Working on a Dream

Springsteen has been generous lately. First, he obliged electronic trick-or-treaters this past Halloween. Now, for one day, he's giving away his latest single, "Working On A Dream" at iTunes and through his Web site. Thanks, Boss! Prost!

If you believe ...

R.E.M. closed their 2008 intl. tour with a performance in Mexico City this week. Thanks for some great [censored by Blogger] music, lads!

¡Salud!

Yorke the Vote

To celebrate the Obama 08 electoral victory, Thom Yorke has posted a remix of "Harrowdown Hill" on deadairspace. What the 7734. Thanks, Thom!

Here's his post:

did i fall or was i pushed?

in celebration of nov 5th
jonnys burthday
amid bonfire and fireworks in the UK
and the dawn of a new era in politics in the USA
i humbly donate a remix of harrowdown hill that was finished ages ago during the band webcasts,
a small reminder of the dark days of Bush's....

Thom Yorke - "Harrowdown Logic Jump Rmx"



"And I'm coming home
I'm coming home
To make it all right
so dry your eyes
We think the same things at the same time
We just can’t do anything about it

We think the same things at the same time
There are too many of us so you can’t
There are too many of us so you can’t count...

It was me walking to the back of Harrowdown Hill
It was me walking to the back of Harrowdown Hill

It was a slippery, slippery, slippery slope
It was a slippery, slippery, slippery slope
I felt me slipping in and out of consciousness
I felt me slipping in and out of consciousness

I feel me..."

r.e.m. Believes in Obama [video]

:: Report from remhq ::

"Here's a special clip from tonight's show in Santiago, Chile, when the band and audience learned from Bertis that Barack Obama's victory was imminent and indisputable. A celebratory version of "I Believe" followed...Yes!"





"I believe in coyotes and time as an abstract
Explain the change, the difference between
What you want and what you need, there’s the key,
Your adventure for today, what do you do
Between the horns of the day?

I believe my shirt is wearing thin
And change is what I believe in"

The Monday Covers Project - Expressway To Your Skull

For The Monday Covers Project, I raided the archives of, well, archive.org. It starts off with Athens, GA-based Drive-By Truckers playing "Rockin' In The Free World," a Neil Young song. I heard the piece performed live at the Rockfish Palace the first time I visited Athens, covered by Drivin N Cryin with Peter Buck as a guest guitarist. So, there's obviously a bit of nostalgia at work. I conclude my brief list with a cover version of a Sonic Youth tune -- something that, for some reason, I don't see nearly enough of -- along with a few other cool picks from Ryan Adams (I particularly like his Rocket Man, the studio version of which was featured in David Duchovny's latest TV show, Californication). Cheers to our adoration of covers and, since tomorrow is the election (FINALLY), an end to this eight-year nightmare!

Rockin' in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
Drive-By Truckers [10.26.08]
People Who Died (Jim Carroll cover)
[Recorded at The 40 Watt -- 11.3.06]

Where is My Mind? [9.8.07]
The Frames (Pixies cover)

Firecracker [6.7.03]
Annie Bethancourt (Ryan Adams cover)

Rocket Man [12.3.01]
Ryan Adams (Elton John cover)
Sweet Jane (Lou Reed cover) [10.30.02]
Wonderwall (Oasis cover) [5.14.05]
Expressway To Your Skull (Sonic Youth cover) [8.3.06]



"We’re gonna kill
the California girls
we’re gonna fire the exploding load in the milkmaid maiden head
we’re gonna find the meaning
of feeling good
and we’re gonna stay there as long as we think we should

mystery train
three way plane
expressway
to your skull"

Sunday Live - Cracker 11.4.07

"Following the break-up of his seminal 1980's band, Camper Van Beethoven, David Lowery, looking to the future, formed Cracker with Johnny Hickman. Cracker was, and continues to be, an ideal showcase for Lowery's invariably satiric, oft-times, acerbic take on present day Americana. Anchored by Hickman's pan-rock stylings they glide seamlessly between rock, alternative and country musical styles, flummoxing those wanting to pigeon-hole the band, and giving them the freedom to consistently re-invent themselves. As a result, they have enjoyed a longevity possessed by few rock bands."

Typically, I would be loathe to read -- much less quote -- a bio from a band's own Web site, writing it off as narcissistic [censored by Blogger]. But in the case of Cracker, I'll make an exception, because Lowery deserves a lot of credit for working to create some [censored by Blogger] great music with his post-CVB outfit. If you're not familiar, or are just looking for more than this concert, try the band's site and register as a member of the "community" (you only need to pass along an e-mail addy), where you'll get access to loads of freebie MP3's (from Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven) and other stuff.

For Sunday Live this week, I'm posting a Cracker performance recorded at The Bottleneck in Lawrence KS on 11.4.07 (from archive.org). You can download the entire show as a 64Kbps MP3 ZIP or VBR ZIP file.

One Fine Day
Riverside
Everybody Gets One
Euro Trash Gigl
Big Dipper
Mr. Wrong
Lonsome Johnny Blues
Infirmary
Useless Stuff
The World Is Mine
Something You Aint Got
St. Cajtean
Low
Gimme One More Chance
Sweet Thistle Pie
Loser



"It's been a long time since I've been so very low
It's been a long time since I've been so very low
When I was young you were no stranger
Around the world and slip through my fingers
It's been a long time since I've been so very low

Hey Hey Hey Yeah

Sweet Thistle Pie
Sweet Thistle Pie
Sweet Thistle Pie"