Pick Of The Week: The Big C Soundtrack

In stores now! I have been incubating this soundtrack with Sony and Epic for months now and its birthday is finally here. Since I curated the soundtrack personally, many of my favorite bands are on here like Delta Spirit, Oh Land, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand, Leftover Cuties, Buddy, and some new artists you will be pleased to discover. When you buy the soundtrack, you support cancer research because Sony Music, Sony Pictures and Showtime will donate 100% of their net profits from The Big C soundtrack to Stand Up To Cancer.

Good soundtrack, good cause, what are you waiting for?

The Big C Soundtrack: Official Site and preview :: Amazon :: iTunes

PS I've also been music supervising Season 2 of The Big C already, coming to Showtime on June 27th!

Stornoway at The Troubadour, Jun 5

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Sometimes its hard to leave the sofa on a Sunday night. But I knew this show would be worth it, and I was not disappointed. It helps that it was at The Troub, the best venue in town. It should have been billed as "Stornoway and the mini-orchestra" since a cello, a triangle, a trumpet, and a saw all made appearances throughout the night. Brian Briggs' voice was the highlight of it all, so lovely and soothing, I could listen to it for hours. And he told stories about the songs, and talked to the audience and was charming and funny the way good lead singers should be. Bring your peppy rhythms and your adorable Oxfordshire accents back anytime, Stornoway. Stornoway "Beachcomber's Windowsill": Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Pick Of The Week: Upcoming June concerts by Antlers, Tune-Yards and more!

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Even if you've been to as many live shows as I have, you can still get excited about the June concert calendar which will bring The Antlers, Stornoway, Tune-yards, Swervedriver AND The Mountain Goats all to Los Angeles within 22 days. I think most of these are national tours so even if you're not in LA, your local venues should be filled with good music soon. The Antlers at the El Rey: Fri, Jun 3

Stornoway at the Troubadour: Mon, Jun 5

Swervedriver at the Echoplex: Sun Jun 19

Mountain Goats at the El Rey: Thu Jun 23

Tune-yards at the Troubadour: Sun Jun 25

And then we'll rest!

Beckett to Castle: "Come And Find Me"

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A little background ... it was likely the summer of 2000, 10 years ago now, that I was experiencing the perfect summer night in Los Angeles. The Frames had probably just played somewhere to about 5 people (this was pre-Swell Season) and people were gathering at someone's house in the valley. They had a hot tub, and yes, I was in the hot tub with Glen Hansard. No hanky panky though, just drinking some beer and talking about music. I did start to think I was in heaven though, when I heard someone behind me with an acoustic guitar beautifully playing an impressive song that began "If I could trace, the line that ran, between your smile and your sleight of hand, I would guess that you put, something up my sleeve. Everytime I see your face, the bells ring in a far off place, we can find each other this way I believe... Come and find me, now ..."

Just sitting around at a house party, Josh Ritter wasn't even playing it to anyone in particular, just playing it. I thought "Am I a little too drunk or is that just about the best song ever?" Subsequently we were introduced, (he said he was from Idaho, I said "the band?"), addresses were exchanged, an EP came my way shortly and in the sober light of day I listened to "Come And Find Me" again and decided it pretty much was the best song ever. Fast forward through 11 years, five stellar albums, at least 8 or 9 incredible live shows, a lovely friendship and many more 'best songs ever', I have the great pleasure of placing the first song I ever heard Josh Ritter play into a TV show called Castle.

You can hear it the almost-romantic scene between Castle & Beckett in the episode titled "To Live And Die In L.A.", that first aired on May 2, 2011. Find the archive on ABC's Castle site.

Josh Ritter "Come And Find Me" (Don't stop with this song ... it only gets better): Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Other awesome (if I do say so myself) music in this episode:

Ferrari scene: The Californias "La La La" Official Site

Pool scene: Sloan "The Other Side" (This band is great! I recommend all their CDs!) Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Closing: Pearl Jam "Breathe" Official Site :: Amazon :: iTunes

Until next week!

Loopy for Lou Barlow

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I recently had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours chatting with Lou Barlow for a yet-to-be-announced project. Dream assignment! I would definitely call that a highlight of my last twelve months. In addition to being a talented indie rock ICON, he's intelligent, well-spoken, well-informed, AND well-versed in indie rock from the 80's right up to current day. I wanted the afternoon to just go on and on. We did the interview in a gem of guitar shop hidden away in Silverlake called Old Style, where photographer turned guitar-maker Reuben Cox handcrafts new guitars from old parts. I'm glad to see Lou's band Sebadoh from the 90's is getting some deserved (if belated) attention and in fact they are performing tonight in Echo Park and will be playing one of their classic indie rock albums, Bakesale, in it's entirety. Not to be missed! Lou Barlow: Official Site

Sebadoh "Bakesale": Amazon :: iTunes

Old Style Guitar Shop: Official Site

Even The Rain

Wow. I just saw an absolutely phenomenal film. Forget the Oscar nominees, this one blows them all away. Great concept, first-class screenplay, world-class acting, stunning cinematography, and a timeliness vis-a-vis the current Middle East rebellions that the filmmakers couldn't possibly have forseen, but that drives their point home all the more. Not an indie rock song in sight, but I'm still saying, Go See It. Even The Rain: Official Site :: YouTube Trailer

A Dream Vacation With Neutral Milk Hotel

If I say "December", on the English coast, in a town called "Butlins", it might not sound immediately like a dream vacation. But a festival has just been announced that will be curated by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, who made one of the best albums of the 1990s, (In An Aeroplane Over The Sea), and then disbanded before too many people had a chance to see him play. Add in the bands he's booked just so far: Superchunk, The Olivia Tremor Control, The Magic Band, The Raincoats performing their debut LP in it's entirety, and Apples In Stereo and maybe you'll start to see the appeal. If it's just a bit too early to know what you'll be doing in December, maybe just look up this classic record by Neutral Milk Hotel and dream away to that.

Neutral Milk Hotel: Website :: Amazon :: iTunes

All Tomorrow's Parties Festival: website