Jack McLaughlin plays tonight at Slowdown, Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Omahan Jack McLaughlin is a relatively new name on the scene. He’s played around Omaha (and Colorado) for a couple years, according to his Facebook page. The singer/songwriter, who’s playing a gig tonight at Slowdown Jr., is releasing a single called “Madyssen Is So Quick to Sin” this month, produced by MiWi La Lupa with a couple special guests — Shawn Foree of Digital Leather and Conor Oberst.

“It’s going to be put out on Jan. 23 as a single with a B-side called ‘Rained All Summer Long,’” McLaughlin said. “Conor came in and sang with me on the third verse. Shawn came in and recorded the main synth melody that plays across the track.”

McLaughlin said he’s known Oberst since he was about 15. “My good friend Phil (Schaffart) used to let me play at Pageturners when I was around that age and I met Conor there,” he said. “I met Shawn through (restaurant Blackstone) Meatball when I was 16. He used to always sit at the bar and say what’s up when I’d pop out on a break from dishwashing!”

You can get a sneak peek of the track below via Soundcloud, and of course, tonight at Slowdown Jr. Also on the bill are The Sunks and Daisy Distraction. $7, 8 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Disq circa 2020.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Madison, Wisconsin indie rockers Disq are releasing their debut full-length Collector, March 6 on Saddle Creek Records.

This isn’t a huge surprise considering the band’s “Document-series” single “Communication” b/w “Parallel” was released by Saddle Creek last January and caught fire with the indie kids (It was one of my favorite tracks of 2019 as well).

From the Bandcamp page: “Produced by Rob Schnapf, Collector is a set of songs largely pulled from each of the five members’ demo piles over the years. They’re organic representations of each moment in time, gathered together to tell a mixtape-story of growing up in 21st century America.”

Rob Schnapf has quite a track record. He co-produced Elliott Smith’s Either/Or, XO, Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill albums, and as a co-founder of Bong Load Records helped discover Beck and record his Mellow Gold album. Schnapf also is credited with producing albums by Guided by Voices, Tokyo Police Club, Dr. Dog, FIDLAR and Dilly Dally, among others.

I’ve seen Disq live a couple times and this first track is indicative of their stage style, which is slacker-fied heavy indie a la Pavement spliced with Weezer but with more refined compositions reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub. In an era of slick, vibe-fueled Yacht-rock-style indie (Tame Impala comes to mind) Disq gives me hope for a more rocking future.

You can pre-order vinly, CD and those goofy cassettes right here from the Saddle Creek store.

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Redeye is now the distributor for Saddle Creek Records.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A couple weeks ago I read a rather lengthy and alarming story in Pitchfork where they talked about a company called Direct Shot and how it’s screwing up the distribution channels for record labels. It’s a long read, but it basically details how Direct Shot has dropped the ball getting vinyl and other orders to outlets.

Among the largest labels impacted by Direct Shot is Warner Music Group, who switched distributors to Direct Shot last April.

“This switch also extended to the indie labels that work with Warner’s Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), which has Sub Pop, 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, XL, Domino, and Saddle Creek listed as partners on its website. “ said the article.

Well, that switch really messed up a lot of labels’ ability to fulfill orders because of Direct Shot’s struggles with getting their part of the job — the distribution part — done efficiently.

I emailed Saddle Creek Records’ head honcho Robb Nansel at the time and asked if Saddle Creek was being impacted by the Direct Shot fiasco.

“It has impacted everyone, yes,” Nansel said, always a man of few words.

Welp, yesterday Saddle Creek was among a handful of indie labels that announced they have left ADA. The labels include 4AD, Matador, Rough Trade, Young Turks, Domino and XL. Their new distributor: North Carolina’s Redeye Distribution.

Over the years, I remember Redeye being a tiny player in the indie distribution game. Way back in March 2006 Mt. Fuji Records (the label operated by former Omahan Mike Jaworski and that included among its foster Little Brazil) signed a deal with Redeye, who at the time was working with the likes of  Yep Rock, Gern Blandsten, Flameshovel, Parasol and GSL.

Redeye was one of the small distro houses that made it possible for the little guys to get their records in stores across the country. So it’s kind of cool to see them playing a role in trying to fix the enormous distribution problems facing the music industry.

From the MusicBusiness Worldwide article about the deal:

“Redeye feels like the right place for us to be,” said Saddle Creek’s Robb Nansel. “With a staff that is clearly made up of music fans and creators, we are excited to be a part of the independent community at Redeye and we look forward to growing together in the future.”

No doubt the Direct Shot distribution headache has impacted record stores as well, including our very own Homer’s. Just ask Homer’s General Manager Mike Fratt.

“It’s been one of the biggest challenges we have faced in my 40 years at music retail,” Fratt said. “With the move of a half dozen major indies to Redeye, they become a major player going forward.”

The move to Redeye may solve Saddle Creek’s and those other indies’ distro problems, but when it comes to the industry as a whole, there’s still a whole lot of work that needs to be done…

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Looking at the calendar it’s going to be slim pickens show-wise for the month of January. Still, there are a few shows on my radar:

— Criteria has been added to that Cursive/Cloud Nothings show Jan. 15 at Winchester Bar and Grill. The only surprise here is that Criteria wasn’t on the original show line-up, as the band will be hitting the road the following day on tour with Cursive.

— Indie singer/songwriter Your Smith has a gig at The Slowdown Jan. 19. I dug her last album — very dance-y, very fun.

— Cold War Kids are coming to The Waiting Room Jan. 23 (*yawn*).

— Lawrence, Kansas, legacy indie act The Anniversary play The Waiting Room Jan. 29. Band member Adrianne Verhoeven is no stranger to Omaha, as she’s performed as as a member of bands Art in Manila and Flowers Forever.

— And InDreama closes out the month with a show at Reverb Lounge. What has Nik Fackler and Co. been up to lately? Find out.

There are more smaller shows dotted in between those, which I’ll keep you apprised of as they come near. I’m to the point now where I’m happy if there are at least two solid touring indie shows coming through town per month. Anything more than that is frosting on the cake these days.

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Remember that Digital Leather song “Compass” I mentioned was a stand-out at the last two DL live shows? Well, a recording of the song was released via Bandcamp last week as the first single off the band’s upcoming album. Dig it:

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The last single from everyone’s favorite Omaha-based Latin-language punk band, Las Cruxes, made it onto NPR program World Cafe‘s list of the Best Latin Music for 2019. Check out the track, “1303 Mente Enferma,” on their playlist included in the article.

From the article “... it was great to hear bands like Las Cruxes, Davila 666, Mueran Humanos, Choked Up, Le Butcherettes and Mi Puga Mi Pishgo rocking out with punk, Brit-influenced rock en español and even dark wave sounds.” Lsten along here.

And look for a new Las Cruxes recordings (hopefully) by the end of the month.

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Lazy-i Best of 2019

Today is the last day to enter to win a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2019 Comp CD!

The collection includes my favorite indie tunes I’ve come across throughout last year as part of my tireless work as a music critic for Lazy-i. Among those represented: DIIV, Hand Habits, Uh Oh, Sharon Van Etten, Orville Peck, Simon Joyner, Prettiest Eyes, Purple Mountains and lots more.

To enter, send me an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com. Hurry, contest deadline is TONIGHT, Jan. 6, at midnight.

Or listen on Spotify. Simply click this link or search “Lazy-i” in Spotify and you’ll find the 2019 playlist along with a few from past years, too!

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Prom circa 2002 with James Mendenhall in the middle. James is the subject of a new tribute album, which will be played tonight at Hi-Fi House.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Is it the weekend already? Strange what these holidays do with your perception of time.

Tonight’s marquee show is at…. The Sydney! Where it’s a celebration of Benson First Friday (#BFF). Headlining the festivities is Midwest legend Dave Goldberg and his groovy project Solid Goldberg. Dave’s been in some of the most iconic local bands in the past 20 years, including Sucettes and The Carsinogents, just to name a couple. You’ve never seen him quite like this. Joining him tonight at The Sydney are hip-hop artist Marcey Yates and The Natural States. $5, 10 p.m.

If you’re going to be in Benson anyway, you might as well walk across the street from The Sydney to The Little Gallery, 5901 Maple St., where tonight we’re presenting a group show called “Conditions,” featuring the work of four artists with chronic medical conditions: Mary Ensz, Jeff Mack, Jennifer Novak Haar and Jennifer Shannon. The opening runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Come by, say hi!

Also tonight, that French-crooning Matt Rutledge and his band Minne Lussa open for Farewell Transmission and Soul Ghost at Slowdown Jr. 8 p.m., $10.

Finally, Omaha Americana folk band Ragged Company headlines tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them are Satellite Junction and Jeremy Mercy. $7, 10 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) at Hi-Fi House get a first listen of I’ll Send You The Stars, a tribute album to the late, great James Mendenhall of The Prom, released today on Barsuk Records. Mendenhall and David Broecker, both former Omahans, formed the band in Seattle in the early 2000s. Prior to that, Mendenhall was in a slew of bands including Calico with Vic Padios and Clark Baechle of The Faint. (Read a brief history from a 2002 Lazy-i article). Mendenhall died from a heart condition in Portland Jan. 1, 2019. The tribute album features contributions from Tim Kasher, Little Brazil, Ben Gibbard, Calico, Telekinesis, Young Elk and more. The listening party runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday night at Hi-Fi House and is free.

Finally, Midtown Art Supply, 2578 Harney St., is hosting a Fargo punk invasion Saturday night headlined by death metal act Maul, with “Fargo melodic punk” act Baltic to Boardwalk and Body By Torture. Sandwiched in between is Omaha hardcore band Jocko. $7, 8 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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Lazy-i Best of 2019

Relive the classics of the year gone by with the  Lazy-i Best of 2019 Comp CD!

The collection includes my favorite indie tunes I’ve come across throughout last year as part of my tireless work as a music critic for Lazy-i. Among those represented: DIIV, Hand Habits, Uh Oh, Sharon Van Etten, Orville Peck, Simon Joyner, Prettiest Eyes, Purple Mountains and lots more.

To enter, send me an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com. Hurry, contest deadline is Monday, Jan. 6, at midnight.

Or listen on Spotify. Simply click this link or search “Lazy-i” in Spotify and you’ll find the 2019 playlist along with a few from past years, too!

* * *

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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Criteria at The Waiting Room, Dec. 28, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The holidays are over. Now we enter into the dark, black chasm known as January (though so far, not so bad weather-wise!).

I caught a couple shows over the break. The top getter was Criteria at The Waiting Room Dec. 28 with Little Brazil for what has become a holiday tradition (what’s it been, five years in a row?).

Stephen Pedersen and Co. never sounded better. Killing behind the kit was Mike Sweeney, though I was half-expecting Nate Van Fleet to be up there seeing as he’ll be playing with the band for the upcoming Criteria/Cursive tour the last half of January. Instead, Nate was standing behind me during the set with his jaw wide open watching Sweeney chop down trees one at a time.

Pedersen was in his usual fine voice on what has got to be the hardest songs for anyone to sing. I felt exhausted after every tune. Doing it nightly will be herculean achievement, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Pedersen. The band used the occasion to roll out a couple songs from the new album, which they’ve been performing live for a few years, so yeah, they fit right in with the rest of the catalog.

I’m very interested to see how the Cursive fans react to Criteria on this upcoming tour. No doubt, many already are familiar with the band. But there will be some young Cursive fans who may not be, and Criteria has a completely different vibe than Cursive — it’s like a guy wearing a gold lamé jacket standing next to some dude in a black hoodie. Criteria has always shimmered brightly, coming off like a rallying cry before a battle; whereas Cursive is a darker thing altogether, Cursive is the angry negotiations that go nowhere leading up to the war.

In these dark times we live in, we could use some new Criteria. So what happens if on this tour these guys break big and a nation demands more? Can Pedersen and Co. push back from their dusty office PCs and become the rock stars they were meant to be?

Lodgings Dec. 28, 2019.

I got to the Waiting Room early to catch Lodgings, who put out one of my favorite albums of 2019 (the Steve Albini engineered Water Works). The songs sounded even better live (but don’t all good songs sound better live?). The four-piece with Bryce Hotz out front and backed by a stellar band that includes the legendary Steve Micek on guitar along with Michael Laughlin and Eric Ernst on drums have a grinding indie-rock style that stumbles forward with a throbbing heart. There is something about Hotz’s vocals that remind me of Vedder (more so the phrasing than the vox itself), whereas the music reminds me of classic Grifters (a band that no one seems to remember, and one of my all-time faves).

Little Brazil at The Waiting Room, Dec. 28, 2019.

In the middle was Little Brazil, who rolled out a number of new songs, and hopefully are headed to a recording studio in the near future. It was funny looking out over the audience and seeing three past Little Brazil drummers in the crowd — Nate Van Fleet, Matt Bowen and Oliver Morgan — watch as new drummer Austin Elsberry took the reigns, keeping up a fine tradition.

Little Brazil is an enigma to me. They’re one of the city’s most unique bands that’s always deserved as much national attention as any Saddle Creek Records band. And they’re playing some of the best music of their careers right now. Why they haven’t caught fire is a mystery to me.

Stephen Sheehan and his band Dec. 23 at The Waiting Room.

Finally, it was a treat to see Stephen Sheehan and his band play at The Waiting Room Dec. 23. Sheehan once again gathered together some of the area’s best talent to back him on a set of Digital Sex and The World songs, as well as a new original. It got me wondering if maybe he shouldn’t re-record these songs, giving us a modern take on what are considered Omaha classics.

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Lazy-i Best of 2019

Speaking of classics, relive the classics of the year gone by with the  Lazy-i Best of 2019 Comp CD!

The collection includes my favorite indie tunes I’ve come across throughout last year as part of my tireless work as a music critic for Lazy-i. Among those represented: DIIV, Hand Habits, Uh Oh, Sharon Van Etten, Orville Peck, Simon Joyner, Prettiest Eyes, Purple Mountains and lots more.

To enter, send me an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com. Hurry, contest deadline is Monday, Jan. 6, at midnight.

Or listen on Spotify. Simply click this link or search “Lazy-i” in Spotify and you’ll find the 2019 playlist along with a few from past years, too!

* * *

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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Music visions of 2020.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’ve been making music predictions for 20 years; never have I missed the boat more than last year’s.

2019 Prediction: Next year, crazed music aficionados will take it one step further as we see the first album released on reel-to-reel tape.

Reality: While online store The Tape Project does offer a handful of reissued classics on reel-to-reel, there have been no new releases.

2019 Prediction: By submitting your facial profile to Ticketmaster, getting in at a show will be as easy as looking into a camera.

Reality: While some airlines are trying facial recognition ticketing technology (Delta in Minneapolis), there’s actually been a backlash against using facial recognition at concert venues. That whole privacy bugaboo.

2019 Prediction: A savvy concert promoter will organize a new Lilith Fair next year that brings together every hot indie female-led act for a traveling tour.

Reality: The closest thing is the upcoming Alanis Morisette/Liz Phair/Garbage tour.

2019 Prediction: Now with offices in Omaha and LA, watch Saddle Creek Records open offices in New York City and reopen offices in the U.K.

Reality: Not yet.

2019 Prediction: Speaking of Saddle Creek, with the return of The Faint to the roster, expect an even more surprising new release from another of the label’s first-generation superstars.

Reality: Cursive released a new album in 2019, and Conor Oberst teamed up with Phoebe Bridgers for Better Oblivion Community Center. But neither was released on Saddle Creek.

2019 Prediction: A national publication will discover the Hi-Fi House and bring it to the attention of a worldwide audience.

Reality: The biggest news for that music project was its creator — Kate Dussault — moving to Denver, another example of the Omaha Exodus.

2019 Prediction: Watch next year as the number of GoFundMe campaigns rises, including from some very well-known artists.

Reality: I’ve seen more GFM for musicians, but not for A-listers, yet.

2019 Prediction: At least one major, respected rock artist will come out in 2019 … as a Trump supporter.

Reality: Not so much “major,” but “former” rock star Eric Carmen, lead singer of The Raspberries (“Go All the Way”) and solo artist (“Hungry Eyes,” “All By Myself”) declared his love for Trump on Twitter.

2019 Prediction: Because of the advent of streaming services, vintage (i.e., ancient) artists will enter the Billboard Hot 100.

Reality: Still waiting on this one.

2019 Prediction: A new record store will open in 2019 either downtown or in Benson.

Reality: Drastic Plastic closed its downtown location only to open a new vinyl lounge above The Monster Club in the Old Market.

2019 Prediction: A very famous candle in the wind will be extinguished in 2019.

Reality: Elton John’s Farewell Tour continues.

2019 Prediction: Bands we’ll be talking about this time next year: Beck, Belle & Sebastian, The Faint, Algiers, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, The Smiths, The Rolling Stones, Bob Mould, Thick Paint, Ryan Adams, Bjork, M Ward, Iron & Wine and Bright Eyes.

Reality: Beck, The Faint, Bob Mould and Thick Paint all released new albums. The Rolling Stones had a successful tour, and Ryan Adams saw his career disintegrate after a New York Times exposé revealed him to be a womanizing creep.

2019 Prediction: Finally, one of Saddle Creek Records’ new era artists will do what no other Creek artist has been able to do: Be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.

Reality: Who’s booking SNL’s music talent because they’re doing a shit job.

So, three for 13. Ugh. Let’s take a look at what’ll happen in 2020.

Prediction: First established in 2011, Omaha Girls Rock has touched the lives of hundreds of local girls and young women. The program teaches teamwork, self esteem and leadership, but most of all, it shows students how to play instruments, write music, sing and play in a band. Now, eight years later, the program’s impact will be seen and heard on the Omaha music stages, as former students will break through in local bands. Who will it be?

Prediction: With the over-abundance of venues and more on the way, watch this year as one or two of them (including a major stage) shut down, while cooler heads will begin to second-guess the proposed $109 million Omaha Performing Arts concert venue.

Prediction: Recognizing the devastating “brain drain” of talent that’s left Omaha over the past couple years, either a new nonprofit will form — or an existing organization will step up — with the mission of financially subsidizing local musicians and their projects. The program will be among the first of its kind in the country and will succeed in attracting new talent to a city woefully in need of it.

Prediction: There will be more new releases available via cassette tape than any time since the heyday of cassettes as a format. Sub Pop, Saddle Creek, Matador all will be among the labels offering new cassette releases. But, unlike vinyl, the boom in cassette tapes will be short-lived as labels discover that the novelty just doesn’t sell. PS: CDs will continue to go the way of the dinosaur (because only dinosaur music fans will be buying them).

Prediction: Watch for a major concert to be organized in conjunction with the coming election in an effort to bring out the vote in Nebraska’s 2nd District. The Blue Dot could play an important role in keeping Trump out of office, and Conor and his pals will do whatever they can to help.

Prediction: After last year’s success, the Maha Music Festival will capture even bigger sponsorship dollars, but it still won’t be enough to capture a Lizzo-sized headliner. Instead, the money will go to more high-end bands across both festival nights and better customer service.

Prediction: The trend of booking fewer touring indie bands at Omaha venues will continue. We’ll be lucky to get one A-list indie show per month, while stale pop projects, cover/tribute bands and other entertainment (wrestling, trivia nights) will dominate local club stages. When will some young lad (or old rich person) step up and start promoting shows like in the old days? Maybe in 2020.

Prediction: We’ll all be singing “Deacon Blues” in 2020.

Prediction: Bands we’ll be talking about next year: Algiers, Bright Eyes, Criteria, Pavement, Closeness, Beach House, The xx, Slowdive, St. Vincent, Perfume Genius, The War on Drugs, King Krule, Kendrick Lamar, Talking Heads and David Nance Band.

Prediction: This is it: This is the year that Conor Oberst finally walks across the stage at Saturday Night Live. I’m counting on you, Conor.

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.