MUSIC NEWS: NEW GASLIGHT ANTHEM SONG "BILOXI PARISH"

 

Last week, a new The Gaslight Anthem song found it's way to Soundcloud. "Biloxi Parish" was performed a couple of times during the band's recent European dates. No word yet on if it's a contender for the next album.

  the Gaslight Anthem - Biloxi Parish by user761012 

The recording itself is sourced from an Australian radio show called Triple J. A bootleg is floating around featuring a large portion of the show and it's about an hours worth of FM Broadcasty goodness. What a band. Definitely, check this out below and enjoy.

The Gaslight Anthem: Metro Theatre - Sydney, Australia 5/23/11

FULL DOWNLOAD

Also the first single from the Brian Fallon/Ian Perkins project The Horrible Crowes is now available through all the various digi-retailers. If "Behold The Hurricane" is any indication, the full length album Elsie is gonna be fantastic.  

Pre-order it now at SideOneDummy.

PHOTO CREDIT: © Ryan Russell

MUSIC NEWS: DAVE HAUSE PAYS HOMAGE TO MARTIN SCORCESE

If you follow this blog then you are well aware that I have been hyping Dave Hause's new solo album Resolutions pretty much nonstop, with good reason because it's one of the best released this year so far.

In the first music video for Resolutions, Hause and director Jason Shevchuk pay homage to none other than Martin Scorsese, specifically Scorsese's 1968 short film The Big Shave. For the non film nerds out there, The Big Shave was Scorsese's comment on the Vietnam War and was produced as his final project while at NYU. It's said upon the film's screening, Scorsese was approached by a well known producer who would help Scorsese acquire funding for his first feature length film, Mean Streets.

The original version juxtaposes increasingly violent imagery with Bunny Berigan's song "I Can't Get Started" while The Hause/Shevchuk version features similar imagery set to Hause's "Time Will Tell." So what do you think is Hause commenting on?

MUSIC NEWS: ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME FINALLY GETS ONE RIGHT

Here's Tom Wait's finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. I guess since they let every other shitty performer in already, they can finally get to good ones like Tom Waits and Wanda Jackson.

MUSIC NEWS: The First Great Album of 2011 - Dave Hause's Resolutions

Dave Hause is a name you might recognize, but not exactly know why. Hause has been part of the Philly/NJ punk & hardcore scene since the early 90's first with Step Ahead, then with The Curse, then Paint It Black. Or you might know him as that guy who used to roadie for the Bouncing Souls. But most likely you've found yourself singing along to one of his songs as front man for The Loved Ones.

In 2009, Hause put The Loved Ones on hiatus and like many of his punk-gone-acoustic contemporaries hit the road with a fistful of stripped down songs and a Martin steel string. His new solo album Resolutions bares the fruits of that endeavor. And it's in this state that Hause, maybe for the first time, finds his own truly distinct voice.

While The Loved One always turned in strong albums, their influences were worn on their sleeve.  In many ways, Resolutions presents Hause in his most comfortable, confident, and natural form. "Selfish Masquerade" and "Louisiana," two standout songs from The Loved Ones 2008 album Build & Burn, provided a first glimpse of what a Dave Hause solo record might hold in store. Hause follows in that vein for Resolutions and delivers ten fantastic songs dealing with the harsh realities of adulthood and dreams fallen short of, while simultaneously garnering offerings of faith & confidence to keep moving forward by.

Many of the songs on Resolutions will be familiar to those who caught Hause's appearances on the Revival Tour featuring Chuck Ragan and Tim Barry or while opening for Brian Fallon's solo performances. The previously sparse tour favorite "Melanin" has been given a rousing revision and follows opener "Time Will Tell," as much a one-two punch if there ever was one. "Come On Kid" has seen a transformation of sorts as well. Once a somber tinged plea to a friend from a not entirely-confident-himself Hause, "Come On Kid" is now a full on anthem of redemption on the horizon. "Pray For Tuscon" slows things down a bit accompanied only by a mournful pedal steel and brush of organ to great effect. The title track does not mince words or intentions for this record with Hause singing "... I want to shed my skin... we can't go on this way..." The first five songs on Resolutions will quickly rise to the top of the "most played" list in your iTunes library.

If there is one slight misstep on Resolutions, it's "Prague (Revive Me)." "Prague" is in no way a bad song but a jarring transition to the second half of the album. Upon first listen it seems out of left field but repeat listening reveals it to be a deserved part of the album. In the tender "Heavy Heart," Hause revisits the roll of cornerman, providing a boost of confidence and reassurance to a timid friend. "Years From Now" speaks to the next generation of music kids coming up, asking them to carry the torch for the community while at the same time improving it. "Rankers & Rotters" is one last raucous song of identification and inclusion -  this is who we are and this is for us. The album closes with "Meet Me At The Lanes," a heartfelt nod to the friends whom Hause has undoubtly learned from and been helped by, along the way.

Instantly accessible melodies combine with resonating lyrics to give you an album that will soon be counted as a favorite in your record collection. Dave Hause's Resolutions is a collection of superbly crafted songs by a songwriter in top form. The first listen will hit your ears, the second will hit your heart. Buy this album now, you'll be happy you did.

Resolutions is available direct through Paper & Plastick on limited edition vinyl in three variations, CD, and digital download as well as on iTunes.

Preview three tracks from the album below:

Resolutions - Dave Hause

C'mon Kid - Dave Hause

Years From Now - Dave Hause

As well as two excellent cover demos that didn't make the record:

When It Don't Come Easy (Patti Griffin) - Dave Hause demo

The Cheapest Key (Kathleen Edwards) - Dave Hause demo

PHOTO CREDIT: Jessie DeFlorio

MUSIC NEWS: The Dropkick Murphys, Brian Fallon, & The Bouncing Souls

Every year my friends and I head up to Boston for St. Patties day. It is a three day shitshow of drunken revelry. Aside from consuming obnoxious amounts of Guinness, the main reason for the trip is to attend one or many of the Dropkick Murphys annual St. Patties day performances. Looks like this year we will have a little more to be excited for.

On March 1st, The Dropkick Murphys will release Going Out In Style, their first record in four years.

From kikaxemusic.com:

For Going Out In Style, Dropkick Murphys even enlisted the vocal talents of the legendary Bruce Springsteen — whom they first met at a DKM gig in New York and later collaborated with onstage at one of Springsteen's Boston shows. Springsteen swaps verses with [Ken] Casey for a spirited take on the old standard "Peg O' My Heart."  "It has a classic old fifties rock and roll feel," says Casey. "Both of my grandmothers are named Peg. One grandmother, Peg Casey, is always saying, 'When are you going to do that song? Your grandfather always sang it to me!' The time signature changed, so hopefully they still appreciate it when they hear it."

The collaboration is a perfect intergenerational bridge for fans and band alike. Dropkick Murphys have always strongly resonated with audiences young and old due to their working class ethos and cathartic sonic revelry.  "It links two generations," says Casey. "We're spanning a lot of years of music here, yet our songs share similar themes, stories, and values."

Rolling Stone interviewed bassist Ken Casey about the new album and his band's collaboration with the Boss:

"All we said was 'we thought it would be great to trade off on verses,'" Casey says. "You don't really give the Boss instructions."

Rolling Stone also has a preview of the new DKM track "Memorial Day."

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The Bouncing Souls have teamed up with Side One Dummy Records and screenprint designer El Jefe to release a 19x25 limited edition Misfit's inspired poster as part of the new "Artist On Artist Poster Series."

Future bands to be featured in the series include The Gaslight Anthem and Flogging Molly.

Side One Dummy will also feature The Bouncing Souls as part of it's Complete Control Sessions record release series. Each 10" record will feature a sleeve custom designed by El Jefe and exclusive recordings from the bands.

The El Jefe designed El Jefe print is available for pre-order now at the Side One Dummy Records store and El Jefe Design.com. Stay tuned here for more info on the Complete Control Sessions record release series.

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The Gaslight Anthem's frontman Brian Fallon revealed his new side project The Horrible Crowes on his personal blog, Cassettes In The Mailbox.

"Anyway, so here's the deal... the "night time music" is myself and Mr. Ian Perkins, and what we're doing is writing songs and making demos at the very moment. We hope to put out a full length record sometime this year, before it gets cold again, I don't know with whom, or when exactly it will come out. But the point is, it's coming out. We're calling ourselves The Horrible Crowes...

... Now how's this going to work with Gaslight, well it's easy, see, every time I write a creepy Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Mark Laneghan type song, I get an idea for a ripper which goes straight to Gaslight. So we're writing for both now, but Gaslight isn't planning on recording until the fall, for a 2012 release. Now I can't sit still so I'm doing this for fun, nothing more. We might do a few shows with the Crowes, maybe select cities in the US, Can, and Europe/UK, but not major touring like Gaslight does. This is my "for me" record, Gaslight is my baby, no mistake...

... I always said I never would do a "solo" record so that's why I found a partner in crime in Ian. So it's not going to be the acoustic Brian Fallon road show. There's organs, pianos, even (gasp) strings!!! There's drums, everything. So don't expect a folk record. Here's a good description, if Tom Waits, the National, the Afghan Whigs, Bon Iver, and Nick Cave made a band with Percy Sledge that'd be called The Horrible Crowes." 

You can keep up with The Horrible Crowes by checking out their blog and Facebook page.

PHOTO CREDIT: All images included in this post belong to their rightful photographer but I don't know who you are. If any of these are your photo, please contact me and I will credit you or remove the image should you want.

MUSIC NEWS: Lineup for Re-Scheduled Bouncing Souls H4TH Is Up

The lineup for the rescheduled Bouncing Souls 4th Annual Home For The Holidays Show is up. There's some great bands scheduled and an amazing closing night featuring The Loved Ones and Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves, nice.

Wednesday, February 9
w/ ANTI-FLAG, FULL SPEED AHEAD, and THE GREAT EXPLAINER

Thursday, February 10
w/ STRIKE ANYWHERE, THE MENZINGERS, and DIRTY TACTICS

Friday, February 11
w/ POLAR BEAR CLUB, LEMURIA, and TOP SOIL

Saturday, February 12
w/ THE LOVED ONES, CHRIS WOLLARD & THE SHIP THIEVES, and LANDMINES

Returned tickets for some of shows were put on sale to the lucky few who caught it. However, it looks like the re-scheduled nights 2,3, & 4 are all sold out.

It also looks like I won't be able to make the rescheduled show and may have lost out on the refund period so..... double bummer. Either way that's some good shows right there. 

UPDATE: Because the whole Souls team is a class act, I got a refund on my tickets. This is the first time I've missed Home For The Holidays since the thing started. Bummer, but at least I'm not out the dough as well.