It took a while, but I'm now in my "listening to Death In Midsummer roughly 25 times per day" phase. I can feel a full on "listen to nothing but Deerhunter for a month" spell coming on, and it's possible that only the anniversary of David Bowie's death can pull me out of it.
Fading Frontier has the highest concentration of accessible tracks, so I'd agree. Halcyon Digest has a couple songs, especially early, that may be a tough sell to a newbie (Earthquake and Sailing), but ultimately has a higher concentration of truly great tracks. If you're starting with HD, put it on in the background while at work or something so you hear it without concentrating on it. That's how I got in to Deerhunter originally. The second or third time I heard Desire Lines, I was like, "oh my god what am I listening to?"
Was at that show last year. It was pretty great. Lucky to be in town for a wedding that weekend. Also caught two shows at the Chicago Civic Opera House. Those were a couple of really great venues for rock shows.
First time I saw him solo, with just the electric guitar, I found it a tad jarring. Not because it wasn't good, but because on an acoustic, a solo artist can kind of add a little percussion. Not really so on an electric with no backup. It was just different from what I was used to/expecting. However, the second time I saw him do it, I thought it was awesome.
Fun Fact: I've seen Ted Leo peform 12 different times in various incarnations (Pharmacists, solo, the Both), all in Chicago, and never twice at the same venue. I don't think it's that he consciously never plays the same place twice. It's just weirdly worked out that way.
I don't think I'd change anything. Those top three are my clear favorites, and the order could change on any given day. I think Shake is best from top to bottom, but my favorite songs probably come from Tyranny (Timorous Me) and Hearts (Balgeary). Never get tired of listening to any of them.
I absolutely love Ted Leo. Super engaging on stage. The first time I saw him solo I thought the "solo show with an electric guitar" was kind of strange, but the second time I saw him do that I totally loved it. Somehow I've managed to see him play live 11 times (7 Pharmacists, 2 solo, 2 Both), all in Chicago at 11 different venues. Didn't think that was possible. Best show might have been with about 100 people or so at the Fireside Bowl (which is an actual bowling alley, not an amphitheater).
I loved this interview. Really interesting guy
Oh man, what terrible news. He first album was terrific. She's been pretty active on Instagram lately, but it didn't register that she'd gone quiet. Really looking forward to the new album, but best wishes to her on a speedy recovery, or at least as speedy as can be.
Saw a lot of good shows there over the last 15 years, but mostly in the early part of that stretch. The booking seemed to change over the years, and a lot more of the bands in my universe were playing the Bottle or Subterranean, at least on that side of town. Same with the Abbey, now that I think of it. Good memories, though. Saw my second ever show in Chicago there, driving round trip from Champaign by myself to see the Ocean Blue in 2000 or so.
That Logan Square location is great if they can make it work, and a short walk from home.
Oh man, it's so nice to be back in the top 10 after having not commented in a long time. Thanks, guys. I was luck to have the combination of "early in the thread" + "short enough to read" + "insulting an obvious troll". Also a nice symmetry between most upvoted and most downvoted posts this week.
If you like NP (obvs) and Bejar, then you should start with Streethawk, a Seduction. It's the poppiest Destroyer album, or at least the one that I think sounds most like NP. That said, I find all of his Destroyer stuff really varies from album to album.
My guess is they feel that way about Telephono. I think Britt Daniel has called stuff from that era "embarrassing", though I can't see why. I saw them once play a set where they did a handful of songs from every album in order of the album's release, so they started with started with Utilitarian and ended with Black Like Me (before the encore, and i don't think they necessarily played the songs in the album order, but I can't remember that part). Even for that show, they skipped Telephono entirely, which is kind of a bummer. I'd love to hear them play Plastic Mylar sometime.
Something has to be last, I guess. It's not that I like it less than the others, I just like the others more. :)
I think something about the production just never sat well with me. I can't put my finger on it. Maybe not enough major key as well? Also the margin between the best and worst Spoon album is pretty much paper thin. I've got "favorite" bands with albums that I never listen to. I will listen to any Spoon album at any time, and thanks to this announcement, I will be listening to all of them today, yes, even Transference.
I don't know if anyone remembers, but before they released that, they released a new track every day in order. Each day I waited for the filler track, and each day was jaw dropping. Such a good album start to finish.
1) Gimme Fiction - Highest concentration of songs I like, though I think the highs on Ga Ga.... are higher. But with all of the great stuff on this album, weirdly over time the Delicate Place has become one of my all time favorite Spoon songs.
2) Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - Black Like Me is probably my favorite Spoon song ever.
3) Kill the Moonlight
4) They Want My Soul
5) Girls Can Tell
6) A Series of Sneaks
7) Telephono - First five and last two songs make this album great for me.
8) Transference - Just never hit me all that well, even though I think it's a really good album. It's just that I like everything else a little better.
I'm in the same boat. Never saw them when they were originally around, but got a chance to check them off the list this year in Chicago, and it was a really, really good show. I feel pretty lucky to have had that second chance.
Paul Maroon has been playing guitar for Hamilton's solo stuff. They recently did an album together and toured, but I think the album was only released on vinyl (called Dear God). Actually, I took a second to Google it and Stereogum did a piece about it.
http://www.stereogum.com/1822734/hamilton-leithauser-paul-maroon-how-and-why/mp3s/
But yeah, I really, really miss the Walkmen as well.
I've been to at least one day every year since it started as the Intonation Festival. 2010 was definitely the best lineup they've ever had, and lord was it hot as hell. I remember seeing BSS on Friday night, then going to Subterranean to see Titus Andronicus where it was at least 10 degrees hotter than it had been outside all day. Next day I got there at opening to see Free Energy and stayed the whole day through LCD, even though I wasn't a fan back then (my friends all were, and their set was great).
Funniest moment was Sunday at the Blue Stage for Sleigh Bells. They played for like 30 minutes. When their set ended, people started booing because it was too short. Alexis Krauss yells "How many of you have our album? It's 32 minutes long! We don't have anything else!".
This year probably takes the prize for best weather, at least on Saturday. It was incredible.
The Thursday show was the best $5 concert I've ever been to. Unfortunately the venue shut them down around 10:30. They would have played until midnight if they could have.
His two Foreign Born albums are two of my favorite albums of the last 15 years or so. Really good stuff. Big Search seems to meander between folky pop and atmospheric. Really like this one.
"Welcome to another fun episode of “Is Morrissey playing this show or not?”
This is like the musical version of Gilligan's Island. In every episode, just when you think he's gonna play the show, somehow Gilligan screws it up and Morrissey just has to cancel.
Hey, look at the bright side. No one of the opposite sex is going to walk into the bathroom to stare at your junk/laydparts, so you've got that going for you.
Oops, I meant to say 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia in place of Monkey House (which was their fourth album). 13 Tales probably has stuff you've heard before. Monkey House is good as well.
Is This Machine the only Dandy's album you've listened to? If that's the case, I'd start with any of the first three, Dandys Rule, OK? Dandy Warhols Come Down, or Welcome to the Monkey House. Monkey House is going to have stuff you've probably heard before in commercials and tv shows, but I like the first two a bit better. I think they kinda went off the rails after Odditorium, but this sounds pretty good.
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