http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ en-us aaron@etchouse.com 2008-10-06T08:00:00-06:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001617.html Bob Mould "No Reservations" (17.4 MB) from Warehouse: Songs and Stories Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 This one's taken a while to get up here because, again, the crummy Majestic acoustics made it nearly impossible to decipher the lyrics in this recording, and I don't know the Mould catalog (or in this case, the Hüsker Dü catalog) well enough to pick the song out by melody. I talked to the Box Social's Nick Woods about the venue before things got started and he said they've played some great shows there, so I'm sure there's some good energy going on in the building, but I just can't stand the way loud music sounds in there. But anyway, Bob and his Santa beard were a lot of fun and I'm glad we got the chance to see him. I've already started poking into his back catalog through the library, and it's nice to know there's a lot there if I really get into it. 1617@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-10-06T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001615.html Bob Mould "See a Little Light" (19.2 MB) from Workbook Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 Not being super-familiar with Mould's solo or band catalogs, I was surprised to hear a song I knew early in the set. I don't know why I know "See a Little Light," from Mould's 1989 solo debut, but I do, and it's a good one. 1615@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-10-01T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001614.html Bob Mould "Hoover Dam" (15.6 MB) from Copper Blue Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 Bob Mould's set was odd. It wasn't acoustic, and it wasn't solo, but it also wasn't a full-band set -- it was him on electric guitar and also a bass player. I'd guess the song arrangements were just like normal, except with no drummer or second guitarist. This first tune comes from the first album by Mould's post-Hüsker Dü band, Sugar. Despite a lot of critical praise, Sugar never burst through like the early 90's bands featuring other 80's college rockers like Cracker or the Breeders. It was clear that the audience at this show appreciated their tunes as much as the rest of Mould's catalog, though. 1614@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-29T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001613.html The Box Social "All Tuckered Out" (12.4 MB) from Golly Gee Whiz! Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 Among the Box Social's new material is some revamped old material, such as this tune that appeared on their self-released EP Golly Gee Whiz! (old school fans take note, they've also brought back "Rooney and Vlad"). Of those older tunes, this one with its lullaby-ish structure is easily the one that fits this setting the best, though I appreciated the way they reconfigured some of the rhythm section moves on "Hot Damn!" 1613@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-26T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001612.html The Box Social "The Darnedest Thing" (20.4 MB) Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 There was a reasonable but not great crowd at this show (it started at 5:00 on a Friday, so I'm sure plenty of people just couldn't get there) and I heard that the Neko Case show later in the evening was about the same; hopefully that kind of Friday attendance was enough to make the Forward Fest a success. The shows we went to were not only a lot of fun, but also great exposure for the many local acts that opened most of them. 1612@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-25T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001611.html The Box Social "Loose Change" (15.8 MB) Majestic Theater Madison, WI September 19, 2008 The first Forward Music Fest was held in Madison last weekend and the Box Social -- or some of them -- kicked things off with an acoustic set opening for Bob Mould. Frontman Nick Junkunc started the show by himself and was later joined by guitarist Nick Woods for a variety of new and old material that fit the stripped-down arrangements well and seemed much appreciated by the early crowd. 1611@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-23T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001608.html Toadies "Tyler" (12.3 MB) from Rubberneck The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 This is the minor follow-up hit the Toadies had way back when, and despite the raucous reaction that "Possum Kingdom" got during the regular set, there was probably even more anticipation for this one. It's a pretty great song -- although I think Hell Below/Stars Above has a lot that are better and didn't get nearly the crowd response -- and was a terrific cap to a show that I'd have never guessed would be so excellent. 1608@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-08T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001607.html Toadies "Song I Hate" (10.8 MB) from No Deliverance The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 The encore featured a lot of classic rock songs being teased and generally a healthy dose of goofing off. The band did a great job of working the crowd, capping the night with a encore that was as varied as their set had been. 1607@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-07T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001606.html Toadies "Mexican Hairless" (6.7 MB) from Rubberneck The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 Generally speaking I'm not a fan of these little two-minute instrumental bits, either to lead off albums or as interludes. This one is no exception. I always skip it when listening to Rubberneck and it seemed like an aberration in the set. Now I guess it's an aberration here, too. 1606@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-06T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001605.html Toadies "No Deliverance" (8.6 MB) from No Deliverance The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 Well, as it turns out, I don't have any better things to say about the new album than I did two days ago, because I haven't listened to it at all since then. This lead single isn't great, but it's decent and does the job of making me want to listen to more in general. 1605@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-05T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001604.html Toadies "Away" (11.2 MB) from Rubberneck The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 I loved the Toadies' commercial failure of a second album, and I also liked their first one a lot, but it was still just two records in the 13 years preceding this year. And yet somehow the Annex was packed to the gills from the very beginning of the night -- maybe the biggest crowd I've ever seen there -- with people who would cheer for album cuts like this one from Rubberneck. I'll be really interested to see what happens with their new album if they've still got this kind of support all over the place. 1604@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-04T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001603.html Toadies "So Long Lovely Eyes" (9.8 MB) from No Deliverance The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 If ever there's been a band that got the full major-label roller coaster, it's the Toadies. After scoring a major modern rock hit with "Possum Kingdom," then a smaller one with "Tyler," their would-be second album was trashed by the label and their follow-up didn't come out for six years. Then they totally collapsed and broke up. Now, astonishingly, they're back with a new record, and this is the first track on it. It fits well with their old stuff on stage, but I haven't listened enough to say whether that's true in the studio. By the time I post the next new song, maybe I will have! 1603@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-03T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001602.html The Whigs "Right Hand on My Heart" (18.2 MB) from Mission Control The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 The Whigs' second album, Mission Control, got a lot of early buzz, but I found myself brushing it off after a couple listens. I appreciated their updating of the early 90's college rock sound (which is happening a lot lately -- see also the Hold Steady, Presidents of the USA, System and Station, and Dinosaur Jr., who are essentially updating themselves) but just couldn't get into most of it. The one song that stuck out was the soft, loopy "1000 Wives," one of the few from the record they didn't play at this show. But then the whole thing started growing on me somehow, and even though I still don't love it, there are definitely quite a few good tunes on there. On top of that, their live set was a lot of fun, making me appreciate the album all the more. Hopefully they've got a fourth Madison visit on their schedule sometime soon. 1602@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-02T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001601.html The Whigs "God's Biographer" (9.7 MB) (Bingo Trappers) The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 For a band from Georgia, the Whigs play Madison an awful lot. This was, I believe, their third Madison show of 2008 in support of their second album, Mission Control. They had a fun, loose vibe on stage, as demonstrated on this cover of a song by Dutch band Bingo Trappers. It seemed like they included it in their set just because they really like the song, sort of off-the-cuff. "OK, here's this song we like by a band from Amsterdam." Fun stuff. 1601@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-09-01T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001600.html The Box Social "Life During Wartime" (27.4 MB) (Talking Heads) The Annex Madison, WI July 31, 2008 OK, I've finally got these clips processed. I've been sitting on a lot of stuff from the recent Toadies show, in large part because my regular camera was out of juice and I had to use the crummy old one; as such, these videos don't look great, and also could sound better. But here they are nonetheless. This show, incredibly, was packed from start to finish. Usually Madison shows, even for big touring acts, don't start filling up until halfway through the last opener's set, but there was a big crowd on hand for the Box Social to open the show with a smattering of new songs and a couple of their standard covers. This is one of a handful of shows they played around the region this summer, as high gas prices kept them off the road for the most part, but they've been writing new material and I'll be documenting their upcoming new demo sessions, so look out for that soon. 1600@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-08-30T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001596.html The Hold Steady "The Swish" (20.4 MB) from The Hold Steady Almost Killed Me Majestic Theater Madison, WI July 21, 2008 I just can't seem to get the first Hold Steady album into my head. Earlier in the evening I stopped recording in the middle of "Barfruit Blues," thinking it was this song, which I recorded at their Orpheum show. It wasn't, obviously, and by the time I figured out that I was re-recording it in the encore I kind of didn't care anymore. So, about the Majestic. After we went there for the Dethklok live show, I decided I hated it, despite all the praise the rest of the locals seem to have for it. Since I felt like I couldn't pass this show up, this was the opportunity for the place to prove me wrong. It didn't. The first thing happened before the show -- when I went to one of the "local outlets" to buy tickets, I wound up paying $6 in convenience charges to have some undergrad go to a computer and buy tickets off the web site for me. I'm sure I don't have to point out that that's never been the case with any other venue's outlets, and it's of a piece with the biggest concern I had with the Majestic from the day it reopened -- it seems desperate to be Madison's mini-Rave, complete with frequent Cowboy Mouth and Glen Phillips shows. Meanwhile, inside, the acoustics (or the mix, it was hard to tell) were not good. The balcony lines of sight were OK, except for the constant waitstaff interference. It was an all-around unpleasant place to see a show, except for the show itself. We probably won't be going back anytime soon, and I hope they don't take up more bands that would otherwise play High Noon or Stage Door. 1596@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-08-08T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001595.html The Hold Steady "Slapped Actress" (28.1 MB) from Stay Positive Majestic Theater Madison, WI July 21, 2008 Stay Positive has three or four additions to the band's catalog of great songs, of which this is the only one I managed to record. The criminally relegated-to-bonus-track-status "Ask Her For Adderall" wasn't even played, unfortunately, but "Stay Positive" and "Constructive Summer" were both superb. On the whole, I think the new album is not quite as good as Boys and Girls in America, but it's still on the inside track to my top album of the year. 1595@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-08-07T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001594.html The Hold Steady "Lord, I'm Discouraged" (26.3 MB) from Stay Positive Majestic Theater Madison, WI July 21, 2008 I believe Madison's last Hold Steady set contained all of their then-newest album; by constrast, this show left out a couple of tracks from Stay Positive. Two that I noticed go missing -- "Both Crosses" and "Magazines" -- have musical and lyrical themes in common with this one, but I think this is the best of the three and it made for a nice late-set slow-down. 1594@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-08-06T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001593.html The Hold Steady "Modesto Is Not That Sweet" (17.1 MB) Majestic Theater Madison, WI July 21, 2008 Much like their last Madison show, the Hold Steady came out with some oldies and rarities early. "Modesto Is Not That Sweet" may only be available as a bonus track on the Australian edition of their debut album, but it stands with the best of their early material. Tellingly, the crowd was excited when the tune started -- more than a lot of others, this band seems to have integrated their old and new fans and used their pre-fame catalog to great effect in their live shows. 1593@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-08-05T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001589.html Testa Rosa "HO Champ Car Theme" (15.4 MB) High Noon Saloon Madison, WI June 28, 2008 Testa Rosa played some other new stuff besides "My Sin," but I don't think you can really put this in that category. This is the theme song to a Milwaukee cable-access show about HO slot-car racing, which I assumed at first was a wrong-lyricked cover of "Blitzkrieg Bop." Not really the sort of thing I'd've predicted would be in their set, to be sure. 1589@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-07-06T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001588.html Testa Rosa "Only to Fail Again" (30.1 MB) from Testa Rosa High Noon Saloon Madison, WI June 28, 2008 Dropped in with the 60's harmony-pop that dominates Testa Rosa's debut are a couple of soft, almost ambient ballads. This one in particular shows off Betty Blexrud-Strigens' voice spectacularly, though I'm not sure the acoustics of the High Noon are quite meant for it. 1588@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-07-05T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001587.html Testa Rosa "My Sin" (24.4 MB) High Noon Saloon Madison, WI June 28, 2008 Perhaps the only silver lining of the current high gas prices is that bands who can't afford to tour this summer are instead staying home and putting new music together. This was one of a couple new songs Testa Rosa played at this show, recently recorded and too be released soon-ish. You can check this out at their MySpace page; hopefully next time they're here they'll have a new record. 1587@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-07-02T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001584.html R.E.M. "Find the River" (18.9 MB) from Automatic For the People United Center Chicago, IL June 6, 2008 This was one of three album-closers included in the set -- it and "Electrolite" both got terrific receptions, while Accelerate's awful "I'm Gonna DJ" brought the main set to an awkward close. Other highlights included an excellent acoustic arrangement of "Let Me In," the Kurt Cobain memorial from Monster, and a version of "Fall on Me" with Johnny Marr of Modest Mouse (and late of the Smiths) during the encore. All in all, an incredible show and an experience I hope to be able to have again -- here's hoping their next good album and big tour isn't 12 years away. [ #remunited ] 1584@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:30 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-06-20T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001583.html R.E.M. "Electrolite" (28.1 MB) from New Adventures in Hi-Fi United Center Chicago, IL June 6, 2008 This song is the last one from R.E.M.'s last great album, and the last one from the original line-up era. It's been one of my favorites since the first time I heard it, a terrific synthesis of the Automatic and Monster approaches. In a lot of ways I think of it as a cap on the whole 90's alt. rock era, and listening to Michael Stipe's introduction and the way the crowd reacted to it, I felt like a lot of other people see it the same way. Has it really been 12 years? [ #remunited ] 1583@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:31 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-06-19T08:00:00-06:00 http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/archives/001582.html R.E.M. "Houston" (11.0 MB) from Accelerate United Center Chicago, IL June 6, 2008 My first time through Accelerate, I hated this song and nearly let it ruin the album for me. Probably my least favorite R.E.M. song is "Final Straw," the ham-handed Iraq War protest song they released on their website in 2003 (and the only Around the Sun entrant played at this show) and from the opening line I thought this was going to be the Katrina version of the same song. Instead it turns out to be a tight and compelling dirge, and like the rest of the album it doesn't belabor the point. [ #remunited ] 1582@http://www.etchouse.com/cpd/ Mon, 6 Oct 2008 10:08:31 -06:00 NO!: The Podcast 2008-06-18T08:00:00-06:00