by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I received lottts of feedback on the Lazy-i Weekly Wrap-Up podcast, and welcome more if you feel like sharing. Recording these things ain’t easy. If you haven’t checked it out yet, the podcast is below.

No. 1 complaint was that I don’t sound like “me” on the podcast. One person said I sound like an old lady. Another said I sound like a hedgehog wearing glasses (great idea for a podcast mascot). Someone pointed out that I sound like I was reading something. That’s because I was. Fact is I’m trying to put these together as easily as possible, grabbing items that appeared in the past week’s Lazy-i entries, along with audio clips recorded at shows. I’m never going to write a brand new, 3,000-word script every week.  It’ll evolve… probably.

What else…

I was bummed when I went to buy my ticket to the April 8 Father John Misty show at The Waiting Room and discovered it was sold out. But fear not. One Percent moved the show to Sokol Auditorium, and $20 tickets are now on sale once again. It would be quite a feat if he sold out a venue that size.

I went recently ’round and ’round with someone about Misty’s new album, I Love You, Honeybear, which came out a couple weeks ago. The other guy didn’t like it. He said it was over-produced and too mainstream. And while I agree there is an abundance of strings on some tracks, I still dig the record. Misty a.k.a. J. Tillman is one of the better lyric writers out there these days, and this album showcases that talent in a way can only be described as “nostalgic.” The record sounds like it was produced four decades ago. It sounds like music  they used to play on KFAB in the ’70s, the kind of music they now play on (the still operating) Magic 1490 AM — lush, tuneful, old-fashioned and familiar.

To me, Misty/Tillman sounds like a cross between Grant Lee Buffalo and ’70s-era Elton John mixed with modern-day songsters such as Iron & Wine or Shearwater (though Tillman is much funnier than those two rather stoic outfits). He’s been compared to Nilsson, which I get. Is the new record as good as his last album? Who knows, but it’s definitely worth checking out, and worth buying tickets to the show.

Check out his recent Letterman appearance, singing my favorite song off the new record.

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Speaking of shows, there’s only one show worth mentioning tonight: The Barley Street Tavern is hosting a Tribute to Johnny Cash. Among the performers are Lash LaRue & the Hired Guns, Pat Gehrman, Brad Hoshaw, Michael J. Fillmore, Joe Watson, Josh Watson, Stephanie Krysl, Travis Sing and Daniel Burns. It’s worth going out in the cold. $5, 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday, Johnny!

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Yesterday everyone’s favorite blog about ’80s and ’90s college music culture, Slicing Up Eyeballs, reported here that Morrissey has rescheduled a leg of his U.S. Tour, including the show at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, now slated for Tuesday, March 19. The Rococo website confirms the new schedule. Let’s see how long this one lasts until it’s rescheduled. BTW, this show has been sold out since last fall.

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Low has a new single available for free download from this Sub Pop Soundcloud page called “So Blue.” Listen to the stream below. The new album, The Invisible Way, produced by Jeff Tweedy, comes out March 19 on Sub Pop and is bound to be one of the year’s best.

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Speaking of free downloads, Desaparecidos’ single “Anonymous” is available for download at Mother Jones. Below is Desa covering Joyce Manor’s “Constant Headache” during their Allston, MA, show. Conor’s getting downright shaggy.

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Today is Johnny Cash’s birthday. If he was still alive he’d be 81 years old and very likely raising living hell.

To honor the Man in Black, the Barley Street Tavern is hosting a very special tribute night tonight featuring a bevy of local musicians including Josh Dunwoody (The Filter Kings); Mike Bechtel, Ira Hughey and Scott Norman (The Bishops); Stephanie Krysl and Travis Sing (The Electroliners); Jeremy Mercy and Vern Feregesen (Travelling Mercies); Matt Whipkey, Matt Cox, Scott Severin, Dane Sybrant (The Debts) and your master of ceremonies, Brad Hoshaw.

Cover is $5, but if you dress in black, you’re in for free! Show starts at 9.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.