Sons and Daughters - 'Johnny Cash'

Recently stumbled on this Scottish band and their 2003 EP "Love the Cup", from which this song comes. Also worth listening to is their new self-described 'pop album', "This Gift".

RIP Bo Diddley

The eulogies for Bo have unfortunately focused on the use of the "Bo Diddley Beat" by others. However, the raw, driving rock of his 50's-60's albums can stand on their own, regardless of how big an influence they were. Point being that some records and artists are better noted as a progenator, not actually listened to. Not so with Bo.

If you can ever it find, the live "Bo Diddley's Beach Party" is mindblowingly raucous. This clip is a pretty good dose of Bo jamming in his prime, though.

The Kills - The Good Ones (Live @ Album de la Semaine)

Have missed these guys the last 5 or 6 times they've been in town. Supposed to be one of the most intense live acts around right now. Can't say I'm on board with the new direction they've taken with the latest album, though.

The Oranges Band

Caught these Bawlmer natives the other week and had a big smile on my face for their entire set of straight-up pop rock.

James Brown Live in Paris 1971

Polvo Returns

Bands just can't resist the pull of reforming. Lucre, reliving the glory days, what is it? Word is that Pavement and the Replacements turned down offers to reform for Coachella this year. As ambivalent as I am about bands getting back together, I would have booked a ticket immediately to see the 'Mats again. In the meantime, I'll content myself with checking out Polvo at the Black Cat next Friday.

I went to Virginia Tech, which was near enough to Chapel Hill to be closely tuned in to that music scene back in its heyday (Superchunk, Southern Culture on the Skids, etc). I generally wasn't down with the whole math-rock scene Polvo got lumped in with, but they had a fascinating twist on guitar rock that I loved.

From their best moment, the Celebrate the New Dark Ages EP, here' s Solitary Set:
Play or Download Polvo - "Solitary Set"

Captain Beefheart - Big Eyed Beans from Venus

I don't know who posts all this stuff to You Tube, but I thank them just the same. How else would I ever get to see footage like this? One of rock's true eccentrics, Don Van Vliet (aka "Captain Beefheart") from a French TV broadcast, 1980.