I feel like it’s been so long since we talked. I posted this on my site yesterday and wanted to make sure you were in the loop. I’m looking to this fall very hopeful and thought you should know what’s happening in the next month or so.

The fall is fast approaching, and with The Fall - comes school. It would seem that every 10 months The Drop goes through some growing pains, and this fall is no different. Hitting the airwaves of your local college station will be the latest incarnation of THE DROP’s Radio Show. I’m particularly excited because with the latest update - I think we’ve ironed out so many of the kinks. From the delivery system to production it all seems to be well in hand. Additional staff have also been brought on to reinforce the site by publishing articles and as production assistants to help with the radio show and podcasts.

Specifically I’m excited about:
Being in Los Angeles this Fall! As the 2nd largest market, all the big tours stop here and with the amount of venues - it’s been a nice change from Market 116 in the country. Can’t wait for RADIOHEAD and SIGUR ROS!!
The selection - purely because of location the amount of choice for live shows on any given night is rather large.
A Great Team. From Chris Wygal on the production and engineering side of things to some great writers like Amy Kaherl, Adam Bodine and the New England Hook up of Annie Bannana (her name is changed to protect the guilty).

What I’m still looking for:
The street with no name….. but I digress.
A Title Sponsor. This is the tricky one. Multiple stations across the country, a creative team to make and produce customized commercials, sponsorship of the podcast, the show and website - should be easy, right? Unfortunately no - this has been one of the tougher things I’ve encountered. Know someone? Is getting in on the bottom floor of an established music site with over 20,000 podcast downloads per month sound like it could make a difference in your bottom line than look no further. Shoot me an email or call the office (434.426.8523), I’m literally next to my phone.

Additional Writers. Interested? Send me a writing sample (or send me your blog url) and let me know why you are a great fit for THE DROP.

Record Companies looking to expose their latest and greatest. If you’re on a label and you want to get your bands on the show, send me your stuff. 556 S Fair Oaks Ave. Ste. 101 #318 Pasadena, CA 91104.

I think that’s about it.. I’m really excited to work with some really great people and very interested to hear from you… What are you looking forward to this fall? What shows? What record releases are you looking forward to?

Right now you can stream Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band right from his website. From what I can hear it seems relaxed and smooth. But I will give you the chance to make your opinion before I skew it with mine.

The album was recorded in Tepoztlán, Morales, Mexico with friends over a six week span. The interesting news of the record is that it is not a Bright Eyes record which is normally a solo effort of the mind of Oberst and it is also not being released on Saddlecreek or any of Oberst’s record labels it’s being released by Merge records August 5.

My Morning Jacket’s Evil Urges took my by a but of surprise. The earlier release, Z received critical acclaim and this new record definitely has me talking as well. The record runs in and out of 70s rock, Prince esque vocal bursts, and stripped down ballads that are more sweet than make one want to roll the eyes.

The record is strong. At first it’s a little intimidating and moments where I wonder where these songs took their roots and how they ended up together on the record. It’s a fun record taking a number of twists and turns. It’s fun that each song represents a different influence. The 70s rock bands, the vocals of Prince and Wayne Cohen (the Flaming Lips), doo-woop, soul, and soft songs that James Taylor or Paul Simon could easily have written. I think the record shares the beauty of mystique. It’s not easy to pin down or figure out exactly but that’s what I enjoy about this record and enjoy most about this band.

With the disappointing boring release of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida it’s nice to know that bands are willing and able to explore musical genres and styles. I like when a record makes you go back and give it another go around. Evil Urges begs you to do this. There seem to be an erasure of boundaries of what is cool and what shouldn’t be done on this record. It is strong and worth being heard and then reheard.

All that being said the record is smart and accessible. I had it playing with my father around and he wanted a copy (my dad is great but music is not his thing). The hard working rock band will be on tour this summer. If they are in your town you must check them out. I hear they are even better live.

Summer/Fall 2008 Tour Dates:
8/15 - Nashville, TN - Riverfront Park
8/16 - Louisville, KY - The Great Lawn @ Waterfront Park
8/18 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
8/19 - Council Bluffs, IA - Stir Cove
8/21 - Denver, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
8/23 - Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
8/24 - Austin, TX - Stubb’s
8/27 - Atlanta, GA - Fox Theater
8/29 - Miami, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach
8/30 - Orlando, FL - House of Blues
8/31 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
9/3 - Washington, DC - Constitution Hall
9/4 - Charlottesville, VA - Charlottesville Pavilion
9/5 - Philadelphia, PA - Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing
9/6 - Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion
9/19 - San Francisco, CA - Greek Theatre
9/21 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
9/23 - Phoenix, AZ - Marquee Theatre
9/24 - Las Vegas, NV - The Joint
9/25 - San Diego, CA - SDSU Open Air Theatre
9/27 - Portland, OR - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
9/28 - Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall
10/2 - Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
10/3 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
10/4 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
10/9 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
10/10 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre

Summers in LA are normally hot. The hot where you don’t want to go outside because there is smog in the air and you are afraid that your now exposed legs may stick to the leather in the overly hot interior of your car. But the weather has been nice the last couple of weeks and the thought of enjoying the outdoors has been all so appealing. So last weekend some friends and I grabbed the bus to the hollywood bowl and saw the high energy of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Feist .

Hosted by local NPR station, KCRW, the outdoors show was a fun way to spend a late July Sunday evening. Sharon Jones was fun, high energy, and quite exciting. Before I knew it there were many people around me dancing with their friends and quite enjoying themselves with the soulful vocal stylings from Sharon Jones. She has the ability to command the stage with full control that reminds anyone of James Brown. She has skills to move her body while she tells her stories with with amazing funk musicians back her up. She brought the energy and she certainly brought the funk and what I thought was a fantastic opening act for someone that what I thought would have high energy as well…..

…..Feist. The last time I saw Feist it was high energy, fun, and took a large space and made it feel like everyone in the room could be my next best friend. This time I felt like Feist was sad, dealing with something so much bigger than herself. The set was stripped down, choosing to open with a poem that harkened the old west and folk americana tales. She was dressed in a dress with fringe down the arms and a cowboy hat. The songs she chose were sad in nature and the songs like, “I Feel it All” and the every popular “1 2 3 4″ seemed to be pulled back, slowed down, and a new way of hearing songs that are often heard as a copy of the recorded version.

We were surprised after what seemed like ten songs that she bowed and said good night. With a song to finish out the encore the show was over and evening complete. I was a bit surprised by her set. After the super high energy and true crowd amper, Sharon Jones, Feist just seemed to lack the energy to make my feet keep dancing.

Overall the evening was fun and it made me believe in the beauty of humanity and the what can happen when you are surrounded by strangers. I had to sit by myself because of the late purchase of my ticket but I never felt alone. I was offered cheese, wine, crackers, and potato chips by strangers that never knew my name. It was a beautiful cool evening. An energy in the air of picnicking lovers and friends. I felt lucky to be in a space that in a city that is known to be isolated and individualistic and didn’t feel alone for one moment.

Just a few weeks ago I went and saw and wrote about The Watson Twins at Amoeba Music to promote their sophomore full length, Fire Songs. As noted earlier the Twins first were noticed when there backing vocals accompanied Jenny Lewis’ Rabbit Fur Coat. This record is soft and inviting a treat to hear more than just faux country backing vocals, but the full strength of voices and talent from these sisters from Kentucky.

Fire Songs is built around the sisters ability to find ways to utilize their vocals that bring out the gifts and talents of both Chandra and Leigh Watson. The strong opener, “How I Am to Be”, that is a smart, xylophone based, fun pop song. The rest of the recordt is rather stripped down and their are strong (and some weak) moments of slow, and dreamy. The songs have the potential for you to grab a man (or a lady) and sway slowly to their harmonious collection of originals and the cover of The Cure’s, “Just Like Heaven”. (Sidenote: This may be the best song on the record. Maybe it’s because I have loved this song since my childhood or maybe because I love when people cover a song and give it their own interpretation). I am a sucker for a lap slide and it is used nicely throughout the record.

Overall Fire Songs is a good follow up post Lewis. I hope they continue to make records and find a niche that continues to highlight the beauty of their voices and acknowledge who they are and who they will continue to become. If you are interested in hearing the record, check out the websites and click the moth entitled “Media”, from here you can stream the whole record.

I love Mates of State and yet the last time I listened to their records was years ago. So when I received the newest release, Re-Arrange Us, it was like visiting old friends. Continue Reading

Beauty and grace are offered yet again from sigur ró. It bursts with joy and sorrow. It is loud and crashing, ear grabbing and heart clenching. The beauty being offered is from the fifth full-length entitled, “Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust.” Translated in English it means “with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly.”

The record begins playfully with a song entitled “gobbledigook.” Continue Reading

The Watson Twins are not LA natives but native to the LA music scene. That’s pretty normal in a place of transience and the mecca for corporate music hullabaloo. The Watson Twins released their newest record, Fire Songs, with a record release party at Hollywoods finest, Amoeba Music. Between the stacks J. Geils Band and Fugazi I heard the soulful harmonies of these twin sisters sing ballads from their newest record. The sound was not the best, but I wasn’t expecting much when a make shift stage is erected for an hour long performance once a week. Continue Reading