[news] Spoon - Digital Deluxe & Merch Combo Packages

Spoon Yard Sale

Looks like if you're a huge Spoon fan, you've got plenty of things that you can purchase from Spoon's store. Go here to check out the different bonus packages, or view the list below. Essentially, there's a lot of things here that I don't necessarily need, and I can't convince myself that the bonus material (a live video of one song from each album) makes these Deluxe Digital copies worth getting. Decide for youself:

Update: Over at Internet Archive, you can hear the entire La Zona Rosa concert from 2-2-2006.

Deluxe Digtital Copies For $10 (each)

Telephono/Soft Effects EP

• Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
• Video of “Mountain To Sound” from 2006 in Austin, TX at La Zona Rosa
• Digital liner notes

A Series of Sneaks

• Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
• Video of “Utilitarian” from 2006 in Austin, TX at La Zona Rosa
• Digital liner notes

Girls Can Tell

• Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
• Video of “Everything Hits at Once” from 2006 in Austin, TX at La Zona Rosa
• Digital liner notes

Kill The Moonlight

• Premium DRM-free 320kbps MP3, FLAC, or Apple Lossless
• Video of “Jonathan Fisk” from 2006 in Austin, TX at La Zona Rosa
• Digital liner notes

Album Combo for $35

• All four full length digital albums
• All four bonus live videos from 2006 in Austin, TX at La Zona Rosa
• Digital liner notes

Deluxe Combo for $75

• All four full length digital albums
• German tour poster from 2005 (18 x 23)
• Re-creations of Spoon tour postcards from 1998
• Messenger bag that fits vinyl with Spoon logo embroidered (white on grey bag only)

Vintage Kill the Moonlight & Girls Can Tell T-shirts

• Shirt + Telephono/Soft Effects EP (digital): $30
• Shirt + A Series of Sneaks (digital): $30
• Shirt + Girls Can Tell (digital): $30
• Shirt + Kill The Moonlight (digital): $30
• Shirt + Album Combo (digital): $55
• Shirt + Deluxe Combo: $95

Shirt Only for $20 (each)

• Girls Can Tell T-Shirt
  
• Kill the Moonlight T-Shirt

[review] The Blakes @ Neumos (9-29-2009)

The Blakes debut Souvenir at Neumos

Last night The Blakes celebrated the completion and release of their newest LP Souvenir. Officially set to hit shelves on October 13, the band was selling copies to all who attended as part of their CD Release party held at Neumos. Opening acts The Purrs and Strong Killings got the night started off early and set the tone for a night of great rock.

When most bands record an album, there's an interim period between the completion of recording and the release date. In that time, there is a tedious mixing process where the band adds more elements, sounds, vocals, etc. After all the technical studio wizardry is complete, the band then has to relearn how to play those songs live without all the layers and studio additions.

Last night was one of the first shows The Blakes had played since the completion of Souvenir. I was expecting it to be a little rougher around the edges, but was ultimately surprised at how many new songs we actually were treated with - not to mention how great these sounded live. Nearly splitting the set list 50:50 with tracks from their 2007 self-titled record and their new LP, The Blakes have created yet another catchy collection of 60's inspired rock, laden with oh-so-contagious hooks. Be sure to grad yourself a copy now if you happen to live in Seattle, or later this month for everyone else. Included on the album is "Charmed," which a live, acoustic Pancho Villa version can be viewed above.

As for last night's show, The Blakes delivered another solid performance to its loyal fans. A set list is posted below, though the order is not correct. Some great pictures were taken by Kristen Blush over at The Stranger. One hell of a show.

Set list (9-29-2009):
in no particular order

Old tunes:
Modern Man
Two Times
Pistol Grip
Magoo
Picture
Vampire
Commit
Don't Bother Me

New tunes:
Charmed
Basket
A Fire
Tommy
Next Time Around
Little Bit About You
Lie Next To Me
Wolf In Sheep's Clothes
Move To The City

[reminder] The Blakes @ Neumos (9-29-2009)

The Blakes CD Release Party

Just a friendly reminder: The Blakes, Seattle's favorite '60s-inspired garage rockers, will be treating their locals with new live tunes tomorrow night. The band will officially release their new album Souvenir on October 13, but an early purchase can be made for all who attend Tuesday's night's show. The night will kick off at 8PM at Neumos and is only $10 (tickets purchased online here or at any Rudy's Barbershop). Stage support includes The Purrs and Strong Killings.

This album is chock-full of some great songs - 16 in total. After a couple listens, I think I might even go so far as to say Souvenir out-rocks their 2007 Light In the Attic self-titled release. Lots of jams from the Lights On EP and Cereal Box Sessions really came together to make one quality track list. Attend the CD release party tomorrow night and hear for yourself, and definitely try to take home a little souvenir with you after the show.

The Blakes tour dates:

Sep 29 2009 8:00P	Neumos	Seattle, Washington
Oct 1 2009 9:00P	Rotture	Portland, Oregon
Oct 2 2009 8:00P	Humboldt Brewery	Arcata, California
Oct 3 2009 8:00P	Marilyn’s On K	Sacramento, California
Oct 4 2009 8:00P	Bottom Of The Hill	San Francisco, California
Oct 6 2009 8:00P	Viper Room - The Blakes w/ Bernard Fowler & Special Guests and JOE PERRY PROJECT	West Hollywood, California
Oct 7 2009 9:00P	Saint Rocke	Hermosa Beach, California
Oct 8 2009 2:00P	THE RUMBLE	Los Angeles, California
Oct 9 2009 9:00P	Beauty Bar Las Vegas	Las Vegas, Nevada
Oct 10 2009 6:00P	Casbah San Diego - THE RUMBLE	San Diego, California
Oct 10 2009 10:00P	Bar Pink	San Diego, California
Oct 12 2009 9:00P	Bash Riprocks	Lubbock, Texas
Oct 13 2009 8:00P	The Mohawk	Austin, Texas
Oct 14 2009 9:00P	Hailey’s	Denton, Texas
Oct 15 2009 7:00P	Sticky Fingers Chicken Shack	Little Rock, Arkansas
Oct 16 2009 8:30P	The Firebird	St. Louis, Missouri
Oct 17 2009 9:00P	Rock Island Brewing Co.	Rock Island, Illinois
Oct 20 2009 8:00P	Pike Room	Pontiac, Michigan
Oct 21 2009 2:00P	KEXP In Studio at CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 22 2009 8:00P	CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 22 2009 8:00P	East Village Radio at CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 23 2009 8:00P	CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 23 2009 8:00P	The Blakes at CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 24 2009 8:00P	CMJ	New York, New York
Oct 24 2009 8:00P	The Blakes at CMJ Official Showcase	New York, New York
Oct 27 2009 8:00P	Horseshoe Tavern - the Blakes	Toronto, Ontario

[tour dates] Julian Plenti is... Playing Chop Suey (11-19-2009)

Plenti of new tour dates

Paul Banks, most notably know for fronting Interpol, has just announced his first solo tour with his new project/pseudonym Julian Plenti. Starting this November, Plenti will hit up the West Coast before making the jump across country (stopping shortly in Chicago) for a few dates in the Northeast.

Plenti appears to be playing very intimate venues, so this has the potential to be one amazing tour. In Seattle, he will be playing Chop Suey with fellow-Brooklynites I'm In You on November 16. Tickets are available online here for $16.

Julian Plenti tour dates:

November
14 San Diego, CA - House of Blues *
16 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey *
17 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom *
18 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall *
19 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre *
21 Chicago, CA - Metro *
23 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club *
24 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
25 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl *
27 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church *

December
01 Dublin, Ireland - The Academy
02 Manchester, England - Academy 2
03 London, England - Scala
05 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique
06 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
08 Cologne, Germany - Kulturkirche
09 Berlin, Germany - Festsaal
11 Vienna, Austria - Arena
12 Milan, Italy - Magazzini
13 Paris, France - Alahambra

* with I'm in You

Radiohead - Kid Amnesiac

Kid Amnesiac (my mix)

Let's face it, Kid A and Amnesiac are fantastic records, serving as the experimental "where to go next" follow-ups to Radiohead's OK Computer. Interestingly, both Kid A and Amnesiac were products of the same recording session and were released only eight months apart from each other. While I think they are very strong albums on their own, there are many who think that combining the gems from both albums would have made the strongest Radiohead album to date.

The melding of the two albums into one super album has been done before and cleverly coined as the Kid Amnesiac album (also written as Kid A/mnesiac, Kid A[mnesiac], etc...). Below is my compilation, which I think flows quite nicely. I also limited myself to 13 total songs, which clocks in at just under an hour - a little long, but all hits. After some editing, these songs seamlessly lead into the next, making for a very enjoyable listen. I'm curious how others would compile their Kid Amnesiac track listings, and what that implies about the compiler's musical tastes.

Kid Amnesiac track listing:

1. Idioteque
2. Morning Bell
3. I Might Be Wrong
4. The National Anthem
5. Pyramid Song
6. Packt Like Sardines In A Crushd Tin Box
7. Hunting Bears
8. Like Spinning Plates
9. Everything in Its Right Place
10. Kid A
11. You And Whose Army
12. Optimistic
13. Life In A Glass House

[tour dates] The xx - North American Tour

The xx have crafted a masterpiece

For those of you who haven't had a chance to listen to The xx's amazing debut album, posted here are two music videos for your listening pleasure. The album, fittingly titled xx, has been digitally available for months through iTunes here in the US, however, physical copies just hit shelves on September 8. It's a must-have LP - definitely in my top albums of 2009 thus far.

And to make things even better, these South Londoners will be touring the US starting in November. Sadly, the band will be in the Northwest around the one holiday I'll be out of town. More specifically, The xx will be playing Neumos the day after Thanksgiving. So get your fill of turkey, watch some football, and rest up for this show. And if you live elsewhere in the country, you should really try to catch these guys if they come through your neck of the woods.

US tour dates:

Nov 11 2009 8:00P	Bowery Ballroom	NYC, New York
Nov 15 2009 8:00P	DC 9	Washington DC
Nov 16 2009 8:00P	Local 506	Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Nov 17 2009 8:00P	529	Atlanta, Georgia
Nov 19 2009 8:00P	The Mohawk	Austin, Texas
Nov 20 2009 8:00P	Casbah	San Diego, California
Nov 21 2009 8:00P	Henry Fonda Theater	Hollywood, California
Nov 23 2009 8:00P	Independent	San Francisco, California
Nov 24 2009 8:00P	State University	Sacramento, California
Nov 25 2009 8:00P	Doug Fir Lounge	Portland, Oregon
Nov 26 2009 8:00P	Richard’s	Vancouver, British Columbia
Nov 27 2009 8:00P	Neumos	Seattle, Washington
Nov 30 2009 8:00P	Triple Rock	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Dec 1 2009 8:00P	Bottom Lounge	Chicago, Illinois
Dec 2 2009 8:00P	Mod Club	Toronto, Ontario
Dec 3 2009 8:00P	Le National	Montreal, Quebec
Dec 4 2009 8:00P	Paradise	Boston, Massachusetts
Dec 5 2009 8:00P	Webster Hall	NYC, New York

Buy :: The xx - xx

[reminder] Fremont Octoberfest 2009 (Sept. 18, 19, 20)

Beer, music, and much much more...

If Elysian's Night Owl isn't enough to entice you over to Fremont's annual Octoberfest this weekend, maybe the beers listed below will. Over 35 breweries are attending this year's festival, many featuring their fall brews. Tickets are still available at advance ticket price; however, starting tomorrow, you'll have to pay a little extra. Go grab you tickets tonight if possible.

Also attached is this year's musical lineup if you're still not sold.

----------------Fremont Octoberfest 2009 Music Lineup----------------

Friday, September 18th
7:00pm – 8:30pm - Stay Tuned
9:00pm – 10:45pm – Dudley Manlove Quartet

Saturday, September 19th
(Music sponsored by Sonic Boom Records)
12:00pm – 12:45pm – The Tea Cozies
1:05pm – 1:50pm – The Torn Acls
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Exhibition
3:45pm – 4:30pm – Sam Russell & The Harbor Rats
4:50pm – 5:35pm – Central Services
5:55pm – 6:40pm – The Kindness Kind
7:00pm – 7:45pm – They Live!
8:05pm – 8:50pm – Boat
9:10pm – 9:55pm – The Redwood Plan
10:15pm – 10:45pm - Champagne Champagne

Sunday, September 20th
12:00pm – 12:45pm – Pufferfish
1:15pm – 2:00pm – M.Bison
2:30pm – 3:00pm – Texas Chainsaw Pumpkin Carving Exhibition
3:30pm – 4:15pm – Skeletons with Flesh on Them
4:30pm – 5:15pm – The Bouchards

-----------------Fremont Octoberfest 2009 Beer Lineup-----------------

21st Amendment Brewery
San Francisco, California
- Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer - Hefeweizen / 5.0%
- Brew Free! or Die IPA - IPA / 7.0%

Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau, Alaska
- Belgium Wit Bier - Other Ale / 5.3%
- Smoked Porter - Porter / 6.5%

Baron Brewing
Seattle, Washington
- Baron Oktoberfest - Marzen / 6.3%
- Baron Pilsner - Pilsner / 4.8%

Beck’s
Bremen, Germany
- Beck’s - Pilsner
- Beck’s Oktoberfest - Maerzen / 5.0%

Big Al Brewing
Seattle,Washington
- Irish Red - Other Ale / 6.0%
- Harvest Ale - Seasonal Ale

Big Sky Brewing
Missoula, Montana
- Moose Drool Brown Ale - Other Ale / 5.1%
- Big Sky IPA - IPA / 6.2%

Blue Moon
Toronto, Canada
- Harvest Moon - Amber / 5.6%

Bridgeport Brewing Company
Portland, Oregon
- Hop Harvest Ale - Other Ale / 7.0%

Chuckanut Brewery
Bellingham, Washington
- Oktoberfest Bier - Lager / 5.0%
- Kolsch - Other Ale / 5.0%

Crispin Cider
Colfax, California
- Crispin Cider Original - Cider / 5.0%

Dad Watsons
Seattle, Washington
- Ruby - Raspberry Ale / 4.4%
- Pickleweasel Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 5.6%

Deschutes
Bend, Oregon
- Red Chair - IPA / 6.4%
- Green Lakes Amber - Amber Ale / 5.2%
- Black Butte Porter - Porter / 5.2%
- Mirror Pond Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 5.0%
- Twilight Ale - Seasonal Ale / 5.0%

Elysian Brewing Company
Seattle, Washington
- Night Owl Pumpkin Ale - Other Ale / 5.9%
- Avatar Jasmine IPA - Other Ale / 6.3%

Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, California
- DBA English Pale - English Style Bitter / Amber Ale / 5.0%
- Union Jack IPA - IPA / 7.5%

Fremont Brewing Company
Seattle, Washington
- Universale - Pale Ale / 5.2%
- Mystère de la Passion - Other Ale

Full Sail Brewing
Hood River, Oregon
- Full Sail LTD3 - Pilsner / 5.6%
- Full Sail IPA - IPA / 6.0%

Georgetown Brewing Company
Seattle, Washington
- Manny’s Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 5.2%
- Lisa’s “The Sun is Trying to Kill Me” Chocolate Stout - Stout / 8.5%

Hales
Seattle, Washington
- O’Brien’s Harvest Ale - Other Ale / 6.4%
- Supergoose IPA - IPA / 7.2%

Kona Brewing Co
Kona, Hawaii
- Longboard Lager - Lager / 5.0%
- Pipeline Porter - Porter / 5.4%

Lagunitas
Petaluma, California
- The Hairy Eyeball - Other Ale / 8.7%
- Pils - Pilsner / 5.3%

Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
Everett, Washington
- Lazy Boy Red Head - Other Ale / 8.2%
- Lazy Boy Belgian Golden Ale - Other Ale / 8.7%

Leinenkugel
Chippewa Fall, Wisconsin
- Leinie’s Oktoberfest - Marzen / 5.1%

Mac and Jacks Brewing Co.
Redmond, Washington
- African Amber - Amber / 5.9%
- Blackcat Porter - Porter / 5.3%

Mad River Brewing
Blue Lake, California
- Steelhead Double IPA - IPA / 8.6%
- Jamaica Red Ale - Amber / 6.5%

Michelob Brewing Company (yuck!)
St. Louis, Missouri
- Michelob Original Lager - Lager / 5.0%
- Michelob AmberBock - Amber / 5.6%
- Michelob Light - Pale Ale / 4.3%
- Shock Top Belgian White Ale - Other Ale / 5.2%
- Jack’s Pumpkin Spiced Ale - Other Ale / 5.2%

New Belgium Brewing
Seattle, Washington
- Hoptober - Other Ale / 6.0%
- The Trip 3 - Other Lager / 4.5%

Ninkasi Brewing Company
Eugene, Oregon Total
- Domination IPA - IPA / 6.7%
- Believer Double Red - Other Ale / 6.9%

Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont, Colorado
- Dale’s Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 6.5%
- Mama’s Little Yella Pils - Pilsner / 5.3%

Pyramid Breweries
Seattle, Washington
- Haywire - Hefeweizen / 5.2%
- Juggernaut - Other Ale / 5.6%

Redhook Ale Brewery
Woodinville, Washington
- Slim Chance Light Ale - Light Ale / 3.9%
- Late Harvest Autumn Ale - Seasonal Ale / 5.9%

Roslyn Brewing Company
Roslyn, Washington
- Roslyn - Other Lager / 4.0%
- Brookside - Other Lager / 4.5%

Sam Adams
Boston, Massachusetts
- Octoberfest - Marzen / 5.4%
- Boston Lager - Lager / 4.9%

Silver City Brewing Co.
Silverdale, Washington
- Oktoberfest - Marzen / 6.4%
- Bavarian Hefeweizen - Hefeweizen / 5.0%

Snoqualmie Brewery
Snoqualmie, Washington
- Wildcat IPA - IPA / 6.6%
- Harvest Moon Geman Style Festbier - Other Ale / 5.3%

Stone Brewing Co
San Diego, California
- Arrogant Bastard Ale - Other Ale / 7.2%
- Stone Levitation Ale - Amber / 4.4%

The Stranger/Lazy Boy Brewing Co.
Everett, Washington
- The Stranger Big Double Trouble IPA - IPA / 8.5%

Trade Route Brewing Co.
(formerly Laughing Buddha)
Seattle, Washington
- Chieftain - Amber / 6.0%
- Ginger Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 5.0%

Trumer Brauerei
Berkeley, California
- Trumer Pils - Pilsner / 4.9%

Whistler Brewing Company
Vancouver, BC
- Black Tusk - Other Ale
- Classic Pale - Pale Ale

Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Portland, Oregon
- Widmer Okto - Marzen / 5.5%
- Widmer Hefeweizen - Hefeweizen / 4.9%
- Drifter Pale Ale - Pale Ale / 5.8%
- Drop Top Amber Ale - Amber / 5.0%

[review] We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Neumos (9-16-2009)

We were promised nothing, but got nearly everything

Last night, playing to a sold out crowd of eager Seattleites, Scottish quartet We Were Promised Jetpacks took the stage at Neumos. On the ticket stub, it read the show was for Frightened Rabbit: fellow Scottish indie rockers. For me, however, the real headliners of the night were the four Glaswegian transplants from Edinburgh who provided the first of three sets. And while these Scotsmen are - as they put it so nicely - younger than the Ghostbusters, you never would have guessed it when the band kicked off their set with "It's Thunder And It's Lightning", the first track off WWPJ's solid debut These Four Walls. To have only been touring for little over a year, you might have expected higher levels of timidity. This was not the case.

It really helped that the crowd was so into the band - you could tell that the whole group was feeding off the energy in the room. Much thanks needs to be given to local radio station KEXP, for they are greatly responsible for the exposure of WWPJ to the Pacific Northwest. Back before the band had even signed to FatCat Records, when there was only the 3-song self-titled EP available, KEXP first aired "Quiet Little Voices" as the "song of the day". In fact, that's how I learned of these guys over a year ago.

And you could tell that the crowd was familiar with "Quiet Little Voices" based on the amount of cheers given to lead singer Adam Thompson when he announced that "the next song is really good" and that "if you don't like it, you should probably take a step outside" (said in a thick Scottish brogue). As soon as the opening riff was played, a sea of movement took over Neumos' main floor. After the killer a rendition of "Voices", an emotionally charged "Ships With Holes Will Sink" immediately followed, which in my opinion was the best song of the night. Other highlights included "Keeping Warm" which showcased the charging album-version introduction, as well as the cathartic performance of the night closer "Short Bursts."

I can't really do the band justice by describing how great WWPJ sound live. These guys are performers, and they have a live show which cannot be captured on recordings. While These Four Walls is a great album, the live version is miles beyond. It's only a matter a time before these guys break though into US popularity. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for a show near you. Tour dates and a setlist of the night (which I think is correct) are posted at the bottom.

Setlist (9-16-2009):

-It's Thunder And It's Lightning
-Roll Up Your Sleeves
-Moving Clocks Run Slow
-This Is My House, This Is My House
-Keeping Warm
-Quiet Little Voices
-Ships With Holes Will Sink
-Conductor
-Short Bursts

We Were Promised Jetpacks US tour dates:

Sep 17 2009 8:00P	MusicFest NW	Portland, Oregon
Sep 18 2009 8:00P	The Independant (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	San Francisco, California
Sep 19 2009 8:00P	The Voodoo Lounge (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	San Jose, California
Sep 20 2009 8:00P	Knitting Factory (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Los Angeles, California
Sep 22 2009 8:00P	Plush (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Tucson, Arizona
Sep 24 2009 8:00P	The Mohawk (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Austin, Texas
Sep 25 2009 8:00P	Spanish Moon (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Sep 26 2009 8:00P	Bottletree (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Birmingham, Alabama
Sep 27 2009 8:00P	The Masquerade (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Atlanta, Georgia
Sep 28 2009 8:00P	Club Downunder (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Tallahassee, Florida
Sep 29 2009 8:00P	The Social (with Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad)	Orlando, Florida
Oct 1 2009 8:00P	Local 506 (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Oct 3 2009 8:00P	North Star (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Oct 5 2009 8:00P	Black Cat Backstage (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Washington, Washington DC
Oct 6 2009 8:00P	Bowery Ballroom (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	New York, New York
Oct 7 2009 8:00P	Great Scott (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Allston, Massachusetts
Oct 9 2009 8:00P	La Sala Rossa (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Montreal
Oct 10 2009 8:00P	El Mocambo (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Toronto, Ontario
Oct 11 2009 8:00P	Blind Pig (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Ann Arbor, Michigan
Oct 12 2009 8:00P	Empty Bottle (with The Twilight Sad and Brakes)	Chicago, Illinois

Buy :: These Four Walls
Buy :: "Quiet Little Voices" (single)
Buy :: "Roll Up Your Sleeves" (single)