You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July, 2008.
I’ll admit that last year’s Cassadaga left me with a feeling of little more than contentment. Not an easy thing to admit since I’ve been one of the biggest Bright Eyes proponents ever since I first heard 2002’s Lifted. It didn’t help that it was the first Bright Eyes offering in 2 years and what I assumed would be the only one for the next couple years as well. So you can understand the glee that rushed through me when Conor Oberst announced he would be releasing a “solo” record on August 5th care of Merge Records. Luckily, unlike Cassadaga, this self-titled effort is not over thought and over produced, but instead a carefree exercising of Oberst’s influential ghosts (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt) that previous efforts had only briefly touched on.
This fall Rock Band Live will be on live on one stage with Panic At The Disco and Dashboard Confessional. Accompanying the acts are very special guests Plain White T’s, The Cab, and possibly YOU!
It was nice to see a good show at the Fonda again. It has been a long while it seems since the Fonda was in full swing. Most shows these days seem to be at Echoplex or The Wiltern. It was nice sitting up in the balcony, clearing out the seats around me due to rocking out so hard. This was the second time I’ve seen Wolf Parade, and it was the better of the two for sure. The mix was pretty much perfect and it was loud and very solid sounding as a whole. I was able to catch up with Spencer back stage after the show and he mentioned to me that it was good I wasn’t there the previous night, though I’m sure it was still a great.
Maria Taylor has been consistent with her two releases, 11:11 and Lynn Teeter Flower, since she flew solo from Azure Ray. Friday the 11th of July, she came by the Echoplex with Jonathan Rice and Nik Freitas in tow. Mr. Rice has been a busy boy as well since the release of Further North in 2007. I’ve seen him multiple times this year already, and it was an extra nice treat pairing up with Maria Taylor (who even played drums for him on this tour).
Artist: Wolf Parade
Album: At Mount Zoomer
Label: Sub Pop
Rating: VIII
![wolf_parade-mount_zoomer-cover[1].jpg](http://www.indieschmarm.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/wolf_parade-mount_zoomer-cover[1].jpg)
Early on in 2008 I had made a prediction that At Mount Zoomer would be my record of the year. Spencer Krug has been on fire, releasing two Sunset Rubdown records since the Sub Pop debut of Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary in 2005 - all of which have been in my top three records for those years. Dan Boeckner plunked out a Handsome Furs record with his wife in 2007 as well, which as a whole was pretty enjoyable. Amidst all that, they still managed to get out At Mount Zoomer this year and are going to be touring behind it starting July 7th.
