Free Summer Rock Concert in Union County New Jersey

Lots of great bands playing the Union Country Music Festival this year in 2010. Nice mix of headliners like Spoon and supporting bands playing the stages like: The Zombies, Ok Go!, Jesse Malin, Soul Asylum, Suzanne Vega with bands starting Weds Sept 8th through Sunday Sept 12th. Oh did I mention the entertainments is FREE!? Another reason why Jersey is becoming cooler every year. Not that you had to tell me that but just in case you want to road trip it for the day. The fest usually has decent vendor provided food and recently has added a beer garden and lots of stuff for the kids to do. So great reason to burn in the sun in Oak Ridge Park, in Clark NJ.

Track a couple tracks from the bands that are playing:
Queen Of The Underworld by Jesse Malin. This is a older track from the glam punker you might know jesse from D Generation days. Matured into something influenced by The Rolling Stones and cleaner P.Westerberg jams.
The Way We Get by from Spoon's awesome Kill the Moonlight album. If you get anything before their new one Transference get that one then back-fill. All great records.

The Zombies live on the BBC 1965-66: I found these live radio tracks a year or so ago out in the blogosphere so enjoy them. The songs have little radio bits with the band being interviewed and telling funny little stories about young fan girls chasing them down in hotels. Remember this was on the eve of Beatlemania. They could have been bigger than Ringo, John, Paul and George.
I Must Move
Just out of reach
When Ever You're Ready
Will you love me tomorrow?
Sitting In The Park (1966)

Ted Leo funny Bottled In Cork video

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - "Bottled In Cork" (Official Video) from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

I’m a big fan of Tom Scharpling; who not only hosts the best show on earth, he is also screen writer in "real life". (Isn’t everybody?). He’s a comedic spinster and spends most of his radio show hanging up on people and letting the Howard-esque one’s hang on for the fun if you are not conversationalist you are toast. Something sycophantic about it all but somehow super under-indie ground Ted Leo (also frequent guest of the show) put a cast of characters together and debuted his song Bottled in Corks on Funny or Die;s video channel. Here is a totally tongue and cheek and self referential uber cheese rock video. the song is classic Ted Leo.

Joe Strummer Know your Rights

Direct from Julien Temple's movie The Future is Unwritten a great bit from Joe Strummer (RIP 1952-2002)when he's waxing philosophic, he says "without people, you are nothing". What I think Joe was driving at is we live in a insulated society and we need to pay attention to those around us to make our and their lives richer. Still to this day with dominance of office culture in our social networks this fact is even more true. Your head is down trudging along to the next email. In a recent interview, with my now friend Jack Rabid (for a project I'm doing), who had the pleasure of buying Mr. Strummer a beer when he interviewed him for his magazine The Big Takeover. I saw this intensity for people in Jack's eyes and in how hiss a passion for the people who make music, and in the things he said, and in particular when he recalled said interview. I won't be the spoiler until it's released on Create or Else just yet. but somehow the vibe was transferred to guys like Jack and between the sub-text and fascination with culture and class that The Clash and Joe cared about so much. The notion that you can affect the future even if it is one soul at time is pretty great. Here are few tracks that if anything will enrich your day but for a moment every time you listen to them or they randomly come up on your ipod. They do for me anyways. Enjoy.

Joe Strummer's Midnight Dream - By Angledust featuring Chris Harford and Andrew Weiss
"Without People, You're Nothing" - Joe Strummer from The Future Is Unwritten (Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The Clash Live Passaic NJ 1980 (When everything happened)
Guns of Brixton
Spanish Bombs
Police & Thieves
Complete Control
Bankrobber
Tommy Gun

Related Joe Strummer post:
Love Kills Mp3 post

The InnerSpeaker of Tame Impala

ALBUM REVIEW: Tame Impala's InnerSpeaker is a jam band like no other in love with guitar effects, rubber soul and the mysterious retro parts of the Flaming Lips. Ok maybe they are more Pink Floyd but the thing is with the distortion and big drums things get like an ocean engulfed by pixies on the top with these spacey vocals that just make this album work. Right see key is here I said album. All of these tracks are woven together with guitars to create a great soundscape for that old black velvet 70's nude psychedelic poster you have.

Tame Impala_02_Desire Be Desire Go

The Ghost of New Model Army

ONLY US SHOWS: Even 30 years ago New Model Army has always been a band way ahead of their time. Always political in nature to the point of keeping them out of US according to Wiki. If I had to batch them together you could say they were a mash up of The Cult when they go acoustic or solo, Killing Joke (when they light torches) and Jesus and Mary Chain because of the leather except they played with large rusty axes and played fast with lots of chicks dressed in animal skins (imagination runs wild). Fronted by Justin Sullivan a underworld cult hero and leading their 12th band release last year Today is a good Day is as fresh as it was back in 1986 and could give all the bands on relapse a wake-up call that there can be more depth to the thrash metal genre -something they invented in my humble opinion and are still taking it to the next level in the vain of Neurosis. When I first heard their music many presidents ago it hit me that the bass could be distorted way beyond anything Geddy Lee could pull off. The newer material is big rock in a big way and still good. Once you test drive the mp3s below go find The Ghost Of Cain release. Happy hunting.

Taste some of their dirt:
Today is a good Day (title track)
Autumm

They are coming to rip-up up the pavement:
Friday September 3 & September 4, 2010 - Brooklyn, NY @ Bell House
149 7th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 643-6510; www.thebellhouseny.com

Sirs Chicago funny version of Shellac

I like bands that randomly follow this blog's unbranded twitter feed. hello sirs what you un-follow me already? Main thing allows me to randomly stalk a band and check them out. I liked a funny lyric in one of their tunes reminded of how punk used to self mock a lot like in Repo Man where they agree to go do some crimes and get sushi and not pay.

... There is nothing that can't be blamed on Pakistani hackers

I would agree with their self assessment a noise-rock band from Chicago in the Touch&Go / Amphetamine Reptile tradition.

Anyway check them out: Illegal Criminal Crimes (Against The Law) mp3 | Sirs Band site

Jersey Beat Rockstar T-Shirts benefit foodbank

JERSEY BEAT: It's A Zine! It's A Blog! It's A Podcast!

Do you feel like you need more T-shirts? I know I always do. Long time friend Jim Testa from Jerseybeat.com is donating everything he makes from shirts sales in August to the Asbury Rock Stars Charity Softball The Game is on August 28, who will in turn donate the money to the Monmouth Food Bank. This is a wonderful volunteer organization that helps feed the poor and disenfranchised in southern New Jersey. It's for the kids!

Contact and donate Jerset Beat on Facebook. Shirts are only $10 bux!

The Big Takeover Bell House Show Photos

Coming soon will be videos and short documentary on Jack Rabid from the Big Takeover's 30th Anniversary show that I am working on. For now you can check out some of the photos from the show this past weekend at The Bell House with Flower, For Against, Mark Burgess, The Sleepover Disaster just to name a few of the bands that played the event.

Get some of the music here.

Music Bootleggers bring the show to you

There are a lot of great shows this summer which makes it impossible to attend but goody for us the live show "tapers" are a dedicated kind. Sure it's all digital now but whatever. You don't have to stand there. They do the work for you. Here's some tasty bites. So crack open a beer and crank up these shows.

Tapers & Bootleggers:
nyctaper: Has very recent shows byBuilt to Spill and The Flaming Lips
Southern Shelter: Melvins@40WattAthens and a old Tortoise show the Standards tour 2001.
North East Recordings: Hold Steady at Toads places and The Feelies from back in March.

NYC's Flower reunited

This photo is from The Big Takeover's 30th anniversary show at the Bell House in Brooklyn taking place this weekend. The opening band EDP broke-up a week prior so they did not play but was amazing to finally see Flower(ex-Versus and Cell/French) and hear Jack say as he was rocking out right up in front "that they sound as vital and fresh as they did 17 years ago!". To say the least the first night of these two shows was a raging success. Great energy and people meeting for the first time was among the chatter. Was very cool to see the nyc scene come out and give their support to The Big Takeover and see rabid shoegazer fans from all over the country who came to listen and play this one-off festival(or is it?). If you are in the neighborhood you should go to Night 2 which starts at 4pm. Oh and if you are worried about finding a place to eat around there; for this event there is a charcoal grill out front called Dirks Burgers; which you can feast on and bring inside to eat at the fest. If you ask nicely they might even make you a veggie burger. Lastly bring a wad of cash because the merch table has some pretty great stuff. Including a BTO beer cozies and back issues of the mag. More pictures soon!

Related post:
Listen and watch bands from the fest at Rabid in the Kennel | Follow on Twitter
The Big Takeover turns 30! (Lots of Mp3s)

Pete Yorn Single Review Precious Stone aquisition model

Talk about a public advance. In September the new S/T album by Pete Yorn on Vagrant records is coming out. It's back to a older form from the sounds of the new single "Precious Stone". Which if you tweet and follow you can download here for free. I'm interested in this record as a body of work vs. a single but here you go. It's the new promotion model and the way things are going. The question is will the music industry ever be able to track this like a top 40 list for pop or rock? Or does a new music release really matter and can it make artists money with their tie-ins? Seems like a lot of work. Does it matter what brands they associate themselves with? Do you care?

If you were at one of the SPIN 25 live shows (Smashing pumpkins, Flaming Lips, BLack Keys) this week in NYC that were broadcast live you also got a download card (if you took one) and could grab four free music tracks from zync.hipdigitalstore.com (totally a banal url but whatev) some of the models handing out the cards were hot but I mostly witnessed people not taking the hand-out. Obvious catch it's a Amex credit card acquisition program looking to hook up another generation with buying power. I might be over qualified but if you don't have credit probably a good way to start your trek into adulthood and get some music. Then again the chick who had fallen down outside from the nitrous oxide balloon hit is probably not a good candidate but that won't show-up on her credit report.

These choices bring up a couple questions. How would you prefer to support your favorite artists? I'm ok with the Zync model because you know the Lips got paid to drive you to get some sponsored downloads (at least I hope) and see them do their thing live in a smallish venue. Much like iTunes did in the early days of those bottle cap promotions with Coke. Or was that Pepsi? Or does it matter? Truth is 10% of world cares how they get their music and even that guess is a generous one but question is how do we expand the branded model. There is so much great music out there and to support Lady Gaga does not make any fucking sense at all. It's a better practice to change the model of ripping of artists when we can although i don't see myself downloading anything above the line (ever!). Sure this blog posts free downloads but it's to hook you into the deeper quest to share culture and support by making the point of entry as easy as possible and turn you onto stuff you might like.

Anyway.

Songs you can't stoping listening too

I sent a simple tweet and FB post this past weekend asking my "friends" what songs they could not stop listening too. Some folks sent a old song others something newish. Well at least in this decade. Here are bunch of tracks in exercise of randomness. Enjoy your New Music Monday.

Center of the Universe by built to spill (ANTHONY)

Miles Davis & Cool by The Gaslight Anthem (AMY K)

Yellow Pills by the band called 20/20 (J.WERTZ) Damn can't find this one but hopefully soon!

Nothing Better by The Postal Service (AMY S)

C'mon by The Soft Pack (ALBIE FROM THE STUNTCOCKS)

You're Black & Blue by The Exploding Hearts (ROKOSE)

What A Fool Believes(PADDEN FROM PILOT TO GUNNER) He was vague. There are like 100 songs with this title. Take your pick.

Hold On by Wilson Phillips (A.ROCKMAN) I could not find a copy in my library. Weird huh?

Why Worry by Dire Straits (EKATERINA) Ditto on this. I could not find but interesting selection from my russian Friend.

Touch Me I'm Sick by Mudhoney(F.BRIDGES) Wasn't sure if this was because of some Baletine ale he had consumed over the weekend and then proceeded to run a 5k but alas a great song!

Too Many Birds by Bill Callahan (MOSER)

Nada Surf If I had a hi-fi re-discover some covers

ALBUM REVIEW: It's becoming quite the indie thing to cover things that inspire you. Used to be old form for labels in 50's 60's and 70's to have their big star play a great song by up and coming artists. Actually I don't think that practice ever stopped in this case we must behold Mathew Caws as a curator with exceptional taste on If I had a hi-fi. I'd guess he might have wished he wrote the song picks on this record because honestly if you told me hey here is new Nada Surf i would of said great and carried on with my album review. Actually, that is almost what happened but as looked at the liner notes and production credits it dawned on me. Sure the sticker on the cover gave it away that there were few covers like DEpeche F*cking Mode? So expected a couple but Really and entire Cd's worth? Cool. I have to admit some of these bands I've never heard of but acts poptopia bands like The Go-Betweens. Anyway, you can find most of these bands on emusic so if you are hurting for some selects. Start here and then go crazy.

Covers by original Artists from If I had a hi-fi(Mostly):
Electrocution by Bill Fox
Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode
Love Goes On by The Go-Betweens
Janine by Arthur Russell 70's scenster and musician
You Were So Warm by The Dwight Twilley Band. I couldn't find this one but here is I "I Love You So Much" which is just as as good.
Love and Anger by Kate Bush from her record The Sensual World. I have to admit I never was a big fan but this song is great.
The Agony of Laffitte by Spoon, an Acoustic diddy on a Saddle Creek cd single
Bye Bye Beaute By French singer/songwriter intstrumentalist Coralie Clement. I could find this track but found something equally as good. Try "Paris dix heures du soir - Coralie Clément" instead.
Question By Moody Blues. her'e a version live from the Isle of Wright
Bright Side by The Soft Pack formerly The Muslims.
Evolution by Mercromina. This band is from Spain and pretty damn awesome. If you go and scoop up a whole discography blindly from any of these do it for these guys.
I Remembered What I Was Going to Say by The Silly Pillows. Try "Music on my Mind" which has a ripping solo.