by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Hear Nebraska Vol. 1

Some thoughts on Hear Nebraska Vol. 1, the first in a series of comp CDs that are being put together by the folks at hearnebraska.org (the board of which I am a member, though I had nothing to do with this album)…

The record is being celebrated with a release party Saturday night at The Syndey. This CD has a very limited run of only 150 copies. After that, it’s download-only. All cash goes to the HN coffers.

Designed to be (as HN executive Andy Norman says) “a cross-selection of Nebraska’s most exciting bands,” as a whole, it’s a pretty complete snapshot of where we are these days, though there will be those who will quibble that this band or that band was left off, there (presumably) will be room for them on Vol. 2. The breakdown:

Thunder Power, “Who Am I” — Easily the best Thunder Power song I’ve heard, and I’ve heard most of their recordings. It has an energy that I’ve always found lacking from their music, driven in part by terrific organ/keyboards, glowing guitars and an uninhibited vocal. It’s a fitting opening track and sets the bar for the rest of the comp (and for TP’s next album).

Big Harp, “Everybody Pays” — This is a different version than appears on their Saddle Creek debut. I’m not sure where it came from (perhaps from the Love Drunk video shoot?) — it pops from the speakers better than the original. I’m beginning to think live recordings are the future of the indie music industry, if only for the economy of it all.

The Betties, “Come Back to Me” — This sleepy little C&W number is my introduction to this band of western folkies whose love for Hank and Loretta are twangfully obvious.

Conduits, “Blood” — Another intrepid release from the band’s long-awaited debut (over a year now, right?), it’s one of their more upbeat numbers, a quick-step syncopation pulled together by Jenna Morrison’s languid, black-leather Euro croon that boarders on lovely drone, until the lonely siren birdsong that breaks the song in half, before the world comes crashing down again.

Dim Light, “For You” — Like a perverted stripper ballad lifted from the soundtrack of a David Lynch film, there’s something brazen and obscene in how Cooper throws down his caterwaul like a stoned Jim Morrison or Mark Lanegan. A drunken love call sang in an empty jail cell at 4 a.m.

Con Dios, “What’s Your Name?” — A new song that doesn’t appear on their officially unreleased recording, it sounds like Saddle Creek indie or Nebraska indie or whatever you want to call this style of upbeat folk music with downbeat vocals that’s so reflective of the last decade of sounds made from around here.

Domestica, “Shine” — Clocking in at less than two minutes (just like any good punk song) it’s another perfect slice of fist-pumping anthem rock that Heidi and Jon have been making for more than a decade.

The Mezcal Brothers, “Lonely Fool” — Clocking in at less than two minutes (just like any good ’50s jukebox song), this is diner rockabilly as you’ve come to expect from this band of local originals. As shiny as the bumper of a ’57 Chevy,

Digital Leather, “Sponge” — Off-kilter and off-balance, this little New Wave / No Wave synth ballad left me stumbling through early Cure (and mid-era Replacements) memories, lonely and simple and lost. Probably my favorite of the bunch.

So-So Sailors, “So Broken Hearted,” — Another song from another long-awaited release (over a year now, right?), it’ll be recognized as one of the band’s centerpiece numbers from their live set, grand and elegant in a style that’s more ’70s arena ballad than modern-day indie. Play it next time you’re headed to Jungle Land.

Kill County, “Home Blues” — Hold-me-close country ballad that sounds like John Hiatt long, long after closing time.

Wagon Blasters, “Golden Lariat” — Tractor Punk. Gary Dean Davis. Nebraska originals. Them Thornton boys. It all feels like driving too fast in a late-model El Camino on dirty county roads. Loud and reckless.

As stupid as it sounds, this comp would make the perfect Christmas gift for all those people who’ve asked you about the Nebraska music scene circa 2011. At $15, buy them in bunches. The CD release show at the Sydney Saturday features Digital Leather, The Wagon Blasters, Domestica, Dim Light and Masses and starts either at 9 or 10, depending on which listing you find. Cover is $5.

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I can tell you exactly when the screening of Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements starts tonight at Slowdown. The film rolls at 8 p.m., with director Gorman Bechard in the house.

This is not your typical rockumentary. According to IMDB.com, “Bechard bravely eschews including the band’s music, photos, and live footage, instead relying solely on the fans: their well-kept memories, hilarious anecdotes, and differing points of views about the foursome’s wildly varied discography and infamous antics.” Bechard will be conducting a Q&A after the film’s 123-minute runtime, after which five bands will be providing their interpretations of Replacements music: Anonymous American, Witness Tree, Travelling Mercies, Peace of Shit and Well Aimed Arrows (though I noticed today that Peace of Shit and Well Aimed Arrows are no longer listed on Slowdown’s website for this event — let’s hope it’s just an oversight).  $7, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, Honey & Darling are playing at O’Leaver’s with Nelsonvillians and Wind-Up Bird. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just realized it’s been two weeks since I’ve posted a live review on the site, which means it’s been two weeks since I’ve been to a live show. Two weeks. That’s quite a drought, and it doesn’t look like the week is starting off much better, but come Wednesday…

Wednesday night Slowdown is hosting a screening of Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements. You might remember that a couple weeks ago via Lazy-i Slowdown did an open call for bands to play Replacements covers after a Q&A with the film’s director following the screening. Five bands took the challenge: Anonymous American, Piece Of Shit, Traveling Mercies, Well Aimed Arrows and Witness Tree — that’s a pretty well-balanced blend of folk, rock and punk.

Find out more about the event and get tickets ($7, 8 p.m.) here at The Slowdown website, and while you’re there, find out about Thursday’s Gus & Call CD release show…

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Every time I hear the phrase, that Steely Dan song gets stuck in my head.

This year, Black Friday has become a pseudo Record Store Day. And rather than recap what’s going on at the local shops, I’m going to point you to this entry at Omahype, which does a pretty good job summarizing and linking to the pertinent facts. I realize that if you’re reading this and haven’t already hit the stores you’ve probably missed out on the rare vinyl stuff, but no matter. You should go anyway. Since I have the day off, I’m probably going to roll down to the Saddle Creek Shop for the first time ever. Happy shopping, everyone.

So what’s going on this weekend? Not a whole helluva a lot. Another weekend without a primo national touring show. Instead, it’s a weekend of local shows, a couple of which are at fabulous O’Leaver’s, the home away from home for the holidays. Tonight at O’Leaver’s, welcome back Austin transplant Cass Brostad as she performs along with Travelling Mercies, Bret Vovk (Underwater Dream Machine) and Mike Clark (Haunted Windchimes). 9:30 p.m., $5.

Also happening tonight down at Slowdown it’s Shithook-style karaoke with The Mother Dudes. And it doesn’t get any more Shithookier, since Shithook’s own Phil Shoemaker is in The Mother Dudes. We’re talking about you — yes you! — singing lead vocals in front of a live rock band. You’ll never get a better chance to bring out your inner Freddy Mercury. And it’s free. Starts at 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Satchel Grande returns to The Waiting Room. $7, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s back to O’Leaver’s for Columbus, Ohio glam rock duo Lollipop Factory with Saturn Moth and Bradley Turk. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The music calendar has been rather bare the past few days. In fact, I had today off from work and would have loved to go to a show last night, but there was nothing going on.

Not so tonight. The big event is the reunion of The Jazzwholes. The show is being held at House of Loom, which has been working in live music gigs into their regular DJ programming on a weekly basis. I have yet to visit the venue, but have been told that it’s rather cozy, especially for a show like this one that probably could have packed Slowdown’s big room. That’s a long-winded way of saying that if you plan on going, get there early. $3, 8 p.m.

Back in Benson, The Barley Street Tavern is hosting its annual canned food drive tonight. Curated by bluesman Matt Cox, the evening’s “in the round” performances include Cox, Brad Hoshaw, Cass Brostad, Kyle Harvey, Sarah Benck, Justin Lamoureux, Rebecca Lowry, Matt Whipkey, Lash LaRue, Ashley Rayne Boe, Bret Vovk, Dylan Davis and Reagan Roeder. It’s a smorgasbord of Benson singer/songwriters. Admission is two cans of food. Show starts at 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, up the hill at The Waiting Room, it’s Zep trib band Song Remains the Same with Pixies trib band Surfer Rosa. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally, Outlaw Con Bandana is playing a set at La Buvette, 511 So. 11th St. in the Old Market, with Zach Lagrou and “Lute wizard” Kenneth Be. This is being billed as a “So Long” show for OCB. Starts at 9, donations accepted.

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Sting 25 App

A post script to yesterday’s item about record labels leaving Spotify and other music streaming services: The story reminded me of an item that appeared in Billboard last week where Sting gave his vision of the future of recorded music.

When asked if he’ll do another album, Sting said: “It’s hard to know what the new model is. I think the app is the new model. People are going to stop buying CDs. People are going to stop selling and making them, so I am looking for different ways to get music to people, and the application at the moment seems to be the favorite.”

By “application,” Sting means smartphone applications, like his free “Sting 25” app for the iPad, which includes photos, handwritten lyrics and journal entries, interviews and concert footage, as well as 360-degree zoomable views of his signature instruments. It doesn’t, however, include any actual music. It only plays music stored on your iPad or crappy iTunes preview clips. In other words, it’s a way to get people to buy Sting music from the iTunes store.

According to Cult of Mac, Sting ain’t alone in his app love. Bjork released an app alongside her last CD, and Pink Floyd is doing a “this day in history” style app for fans.  Neither contains any actual music.

Says Cult of Mac: “It makes sense. The more you stop and think about it, the more apps feel analogous to albums: a self-contained work by an artist, a thing they can put together over a period of months or years and then sell to fans. Many of today’s youngsters don’t see why they should pay for music – but they’re perfectly happy to pay for apps.”

While I agree that “youngsters” will pay 99 cents to download Movie Cat or Angry Bird or whatever new game winds up in iTunes, I don’t think they’re going to download or buy an app that merely offers to sell them music. Sting’s vision of the future is merely iTunes repackaged, which is no vision at all.

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If I don’t see you here tomorrow, Happy Thanksgiving.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This will be remembered as the year music went to the cloud, with Amazon, Google, Spotify and most recently, iTunes Match presumably changing the landscape in terms of how we listen to new music.

With that in mind, last Friday Wired posted this story with the headline: “200+ Labels Withdraw Their Music From Spotify: Are Its Fortunes Unravelling?” In it, Wired reported that music distributor STHoldings, which represents more than 200 labels, was withdrawing its entire catalog from Spotify, Napster, Simfy and Rdio.

Sayeth STHoldings in the article, “As a distributor we have to do what is best for our labels. The majority of which do not want their music on such services because of the poor revenues and the detrimental affect on sales. Add to that the feeling that their music loses its specialness by its exploitation as a low value/free commodity.”

The Wired article pointed to this item in Digital Music News with the headline “Study: Spotify Is Detrimental to Music Purchasing…” that quotes a study from NPD Group and NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) that seems to state that a percentage of consumers were satisfied with merely having access to music, and not owning it. Translated, they listen to their music on Spotify and then don’t buy it.

I saw this exact situation played out right in front of my eyes a month or so ago when Big Harp played at Slowdown. A guy who was a friend of a friend said after Big Harp played, “I love their music. I should probably buy a copy of their CD, but I already have it on Spotify.” I, of course, preceded to call the guy a cheap bastard and tried to guilt him into going to the merch table, to no avail.

Spotify responded to STHoldings in the Wired article by saying artists are receiving “substantial” revenues from Spotify. “Spotify is now the second single largest source of digital music revenue for labels in Europe (IFPI, April 2011) and we’ve driven more than $150 million of revenue to rights holders (ie whoever owns the music, be it artists, publishers or labels) since our launch three years ago.”

It should be noted that I didn’t recognize any of the labels that STHoldings represents (read the list here). Just how significant is their withdrawal beyond being a touch point for articles like this one? Who knows…

But let me add this to the mix: Since I began using Spotify (a couple months ago?) it’s been most effective in steering me away from making (what I assume are) bad purchases — i.e., I can now conveniently listen to just about any record that Pitchfork has given a rating of 8 or higher and decide for myself if it’s worth buying or not.

The ultimate downside to all this: I’m now less likely to give a record the second or third “listen” that I would have given it had I purchased it (or received a promo copy). In other words, music no longer is given a chance to “grow on you.” Some of the best records can take weeks and months of listens to sink in. With Spotify and the other services, artists are given one shot to impress the listener before they move onto something else, never to return.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Mousetrap at The Waiting Room, Dec. 29, 2010.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Usually by now there has been at least one “holiday” reunion concert announcement centered on the fact that expatriate band members are back in town for Christmas visiting their families. Last year it was the Slowdown Virginia/Polecat reunion show at Slowdown Dec. 23 and Mousetrap at The Waiting Room Dec. 29. The year before it was Mousetrap and Mercy Rule (with a Conor Oberst performance thrown in the same week). Two years ago it was a pair of Faint concerts at Sokol Aud.

So far this year, nothing. But it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. There’s plenty of time for something to be pulled together — will someone please get in touch with Tim Moss and the rest of Ritual Device? That reunion is long overdue. Or how about a Fullblown or Cactus Nerve Thang or Commander Venus reunion? Come on, guys…

Anyway, there was a holiday concert announcement last week, though it doesn’t involve any reunions. Omahype is celebrating the completion of its one year anniversary with its second annual “Holiday Throwdown” at Slowdown Dec. 11. The lineup for the show, which begins at 5 p.m., includes Honeybee & Hers, Laura Burhenn (of The Mynabirds), McCarthy Trenching, Brad Hoshaw, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, Great American Desert, Jasong Mountain, James Maakestad, Sean Pratt, April Faith-Slaker and more. There will also be a rock shop, comedians and food. More info here at Omahype.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

No national shows going on this weekend of note, but there are lots of local shows, including many featuring bands that I’ve never heard of!

Tonight at Slowdown Jr., Lincoln heroes Her Flyaway Manner has a CD release show with Omaha punks The Fucking Party and Dads. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at The Barley Street Tavern, Well Aimed Arrows opens tonight for Millions of Boys and St. Joseph Missouri band Dsoedean. $5, 9 p.m.

While over at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s Bear Stories and Swamp Rock with Flesh Eating Skin Disease. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday), Rock Paper Dynamite headlines a show at The Waiting Room that includes Dim Light, Snake Island! and Moses Prey. $7, 9 p.m.

While over at The Barley Street Saturday night it’s Great American Desert (formerly South of Lincoln) with Not a Planet, Betsy Wells and Low Horse. $5, 9 p.m.

Finally, close off the weekend at The Sandbox Sunday night when Yuppies headline a show with Supersonic Piss, The Liz, Weakwick, T’Bone and Servus. $6, 8 p.m. Find out more here.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’ve read the description of Cursive’s new concept album, I Am Gemini, a half dozen times and it’s still disturbing. The story: Twin brothers separated at birth, one good and one evil, have an unexpected reunion that “ignites a classic struggle for the soul, played out with a cast of supporting characters that includes a chorus of angels and devils, and twin sisters CONJOINED AT THE HEAD” (The all-caps are mine, although I would suggest the fine folks at Cobra Camanda Publicity use all-caps in future press releases, if only for effect).

Maybe someone can explain why the first thing to pop into my head was the classic Star Trek episode, “Let That Be Your Battlefield,” which featured Frank Gorshin, more famous for his role as The Riddler (maybe because I’m a nerd?). So combine that with the best parts of Angels in America, Ordinary People, Stuck on You and Erasurehead, and you’ve got a first-rate concept album.

Seriously though, this sounds like Cursive’s most ambitious concept album since, well, their last concept album. Just the idea of making a concept album seems ambitious in an age when young listeners are more likely to download a single track rather than an entire album. But you have to remember that frontman and primary songwriter Tim Kasher also is a playwright, and judging by the press release, approached this one with a story in mind, having “wrote album lyrics in a linear fashion, in order, from song 1 to song 13.”

We’ll all have to wait until Feb. 21 when Saddle Creek Records releases the album to hear how it all worked out, unless of course Cursive does a “secret show” somewhere around town as a warm-up for the support tour, which kicks off in Denver Feb. 12. You have to wonder if the band will perform the entire record as a rock opera, a la The Who’s Tommy or Styx’s Paradise Theater. Imagine Ted Stevens and Matt Maginn in full drag playing the entire set forehead-to-forehead. OK, now that’s entertainment.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s our old friends The Appleseed Cast, with Hospital Ships and local chamber rockers Skypiper. $12, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Well, well, well… Looks like Matt Whipkey’s old band, Anonymous American, has taken the Slowdown / Replacements challenge and will be among those performing after the screening of Color Me Obsessed… at The Slowdown Nov. 30 (See yesterday’s blog entry for band search details). Whipkey, Wayne Brekke and the rest of the band are a perfect fit for this showcase.

There’s room for more.

I was thinking it would be cool to see one of the young, dirty O’Leaver’s punk bands also play this gig, say, a Rainy Road, Doom Town or Grotto Records band. After all, their take-it-to-the-edge no-bullshit garage aesthetic is in synch with The Replacements’ early days of punk excess.

But then it dawned on me that those guys may not have even heard of The Replacements. The band’s heyday was between ’81 and ’84 — that’s 30 years ago, folks — and they technically broke up in ’91. So while songs like “Fuck School” and “Dope Smokin’ Moron” off Stink or “Hangin’ Downtown” and “More Cigarettes” off Sorry Ma, I Forgot to Take Out the Trash would fit nicely in the current-day garage punk milieu, they could also be viewed as “old people’s music.” Let’s hope not. For those of you who were around in the ’80s, what did you think of music from 30 years prior to that time, music from the ’50s? Say no more…

* * *

Mates of State have a new album out called Mountaintops (Barsuk) that is a right turn from the calliope keyboard sound that I remember from their Polyvinyl days. When I interviewed the band in 2002 (the story is still online here), their two-piece keyboards-and-drums approach was rather innovative, if not grating taken in large doses — you could only stand so much of that whirling organ. These days their sound, especially on this new record, is more fleshed out and approachable. When they played on Letterman in early October (watch it here), the duo was backed by a couple more musicians. Who will they have in tow tonight when they play The Waiting Room with The Generationals? Find out. $13, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The fine folks at The Slowdown are looking for bands that dig The Replacements as much as they do to perform after a screening of Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements, which is happening at Slowdown Nov. 30.

The evening will start with a screening of the film followed by a brief Q&A with its director, Gorman Bechard. After that, a number of local bands will take The Slowdown’s small stage to perform their favorite Replacements tunes.

The only things missing from this grand scheme, however, are the actual bands.

You got a band? Do they love The Replacements? Then The Slowdown wants you. If interested in performing Nov. 30, send a quick email to info@theslowdown.com with your band’s name and the two or three Replacements tunes that you want to play. The folks at The Slowdown will sort out the rest. What will you get for playing beyond the dying admiration of everyone in the audience? I’ll leave that for you to negotiate with the club (though, in true Replacements fashion, it’ll probably involve free booze).

Bonus points for the band that plays “Die Within Your Reach.”

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One of America’s 50 best new bands (according to this article in The Boston Phoenix), Omaha’s own Baby Tears, is playing tonight at the Side Door Lounge, 3530 Leavenworth. Headlining is Pennsylvania band Br’er; also on the bill are The West Valley, Brothers Family Temple and Daniel Dorner. Show starts at 8, and is free. Looks like Baby Tears may play first, so get there early.

Here’s a taste of Br’er in the form of “Heavenly”:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/14250421″]

And in honor of the Leavenworth Neighborhood Association, here’s “Homeless Corpse” from Baby Tears. Enjoy:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/18106827″]

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.