Muzzle of Dan

You guys played my friend's place in Denver a couple years ago, no? Quixote's?

We have played there a couple times! We played at Be On Key Psychedelic Ripple this year which is kind of like the new Quixote's/same owner. Are you friends with Jay?

My wife and I will be going! Most likely second weekend but waiting on the lineup announcement for the decision. This year will be our 3rd year attending Jazzfest. We  usually play some shows while we are there too - be on the lookout for Northern Strangers on the grids! Last year we played at Fair Grinds Coffeehouse just outside the Fair Grounds and caught a great crowd as everyone made their exit from the Fest.

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

We received a nice review on the UK based indie music blog Emerging Indie Bands...

https://emergingindiebands.com/northern-strangers-the-waiting-song-single-review/

"The US alt-folk quartet Northern Strangers released the single The Waiting Song on the 22nd. The Waiting Song is a trippy world-beat, three and almost three quarters of a minutes, multi-vocal song that is weaved inside a multitude of layering of electronica and instrumentation in which the listener can feel the weariness of daily life slip off the shoulders and a sense of well-being rise through the room leaving the audience set fair in a brighter frame of mind than when they arrived.

It has been a few years since Northern Strangers released new material and The Waiting Song (available on bandcamp) marks a welcome return to the studio."

Hey! I actually was just checking your songs out the other day. I'll drop a comment about them in the other thread.

Thanks for your thoughts. That's great that the video says Decemberists to you - we love them and the kooky nature of their videos/live shows.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the mix. I'm always looking for different viewpoints to help improve perspective on future projects. Using the synth and electronic sounds was also something new for us on this release, but we were definitely going for that Arcade Fire sound you mentioned.

We have another LA indie band we are friends with, who are doing a similar style release. I don't think they are going to compile theirs into an album though. They just recorded 5 songs and are looking to put out one every 2 months or so next year. Their drummer mentioned to me that a lot of media is starting to release this way - video games releasing before things are actually finished and then delivering add-on content at a later date, using early versions of things to gauge reaction before the "finished" product is out there, etc. In a sense of trying to get PR continually releasing new content is certainly easier than trying to push something that was already released in another form.

My band Northern Strangers just released this new single and music video. This is the first track from our new batch of songs. We are thinking of just releasing the new songs as singles, as we get them recorded and then eventually they would add up into a collected work titled Make America Love Again. We are trying out a new sound with these songs. Our last record was straight up psychedelic folk rock - recorded as a band playing all the jams and solos live in the studio, lots of electric guitars and very psychedelic rock oriented. Our new songs are a little less dark and we are trying a songwriting approach based on the Wilco Star Wars/Schmilco model of songwriting, where the songs are short and pop oriented but the parts are put in a different order or the arrangement makes it still progressive/psychedelic, using short verse and chorus to keep the song moving. This track is arranged as chorus/verse/verse/chorus bridge/breakdown/chorus. The instrumentation also is based more around an acoustic guitar/drums/bass and then using more synth and cool environmental sounds (rather than the electric guitar/psychedelic sound of the last album). We are definitely showing some love to our influence of Talking Heads, Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire and even some romantic 70's folk ala Gordon Lightfoot or Jim Croce. I'd love to hear what you think of the track. The video was very fun to put together.

New Fleet Foxes album announced, Crack-Up. Coming out June 16! I saw Robin Pecknold solo last year, he played some new songs that (I'm assuming) are from the new album, they were really great! 

This is the BEST news ever.  I was starting to think we'd never see another Fleet Foxes album.

Been working on getting a new folk music project going called FOX WARRIORS. In response to the government silencing the National Parks and Park Rangers, and then threatening to sell of National Park land, I decided to make my art into action with this video. The footage was all captured by my Wife and myself, on our various adventures through some of the Parks we've been to. I came up with the arrangement for the song (Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place) and started recording ti back in December, just before Christmas. I'm really happy with the way it all turned out and I'd love to hear what you all think. It's been really fun to hear others' stories about visiting the National Parks after they see the video.

Have Ticketmaster fees increased with the New Year?  My wife tried to get us tickets for Billy Joel at Dodger Stadium and the fee is $20 per ticket, plus another $5 each for a venue fee.  For 2 $50 tickets the price magically becomes $150.  You basically get charged the price of one whole extra ticket when buying 2.  Insane.  I'll be waiting until the last minute to see if I can pick up some tickets under face value closer to the show.  If not, I guess I'm happy I saw Billy Joel the last time he came through town because it just doesn't seem worth paying those ridiculous fees.  Anyone notice this with other acts?

I love the Decemberists' live shows. I only wish they'd tour the South more frequently because I can't get enough of them. 

The New Years eve show in San Fran was a blast.  I've seen them at least 6 times.  My wife has seen them much more.  The New Years show was definitely my favorite show of theirs I have attended.  They did the most epic version of California One.  So beautiful and awesome.

Yes, Neil and Promise of the Real in the rain on Sunday afternoon was amazing. All 2 1/2 hours.

 

 

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I'm there basically right in the center of the crowd.  We were in the middle on the rail that went down the center of the crowd.  We had an umbrella but got harassed to put it down before Neil started.  I don't regret it.  This year I am bringing an actual rain coat and rain boots, just in case...

It was unreal.  The 20+ minute Cortez The Killer at the beginning of the set really set the tone for what was going to happen the rest of the day.  Just amazing.  I walked away from that show and said that was the concert I have been waiting to see my whole life.  Just pure genius avant-psych creation happening right before your eyes.  The rain was the perfect setting.

Too many great ones to pick any one favorite!

Rang in the new year with The Decemberists in San Franscisco at the Masonic.

Caught White Denim and Sam Cohen at The Teragram Ballroom in LA.

Saw David Gilmour at the Hollywood Bowl - Amazing, amazing show.

Saw Neil Young at Jazz Fest in NOLA - possibly the best set I've ever seen from any band.

Also Paul Simon at Jazz Fest in NOLA.

The Who at Staples Center.

Three nights of Wilco at Theatre at Ace Hotel in LA.

Last night caught Jim James at the Orpheum in LA.

Tonight saw Conor Oberst at the Cathedral at Immanuel Pres...  Amazing sound, great versions of his old tunes plus the new album in full.

Crossing my fingers that they wind up at NOLA Jazz Fest this year...

This may bode well for the South as a whole. Fingers crossed down here in NOLA.

My wife and I are planning our second annual trip to Jazz Fest and crossing our fingers that Wilco is on the bill for one of the weekends. 

Wilco apparently did a Morning Becomes Eclectic session with KCRW when they were in LA in September. Just found this on Facebook. Filmed at The Theater at Ace Hotel. Lovely memories of a wonderful run of shows. Video Here:

 

Agreed!! Another highlight for me was Radio Cure. If anyone was at the show a few years ago at the Los Angeles Theater (right down Broadway from the Ace,) Radio Cure was a total mess. It seemed like Jeff was completely lost and about to abort, but managed to hold on til the end. Rough. But Tuesday night at the Ace it was perfect - really sharp, almost majestic. A great redemption.

 

Overall, the entire show, with the simpler arrangements, was outstanding. I've seen them a dozen or so times and the show Tuesday really stands out.

Agreed - my wife and I were just talking about how crazy that Radio Cure from the Los Angeles Theater was at the show last night in comparison to the one we heard.  The version last night was magnificent.

My wife and I got married 6 weeks ago, and two of our friends who are old time musicians did an amazing rendition of "Whole Love" during our ring ceremony. Needless to say, I was totally amped when Wilco played it on Night 3 at the Fillmore, and only wished they had repeated it on Night 4 which was the only night my wife made it to. Would have made an already awesome night that much more magical.

 

Glad you and your wife got to enjoy that moment, not to mention the whole show!

That sounds amazing!

Thank you it was really special.

Last night was my favorite time seeing Wilco.  The arrangements fo everything in the stripped down format works really, really well.  I almost wish I could hear them play YHF in full in this arrangement - all of the YHF tunes we heard last night sounded like they were straight off the record.  Hummingbird was the same thing - where it basically turned back into the arrangement on AGIB.  I love how the show is slimmed down from the monstrous rock outfit Wilco had recently become with playing so many outdoor shows and huge venues.  It's a treat to see them in their current format and Theatre at Ace Hotel has the BEST sound in LA in my opinion.  The mix last night was just beautiful.

It was really crazy that this was the quietest Wilco show I've ever been to, but probably the most rowdy.  The audience was really into it last night.  Nels got a crazy ovation after Impossible Germany - which was amazing and totally deserved it.  I was lucky enough to be right in the center on the floor, so I was among the standees.  Some folks behind me did get angry and yelled at us to sit down, but there were so many of us standing by midway through the show that I think those people moved seats or left.  By the end of the show and for both encores, the entire floor was standing and going crazy.  It's amazing the energy Wilco was able to bring in their "quiet" format.

Spiders rocked my socks off.  It was even better and more intense than I remember it being at shows years ago. 

My wife was the one who yelled about Reservations.  This was our first time seeing Wilco since getting married last year and we had my wife's brother play and sing Reservations as part of the ceremony.  When Wilco played it last night we put our arms around each other and slow danced to the song.  It was just beautiful - like having Jeff serenade us.  My wife was so excited and appreciative that they played the song, that she just couldn't keep it in and had to shout out in thanks.

Can't wait to see what the next 2 nights bring.  Hopefully a few more tunes from AGIB, as they would sound beautiful in this format - especially Muzzle of Bees...  I would love to hear a few more of the Schmilco songs that haven't been played yet too.

Yep! In all it's crunchy glory.

Hope is alive!  I requested the crap out of the electric version of Spiders last year before the Greek show in LA.  I had my fingers and toes crossed that they'd resurrect it after all the requests and wouldn't you know, they wait until the show after LA to start playing it again.  Glad to see it's still on the table a year later, even with the "quieter" vibe of all this Schmilco setup.  Cannot wait for those 3 nights in LA.  These setlists aregreat.  This is gonna be a fun tour to follow.

Was Spiders the electric version?

Thanks for posting!  Loving those new songs!  Jeff was in a particularly hilarious mood at this show.

That's not how my list would look, that's for sure. There's a few albums I'd say are not even country on there, Bright Eyes for instance (which has one song I'd classify as country). Magnolia Electric Co should be much higher. Also no Sadies? Seriously? Wait, where was Neil Young? Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn make it on but no Neil?!  

Although to be fair, I do agree with their #1.

Cassadega has a lot of country influence and feel going for it.  I don't know if I'd call it alt-country but it's the most country Bright Eyes album in my view.  And a damn good album at that.

Surprised to see Emotionalism ranked above Being There... It's a great album, but it's no Being There.

The digital album from Google Play Music says it'll be released September 9th. They could still surprise everyone and gift it... but I dunno if they'd do that 2 years in a row.

 

Edit: For those that prefer to listen before they buy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzLZtj-twXQ

Thanks for the link. This song is great! Love the production. All the instruments and vocals sound great! - particularly the drums and acoustic guitars.

So stoked for this record! Even more excited about those 3 shows in LA now!

I dig it.  Hoping this is a good sign of how the new album will sound!  I'm loving that it seems like they are unafraid to keep it weird.  Hopefully more new music keeps coming leading up to the West Coast shows that are coming up!

Is this a confession, Dan?

Oh I am 100% guilty.  haha - it helped me get The Long Cut, Black Eye and Dash 7 at the one Jeff solo show I was lucky enough to attend during the Largo run, I tend to think it was a pretty good system.