robert Pollard who rocks and cerebrates and cuts up through 22 songs in 46.1 minutes. 1994? Were you even alive then? How alive? Not as alive as Robert Pollard is right now—working the boards, finding the words still jump when he says jump and the guitar chimes when he forms the chords on the 6-string with his honest-to-God DIY, home-made calluses. A clutch of these songs started out live in the studio, with Mr. Pollard on guitar, and they buzz with the charge of on-the-spot generation. All the secret ingredients go into the mix—even Mr. P’s brother, the estimable outside shooter Jimmy Pollard returns to tweak a few knobs—and the result is music that comes alive with that sui generis Dayton grit and sparkle. Check out the needling, obsessive riff on the intro to "When A Man Walks Away"—no mistaking the Pollard touch there—or the distortion-drenched start of "Epic Heads" where you can fairly smell the heat rise from the solid state circuit board. You want nostalgia? OK, here’s some nostalgia. Think music as real and unselfconscious as anything since Same Place the Fly Got Smashed or songs alive with Alien Lanes’ aesthetic but even hookier and smarter ("Stiff Me"? Are you kidding? Pure gold). Music that sounds just like friends playing for the fun of it in the family basement (so the family’s grown up and moved away, it’s a different house, and it’s not exactly a basement anyway, but I defy you to hear the difference). On Todd Tobias’ playground, everything’s possible, same as it ever was. Ocarina and kiddie chord organ on "Jimmy" with a drum beat as pared down as Hot Freak's trusty old 4/4? Check. A turn on guitar by Tim Tobias, GBV '99 -’03. Uh Huh. A verbal landscape where angels look like hell and Cyclops calls for his perverted eyelash? Did you expect anything less? If Bob playing guitar and getting new songs down with that kind of freshness and variety is your idea of a good time then I want to have a couple of beers with you and sit around telling Elephant Jokes all night with the volume up so loud all we can see is our mouths making the shapes of unbridled laughter.
- Marc Woodworth, author, Bee Thousand (33 1/3 Press)

Check out the two tracks that were just posted on robertpollard.net

[MP3/Stream] Symbols and Heads

[MP3/Stream] Jimmy

Elephant Jokes track listing:
Things Have Changed (Down in Mexico City)
Johnny Optimist
When a Man Walks Away
Parts of Your World
Symbols and Heads
I Felt Revolved
Epic Heads
Stiff Me
Compound X
Accident Hero
Tattered Lily
Hippsville (Where the Frisbees Fly Forever)
Newly Selected Dirt Spots
Jimmy
Pigeon Tripping
Spectrum Factory
Perverted Eyelash
Cosmic Yellow Children
Blown Out Man
Desiring
(All You Need) to Know
Architectural Nightmare Man

Thanks to Rich Turiel for his assistance and for putting up with all my questions.

Show Alert
Wilco with Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band
Saturday brings what just might be the show of the summer to the area. Wilco continue on their tour of minor league baseball stadiums when they play Lelacheur Park in Lowell, otherwise know as home to The Lowell Spinners. The AGP staff will be on hand to witness our first rock show in a baseball stadium and I for one am looking forward to hearing the excellent new material found on the bands just released Wilco(The Album).

The pairing with Conor Oberst as the opener is an added bonus to say the least. Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band will open the show with their multi-textured Americana folk. The band is on tour in support of their sophomore album Outer South (Merge).

Gates open at 5:30 with the show scheduled to begin at 7PM
Tickets are still available through Higherground/Frontgatetickets

Wilcoworld
Lowell Spinners/Lelacheur Park

From the NPR Archives: [MP3/Stream]
Check out this performance and interview culled from the NPR archives from 2005 shortly after Wilco picked up two Grammy Awards for A Ghost Is Born

Wilco on NPR's Talk of The Nation with Neal Conan 02/24/05

The Late Greats
Hummingbird
Remember The Mountain Bed
Muzzle of Bees
Handshake Drugs

Show Prep
Wilco- One Wing
Is it too early for some pre-show hype? I certainly hope not.
We'll have an official show preview tomorrow but this will do nicely until then. Recorded last year when Wilco played Lollapalooza in Chicago. A still in the works early version of One Wing which you can now find on Wilco (The Album).

New (American) Music

The fireworks have been acquired, the grills are ready to be lit, and the coolers are overflowing. However before I head out to enjoy this years Independence Day festivities I thought I'd take the opportunity to share some new tracks from some of Americas finest.

Spoon have just released their first recording since releasing Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga back in 2007. This past Tuesday Brit Daniel and Co. released Got Nuffin, a three song single via Merge. Be sure to check out the title track below and good luck not getting it stuck in your head for the next two days. Spoon are set to play their own festival, SpoonX3 in Austin as well as Merge's 20th anniversary festival, XXMerge later this month.

[MP3] Spoon - Got Nuffin

spoontheband


San Diego's,The Black Heart Procession will deliver their new album on October 6th. The band will release Six through their new label Temporary Residence and return to the economical approach to naming albums. They released One, Two, and Three earlier in their career. Earlier this week the band posted the track Rats and I have to say it sounds pretty great.

[MP3] The Black Heart Procession - Rats

The Black Heart Procession/myspace


I was taken by surprise earlier this week when Matador announced the release of The Reel Feel, the new release from Pavement's Scott Kannberg and his first proper solo album under the Spiral Stairs moniker. The album was recorded in Seattle and features his old band mates from Preston School of Industry as well Ian Moore, Jon Aur (The Posies), and Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene). The Reel Feel hits stores worldwide on October 20th. Maltese Terrier was posted on the Matador site earlier this week and it couldn't have come a better time. It's nice slab of summer pop goodness. Welcome back Spiral.

[MP3]Spiral Stairs - Maltese Terrier

spiralstairsmusic

An Interview With Andrew Kenny of The Wooden Birds

Over the past couple of months I've been singing the praises of Magnolia, the first release from Andrew Kenny's new project, The Wooden Birds. In fact it's going to be hard to top as my favorite album of 2009. So imagine my excitement when Andrew agreed to take some time to answer a few questions from The Ash Gray Proclamation via e-mail.

Andrew is best known as the creative force behind The American Analog Set. However with the sparkling and downright beautiful indie pop found on Magnolia, you can add The Wooden Birds to his already impressive resume.

The Wooden Birds play TT The Bears tonight with support from Hacham Social and Other Lives.

Thank you to Grant MacCallum at Barsuk for his assistance and especially to Andrew Kenny for his time.

The Ash Gray Proclamation: After the end of Amanset you worked with a handful of bands including Keven Drew & Broken Social Scene, can you tell me what led to the forming of your new band The Wooden Birds?

Andrew: After the AmAnSet stopped touring I was really depressed for months. When I started playing bass with Ola Podrida, it was a great opportunity to not be "the guy" and just have a good time performing music that you like. That definitely put some wind in my sails so when Kevin asked me to join his tour for a while I was ready to start traveling again. They also kept an acoustic guitar on their bus where I finished up a few of the songs on Magnolia. When I left the Broken Social Scene, I knew I was ready to put something of my own together.

AGP: How did the signing to Barsuk come about?

Andrew: I've been a DCFC fan since the first time I saw them in 1999 so Barsuk has been on my radar for a decade. We'd spoken a few times over the years about the AmAnSet and so I knew they were aware of me as well. I was happy to hear from them too! I think The Wooden Birds are a good fit here.

AGP: When you starting writing for Magnolia what were your expectations for the sound of the record?

Andrew: I used to demo songs by pounding out beats on my guitar top and then playing along. It was always my way of explaining the feel of each song to Analog Set drummer, Mark Smith. Over time I started liking the way those beats sounded on their own.

When I started putting songs aside for Magnolia I chose songs that would take advantage of those kinds of beats. It will be the next Wooden Birds album that I will get to write a few new songs specifically for and I'm really looking forward to that process.

AGP: I've read that the new record was inspired by heartbreak, can you tell me why that theme seems to keep creeping into your music?

Andrew: I'm not special. Like everyone, I have a lot of heartbreak to write about. These days I'm happily married so I'm mostly writing about things that happened in my past. Eventually I'll run out of sad things to write about though, huh? Maybe 2030 or 2035. The 90's were tough.

AGP: The Other One sounds like it could have been an Amanset song, speaking of your former band, can we expect to hear any Amanset material when you play Boston?

Andrew: There are a few songs on Magnolia that began as AmAnSet demos but maybe didn't make sense on an American Analog Set record. I presented The Other One as a song for Set Free in 2004 and everyone said, "Um.. you already have one Aaron and Maria, you need two?".

We're playing a few AmAnSet songs on this Wooden Birds tour. We play Kindness Of Strangers. And yeah we play Aaron and Maria as well which is a lot of fun because The AmAnSet never did!

AGP: Can you tell us how Hard To Find, the newly released Amanset rarities compilation came about?

Andrew: There was a tour only 12" called Everything Ends In Spring that we took with us on our last tour in 2005. It contains a coupe of my all time favorite AmAnSet moments and as an EP, I couldn't be more proud of 30 min of AmAnSet music. We'd always talked about making that EP available in some kind of digital format. And then other songs emerged as moments that were special for some reason. A 7" that was never released.. Hard To Find b/w Make It Take It. Another 7" that sold out quickly... New Equation. I love that version of Sharp Briar that Matt Pond sings on. And for years we opened every show with the slowed down version of Promise Of Love that we called, Stoney Chariots, though we never made it available officially. It just made a lot of sense to sequence them all together and make them downloadable.

AGP: Magnolia has been called your best work by your new label? How does that statement make you feel?

Andrew: I've written a lot of music over the years. It's a dangerous cycle to fall into to think that you have to top yourself somehow every time you write or record. My goal has always been just to make music that I believe in and when I get to share it with people, it's a wonderful feeling. So is the bridge on Never Know better than the moment when the vocals kick in on Continuous Hit Music ? Are the lyrics on Hometown Fantasy better than She's Half ? Aaron & Maria and The Other One are really similar songs but is one better? I'd rather think of myself as the guy that over the last 10 years wrote all 6 of those songs and many others and might have a few gems left in him. (I hope more than a few!)

AGP: What is the status of your other career as a biologist?

Andrew: Oh gosh. It's something that I think about every day, but resuming my career in science is going to be a major undertaking. I'd be a clumsy menace in a laboratory right now. It's in my future though. Laboratory science is the only thing I've ever done in my life that I've ever felt good at. I'd like to have that satisfaction resume someday.

AGP: Do you write on the road or do you prefer to focus on playing the songs you've just recorded?

Andrew: That's come up recently. I have a few bits of music recorded on my little cassette recorder and so I think about lyrics a lot while I'm driving. But as for the whole band, we're still working on making our set / show better. that's our #1 goal.

AGP: Here's question I like to ask all touring bands, what have you been listening to in the van?

Andrew: I'm never the van dj, but when I get a little backseat headphones time I've been listening to the newest Phoenix album which is absolutely going to be my favorite record of 2009. I also like the Land of Talk record that came out late last year. Also Grand Archives and Night Control. I've been enjoying a renewed interest in the House Of Love lately. I also just got a mix cd of Li'l Flip freestyles that I'm 'bout 'bout.

AGP: Four years have passed since you released Set Free, please tell us we won't have to wait another four years before we get the next Wooden Birds album?

Andrew: Ha, ha, right? The Wooden Birds is what I'm doing these days. I've been on tour for almost 3 months so when I'm home I'll need to spend at least that long proving to my wife that I'm worth putting up with the hassle of absentee husbandism. And then I'll start working on the next round of Wooden Birds songs. I'd like to keep my album cycles a little tighter with this project. We'll see.

The Wooden Birds-Seven Seventeen
Recorded on the streets of Valencia, Spain 5/6/09

The Return of The Starlight Mints

Oklahoma's archetypal popsters The Starlight Mints have returned with their new offering Change Remains via Barsuk. The album was released to digital shops on June 9th, with the bricks and mortars release set for July 21st. Over their previous three releases The Mints have honed their unique brand of psyche-pop and with Change Remains they've taken another step forward towards making the perfect oddball pop record. Barsuk is throwing in the digital version of Change Remains when you pre-order prior to the albums official physical release date.


01. Coffins 'R' Us [01:49]
02. Natural [02:41]
03. Paralyzed [03:51]
04. Zoomba [03:34] [MP3/Stream]
05. Black Champagne [03:24]
06. Power Bleed [03:25]
07. Gazaretti [02:48]
08. Sesame (untie the wrath) [03:49]
09. Snorkel with a Turtle [01:53]
10. 40 Fingers [03:46]

starlightmints.com
starlightmints/myspace

Sneak Previewed

In this current economic climate it's a good idea to spend wisely. So, in the interest of good consumerism and lets face a worthy excuse to tell you about some new music. I'd like to direct your attention to three new and upcoming releases that you can check out right now before you plunk down your hard earned cash.


Son Volt- American Central Dust (Rounder)
[MP3/Stream] Down to The Wire
[MP3/Stream] Cocaine and Ashes (via Spinner)

On July 7th Jay Farar will release his 6th album with Son Volt and the 2nd since rebuilding the band in 2004. According to the press release issued by the bands label, American Central Dust recalls the sparkling melodies and country twang found on the band debut release, Trace. Based on the tracks I've heard I have to agree with that comparison. A return to form? I'm not ready to make that statement just yet, lets just say I'm eager to hear more.


Wye Oak - The Knot (Merge)
The Knot Preview @ the Merge Shop

On July 21st Wye Oak will release their 2nd LP, The Knot. You can expect a more refined sound from Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack this time around while still maintaining their droning Americana. If you were lucky enough to be in the crowd at last months show at T.T. The Bears you already know how strong the new material found on The Knot is, and if not you need to introduce yourself to Wye Oak immediately.
Double Dagger -More (Thrill Jockey)
The More Preview @ Thrill Jockey

I thought I'd finish up by calling your attention to an LP that's already on the shelf at your favorite record shop. More is the 3rd full length from Baltimore's art punks, Double Dagger. It's another dose of drum and bass cacophony that features the bands strongest material to date. More was recorded on the fifth floor of an abandoned office building that was scheduled to be demolished, a perfect setting for their ambitious and raw sound.

Show Alert
The Decemberists with Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
The Bank of America Pavilion
The Decemberists are in town tonight to support their epic fifth album The Hazards of Love. An ambitious folk play and not the rock opera as some have suggested. Hazards is a bombastic rock record that tells the tale of a love between a mythical forest creature(Colin Meloy) and a delicate mortal (Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond) as well as the vengeful forest queen (Shara Wooden of My Brightest Diamond) who tries to put an end to it all. If it sounds a bit over the top that's because it is, not to worry The Decemberists provide the necessary pop firepower to pull it off with ease.

Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 open the show. Alongside Hitchcock, The Venus 3 features Scott McCaughey( Young Fresh Fellows), Bill Riffin(REM/Ministry), and Peter Buck(REM) respectively. The band is touring in support of their excellent Goodnight Oslo LP released via Yep Rock. Get there early so you don't miss a note.

Doors are at 6:30

Tobin Sprout & Bevel Web
With the recent release of his first children's book Elliott published via Mackinac Island Press, I assumed there would be a long wait before we heard any new music from Tobin Sprout. I am glad to say that I was wrong. Tobin's been busy recording and is planning to release these new tracks under the name Bevel Web. If that name sounds familiar that's because Toby used it to issue a single and split EP in the mid 90's, although with a slightly different spelling.

Wedding Song is the first track from the forthcoming Bevel Web album due to be released this fall.

Listen/Watch:


tobinsprout.net
tobin's myspace page

Life After Grandaddy

After 15 years and five albums Grandaddy packed it in back in January of 2006. So it's great news to have them back with new music, well sort of. Earlier this week Jason Lytle released his first post Grandaddy album Yours Truly, The Commuter on Anti. I'll try to curb my outright excitement for this release but the truth is, I like this album a lot. Recorded at his home studio in Montana Jason played and recorded every instrument on his own. Although the album doesn't break new ground, Lytle has turned in another excellent set of songs. A welcome return.

[MP3] Jason Lytle- Yours Truly, The Commuter

[Video] Jason Lytle- I Am Lost(And The Moment Cannot Last)



As for former Grandaddy guitarist Jim Fairchild he's preparing to release his second album under his All Smiles moniker. Oh For The Getting and Not Letting Go will be released on June 30th. The new album was recorded shortly after Jim relocated to Chicago and as with All Smiles debut Ten Readings of A Warning he enlisted assistance from some notable friends such as Janet Weiss (Sleater Kinney), Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse), Solon Bixler (Great Northern), and the album was recorded by Brian Deck (Red Red Meat/Ugly Casanova).

Jim has posted two new songs from Oh For The Getting and Not Letting Go on the All Smiles Website.
[MP3/Stream] All Smiles- The Ones I Want To Live
[MP3/Stream] All Smiles- Our Final Roles As Birds

Alright, the vacation sign is hung on The AGP office door and we're hitting the open road. New content will commence around the 1st of June.

Show Alert
Animal Collective with Grouper
The House of Blues
Baltimore via New York purveyors of fearless experimentalism, Animal Collective are in town tonight. The band are currently on a massive tour that will keep them on the road through next fall in support of 2009's album of the year front runner Merriweather Post Pavilion. There self described free form, horror, gospel, hip hop, soul, pop madness will be in full bloom tonight when the band take to the stage in front of a sold-out crowd at The House of Blues.

Grouper a.k.a. Liz Harris will open the show with her beautiful skewed pop songs drenched in distortion. Be sure to arrive early people.
Doors are at 7:00

Animal Collective Live at the 9:30 Club 5/11/09
Presented by NPR's All Songs Considered.

Here's Animal Collective destroying it on Letterman:

Micro-news

The Decemberists are wrapping up rehearsals in Portland this week as they prepare to head out on the road in support of The Hazards of Love. Before they hit the stage in your town this summer they've booked a couple of TV and Radio performances at the end of this week. Thursday the band will perform on The Tonight Show and then bright and early Friday morning The Decemberists will perform a short set on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. For those of us not in the L.A. area the performance will be streaming for your listening pleasure on KCRW.com at 2:15 PM EST.

The Decemberists will play The Bank of America Pavilion on June 9th.


In news a little closer to home, Thursday we find two of Baltimore's finest in town. Animal Collective will be at the House of Blues and Wye Oak will be at TT The Bears. The former will be getting a pre show write up tomorrow so lets focus on the duo of Joan Wasner & Andy Stack that make up the magnificent Wye Oak. The band knocked me out last year with there re-released debut If Children on Merge and I'm expecting a similar result when there new album In Knots is released on July 21st. Wye Oak are currently touring the with Ohio's Pomegranates who are supporting there excellent new release Everybody, Come Outside!

[MP3] Wye Oak- Take it In
wyeoakmusic.com

North Carolina's Bowerbirds have announced that they will release there sophomore album Upper Air via Dead Oceans on July 7th. The band is planning a lengthy tour that will have them playing shows in Boston and Providence in July.

[MP3] Bowerbirds- Northern Lights from the forthcoming Upper Air.

Bowerbirds Tour Dates
07/06/09 Washington, DC - Black Cat w/ Megafaun
07/07/09 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's w/ Megafaun
07/08/09 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom w/ Megafaun
07/10/09 Providence, RI - Club Hell w/ Megafaun
07/11/09 Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall w/ Megafaun
07/12/09 Cambridge, MA - TT The Bear's Place w/ Megafaun
07/13/09 Montreal QC, Canada - La Sala Rossa w/ Megafaun
07/14/09 Toronto ON, Canada - Sneaky Dees w/ Megafaun
07/15/09 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern w/ Megafaun
07/16/09 Pontiac, MI - The Pike Room at The Crofoot w/ Megafaun
07/17/09 Indianapolis, IN - Vollrath Tavern w/ Megafaun
07/20/09 Iowa City, IA - The Mill w/ Megafaun
07/21/09 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry w/ Megafaun
07/22/09 Omaha, NE - Slowdown w/ Megafaun
07/26/09 Denver, CO - Hi Dive w/ Megafaun
07/27/09 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court w/ Megafaun
07/29/09 Vancouver BC, Canada - The Biltmore Cabaret w/ Megafaun
07/30/09 Seattle, WA - Triple Door w/ Megafaun
07/31/09 Anacortes, WA - Department of Safety w/ Megafaun
08/01/09 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios w/ Megafaun
08/03/09 San Francisco, CA - Cafe du Nord w/ Megafaun
08/04/09 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo w/ Megafaun
08/05/09 San Diego, CA - Casbah w/ Megafaun
08/06/09 Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room w/ Megafaun
08/10/09 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress w/ Megafaun
08/12/09 Denton, TX - Hailey's w/ Megafaun
08/13/09 Austin, TX - The Mohawk w/ Megafaun
08/14/09 Houston, TX - Walter's On Washington w/ Megafaun
08/15/09 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks w/ Megafaun
08/16/09 Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree w/ Megafaun
08/17/09 Atlanta, GA - The Earl w/ Megafaun

bowerbirds.org

The Thermals Interview:
10 Questions with Hutch Harris

Does everyone love The Thermals yet? Well they should! The band formed in 2002 in Portland, OR and released their debut More Parts Per Million on Sub-Pop in 2003--A four-track gem recorded in Hutch Harris' kitchen. Since then the band has released three more records and gone through a few incarnations with various drummers while continuing to fine tune and improve their brand of post-punk-pop. This case is best displayed on their excellent new release Now We Can See, where the songs are delivered through the perspective of the dead.

The Thermals will play the Middle East tomorrow night in support of Now We Can See which comes via there new label Kill Rock Stars with support from Shaky Hands and Point Juncture, WA.

I'm pretty damn excited to finally get to see The Thermals this week and equally excited that front man Hutch Harris agreed to field some questions from us via e-mail. He was gracious enough to fill us in on all things Thermals. Thanks Hutch!

[MP3] The Thermals- Now We Can See



The Ash Gray Proclamation: A lot of changes have occurred over the last year with The Thermals--you signed to a new label, hooked up with a new producer, and added a new member to the band. How did Westin Glass come to be your new drummer?

Hutch: Westin was living in Seattle. He emailed us when he heard we were looking for a new drummer, then came down and played with us a few times before we asked him to join the band. We auditioned a lot of drummers. Westin had the best style and the best personality.

AGP: How did the decision to move from Sub Pop to Kill Rock Stars come about?

Hutch: We wanted a different contract than the type Sub-Pop was offering us. Kill Rock Stars offered the deal we wanted. Plus they just moved to Portland, which is so awesome. It's great to have them in town and to finally have a really good record label in Portland.

AGP: After the success of The Body, The Blood, and The Machine and it's political and religious themes, did you feel a need to take The Thermals into a less conceptual direction for the new record?

Hutch: Not less conceptual, just less political and less religious. There is very much a concept happening in this record... this record is all about life, from the point of view of the dead.

AGP: The new album is fantastic. What was it like working with John Congleton who handles production duties on Now We Can See ?

Hutch: Thank you! It was great working with John. He got in touch with us. He was a big fan of The Body,The Blood, and The Machine and was very enthusiastic about doing this record. John is the same age as Kathy and I so the three of us pretty much have all the same reference points. He also encouraged us to sign with KRS.

AGP: How do you feel Now You Can See compares with your previous work?

Hutch: We think these are some of the best songs we've ever written. We wouldn't release it unless we felt that way.

AGP: There seems to be a more positive tone with this record. Did the end of the Bush Administration and the Inauguration of President Obama have any influence on that?

Hutch: Closing the chapter on Bush's two terms definitely played a big part in it, but all of the music and most of the lyrics were written before Obama even had the nomination, so I can't say that affected it. The title works well, obviously, and we're happy to ride Obama's coattails and cash in on his success just like everyone else.

AGP: I read somewhere that you were planning a solo album in the future--do you have any details you can share on that project?

Hutch: Yeah it's gonna be called Portland Girls and I hope to record it this year on an 8 track 1/2" reel to reel. Some of the song titles are "J-J-J-Jen" and "When Mallory's Around".

AGP: Do you think that lost Thermals album will ever see the light of day?

Hutch: Yes, for sure. It's called We Sleep In A Holy Bed. You'll be downloading it illegally in a few years.

AGP: You've been touring the country by mini-van in support of the new record-- what have you guys been listening to on those long drives?

Hutch: We're in a Sprinter now, thankfully. The mini-van was just for a quick trip we took to Bethlehem, PA to play with The Roots. We listen to a ton of stuff. Today already we've listened to The Hot Snakes, The Beatles, and The Rentals.

AGP: I woke up this morning and saw that I had 80 twitter messages or tweets and I think 60 were from The Thermals, are you guys twitter junkies?

Hutch: Uh, yeah, we're fucking addicted to this bullshit. You probably have another 60 from us since you read this interview. We are going to encourage people to visit our twitter page to see what's up with us, 'cuz following us must be fucking ridiculous.



thethermals.com
Grab tickets for The Middle East show here.

Show Alert(s)
Mogwai with The Twilight Sad
The Wilbur Theatre
The long awaited return of Mogwai to our fine city is upon us. The Glaswegians are in town tonight to play the Wilbur Theatre in support of last years The Hawk is Howling. Get there early so you don't miss the opening set from fellow Scots The Twilight Sad. Over the years I've missed a handful of opportunities to catch this band Live, so to say I'm looking forward to the sonic assault that awaits me is a bit of an understatement, and yes I'm bringing ear plugs. Tickets are still available here.



As if that wasn't enough, after the Mogwai show you should go direectly to TT The Bears Place for one of Boston's finest The Hush Now as they take part in fellow Boston Music Blogger Bradley's Almanac presented show featuring 4 great bands for $10. Check out Brad's site for the details.

The AGP Review Board
Doves - Kingdom of Rust
Heavenly/Astralwerks

Doves are band that certainly don't need any help from this little blog, but the bands long awaited new album is finally out and I've kept my silence on this one long enough. Kingdom of Rust is proving to have been worth the wait and then some. But before I get into the album any further I have to rat myself out. On April 7th when this album was released it didn't get the attention that it deserved as it sat under new releases from The Thermals, Bob Mould, Telekenesis, and the new Superchunk EP. However now that I've had the chance to give Kingdom of Rust my undivided attention I am more than a little taken by it. From the one, two punch that is Jetstream, and the albums tittle track to the outstanding closer Lifelines, Doves have delivered an album that rivals there best work and proves that sometimes it takes four years to make an album as good as Kingdom of Rust.

Doves will play The House of Blues on June 7th.
Tickets can be ordered here
Watch the Doves Documentary chronicling the recording of Kingdom of Rust via the bands site doves.net.

Doves on the Black Cab Sessions.

AC Newman with Nicole Adkins Live on Letterman Last Night 4/13/09

Dusted Trax

Beulah - Emma Blowguns Last Stand
I woke up this morning with this song in my head and as the norm, I felt the need to share. I've always had a spot in my heart for the music of Beulah, and there amazing When Your Strings Break album. Emma Blowguns Last Stand is a perfect pop song and great way to start off this spring morning or any morning for that matter.



Update: I keep hear rumblings about Miles Kurosky's first post Beulah release. All we know at this point is the man is recording music again and after recovering from shoulder surgery last year he is able to play guitar again. Miles also recently put an end to the rumors of an all A Capella album. Crisis averted I guess.

Circus Devils Go Acoustic!

While The Crawling Distance andThe Planets Are Blasted continue to receive regular spins in the AGP offices I'm getting geared up for Bob's next release. On April 14th Robert Pollard will release his 3rd full length of this young year and 7th with experimental outfit Circus Devils via his Happy Jack Rock Records imprint. Gringo will once again feature the Tobias Brothers,(Todd and Tim respectively) taking on the instrumentation and production duties. Gringo is being billed as a kinder gentler Circus Devils, complete with acoustic guitars, while still containing there off kilter experimentalism. Based on the tracks that I've heard Gringo is proving to be this springs most highly anticipated release.

Listen/Download:
Before it Walks - Circus Devils

Every Moment Flame On - Circus Devils

Pre-order Gringo from Rockathon
Circus Devils Official Site

The AGP Review Board


The High Dials - Moon Country
Self Released

It was the winter of 2005 when I first heard Montreal's The High Dials, the band were receiving loads of critical praise and making it onto a lot of year end lists for there superb 2nd album The War of The Wakening Phantoms. Four years have passed, the band has since parted ways with there then label Rainbow Quartz and this time around have decided to release there latest album on there own.

Moon Country was recorded in a stone cottage in Sligo, on Ireland's west coast and in the bands hometown. Weather it was the location for witch they chose to record or a the natural progression from there last record The High Dials have delivered a pristine and powerful pop record and one of the most addictive song cycles I've heard in years. The psychedelic sounds they showcased on there 1st two releases are still present,however they're balanced with power pop in the vein of Big Star and Teenage Fanclub for there most focused and accessible album to date.


The album pays homage to the days of the LP by dividing it into two sides complete with a short track of silence in between Seagull Blues and Open Up The Gates. Just like those old black circles we used to play in our bedrooms as kids. Wait a minute I better be careful not show my age like that. One of the things I really like about this album is that it's the perfect blend of the bands strengths. On the first half of the album The High Dials deliver jubilant power pop and the latter half they let there psych tendencies run wild. The results are psych pop perfection.

Moon Country was released by The High Dials in Canada last September with assistance from Fontana Distribution. Although there are no plans for an official US release I highly recommend you seek this album out at one of the several digital shops currently offering it.

I am pleased to be able to offer the Moon Country full album stream. I'll keep this up as long as I can, and as long it's OK with the band and there management.




Buy this album:
Zunior.com
Mapple Music
Apollo Audio

The High Dials/myspace

Free Grizzly Bear Download
Veckatimest has already become one of the years most talked about albums and we're still two months away from it's official release, May 24 via Warp. Luckily the band has decided to offer up a free download of the album track Cheerleader at grizzly-bear.net. I just listened to it for the 5th time in a row and I have to say it's pretty great!



Listen Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader

Grizzly Bear will play the Berkley Performance Center on June 3rd.

Set Guitars to Kill

I thought I'd dedicate some time this St. Patrick's Day to one of Northern Ireland's finest bands. And So I Watch From A Far formed in Antrim in 2006 and have since relocated to Belfast in order to be closer to the Belfast music scene. Since that move the band has received well deserved critical praise and have been dropping jaws with there Live gigs throughout Ireland and the UK.

Hot on the heels of there superb debut EP This is Our Machine and Nothing Can Stop It, ASIWFAF are preparing to release there 1st proper full length. On April 14 the bands label Smalltown America will release And So I Watch From A Far. I can only hope a trip stateside is in the cards for the boys from Antrim.


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And So I Watch From A Far myspace Page

Love is a Wave
According to Slumberland Records Crystal Stilts will release new music on March 31st in the form of The Love is a Wave 7" single. The release will also feature the b-side Sugar Baby. Considering how I've made public my love for the bands excellent debut Alight of Night, new music from Brooklyn's Crystal Stilts is a welcome find. Not to mention that the A side is a fuzzed out dream pop gem.

Listen: Crystal Stilts - Love is a Wave

Live Dates
Mar 14 2009 8:00P Music Hall w/ Blank Dogs+ Brooklyn
Mar 15 2009 8:00P DC9 District of Columbia
Mar 16 2009 8:00P Al’s Lexington, Kentucky
Mar 17 2009 8:00P Milsap’s Jackson, Mississippi
Mar 18 2009 8:00P Rudyard’s Houston, Texas
Mar 19 2009 8:00P SXSW Buns

Crystal Stilts Myspace

Regurgitation
Welcome to the 1st installment of a new feature here at The AGP that features content found elsewhere. In other words I may not have broken the story, but It's too good not to share. In this inaugural edition I am pleased to be able to share some performances from last weeks Noise Pop Festival in San Francisco.

Just a quick note:
The Deerhunter set is missing the encore, however you get to hear four new songs! Stephen Malkmus' solo performance of Pink India ends abruptly, but that does not detract from it's awesomeness.









For more performances from Noise Pop 2009 check outWolfgangsvault

Deerhunter Official Site/Blog
Port O'Brien
Ra Ra Riot
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks