A Self Perpetuating Engine

When I first started Feed Your Head 2 years ago, I thought it would be a nice outlet for me to pour out my passion for music to a few curious readers. After standing on the side, watching and listening for a couple of years, trying to catch up to where music was, it got to a point where I was no longer content to be just a casual observer.

When musicians and other fans began approaching me with a genuine, "who are you, and what are you doing here?", I began opening up to them and I found a welcoming community of artists unlike any I've encountered before. And every time I went out to a show, the circle grew, and it continues to grow to this day.

I had been using blogs like Radio Free Silver Lake, Classical Geek Theatre and Buzzbands to facilitate my musical education and, determined to find a way to contribute, I thought, why not a blog from my perspective. As someone who grew up during Rock's golden age, and loved it, to some one who shunned rock and roll from about 1985 to 2005, then came back to it with virgin ears, I realized my viewpoint might be oddly unique.

Almost like someone who spent twenty years in a coma, or on another planet, who now sees everything as new, sometimes I feel like a time traveller, which is part of the reason so much of the music I love sounds so fresh and original and exciting to me. So I launched this website on May 9, 2008, and almost immediately, things started to happen. People were very supportive and encouraging, and never having written a word in my life. I surprised myself, by picking up a pencil and pad, and like turning on a faucet, the words just started to pour out.

Within weeks, the website became the engine that was running me, and all I can do is hang on for the ride. I stopped trying to figure out what comes next, because it just happens by itself. After less than a year, Joe Fielder announced he was leaving town to take a job in Boston and wanted to leave Radio Free Silver Lake in good hands and I was highly flattered to learn I was the first person he asked.

Offered the weekly Show Low Down column, I had always looked at Joe's column first thing Monday morning, I agreed, if only to make sure that weekly tradition would continue. I was also scared to death because my computer skills are, to put it kindly, primitive...and this was a daunting task. 60 weeks later I'm still at it and it has been a gift that I will always value.

So I guess the point is, don't ever limit your imagination as to what you can accomplish. Stay open to new experience and you may never stop surprising yourself. I've always heard that with age comes caution. I'm finding the reverse to be true.

whrabbit

What I'm Listening To April 16 - 22, 2010

1. Broken Bells - Broken Bells (Columbia Records)

2. Whispering Pines - Family Tree (self release)

3. Various Artists - Let's Independent! 4/18/10 w/ The Californian, WALK and Big Whup (self release)

4. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night (Jagjaguar)

5. Choir of Young Believers - This Is For The White In Your Eyes (Ghostly International)

6. Breathe Owl Breathe - Ghost Glacier (self release)

7. Dead Meadow - Three Kings (Xemu Records)

8. Torches In Trees - Carnivora (self release)

9. Walking Sleep - Measure (TFTO Music)

10. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame (Anti)

There was no way to stop Broken Bells from capturing the number one spot, as I often start it right over again as soon as it finishes. Can't wait to see them on the 19th. Whispering Pines is a real find, Nicely composed alt/country rock in the style of, you guessed it, The Band, with a hint of The Allman Brothers, without the cheese. Very much from the country end of the Freak-folk movement, and produced by the estimable Jason Soda of Everest.

The "Let's Independent!" Lost Episode show at El Cid last weekend (April 18) with The Californian, WALK and Big Whup was such a treat, and I enjoyed hanging out in the El Cid balcony with Eli Charkoff (The Monolators) and Rob Danson (Death To Anders, Radars To the Sky) so much, that it was a night to write home about. There was a giveaway CD put together by the bands at the show, and as it's the only recordings of The Californian, who blew me away, I play it over and over.

The Besnard Lakes, Choir of Young Believers and Dead Meadow continue to grab my attention, while Michigan band, Breathe Owl Breathe brought CD's to sell at their show last week at The Echo. Ever since I saw them at Bootleg a few weeks ago, I've been hooked on this semi-theatrical group posing as a band. Great stage show.

The Torches In Trees CD, Carnivora, has some really memorable melodies on it, while Walking Sleep, who finished their Echo residency last night, will release their album, Measure, on May 25, as my advance copy keeps turning up on my CD player.

I'm playing the new Dr. Dog album, Shame, Shame, to familiarize myself with their new material as I'm going to see them tonight (April 27) at The Fonda and I haven't followed their output for a couple of years.

That's it for this week. Watch out for Avi Buffalo's inevitable and appropriate assault of the charts next week.

whrabbit

Thoughts...

Every year, when I read Mouse's desert adventure tales of Coachella, I'm sorry I didn't go. Even the calamitous events add to the sense of excitement. The feeling of a community coming together can make up for a lot of discomfort, and though I was not even familiar with many of the bands in the line up, the music itself can almost become secondary to the inner experience. After all, I didn't actually see or hear that much music at Woodstock, but the feeling of having been there has never diminished. The above photo is by Mouse and thanks to Classical Geek Theatre for it's use.

His comments about the amount of time one spends alone, even in that sea of humanity, made me think about how often I have stood at a show, surrounded by the teaming hoards, and the connection with the performer becomes so strong, that suddenly you're in the room alone with the band. The direct feed of their music into your head is like a bolt of lightning, obliterating anything that stands between you and them.


Avi Buffalo news continues to percolate with the upcoming April 27 release of their first album for Sub Pop, with an album release show at The Troubabour on May 1. In addition they've announced they're playing some opening sets for fellow Sub Poppers, Blitzen Trapper, and in July, going on tour with Modest Mouse. Oh my god, they're breaking big...fast. No surprise there.

The Henry Clay People have another big tour engagement coming up, who, with Against Me! will be opening for Silversun Pickups for nearly three weeks of touring in the East. That has got to be exciting.

I have to mention a band called to my attention by Alex of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros called Whispering Pines. They play a rootsy/blues kind of '60's The Band-era rock and roll with lots of style and creativity. Great songwriting, too. They have a CD called Family Tree and I feel proud to recommend it.

By the way there's a Feed Your Head Second Anniversary Show coming up and here's the flyer:

And here's another:

whrabbit

What I'm Listening To April 9 - 15, 2010

1. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night (Jagjaguar)

2. Dead Meadow - Three Kings (Xemu Records)

3. The Ruby Suns - Fight Softly (Sub Pop)

4. Broken Bells - Broken Bells (Columbia Records)

5. Torches In Trees - Carnivora (self release)

6. Walking Sleep - Measure (TFTO Music)

7. The Stevenson Ranch Davidians - Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (self release)

8. Choir of Young Believers - This Is For The White In Your Eyes (Ghostly International)

9. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2 (Sub Pop)

10. Pepper Rabbit - Shakes and Clicks (self release

The Besnard Lakes retain the top position as I'm not tiring of their album one bit, in fact, it's becoming part of my DNA. Dead Meadow's Three Kings is almost the perfect compliment, with it's hypnotically alluring psychedelics. Broken Bells CD is rapidly gaining on those two, as the James Mercer/Danger Mouse collaboration is an amazing amalgam of styles, beautifully put together. The new releases of Walking Sleep and Torches In Trees are also in continuous rotation, and newcomers, Pepper Rabbit, really impressed me at The Echo last week, so I picked up their CD, Shakes and Clicks, and it's a winner.

whrabbit

"Let's Independent! - The Lost Episode"

I expect to see a lot of familiar faces at tomorrow night's shindig. A reunion of old Radio Free Silver Lake enthusiasts, like I was myself, should turn out to celebrate this one time only resurrection of Joe Fielder's indie scene cornerstone that launched many careers, both musical and otherwise (myself included).

And I have it on good authority that Joe is flying in for the show. And check out the great interviews by Jackie Lam and Joe Fielder with two of the bands on the bill.

whrabbit

What I'm Listening To April 2 - 8, 2010

1. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night (Jagjaguar)

2. Torches In Trees - Carnivora (self release)

3. Walking Sleep - Measure (TFTO Music)

4. Dead Meadow - Three Kings (Zemu Records)

5. The Stevenson Ranch Davidians - Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (self release)

6. Choir of Young Believers - This is For The White In Your Eyes (Ghostly International)

7. Learning Music - It May Also Be This (Vosotros)

8. The Ruby Suns - Fight Softly (Sub Pop)

9. Retribution Gospel Choir - 2 (Sub Pop)

10. The Stevenson Ranch Davidians - Life and Death (self release)

Well, The Besnard Lakes made their way to the number one slot and this album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, continues to grow, in my estimation. Not only is it musically adventurous, bold and daring, it is also, quite possibly, the most beautiful album of the year. One song in particular has a powerful hold on me, and that is "Land of Living Skies - Part 2: The Living Skies", which piles one beauty on top of another on top of another until I feel my heart breaking. Torches In Trees released their new EP, Carnivora, and it shows continuing growth and a sureness of their craft that only bodes well for their future. I swear , I hear Airplane influences in their compositions now.

The Walking Sleep CD, Measure, is the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra album we've wanted all along. Except we had to wait for a name change. The production on this CD is perhaps the best I've heard yet this year. Credit goes to Aaron Espinoza for figuring out exactly how to record them. The sound is clean, concise and with a tremendous amount of variety. I love this record. The Stevenson Ranch Davidians appeared with Walking Sleep at their first residency last week at The Echo, and so blew me away, I pulled out both their CD's for extended listening pleasure, so they're back on the list. I think this band's writing is exceptional.

whrabbit

What I'm Listening To March 26 - April 1, 2010

1. Dead Meadow - Three Kings (Xemu Records)

2. Field Music - Field Music (Measure) (Memphis Industries)

3. The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night (Jagjaguar)

4. The Week That Was - The Week That Was (Memphis Industries)

5. School of Language - Sea From Shore (Thrill Jockey Records)

6. Choir of Young Believers - This Is For The White In Your Eyes (Ghostly International)

7. Field Music - Tones of Town (Midheaven)

8. Learning Music - It May Also Be This (Vosotros)

9. Learning Music - Biologic Imperative (Vosotros)

10. Dustin O' Halloran - Piano Solos (Splinter Records)

I know...I know...Field Music all over the place. But this was the week I saw them twice and I couldn't get enough. Still, Dead Meadow hit the top of the pack due to the spectacular album launch they had over at Hollywood Forever and the Three Kings CD is damned good. But, The Besnard Lakes album ...Are The Roaring Night is so spectacularly good, it will be a formidable challenger for a spot on any 10 Best List this year. It should be the break out album for this band, but, we'll see. Choir of Young Believers seem to be holding onto my attention easily, but it was Learning Music who blazed onto my radar this week with their fabulous opening set at the Field Music Bootleg show. As much a musical project as a band, Learning Music has startling amounts of creativity and imagination at their disposal and I look forward to knowing then better.

whrabbit