W♥M (Archive)

Those Darlins at the 7th Street, Minneapolis (7/18/09)

Those Darlins - The Whole Damn Thing Those Darlins Those Darlins ♥ 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (7/18/09) Tour Dates 07/20/09 Rock Island Brewing, IL 07/21/09 Slowdown Omaha, NB 07/22/09 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, IA 07/23/09 Record Bar Kansas City, MO 07/24/09 Off Broadway St. Louis, MO 07/25/09 Hi-Tone Memphis, TN 08/29/09 Courtyard Cafe Urbana, IL 09/12/09 Original Highland Festival KY 09/18/09 Bristol Roots Festival, TN 09/19/09 Bristol Roots Festival, TN Read More Those Darlins http://weheartmus... I got this email about Those Darlins (official/myspace), and there was this disclaimer for the 'f...

Those Darlins - Wild One

One of our reader, Arlington Hynes once wrote: "Those Darlins are the greatest thing since, like, I don't know what. Holy crap! I love 'em!"

These gals (and one lonely "Sheriff" Lin on drums) certainly have a large following in Minneapolis, as evident from last night's exceptional dancing and singing along audience at the 7th Street Entry. Yes, those boots-wearing, booze-drinking Those Darlins was more than happy to receive the energetic feedback.

Even as I got there, pretty early (the opening bands haven't even arrived), I noticed right away that it was a good turnout. Speaking of openers, two equally rocking local bands, His Mischief (official/myspace) and Red Pens (myspace) warmed up the audience.

The main thing I remember about His Mischief was that the guitarist, suffering from a broken collar bone (whom we're told was a result of some drinking accident), wore his guitar with a waist harness. Kind of like a belt, but instead of a bucket, it's a giant guitar.

I liked Red Pens a lot, for a guitar and drum band, they were pretty loud and infectious. Guitarist/singer Howard Hamilton must collect guitars or something, as he had carefully tuned and setup at least three guitars for their 9-song set (starting with "Spacewalk" and ended with "Cave Something"). I love drummer Laura Bennett's hair, and apparently she also paints.

Those Darlins Setlist ♥ 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (7/18/09)

I think Those Darlins were just as surprised as I was about the turnout. Perhaps it's a Saturday, perhaps all their tiresome touring have created a buzz about the band... one thing is certain, they sure had a lot of fun performing their songs.

All three girls (Kelley, Jessi, Nikki) took turn singing their songs, although for the majority of the songs, they're also singing backup.

Some of the highlight for me was their new song (entitled "Money" on the setlist), which is not on any of their releases, as Jessi announced. Also, the cover song, "Shakin' All Over" was pretty well-received... as did the one instrumental song they did in their set.

For "The Whole Damn Thing", they had brought with them this chicken headwear, which a participating audience wore and dance along to this amusing song about being drunk and eating a whole bucket of chicken. "Not just the leg, not just the wing. I'd like to let you know I ate the whole damn thing.".

For the encore, they came back with a chaotic instrumental jam song. Lots of wrong notes, lots of laying on the ground, lots of back-to-back guitar-playing. The jam song actually had a method to its madness and eventually slowed to a halt.

It looks like they only have a few more dates outside of their home state, so see them if you can. Their album can be purchased on tour or at Amazon. Hint: if you get the vinyl version, it also comes with a bonus CD of the album.

 07/19/2009 03:24:32 ♥ vu () ♥ thosedarlins.com ♥ myspace.com/darlins ♥ twitter.com/those_darlins 

Carrie Rodriguez - Live In Louisville

Carrie Rodriguez - Never Gonna Be Your Bride Carrie Rodriguez Tour Dates 07/12/09 Stanley, ID @ Music from Stanley 07/13/09 Salmon River Stanley, Idaho 07/14/09 Hailey, ID @ The Mint 07/15/09 Boise, ID @ Alive After Five 07/16/09 Moscow, ID @ Rendezvous 07/17/09 Ephrata, WA @ Basin Summer 07/19/09 Alta, WY @ Grand Targhee 07/22/09 Crested Butte, CO @ Live! 07/23/09 Ridgway, CO @ Pickin’ in the Park 08/06/09 Bethlehem, PA @ Musik Fest 08/07/09 Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe 08/14/09 Toronto, ONT @ Massey Hall 08/15/09 Ottawa, ON @ National Arts 08/17/09 Fredericton, NB @ Fredericton 08/18/09 Saint John, NB @ Imperial 08/20/09 Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn 08/21/09 Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn 08/23/09 Charlottetown, PEI @ Confereration 08/24/09 Sackville, NB @ Convocation Hall 08/26/09 Corner Brook, NF @ Arts and Culture 08/27/09 Corner Brook, NF @ Arts and Culture 08/29/09 St. Johns, NF @ Holy Heart Theatre 08/30/09 St. John’s, NF @ Holy Heart Theatre 09/03/09 Portland, OR @ Mississppi Studios 09/04/09 Bellingham, WA @� Green Frog 09/05/09 Seattle, WA @ Mural Amph 09/11/09 Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theater 09/12/09 Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theater 09/13/09 Des Moines, IA @ Flying Mango 09/23/09 Knoxville, TN @ Square Room 09/24/09 Memphis, TN @ Levitt Shell 09/25/09 Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic 09/26/09 (WTMT 105.9 FM 09/26/09 Flat Rock, NC @ Flat Rock 01/23/10 Port Washington, NY @ Landmark� Solo Discography [2006] Seven Angels on a Bicycle [2008] She Ain't Me [2009] Live In Louisville Read More Carrie Rodriguez http://weheartmus... Carrie Rodriguez is a singer/songwriter, currently based out of New York. Her father, David Rodri...

If you missed the encore rebroadcast of Austin City Limits yesterday of Jakob Dylan and Carrie Rodriguez, you can catch it online at PBS. Tinkering around the PBS website, I am very impressed that they've managed to put so many of their videos online. Unfortunately it's just one or two songs and none of it is embeddable. However, you can probably find most of her performance online somewhere (check with myspace for instance).


Her appearance on Austin City Limits was last year, July 8, 2008, and she played a short setlist:

1. Seven Angels on a Bicycle
2. Absence
3. El Salvador
4. She Ain't Me
5. 50's French Movie
6. Never Gonna Be Your Bride

Carrie Rodriguez - She Ain't Me Carrie Rodriguez - Never Gonna Be Your Bride

As you can see from the list, she did half of Seven Angels on a Bicycle and her most recent studio album, She Ain't Me.

If that small sampling isn't enough for you - I am happy to report that Carrie Rodriguez just released a live CD called Live In Louisville, available directly on her website. At the time of the live recording, April 24^th, 2007, at the WL Lyons Brown Theatre in Louisville, KY, she only had her debut album Seven Angels on a Bicycle material to work with - so it's no surprise that her setlist is practically Seven Angels on a Bicycle done live, with the exception of "Mask of Moses" which sounds like an early version that would later appear on She Ain't Me.

The other non-album tracks includes a cover of bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe's "You Won’t Be Satisfied (That Way)" and an all-instrumental jam song "Blackberry Blossom". "Blackberry" serves as a nice break in the middle of the hour music set.

It's rare, but whenever Rodriguez talks between her songs, it's with this deep southern accent. Especially when she ends a sentence, her last word is stretched out, like: "We've had so much fun playing music for you guuuuys".

"Never Gonna Be Your Bride" made for an excellent closer to her live album (I'm assuming "St. Peter's" was the encore). I'm sure it would've been more effective if she changed the "Austin" in "Never Gonna Be Your Bride" to the city she's playing. In this case, "Sister Liz, say c'mon down, tell me what you've been doing this night in Louisville-town".

The recording and mixing, thanks to Kevin Madigan (and edit and mastered by Matt Stein) is excellent. Each note and breathing vocals can be heard loud and clear - and equalized. Even when Rodriguez is asking "Just a little more vocals", it sounds perfect to me.

Live In Louisville is available now, you can find her previous albums on her website or Amazon. Be sure to check her out on tour, where she'll be performing with either a full band or as a solo artist. If the Austin City Limits or Live In Louisville are any indication, she's great live.

�07/12/2009 12:40:34�♥ vu () ♥ carrierodriguez.com ♥ myspace.com/carrielrodriguez�

Alice Peacock - Love Remains

Alice Peacock - Forgiveness Alice Peacock Tour Dates 03/25/09 Edgehill Studios Cafe Nashville, TN 04/02/09 the Living Room NY 04/03/09 Tin Angel Philadelphia, PA 04/04/09 the Evening Muse Charlotte, NC 04/17/09 the Soiled Dove Denver, CO 04/18/09 Front Porch House Concerts Boulder, CO 04/25/09 Eddies Attic Decatur, GA 06/12/09 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI 06/13/09 Schubas Chicago, IL 04/19/09 Watchung Arts Center Watchung, NJ 09/12/09 Club Cafe Pittsburgh, PA 09/26/09 Festival Theater St Croix Falls, WI 10/23/09 Foundry Hall South Haven, MI 10/24/09 Center Stage Theater at the West Shore Community College Scottville, MI Discography [1999] Real Day [2002] Alice Peacock [2006] Who I Am Read More Alice Peacock http://weheartmus... Alice Peacock said she "just can't get enough of the road." It looks like she's been touring for ...

I have one final SXSW article to write (I know we're all sick of hearing about it!) and it's so massive that it will take the course of this whole week to put it together. In the meantime, I thought I'd take a break and review some albums that were recently released. The first is Alice Peacock!

Alice Peacock - I'll Start With Me

I previously briefly mentioned Peacock last year, and there was an overwhelming response to her song "I'll Start With Me". What is people were saying was that the song had great angelic vocals and melodies - and all that and more is on her latest album, Love Remains.

What I think you'll notice that the power of Peacock's songs are her voice and her crafty lyrics. Her lyrics, like most singer/songwriter, gives us a glimpse into her life. Songs like my second favorite song on the album, "Fairborn", and "City of Angels" reveals her traveling life (going to Boston, Minneapolis, Chicago, etc). I suspect this is more to do with her touring lifestyle, she seems to always be on the road. Plus, I think it helps that she was originally from White Bear Lake in Minnesota, but currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

You will also notice that her songs are borderline country and acoustic pop. Although songs like the title-track "Love Remains" is quite simple in its lyrics, you'll find that it's incredibly catchy as you sing along to the chorus "only love remains".

While "Love Remains" is simple, she can also be complicated as well - in many of her songs, such as "Wrong Time". A song that I would hazard a guess that would best fit Peacock's personality... this is unlike her "All About Me" which I don't think is her at all. That song opens up with "I'd like to get stoned", followed by "do whatever feels good, with whomever I pleased", which is quite a shock as I get the impression that Alice Peacock is a good old fashion kind of girl. I mean she's probably a devoted Christian, based on songs such as "If I Could Talk to God" and the piano lullaby song "Angel".

My favorite song on the album is called "Forgiveness". I think mostly for the electric guitar and Peacock asking us: "Can music change the world?"

Does it come from the heart? Then, I think it can...

You can buy Love Remains directly from her, complete with autograph at buyswag.com for $13.98.

 03/25/2009 23:04:10 ♥ vu () ♥ alicepeacock.com ♥ myspace.com/alicepeacock 

Carrie Rodriguez

Carrie Rodriguez - She Ain't Me Carrie Rodriguez Tour Dates 03/14/09 New York, NY @ (Le) Poisson Rouge / Joe Hurley’s All-Star Irish Rock Revue (special guest) New York, New York 03/19/09 Austin, TX @ Antone’s/SXSW Americana Music Association Showcase (private) Austin, Texas 03/22/09 Austin, TX @ The Continental Club (band) - opening for Alejandro Escovedo (private) Austin, Texas 03/25/09 West Barnstable, MA @ The Grossman Commons Bldg./Cape Code Community College (duo) West Barnstable, Massachusetts 03/26/09 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground (duo) w/Erin McEeown Burlington, Vermont 03/27/09 Albany, NY @ The Egg (duo) w/Erin McKeown Albany, New York 03/28/09 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s (duo) w/Erin McKeown Hoboken, New Jersey 03/29/09 Dave Marsh Show on Sirius/XM Radio (11 am) New York, New York 03/29/09 Fairfield, CT @ Stage One/Fairfield Theatre (duo) w/Erin McKeown Fairfield, Connecticut 04/02/09 Conroe, TX @ Heritage Place Ampitheater/First Thursday Concert Series (band) Conroe, Texas 04/03/09 Austin, TX @ The Cactus Cafe (duo) Austin, Texas 04/04/09 San Antonio, TX @ Casbeers At The Church (duo) San Antonio, Texas 04/06/09 Des Moines, IA @ Flying Mango (duo) Des Moines, Iowa 04/08/09 Showcase Minnesota, KARE TV - Channel 11 (w/Romantica) - 10:30 am Minneapolis, Minnesota 04/08/09 KTCZ interview/performance in Minneapolis, MN - listen @ www.cities97.com - 12:30 pm Minneapolis, Minnesota 04/08/09 Minneapolis, MN @ The Varsity Theatre (w/Romantica) Minneapolis, Minnesota 04/09/09 Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall (duo) - opening for Alejandro Escovedo Milwaukee, Wisconsin 04/10/09 Danville, IN @ Royal Theater (duo) opening for Alejandro Escovedo Danville, Indiana 04/11/09 Chicago, IL @ Old Town School of Folk Music (duo) - opening for Alejandro Escovedo SOLD OUT Chicago, Illinois 04/14/09 New York, NY @ The Living Room (trio) - WVUV "On Your Radar" Event New York, New York 04/18/09 Stone Ridge, NY @ Center for Creative Education (duo) Stone Ridge, New York 04/22/09 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head (duo) - opening for Willy Porter Annapolis, Maryland 04/25/09 WFDU "Crash On The Levee" interview/performance (duo) - 10:30 am - listen @ www.wfdu.fm Teaneck, New Jersey 04/26/09 Freehold, NJ @ Concerts in the Studio (trio) Freehold, New Jersey 05/08/09 San Pedro, CA @ Grand Annex (trio) San Pedro, California 05/09/09 San Diego, CA @ Anthology (trio) San Diego, California 05/10/09 Santa Monica, CA @ McCabes Guitar Shop (trio) Santa Monica, California 05/11/09 Tucson, AZ @ Plush (trio) Tucson, Arizona 05/14/09 Santa Rosa, CA @ Last Day Saloon (trio) Santa Rosa, California 05/16/09 Fallon, NV @ Barkley Theatre (trio) Fallon, Nevada 05/17/09 Chico, CA @ The Big Room/Sierra Navada Brewing (trio) w/The Greencards Chico, Nevada 05/21/09 Denver, CO @ The Soiled Dove (trio) Denver, Colorado 05/22/09 Taos, NM @ KTAO Solar Center (band) Taos, New Mexico 05/23/09 Albuquerque, NM @ Q-Jam @ Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza (band) - opening for The Gin Blossums Albuquerque, New Mexico 05/25/09 She Ain’t Me RELEASE DATE in Europe Wageningen, Overijssel 06/01/09 (t)London radio & media day London, London and South East 06/02/09 Bob Harris Radio Show (BBC2) taping London, London and South East 06/06/09 Bob Harris Show (BBC2) airs London, London and South East 06/12/09 Fish Creek, WI @ Door Community Auditorium (band) Fish Creek, Wisconsin 06/13/09 Green Lake, WI @ Thrasher Opera House (band) Green Lake, Wisconsin 07/11/09 Austin City Limits (PBS) segment re-airs (internationally)! Austin, Texas 07/12/09 (t)Stanley, ID @ Redfish Lake Lodge (duo) Stanley, Idaho 07/14/09 (t)Halley, ID Halley, Idaho 07/15/09 Boise, ID @ Alive After Five Concert Series (band) Boise, Idaho 07/16/09 Moscow, ID @ Rendezvous in Moscow (band) Moscow, Idaho 07/17/09 Ephrata, WA @ Basin Summer Sounds (band) Ephtara, Washington 07/18/09 (t)Sandpoint, ID Sandpoint, Idaho 07/19/09 (t)Missoula, MT Missoula, Montana 07/20/09 (t)KRVO 103.1 FM Riverside Lounge interview/performance - TBD Kalispell, Montana 07/20/09 (t)Whitefish, MT @ Great Northern Bar & Grill (band) - KRVO show Whitefish, Montana 07/22/09 Crested Butte, CO @ Live! from Mt. Crested Butte Crested Butte, Colorado 07/23/09 Ridgway, CO @ Summer Concert Series - KVNF broadcast Ridgway, Colorado 07/24/09 Cedar City, UT @ The Grind Coffeehouse Cedar City, Utah 08/06/09 Bethlehem, PA @ Musik Fest (band) Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 09/26/09 (t)WTMT 105.9 FM interview/performance in Asheville, NC - TBD Asheville, North Carolina 09/26/09 Flat Rock, NC @ Flat Rock Music Festival (duo or trio) Flat Rock, North Carolina Discography [2002] Let's Leave This Town [2003] The Trouble with Humans [2004] Angel Of The Morning EP [2005] Red Dog Tracks [2006] Seven Angels on a Bicycle [2008] She Ain't Me See Also Abigail Washburn http://weheartmus... Abigail Washburn wants you to know that she's a "banjo pickin' girl" on "Banjo Pickin' Girl", wh...

Carrie Rodriguez is a singer/songwriter, currently based out of New York. Her father, David Rodriguez, is also a singer/songwriter, having long relocated in the Netherlands in the mid-90s, where it seems he's still producing music.

Anyway, she first came on the music scene via 2001's SXSW*, where Chip Taylor met Carrie Rodriguez and was impressed with her that he asked her to tour with him in Europe. Since then, together, they released three albums and one EP.

By 2006, Rodriguez went solo and released Seven Angels on a Bicycle, with the help of Taylor (who co-wrote and had a major influence on the first album). With She Ain't Me, released late last year on the Manhattan Records (who I also just recently found out makes most of their music available on the BMG Music Club), Taylor is absent, but replacing him are quite a few different co-writers: ex-Jayhawks Gary Louris, folk singer Mary Gauthier, Leslie Nail, Jim Boquist, producer Malcolm Burn (who won a Juno award for producer of the year for Emmylou Harris' "Here I Am"), among others.

Listening to She Ain't Me, I was immediately taken to the title track ("She Ain't Me"). I marked it as a five-star track on iTunes and it became an instant repeat track for me. I feel that the song has a country folk influence, but the melodies sounds more like a great radio pop song. The singer warns the listener that this new woman might be perfect, but she simply cannot replace the singer (because she simply isn't her.)

The most surprisingly thing I found about the song, having looked up the song credit as co-written by "D.Wilson", which I have concluded it is none other than Dan Wilson - who you may all remember as being the lead singer from Minneapolis' Semisonic.**

I also enjoyed "El Salvador", which is a long-distance (love?) song. If it's not love, it's definitely about missing someone... apparently that person is in El Salvador. The song is surprisingly optimistic in tone as well, despite all the waiting and wishing she could swim across the ocean.

Carrie Rodriguez - Never Gonna Be Your Bride

Rodriguez's fiddles, which is what she is known for, only appeared on a few of the songs (the rest, she settled on playing tenor guitar). The most noticeable fiddle song is "Absence", which sounds like a southern bluegrass song and reminds me a lot of Bobbie Gentry.  Compared to her first solo album, the majority of banjo & fiddles gave Seven Angels on a Bicycle more of a bluegrass feel to it.

If you love folk, pop, and a little bluegrass, you should want to check out Carrie Rodriguez. Judging from her major promotional tour, I think you will be hearing from her soon - if not already.

* I am happy to report that Rodriguez is returning back to SXSW in a few short weeks.
** From a Minneapolis point of view, she'll be appearing on KARE TV and on Cities97, as well as playing at the Varsity, the same night (April 8^th). I would not be surprise if Wilson shows up at the Varsity show - so be on the lookout.

 03/08/2009 23:29:36 ♥ vu () ♥ carrierodriguez.com ♥ myspace.com/carrielrodriguez