Adventures with Dr. Lady Cutie Troublemaker

Chan Marshall of Cat Power two nights ago at the Bataclan in Paris
Creative Commons image by DJ Arbobo

Pay money for this one. I keep thinking of more and more people who will love Cat Power’s Jukebox (just released yesterday). This album is somehow both intimate and spacious. Intimate like the show I saw a few months ago, in that you sometimes feel like she’s singing right to you and revealing herself, making herself vulnerable. But it also has moments where it’s sounds like it’s being recorded in a big abandoned echoey church. Like you are a voyeur who came across something big, and you’re not sure you want to share. There is an importance in these songs… as if you’ve heard them for years. I think it’s going to be in medium-heavy rotation in my life for a long, long time. Very accessible AND very brilliant, a rare co-occurrence. Chan Marshall may be a bit nutty, but man, this woman can interpret the shit out of a song and make it utterly, totally her own.

Download the MP3 album from Amazon (free of all DRM bullshit!)

Here’s a sample. It’s a redo of a song she has recorded previously: Metal Heart. I loved the original version, but this take is equally satisfying and brilliant in its own right:

(Crap. Wanted to stream and not share. Need to do some research on that!)

Earlier, I was thinking about my single status and the endless hoop jumping of the last 5 years and how those two things are related. Later, I was listening to Billy Bragg, and this song came on. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

Scholarship Is The Enemy of Romance
From Reaching to the Converted

Scholarship is the enemy of romance
Where does that leave me? Alone in the rain again
What happened to the weekend I planned with you?
We didn’t even get upstairs this time

I never missed that end-of-term kiss
But where did it go, miss? I don’t know, miss

Take me to the fair and hold me close as we fly through the air
Then suddenly on Sunday, it all just melted away
And when it had gone, between patches of yellowing grass
I found a coin and lost what I was looking for

I never took the advice in that book
Oh you should look, sir, you might learn, sir,
You might learn, sir

Well you know I’m always blathering on and on about The Mountain Goats. They live here, but they are most definitely not local. You hear that? Not local at all. The Mountain Goats are a national-level act with worldwide following (I’m straining NOT to say that they are huge in Belgium!), so don’t be thinking I’m sending you off to see some namby pamby local yahoos. I would never do such a thing to you. No, I’m sending you out for some quality entertainment and seriously incisive lyricism. The point I’m trying to make is that TMG are heading toward many people I know very soon. So here’s the tour schedule. If you know me and live in one of these places, you’re going to get an e-mail about it, too. TWO dates in Boston, kids. And Brooklyn AND Manhattan. And even Philly and DC. I have lots of emails to send. John’s put a song from the new album on his blog today. Listen:

John Darnielle (pronounced dar-neel, I’ve just learned) playing a solo spot for the Reach for the Skye benefit at Cat’s Cradle in September – although he did walk out and say, “Hi, we’re The Mountain Goats” despite the fact that he was alone!

John’s bringing The Moaners along. They are a delightfully grungy Delta blues duo – two chicks (That’s hot!”). Take a listen:

The Moaners at Trekky Records’ Christmas at the Cradle a few weeks ago

March is your month:
13 – Northampton, MA, Pearl Street
14 – Boston, MA, Museum of Fine Arts
15 – Boston, MA, The Middle East
18 – New York, NY, Webster Hall
19 – Brooklyn, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg
20 – Philadelphia, PA, First Unitarian
22 – Washington, DC The Black Cat

Ah, The Middle East. Last time I was there was to see a 50 Foot Wave/Throwing Muses double bill. I was in heaven. And then a few months ago, I got to tell Kristin Hersh about that in person. My musical life is very, very rich these days. I’m not complaining one bit.

Hey, so speaking of local acts, if you haven’t seen the Triangle’s best 35 songs (with free downloads for every one of those songs), you should get right on that.

The longer title is really “Christmas Songs That Aren’t Christmas Songs (From Me) and Actual Christmas Songs (From Other Bloggers)”

From Me
(I listen to these year-round, and only when I hear them at Christmas do I remember that they are often called “Christmas songs”, although I’m not sure I agree. Still, WONDERFUL songs.)

Fairytale of New York by The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl:

River by Joni Mitchell:

Christmas Mixtapes (Thanks, other bloggers!):

• Hi-Fi Heart
• I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
• chrisdellavedova.com
• Football and Music
• Black Balloon
• The Leather Canary (There are a bunch of Xmas mixes here, so click around!)
• Caffeine Headache
• Random Thoughts of Nothingness
• Circles of Concrete
• Captain Obvious
• rbally
• To the Dogs Or Whoever
• Speed of Dark

Just spotted this on The Mountain Goats blog. It’s “Coffee” by Aesop Rock, and make sure you watch the whole thing. The last minute features John Darnielle (Mountain Goat extraordinaire). It’s a different sort of use of his voice, but it’s perfect. Just perfect!