Favorite Albums of 2011 20-11

20. Hey Rosetta! – Seeds
Lush strings, crunchy guitars and anthemic crescendos propel this ambitious and addictive collection of songs from underrated Canadian indie-popsters. 

 Hey Rosetta - Yer Spring

19. Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong
The sophomore effort from California-based road warriors Dawes didn't quite meet my high expectations.  A solid effort, seemingly teleported straight out of 1975 - but just didn't grab me the way North Hills did.  Still among the best live bands you'll see, though.

 Dawes - Fire Away

 
18. The Decemberists – The King Is Dead
A welcome return to the straightforward folk sound that the band had moved away from on recent records.  No bloated arrangements or convoluted storyline - just simple songs and Colin Meloy's lyrics on full display.  Plus a little help from Peter Buck and Gillian Welch.   

 The Decemberists - This Is Why We Fight

17. Kurt Vile – Smoke Ring For My Halo
Where past records were draped in a haze of guitar effects and muddy noise, Smoke Ring For My Halo is crisp and clear.  The melodies and lyrics are discernable and the genius of Kurt Vile's songwriting is on full display.  

Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms

16. Real Estate – Days
On Days, New Jersey beachniks Real Estate clean up the production a bit without losing their lo-fi charm, and deliver another batch of summery pop songs that range from roadtrip-ready singalongs to slow-burning sunset jams.

Real Estate - It's Real

15. The Devil Whale – Teeth
A lucky discovery early in 2011, The Devil Whale released their sophomore effort Teeth in May.  The Utah-based band creates catchy indie-pop that recalls Dr. Dog or a grittier The Head And The Heart. 

 The Devil Whale - Earthquake Dreams

14. Roadside Graves – We Can Take Care of Ourselves
Ramshackle, whiskey-soaked folk-rock from New Jersey's Roadside Graves.  A concept album loosely based on S.E. Hinton's classic "The Outsiders", the story of the Greasers and the Socs sets a backdrop but never feels forced or contrived.

Roadside Graves - Hank Williams

13. Ryan Adams – Ashes & Fire
Ryan Adams' music ushered me through the most formative years of my life, from high school to college and beyond.  29, Easy Tiger and Cardinology kind of lost me - but Ashes & Fire has me back on board.  Focused, honest and sans-Cardinals...welcome back Ryan.

Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire   

12. The Low Anthem – Smart Flesh
Local favorites The Low Anthem return with their third full-length.  What Smart Flesh may lack in cohesiveness it makes up for in spirit - with whisper-soft hymns standing alongside ragged folk-rockers.

The Low Anthem - Boeing 737

11. Tristen –  Charlatans At The Garden Gate
I was late to come around on Tristen, but have been making up for lost time.  Tristen treads in similar waters to Sharon Van Etten, a strong woman writing about ellusive love and failed relationships.  However, she paints with a more vibrant and diverse pallette - great stuff.

 Tristen - Avalanche

Review: Dawes - Royale Boston 10.28.11

Words // Scott Pingeton

As I fought rush hour traffic to get downtown for Dawes' co-headline matinee gig at Royale last Friday, I found myself thinking back to previous Dawes shows.  In three years, give or take, the band has been through Boston at least eight times, if you count two appearances at Newport Folk.  So in three years this band from Southern California has crisscrossed the country enough times to hit Boston 8 times...and only twice were they the headliners.  6 trips through town playing to half-full venues, making opening band pay.  And they play the shit out of every song.  Every night.  That, my friends, is what you'd call doing things the old fashioned way.  And that's how Dawes has built their fan base.  Chevy commercials and VH1 didn't fill Roayle at 6:30 on Friday night.  Dawes' sweat equity did.

So what has changed between opening for Delta Spirit at the Middle East in 2009 and now?  For better or worse, not a whole lot.  Dawes took the stage second, sandwiched between "headliner" Blitzen Trapper and an opening set from Belle Brigade that I can't imagine anyone who is employed had the pleasure of seeing.  Taylor Goldsmith & co. took the stage with humble, workman-like purpose; short, scribbled setlist in hand.  The band worked their way through an efficient, hour-ish long set that drew from both North Hills and 2011 sophomore LP Nothing Is Wrong. 

A sure sign of tireless touring, the band is not only in perfectly in-sync, but they know how to craft a setlist.  A short opening slot from a should-be headliner often comes off as a thrown-together collection of "the hits", without much thought given to pacing.  Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the band's set was how well it flowed.  Towards the middle of the set, the slow-burn jam "Peace In The Valley" gave way to a note-perfect cover of Paul Simon's bouncy "Kodachrome".  "A Little Bit Of Everything" ramped up the intensity again, exploding with the beer-in-air singalong "When My Time Comes".  Before the euphoria wore off the band launched into Nothing Is Wrong's lead-single "Time Spent In Los Angeles", leaving the crowd scrambling for the merch table between sets.

There's really not much to say that I haven't already said about Dawes - but it's nice to see one of the hardest working band's on the road today "make it".  I've been at 8 of the band's now 9 area shows of the post-Simon Dawes era and each time it seems like more people have been let in on the secret.  There's no secret anymore.

I didn't tape the Royale show this time (sorry!).  But here's the band's set opening for Middle Brother at the Paradise back in March for your listening pleasure.  The set features a few songs with the great Jonny Corndawg and a cameo from Deer Tick's John McCauley.  Enjoy!

Dawes
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
March 3, 2011

Bedside Manner
How Far We've Come
My Girl To Me
That Western Skyline
If I Wanted Someone
Out In The Woods (Leon Russell cover)
Peace In The Valley
Keep Your Body Happy Through Exercise (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Shaved Like A Razor (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
When A Ford Man Turns To Chevy (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Trashday (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Goodbye (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Fire Away
When My Time Comes (w/ John McCauley)

Full set download:  mp3 zip

If anyone remembers this post, you win a prize.  That review + live recording of Dawes at Great Scott in February 2010 was the very first post on Visible Voice.  Ah, memories.

Newport Folk Preview: Middle Brother Live

Newport Folk Festival's recent renaissance has come about, in large part, due to a willingness to embrace an exciting new generation of artists while still paying homage to the legends.  Case in point, this year's lineup features Mountain Man, Freelance Whales and Typhoon alongside Emmylou Harris, Ramblin' Jack Elliott and festival co-founder Pete Seeger.  There is no band that better represents the coalescence of likeminded contemporary folk-influenced artists than Middle Brother.  The band features the three primary songwriters from Delta Spirit (also playing this year), 2009 alums Deer Tick and one of 2010's festival standouts Dawes.  Drawing on classic rock, folk and country traditions the band found loose, collaborative sound that highlights each songwriter's strengths.  Delta Spirit's Matt Vasquez mixes gritty southern soul with classic rock, Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith brings breezy SoCal folk and Deer Tick's John McCauley pairs poignant lyrics with his casual, off-the-cuff delivery. It's one of the rare "supergroup" albums that actually delivers - it's a must listen for fans of any of the bands.

Don't miss the band's Sunday set at Newport - with no other tour dates planned, it could be your last chance.  Until then, check out our excellent live recording of the band's March 3 show at the Paradise in Boston. 

Middle Brother
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
March 3, 2011

Blue Eyes
Mom and Dad
Thanks For Nothing
Someday
Daydreaming
Blood and Guts
Theater
Me Me Me
Wilderness
Million Dollar Bill
Middle Brother
Portland
Twist and Shout

Full set download:  mp3 zip

Kitchen Sessions video of Dawes, featuring Matt Vasquez, John McCauley and Jonny Corndawg:

Review: Dawes - Nothing Is Wrong

By Lily Linquata

North Hills put Dawes on the map. It was a big map, and it was a well-deserved place on that map, but it was still a freshman album according to many critics. Rife with alt-country and alt-folk ballads, tracks like “My Girl To Me” and “When My Time Comes” hinted at a different side of Dawes: Dawes as American Rock and Roll.

Two years later, Nothing Is Wrong is less of a well-harmonized, yet melancholy recounting of a girl from the South, and more of an exercise in homegrown, rock excellence. It is Petty. It is The Band. And it is these rock giants in a very literal sense. The Heartbreakers’s keyboardist, Benmont Tench, offers his talent to this sophomore release, as does Jackson Browne. Arguably more impressive, however, is Dawes’s involvement with Robbie Robertson’s comeback. The Band’s front man has selected Dawes to support a series of performances promoting an upcoming LP, How to Become Clairvoyant, on which the eldest Goldsmith offered backing vocal work. Any critical ambivalence remaining post-North Hills is certainly gone.

Dawes - If I Wanted Someone

While California’s Laurel Canyon is home in theory, the boys of Dawes have spent most of the past two years on the road. Out on June 7th, Nothing Is Wrong captures the essence of this transient lifestyle – both the highs and the lows – and explores notions of home, of belonging, and of the search for each. Dawes's story-like lyrics are thoughtful and simple, but suggest a broad perspective as they ingest and then wrestle with life’s bigger questions. While, at times, separating the calm lucidity from the sad exhaustion in their words is near impossible, there is a beautiful surrender embodied on the album. It will make you think. And it just may make you cry.

Exhaustion aside, such incessant touring has played a large role in the crafting of Nothing Is Wrong. Recording live on 2” analog tape in September of 2010 at Jonathan Wilson’s Echo Park studios afforded Dawes the chance to not only bind the excitement of their live act to an album, but to prove the evolution of, and staying power of, their sound. The foursome has used their time on the road to prepare for, to polish up, and often to write songs for analog sessions. It's paid off. In a world of spell checks, MP3s, and airbrushing, Dawes has affirmed the power of authenticity, especially as it regards owning one’s pedigree.

But two years of practice isn’t all that’s factoring into the tear-jerking, foot stomping brilliance of Nothing Is Wrong. The collective songwriting of the group is more advanced, the arrangements are pristine, and the message is hyper cohesive. More than suggesting that Dawes has arrived, this collection of songs demonstrates that they are home. The waxing and waning of love, the struggle to stay put, the asking of the big questions, the labor of the road, the embracing of California roots and the carrying of that sense of pride: it’s all there.

The opening track, “Time Spent In Los Angeles” is a perfect segue into an album that should be listened to as loud as possible, as often as possible, and on vinyl, when possible. Dense with melody,  percussion, and highlighting Dawes's appreciation for and top-notch execution of vocal harmonies, the album is reminiscent of Springsteen, of Browne, of Petty, of the great Warren Zevon. The well-crafted, inspired rock tracks are long -- four of the eleven are over five minutes -- and though they might not veer too far from the conventional rock formula, they don't have to. It is the execution, the message, and the genuine wear of the endless days in a navy blue van with California plates that sets Nothing Is Wrong apart. Tracks like “Fire Away,” “So Well” and, drawing from Middle Brother’s successful March release, “Million Dollar Bill,” are stand out, though – truly – the album is, as a whole, pretty f'ing fantastic.

Bonus: Incredible video of Dawes from our talented friends at Kitchen Sessions:

Dawes - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Deer Tick's John McCauley joins Dawes for "When My Time Comes" in Boston, March 3, 2011The very first post on Visible Voice back in March of 2010 was a live recording of Dawes at Great Scott in Allston, so it's fitting to mark the approximate 1 year anniversary of the site with a brand new recording of Dawes.  While I marvel at the growth of Visible Voice in the last year, the ascent of Dawes in that same timeframe is staggering.  From a tiny, albeit sold out, Great Scott in February to a monumental breakout set at Newport Folk to another sold out Royale show in November, the band has been playing larger and larger venues across the country, and growing an ever-larger fanbase.  It's really no surprise - when I first heard Dawes sometime in early 2009 I liked what I heard, but wasn't a believer until I saw them live.  They play with a passion and intensity that seems to becoming more rare among many of today's entitled,  P4k-hyped buzz bands.  Dawes is doing it the old fashioned way, and it's paying off.

Playing first on a stacked bill that also included Deer Tick and Middle Brother, Dawes played to an already-packed house - opening with Bedside Manner from 2009 debut North Hills.  Their set consisted of a fairly even mix of old favorites and new tracks from their upcoming sophomore LP.  Highlights from the new songs include "If I Wanted Someone" and "Fire Away", both hard-edged takes on the rootsy classic rock sound that has become the band's trademark.  Jonny Corndawg joined the band for a 5-song mini-set of his own tunes, expousing the benefits of exercise, razors and taking out the trash.  Anyone that wasn't already a convert certainly was by the time the set ended, as John McCauley joined the band for an expectedly blistering take on "When My Time Comes", a cathartic singalong and brilliant set closer.

The full recording is available for stream or download below in pristine sound (soundboard+room matrix).  Thanks to the staff at the Paradise for a fantastic mix, and to Dawes for their taper-friendly polilcies.  I hope everyone enjoys this...it's a good one!

Dawes
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
March 3, 2011

Bedside Manner
How Far We've Come
My Girl To Me
That Western Skyline
If I Wanted Someone
Out In The Woods (Leon Russell cover)
Peace In The Valley
Keep Your Body Happy Through Exercise (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Shaved Like A Razor (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
When A Ford Man Turns To Chevy (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Trashday (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Goodbye (w/ Jonny Corndawg)
Fire Away
When My Time Comes (w/ John McCauley)

Full set download:  mp3 zip

Related post:  Middle Brother - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Middle Brother - Live at The Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

It was almost a year ago to the day that I first heard the rumors about MG&V, an indie-folk-rock "supergroup" comprised of the frontmen of Deer Tick, Delta Spirit and Dawes.  Now, 12 months and 1 name-change later, Middle Brother is a reality.  I won't go into too much detail on the record itself, but I will say that all of my expectations were surpassed.  Rather than a collection of unpolished outtakes or throwaways that weren't good enough for their full-time bands, the collaboration showcases each of the songwriters in top form - each putting their stylistic mark on the album.  Matt Vasquez brings gritty soul-infused rock, John McCauley his trademark whiskey-soaked country-folk and Taylor Goldsmith lends a heart-on-sleeve croon and searing lead guitar.  It's an album that finds harmony in the cohesion between three talented and unique songwriters.

Fresh off the release of their self-titled album, the "Middle Brother Revue" rolled into Boston last Thursday.  I can't recall the last time I was as excited for a show - afterall, how often do you get a chance to see three of your favorite bands sharing the same stage?  Dawes and Deer Tick both played solid opening sets to a packed house (more on those in later posts...), setting the stage for Middle Brother and underscoring the unique dynamic of the lineup.  On this night, the opening bands' material was much more familiar to most of the crowd than that of the headliner.  With a revolving cast of bandmembers of stage for both of the opening sets, both of which featured crowd-favorite originals and singalong covers, the actual headlining set could have been anti-climatic.  As soon as the threesome, joined by members of Dawes, took the stage, any such notion was erased.  They exploded with confidence and energy, clearly having a blast, playing off of one another and delivering one of the most memorable sets I've seen in a while.

The Matt Vasquez-led opener "Blue Eyes" started the show on a rollicking note, while Taylor Goldsmith's poignant "Wilderness" and McCauley's sweetly wistful "Daydreaming" provided slower counterpoints.  The show, like the album, gave each bandmember a chance to shine, with "Million Dollar Bill" as the sparkling centerpiece with gorgeous three-part harmonies and traded verses.  As a perfectly-sloppy version of "Twist and Shout" capped-off over three hours of music, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was to be able to see this band in person.  Call me a pessimist, but I'm not sure the busy schedules of three increasingly-popular bands will allow for too many collaborations/tours like this down the road.  I hope I'm wrong.

Enjoy a fantastic complete recording of the show below - sound is excellent thanks to a great mix at the Paradise and a clean soundboard+room matrix.  Keep an eye out for the Dawes and Deer Tick sets soon too!  Please support all 4 bands by buying their music:  Middle Brother | Deer Tick | Dawes | Delta Spirit

Middle Brother
Paradise Rock Club - Boston MA
March 3, 2011

Blue Eyes
Mom and Dad
Thanks For Nothing
Someday
Daydreaming
Blood and Guts
Theater
Me Me Me
Wilderness
Million Dollar Bill
Middle Brother
Portland
Twist and Shout

Full set download:  mp3 zip

Related post: Dawes - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

New music: Middle Brother - "Me Me Me"

As promised, Middle Brother - the joint side-project of Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit), John McCauley (Deer Tick) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) - has released their first single from their highly-anticipated debut.  It's Christmas, so I'm not going to take the time to analyze and pick this apart yet but on first listen it sounds exactly like the ragged folk-rock I was expecting - complete with messy, Neil Young-esque lead guitar.  Enjoy and happy holidays!

Middle Brother - Me Me Me

(Thanks to Matt Dyson of the fantastic dysonsound for hooking me up with the track when the Middle Brother email eluded me!)

Middle Brother album gets release date, tracklist (with live mp3)

Note:  updated with album version of "Me Me Me" from Middle Brother's forthcoming debut, available here.

Word of a collaboration between Delta Spirit's Matt Vasquez, Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith and Deer Tick's John MacCauley surfaced months ago.  The indie folk-rock supergroup, originally dubbed MG&V, will go under the name Middle Brother.  The group's debut record will drop March 1 on Partisan Records - see the tracklist below, along with an mp3 of "Me Me Me" from the Paradise last March (Deer Tick). (Updated with album version).

Daydreaming
Blue Eyes
Thanks For Nothing
Middle Brother
Theater
Portland
Wilderness
Me Me Me
Someday
Blood and Guts
Mom and Dad
Million Dollar Bill

You can preorder the album here.  No east coast tour dates listed yet, but I expect some to be announced soon - as soon as I hear anything I'll be sure to let everyone know.

Dawes: Royale Boston 11.6.10

I distinctly remember listening to Dawes for the first time back in early 2009, just before the band opened for Delta Spirit at the Middle East in Cambridge.  As I did my due dilligence the night before the show, the obligatory myspace opening band research, something clicked when I first heard "When My Time Comes".  The soft arpeggiated intro building to a plainspoken verse and finally exploding in an anthemic, breathless refrain, an ambiguous mantra:  "When my time comes / Oh oh....".  The listener is left to fill in the blank of exactly what happens when our time comes (our moment to shine, redemption, death?)...and that's exactly what makes the song so easy to connect with.  It's a personal anthem, and I was instantly hooked. 

To be honest, I don't remember much about Dawes' set that night - except for the fact that I was impressed with the performance, enough so to pick up the album.  I later saw the band open for Langhorne Slim at a sweaty TTs, and then again headlining at Great Scott.  That show sealed the deal, I swore I would never miss a Dawes show in Boston.  Road warriors in the truest sense, Dawes tours constantly and leaves everything on the stage - as with all truly great live bands, their live performances completely transform and transcend the album versions.  A review and live recording from that show at Great Scott became the first ever post on visible voice. 

Now, almost 9 months later and with a triumphant Newport Folk Festival performance under their belt, Dawes returned to Boston again last week for a headlining show at Royale.  Still touring behind their debut North Hills, the setlist included most of the old favorites as well as a number of new songs from their upcoming LP (scheduled for a 2011 release).  The band was on fire right out of the gate - opening with "My Girl To Me" followed by "When You Call My Name".  The first new track of the night came next and was also one of the highlights - "If I Needed Someone" is propelled by a driving beat, Alex Casnoff's keyboard fills and a chorus that's impossible not to sing along with.  After that opening, the rest of the show was mostly a blur.  Another late highlight was the 1-2 punch of "Peace In The Valley" (that guitar solo!) and "When My Time Comes" to close the main set.  Frontman Taylor Goldsmith's always-impressive guitar work was especially firey, the rhythm section was in lockstep and the harmonies were perfect (well, perfect enough for rock n' roll, that is).  Before leaving the stage after a two song encore, Goldsmith promised to be back in Boston again in the upcoming months and I have no doubt the crowd will be even larger next time - and I know I'll be there.

Complete live recording of the show is available for stream/download below.  The sound quality is generally excellent (improves a bit after the first song), despite a bit of crowd chatter.  Also, thanks to the dude who decided to make an obscene comment directly into the mic during "If I Needed Someone" - classy.  Enjoy!

Dawes
Royale Nightclub - Boston, MA
November 6, 2010

My Girl To Me
When You Call My Name
If I Needed Someone
That Western Skyline
How Far We've Come
Love Is All I Am
Time Spent In Los Angeles
Bedside Manner
Fire Away
Peace In The Valley
When My Time Comes
Little Bit Of Everything
I've Got A Feeling

Lossless zip available upon request - comment if you want the link (and include your email address).

Photos from Dawes and Peter Wolf Crier at Royale