Radio Free Berry 01.18.06
Posted by Brian Berry on 01.18.2006
Built To Spill, The Walkmen, and Coachella news, Babyshambles new album in stores now, and a comedy album gets the pick of the week all in the 8th edition of Radio Free Berry!
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS…
Welcome to the eighth edition of Radio Free Berry. You can look to RFB for the freshest indie/college rock reviews, up to the minute news, tour and new release dates, and a double helping of disorganized running-at-the-mouth on music related issues.
Use the Table of Contempt to navigate your voyage through the land of Radio Free Berry.
Next week is HUGE for new releases. Look here for a special edition of Radio Free Berry where I'll take a look at many of the records you may want to pick up on January 24.
1. BUILT TO SPILL Returns With New Album (Built To Spill)
It's now been five years since Ancient Melodies of the Future, Built To Spill's last album, was released. The Idaho band has been embraced by hip college folk and un-hip hippies for over a decade. Their next album, You In Reverse is set for an April 11 release on Warner Bros. Impatient fans can check out a sample from the album, "Goin' Against Your Mind" on Built To Spill's My Space page. Expect tour dates in the weeks to come.
2. THE WALKMEN New Album On The Way
The third album by The Walkmen is set for an April release. This is the follow-up to their incredibly impressive 2003 effort Bows & Arrows. They're one of the better live bands I've seen in recent memory and I highly suggest checking them out when they visit your town.
(The Walkmen)
The following was posted on The Walkmen's website this week:
"Greetings. We've finished all work on our third record and are going to debut the new stuff at a few shows in the next couple of weeks. The record will be out worldwide in April and music will be available before that at www.thewalkmen.com.
We have several other projects in the works for 2006 as well which will be completed in the early spring and available by summer. Check www.thewalkmen.com for news.
Happy new year.
-THE WALKMEN"
3. More COACHELLA Artists Confirmed
Two days of scorching temperatures and good rocking will greet patrons of the Coachella Art & Music Festival this April 29 & 30 in Indio, California. Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode leaked information that his band would co-headline the festival and more artists have been confirmed in recent days.
Along with Depeche Mode, these bands have confirmed to play the festival: Imogen Heap, Coldcut, The Living Things, Giant Drag, Amadou & Mariam, and The Duke Spirit. Not impressed yet? More bands to be announced in the weeks to come.
4. SELL YOUR LIVER FOR TICKETS TO…
These tours were all processed at the Radio Free Berry Quality Control Plant, tested for Avian Bird Flu, and are officially ready for your patronage. All shows should be under twenty dollars, with exception to Cat Power. Sell liver, buy tickets. It's that easy. If the show sucks, I'll buy you beer. Honest.
Animal Collective
2-21 - Boston @ Paradise 18+
2-22- Montreal @ La Sala Rossaall ages
2-23 - Toronto @ Lee's Palace 18+
2-24 - Lansing, MI @ Temple Club all ages
2-25- Chicago @Logan Square Auditorium all ages
2-26- Minneapolis @ Neumos all ages
3-2- Vancouver @ Richard's On Richard'18+
3-3- Portland @ The Library all ages
3-5- San Francisco @ The Fillmore all ages
3-7- Los Angeles @ The Vanguard 18+
3-14- San Diego @ Epicentre all ages
3-15- Tucson @ Solar Culture all ages
3-19- Atlanta @ Variety Orange Peel with Storsveit Nix Noltes - 18+
3-21- Washington, DC @ The Black Cat with Storsveit Nix Noltes - all ages
3-22- Philadelphia @ Starlight Ballroom with Storsveit Nix Noltes - all ages
3-25- New York @ Bowery Ballroom 18+
Cat Power (Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power)
2-14 New York, NY - Town Hall *
2-18 Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Hall *
2-20 Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre *
2-22 Los Angeles, CA - Wilshire Ebell *
2-23 San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts *
2-24 San Francisco, CA - Palace of Fine Arts *
2-26 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre *
3-04 London, England - The Barbican *
3-08 Paris, France - Grand Rex *
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah 1-24 Tokyo, Japan - Club Quattro
2-03 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Queens University (Speakeasy)
2-04 Dublin, Ireland - The Village
2-05 Edinburgh, Scotland - Liquid Rooms
2-07 Manchester, England - MDH
2-08 Norwich, England - Waterfront
2-09 Brighton, England - Concorde 2
2-10 London, England - KoKo
2-11 Sheffield, England - Leadmill
2-13 Paris, France - Trabendo
2-14 Brussels, Belgium - AB Club
2-15 Hamburg, Germany - Tanzhalle
2-16 Berlin, Germany - Postbanhof
2-17 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude 9
2-19 Amsterdam, Holland - Max
2-20 Munich, Germany - Ampere
2-21 Bologna, Italy - Estragon
2-22 Milan, Italy - Rainbow
2-24 Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz 3
2-25 Madrid, Spain - Arena
3-07 Philadelphia, PA - TLA
3-08 Washington DC - 9:30 Club
3-09 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
3-10 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
3-12 Sunrise, FL - Markham Park (Langerado Festival)
3-15 Ft. Worth, TX - Ridglea Theater
3-16 Austin, TX - SXSW
3-17 Austin, TX - SXSW
3-18 Austin, TX - SXSW
3-19 Austin, TX - SXSW
3-21 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
3-22 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
3-23 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
3-24 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
3-25 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
3-28 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
3-30 Lawrance, KS - The Bottleneck
3-31 Omaha, NE - Sokol Auditorium
4-01 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
4-03 Chicago, IL - Metro
4-05 Newport, KY - Southgate House
4-06 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
4-07 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
4-08 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
4-10 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
4-11 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
4-12 Boston, MA - Paradise
4-14 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
4-15 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
Deerhoof
1-24 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East *
1-25 - Providence, RI - AS 220*
1-26 – Saratoga Springs, NY- Falstaff's at Skidmore College
1-27 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar*
1-29 - Philadelphia, PA - TBA*
1-30 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom*
* w/ Starter Set: featuring Leg & Pants Dans Theatre, Screenings by Martha Coburn, Le Ton Mite
Of Montreal
1-20 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon *
1-21 Houston, TX - Numbers *
1-24 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress *
1-26 San Diego, CA - Epicentre *
1-27 Los Angeles, CA - Ex Plex (below the Echo) *
1-28 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
1-31 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey *
2-01 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom *
2-03 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
2-04 Los Angeles, CA - TBA
2-05 Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse *
2-07 Dallas, TX - Granada *
2-08 Oklahoma City, OK - TBA
2-09 Austin, TX - Emo's *
2-11 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
2-15 Gainesville, FL - TBA #
2-16 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder #
2-17 Orlando, FL - The Social #
2-18 Miami, FL - PAC #
2-19 Jacksonville, FL - Jackrabbit's #
2-22 Asheville, NC - Grey Eagle Music Hall
2-23 Nashville, TN - The End
2-24 St. Louis, MO - The Gargoyle
2-25 Columbia, MO - The Blue Note (True False Film Festival)
2-26 Newport, KY - Southgate House
2-28 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle %
3-01 Charlottesville, VA - Satellite %
3-02 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom %
3-03 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom %
3-04 Portland, ME - Space Gallery %
3-05 Cambridge, MA - Middle East %
3-06 Hanover, NH - Fuel Rocket Club %
3-07 Montreal, Quebec - Le Tulipe
3-08 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club
3-09 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig
3-10 Chicago, IL - The Metro
3-11 Urbana, IL - Canopy Club ^
3-12 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground ^
3-13 Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck ^
* with Grand Buffet, MGMT, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist
# with the Late B.P. Helium, James Husband
% with the M's
^ with Saturday Looks Good to Me
5. COLLEGE MUSIC CHARTS
After nearly a month on hiatus, a new college/indie music chart returns to Radio Free Berry, courtesy of the College Music Journal. Look for a new chart from Dusted Magazine next week.
After 18 weeks on the CMJ chart, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah finally topped the list on the strength of their recently announced U.S. tour (see tour dates above in the Sell Your Liver For Tickets To… section of this column). One of my picks from last week, Lady Sovereign made her way into the top 10 for the first time this week. To all music directors or radio deejays I plead with you to STOP PLAYING Morningwood or you'll have to answer to Ian Wright and myself. It leads the pack for worst album of the year honors in 2006. I'm confident it will remain that way for a while.
College Music Journal (Issue 945)
1. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah-Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (self-released)
2. Wilco-Kicking Television: Live In Chicago (Nonesuch)
3. Sun Kil Moon-Tiny Cities (Caldo Verde)Wilco-Kicking Television: Live In Chicago (Nonesuch)
4. Various Artists- This Bird Has Flown: A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatle's Rubber Soul (Razor & Tie)
5. My Morning Jacket-Z (ATO-RCA)
6. Nous Non Plus-Nous Non Plus (Aeronaut)
7. Bell Orchestre-Recording A Tape The Colour Of Light (Rough Trade)
8. Morningwood-Morningwood (Capitol)
9. Broken Social Scene-Broken Social Scene (Arts & Crafts)
10. Lady Sovereign-Vertically Challenged EP (Chocolate Industries) Credit: College Music Journal
Again, a good rule of thumb for differentiating these two publications are as follows: Dusted Magazine is a non-commercial website, free of charge for radio stations. Dusted collects playlists from college radio stations pushing underground/indie music almost exclusively (about 50 stations). College Music Journal collects data from both college and select commercial stations willing to pay for a subscription to their service (about 200 stations). Both are reliable sources for finding hip, new music being embraced by the college radio crowd.
6. NEW RELEASES TO SPEND YOUR $$$ ON (…OR NOT)
There's only one new release that caught my eye this week. Look to Radio Free Berry next week where most of my column will be dedicated to the January 24 new releases including albums by Cat Power, Jenny Lewis, Film School and Robert Pollard (ex-Guided By Voices).
Released January 17- Babyshambles-Down In Albion (Rough Trade U.S.)
Comment: Babyshambles is the new band fronted by ex-Libertines frontman, and boyfriend to Kate Moss, Pete Doherty. In the United States, The Libertines didn't make much of an impact despite two impressive Clash influenced, bluesy garage albums. After being kicked out of the Libertines for his now infamous history of drug abuse, he formed Babyshambles. They're huge in the United Kingdom but likely won't make a dent in the United States. Expect loads of slurring and raucousness. Produced by Mick Jones of The Clash.
7. RADIO FREE BERRY'S BOOMBOX PICKS OF THE WEEK
(Runner-Up) Friends of Dean Martinez-Atardecer (Knitting Factory)
If you like Calexico, you'll love Friends of Dean Martinez. Good baby making music.
(Runner-Up) Stereolab- Oscillons From the Anti-Sun (Duophonic)
Mini-box set full of b-sides, live tracks, and unreleased material. This set contains three CD's and one DVD. Oscillonsis a great introduction to the band and a must have for fans of the British/French band.
(CHAMPION) PATTON OSWALT -FEELING KINDA PATTON (UNITED MUSICIANS)
This is the short, chubby elfin looking dude that used to be on King of Queens. I never liked that show but Patton's stand-up act absolutely kills. Feeling Kinda Patton is one of the best live comedy albums I've ever heard. If you hate hippies, hair metal, George Bush, Humvees, and ‘cool parents' this is the album for you.
8. PARTING THOUGHTS/PLUGS
· I bought tickets to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Bimbo's and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Great American Music Hall. I scored freebies to Calexico, Mark Kozelek, and Of Montreal in the coming weeks. I plan to procure seats to Belle & Sebastian/New Pornographers and Cat Power within the next week. Life is good.
· I just witnessed the horror that is Gigli. This is the worst movie ever made. If you ever decide to see this mess of a film, have a bottle of Tums nearby.
· If you liked Radio Free Berry, you'll love:
- Dancing About Architecture covers Sonic Youth and Yeah Yeah Yeahs news, an update on the Pantheon Awards, and some Velvet Underground to sweeten the pot.
- 411 Music's Top 10 Albums of 2005 includes lists by me, Ari Berenstein (Wrestling Zone), Ian Wright (Music Zone, Dancing About Architecture), Michael Melchor (Music Editor), and a link to other Top 10 Albums lists by 411 Mania's writers.
-Misunderstood Masterpieces takes a look at how bad Over the Edge was. Read Will Helm's column. It's always funny but when does Gigli get a once over?
· Send feedback to Radio Free Berry by clicking the link below.
(Built To Spill)
(Chan Marshall, a.k.a. Cat Power) 
