Favorite Albums of 2011 #5-1

5. The Barr Brothers – The Barr Brothers
The Barr Brothers' debut didn't exactly come out of nowhere, but it certainly exceeded my high expectations.  Seamless shifts from hushed vocals and plucked harp to ragged bluesy bluster, with gorgeous sweeping melodies throughout.    

The Barr Brothers - Beggar In The Morning

 4. Middle Brother - Middle Brother
A great example of a record that is bigger than the sum of its parts.  Middle Brother represents the ongoing renaissance of unpretentious rock n' folk and honest songwriting...not to mention their killer live show.  Middle Brother made and important statement in 2011.

Middle Brother - Million Dollar Bill

3. Bon Iver – Bon Iver, Bon Iver
Justin Vernon could have followed-up For Emma with a "safe" record and it would have been a massive hit.  Bon Iver, Bon Iver wasn't safe.  Beautiful songs married with densely orchestrated and bold arrangements.  Both challenging and gorgeous.

Bon Iver - Michicant

2. The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient
The War On Drugs really should be my favorite band.  Other bands don't stand a shot.  Mixing classic, rollicking Springsteen and Petty with the haze and drone of Suicide and the loud-ass bombast of Spaceman 3.  Slave Ambient is where they put it all together.

The War On Drugs - Come To The City

1. Bryan John Appleby – Fire On The Vine
Maybe an unlikely choice for my favorite album of the year, but I would have been kidding myself to choose anything else.  It was love at first listen.  Beautiful, mature songwriting, rich melodies and arrangements - a record that I came back to again and again and again.

Bryan John Appleby - The Words Of The Revelator

Your favorite live recordings of 2011

Words // Scott Pingeton

One of my motivations in starting VV almost two years ago was to share live recordings from some of my favorite bands.  Growing up I would collect as many bootlegs as I could - from Dylan to Springsteen to The Replacements to Ryan Adams - and there's something magical about capturing the intensity and intimacy of a live performance.  Especially if it's a souvenir of a show you saw live.  Here are the five most popular live recordings we shared in 2011...

#5 Middle Brother: Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Middle Brother - Million Dollar Bill

"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 live."

Download the full set

#4 The Wooden Sky: Lizard Lounge Cambridge MA 11.11.11

The Wooden Sky - Oslo

"The reason I started Visible Voice was to share the music that I believe in, and there is no better example than They Wooden Sky.  A sold out Lizard Lounge is a start, but they are are destined for much bigger things"

Download the full set 

#3 The Head And The Heart: Royale Boston MA 9.30.11

The Head And The Heart - Lost In My Mind 

"At times I was taken aback by the response, and the band seemed genuinely surprised as well.  In any case, I've never seen a crowd at Royale so enthusiastic"

Download the full set

#2 Lady Lamb The Beekeeper: Brighton Music Hall Boston MA 4.14.11

Lady Lamb The Beekeeper - Aubergine

"As Aly Spaltro bared her soul to a room full of strangers, we exchanged knowing glances and eyebrow raises - we were witnessing something pretty special.  A jawdropping set from a rising star."

Download the full set

#1 Jeff Tweedy: State Theater Portland ME 3.26.11

Jeff Tweedy - Via Chicago

"The acoustic setting puts Tweedy's songwriting in the spotlight - stripping densely-produced songs to their bare essentials."

Download the full set

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:

Middle Brother - Daytrotter Sessions

By Brian Hodge

 

Middle Brother, that charismatic cast of Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit, laid down a twin-bill of tracks from their self-titled debut for Daytrotter.  Recorded in Nashville (with the songs still in their infancy) and Austin (in the midst of the carnal SXSW), the tracks capture both the enthusiasm of a group on the rise, and the road-weary, well-lived-in sound of musicians charred by a hellacious schedule. Title track "Middle Brother," with its raucous, infectious attitude, comes off as honest and endearing as ever.  "Theater" and "Thanks for Nothing" are somehow even more heartbreaking and "Daydreaming" does its darnedest to steal the show.

 

The second half of their set is notably missing Delta Spirit's Matt Vasquez, but don't worry - John McCauley (Deer Tick) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) can still fill a room just fine on their own.

 

Check out the Daytrotter session here, and check out our live recording of Middle Brother in Boston here.  You'll get one more chance to see Middle Brother live at the Newport Folk Festival in July -- don't miss it.

Middle Brother - Million Dollar Bill

Deer Tick - Live at the Paradise Boston MA 3.3.11

Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit) joins Deer Tick for Bruce Springsteen's "Racing In The Street"Sandwiched between Dawes and Middle Brother, Deer Tick played an energetic, loose set (they know no other kind) to a rowdy almost-hometown crowd in Boston.  The set was sprinkled with new arrangements for old Deer Tick songs and brand new songs.  A bar band at heart, John McCauley and company threw in a few choice covers from two of my personal favorites - a revved-up take on Bruce Springsteen's classic "Racing In The Street" and Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me" both featured Delta Spirit's Matt Vasquez.  However, in many ways the night found its peak as Matt Vasquez, Jonny Corndawg and Dawes all crowded on stage for cajun party song "Down South In New Orleans" - thoughts of The Last Waltz were inevitable.  Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit may not be The Band, Dylan and Neil Young...but seeing three of the best bands making music today having a blast on stage together is still an awe inspiring sight.

Complete Deer Tick recording is available below for stream or download in pristine sound.  This rounds out the trifecta (Dawes and Middle Brother sets are already up).  Thanks again to the fantastic staff at the Paradise and each of the bands for allowing us to document such a magical night.  Enjoy!

Deer Tick
Paradise Rock Club - Boston, MA
March 3, 2011

Something To Brag About
Bury Deep
Smith Hill
Ashamed
Idaho
Racing In The Street (Bruce Springsteen)
Bring It On Home To Me (Sam Cooke)
Spend The Night
Born At Zero
Hope Is Big
These Old Shoes
Christ Jesus
Down South In New Orleans (Bobby Charles)

Full set download:  mp3 zip

(Note:  the kind folks at Partisan Records asked that we not post a couple of the brand new tracks)

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

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

John McCauley (Deer Tick) Live at Middle East 1.14.11

Deer Tick's John McCauley and Ian O'Neil played an early, sold out show at the tiny Middle East Upstairs last Friday - showcasing old favorites and trying out some new material, with a few covers mixed in for good measure.  The show got underway with New York's male-female folk-rock duo The Shivers who played a short set as the already full room grew even more tighter in anticipation of the main event.  The pair traded off vocal duties, accompanied by just guitar and keyboards.  Though they struggled to keep the frat-heavy crowd engaged at times, they intrigued me enough to check out their 2009 full length In The Morning which sounds pretty good after a few listens.

Ian O'Neil took the stage by himself to start the headlining set, opening with a solo-electric version of Dave Van Ronk's "He Was A Friend Of Mine".  After playing two new originals, he turned the stage over to John McCauley, whose usual nicotine-weathered and nasally voice was reduced to a hoarse rasp due to a recent Nirvana cover show.  The Deer Tick frontman surprised the packed crowd with "Sink or Swim", a deep cut off War Elephant, followed by "Daydreaming", a gorgeous love song from the upcoming Middle Brother album.  O'Neil then joined McCauley on stage for a blistering take on "Baltimore Blues No. 1".  The rest of the night would follow this pattern; O'Neil and McCauley taking turns on stage alone with just electric guitars, occasional collaborations and a mix of Deer Tick tracks, new songs and covers.

The highlights of the show were without question the solo takes on Deer Tick favorites and previews of the upcoming Middle Brother album.  McCauley gave "Portland", a cover of The Replacements outtake that will be on the Middle Brother record, a swagger that the twangy, late-period 'Mats original lacked.  Another Middle Brother track that didn't make the record featured overdriven Keith Richards-inspired riffs and a refrain of "love is such a funny word".  Deer Tick originals included selections from War Elephant and The Black Dirt Sessions - "Choir of Angels", "Ashamed" and "Piece By Piece And Frame By Frame".  Covers of Hank Williams, Neil Young, John Prine and The Replacements anthem "Can't Hardly Wait" rounded out the set.  Overall the show was loose, fun and endearingly rough around the edges - exactly what I hoped for.

Full recording from the show is available below for stream or download.  Sound is excellent thanks to a wonderful soundboard + audience matrix - enjoy!  (Note:  the unrecorded tracks were removed at the request of Deer Tick's management.  You'll have to wait to hear those in their final form!)

John McCauley + Ian O'Neil (Deer Tick)
Middle East Upstairs - Cambridge, MA
January 14, 2011

Full set download:  mp3 zip

He Was A Friend Of Mine (Dave Van Ronk)
Unknown - Ian
Unknown - Ian
Sink or Swim
Daydreaming
Baltimore Blues No. 1
She's Not Spanish
Unknown - Ian
Someday You'll Call My Name (Hank Williams) > Lookin' For A Love (Neil Young)
Choir of Angels
Portland (The Replacements)
Unknown - John (Middle Brother)
Unknown - Ian and John
Unknown - Ian and John
Cake and Eggs > Ashamed
Piece By Piece and Frame By Frame
Unwed Fathers (John Prine)
Can't Hardly Wait (The Replacements)

Photos

 

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!)