The Bob Dylan Song Meanings Post

For whatever reason, I've recently become focused on "Black Diamond Bay" from Bob Dylan's 1976 album Desire.



Black Diamond Bay - Bob Dylan on Vimeo.

Which has eventually lead me back to the comment section of its SongMeanings.com page. I wanted to highlight just a few of them.

The kind of meaningful commentary that isn't the norm:

Basically, this song is about irony. The Greek hangs himself even though everyone is about to die anyway, the loser wins in gambling right before he is about to die, the big "tough" soldier wants to have "forbidden love" with a tiny man, and the woman does find love but it's too late because they are about to die so she "sheds a tear and begins to pray." And finally, the ultimate irony is that the speaker saw all this on the 7 o'clock news and just shuts it off. It doesn't even matter to him... -StallionintheRift12

I think this is where I'm coming from:

Forget the symbolism. Dylan paints images and characters. This story feels like Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle." We watch the wild characters, laugh, and ultimately feel detached enough to switch it all off, while other peoples' lives go down. -manumoka

Hmmmmm, okay.

The "Bay" is the "Bay of Pigs", She is Jackie Kennedy and " the greek" is that Onassis guy! As watched in a delirium, Old Cronkite on the seven o'clock news. -MGAlpha

Oooooookay then...

Black Diamond Bay has long been my favorite Bob Dylan song. It is a song of the detachment that mankind feels for his fellow man and a warning for the consequences of that detachment and the consequences of simple sins of ommission and self-indulgence.
The woman in the song represents the individual who will ascend to heaven. Thus she is on the white veranda while everyone else in the song is consumed by the boiler in the basement, i.e hell
The lava from the mountain high above is symbolic of God's hand in the end of the world. [... more] -gkhd11a

One more cup of coffee, I think we could tie this into Apocalypse Now (1979) and the ill-fated 1987 Dylan & The Dead tour!

The specific reference of Black Diamond Bay is to the Conrad novel called "Victory". In the novel, Black Diamond Bay is a disused coal port/depot on an island in the far east (Indonesia/Borneo area). There are elements in the novel that reappear in the song (a hotel, a volcano, gambling, a somewhat enigmatic woman, BDB itself of course) but the song is not a 'song of the book' by any means. In some ways its a bit like a dream version of the book with everything mixed up and in the wrong places. -jtg76

Which are all much better than the most common interpretation by far: "I think this song is about being on drugs." But it's still just a popularity contest. What Bob Dylan song you think has the most (not necessarily best) user comments?



Like a rolling stone - Bob Dylan on Vimeo.

Yep, that one. Currently with 211, vs. 17 for "Black Diamond Bay." Did you see the recent interactive video for it? Pretty cool.

I wish the search function was more robust. Like, is there a thriving commentary community for Killdozer songs? Unfortunately not, but they do have the lyrics. You can access a most popular artists list, which I think is purely aggregate post-count.

As of now (artist / most commented on YouTube)...

1. Radiohead ("Creep"?! 665 comments)
2. Brand New ("Seventy Times 7", 651)
3. Bright Eyes ("Lua", 331)
4. Modest Mouse ("Float On", 540)
5. Coldplay ("Viva la Vida", 916?!?!)
6. Bon Iver ("Skinny Love", 249)
7. Death Cab for Cutie ("I Will Follow You into the Dark", 369)
8. Kings of Leon ("Sex on Fire", 214)
9. Mumford & Sons ("Little Lion Man", 224)
10. The Beatles ("Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds",
459 comments: "This song is about being on drugs.")

Maybe not 100% ranked by total posts - The Beatles looks like a hefty chunk.

A lot to untangle here, but the first point is that I had literally never heard of Brand New (#2!) before now. Just based on overall popularity & visibility, I won't re-hash Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, and The Beatles... maybe Coldplay too? But the rest of those point to a specific audience being very active on the site.

Yeah, it would be weird if late-'80s Touch & Go fans were more active on a lyric site than the early-'00s indie-pop of Bright Eyes-Modest Mouse-Death Cab. There's 128 comments for Butthole Surfers' "Pepper," but not too much else. I was trying to find anything somewhat comparable, but ridiculous - best I could do was Pearl Jam's "Black" (with 503).

Okay, that was weird - I'm done now.

Bend Beyond - Woods (#9, 2012)

As always, I have very little of interest to say about Woods' music. I like it, think it's good. I know decent, law-abiding people that can't stands 'em. O well...



"Cali in a Cup" from Bend Beyond (2012)

Judging by the video exposure (which escaped me), I guess there was a pretty big push to make this record happen. Not sure how it went, but that would be nice.

Another good tune would be "Is It Honest?"



"It Ain't Easy" from Bend Beyond (2012)

I guess I could say that Woods have pretty consistently cleaned things up since Songs of Shame (2009). They can still let things rip (especially live), but have trended more towards an easier vibe overall.

But not always: "Find Them Empty."



"Size Meets the Sound" from Bend Beyond (2012)

Y'know, maybe I took Woods for granted last year... underestimated them... maybe #9 is too low. Or maybe all these official videos are working on me? It's happening.

Kinda classic: "Impossible Sky."



"Bend Beyond" [live] from Bend Beyond (2012)

And there's the sprawled-out live jam of that tune. I think you can select from all the videos of that 2012 outdoor show here. Okay, and here's the studio title track.

Genre - Psych-Folk-Pop
Official - woodsist.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/woodsfamilyband
Location - Brooklyn, New York City, NY

Review - Tiny Mix Tapes
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Amazon [& on vinyl]

HaHa Sound - Broadcast (#7, 2003)

I really just don't have much to say these days, I suppose.

I was introduced to Broadcast super-late, with ... and The Focus Group Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio Age (#6 Drone/Ambient, 2009) - which I've enjoyed a lot. HaHa Sound is a terrific album of radiophonic experimental pop, with some folkish nods, and even a little Stereolabic krautiness.

As promised, here are some excellent external YouTube videos for most of the album - Broadcast fans make the effort!



"Colour Me In" from Haha Sound (2003)

Do I have a track-by-track gimmick? Not yet I don't!

Uhhh, I'm sure I've done this before... But since I'm posting user-content videos, how about user-submitted lyrical interpretation? At least until they run dry.

Per SongMeanings.net:

It is the living, subconscious dream of perfection that we all have, be it a person, a beautiful place, a meaning, or state of being. We need to set the ideal, and set out to find it.

"Pendulum" from Haha Sound (2003)

A common SongMeanings take:

This song is about tripping.

"Before We Begin" from Haha Sound (2003)

Socratic debate over at SongMeanings:

is it about making love?
I think it's more about coming back into a relationship

Strangely enough, this theory doesn't show up nearly as much as you'd imagine. Might say something about lyric freaks - I dunno, I just listen to the sounds, man.



"Valerie" from Haha Sound (2003)

Factual trivia à la SongMeanings take:

This song is on the Skins soundtrack and is a cover of the theme from the Czech film "Valerie and her Week of Wonders" but with English words.

"Man Is Not A Bird" from Haha Sound (2003)

Only lyrics at SongMeanings-dot-net:

The sky is faint, their tears remain
In me the rain has stopped falling
The fading light, walls barely white
In me the night has stopped calling

I will not lament with the sky
No longer feel night on the inside

Here in this room, no more a tomb
Thoughts of you conclude without ending
Caution will keep, worries still speak
Fewer the leaves are descending

I will not lament with the sky
No longer feel night on the inside

Here in this room, no more a tomb
Thoughts of you conclude without ending

The lonely distance and time
The only tears falling outside
I will not lament with the sky
No longer feel night on the inside

The lonely distance and time
The only tears falling outside

Probably about tripping...



"Minim" from Haha Sound (2003)

The grammar lessons of SongMeanings:

Very close. "Ändern" is in the infinitive (with poetic gapped "sich", )so a better translation is probably "Man and wind are quick to change."

I guess that's how they punctuate & parenthesize in German, huh?



"Lunch Hour Pops" from Haha Sound (2003)

Pretty sure this is some SongMeanings.net drug code:

This song is so, so cute!! Love her voice ...

Haha, nice try! "Black Umbrellas" is instrumental.



"Ominous Cloud" from Haha Sound (2003)

Only lyrics at SongMeanings... Despite fleeting moments of true liberty and happiness, the horizon is often darkened by potential misfortune, and you must learn when to prepare for the inevitable & when to celebrate the good times as long as possible.

Rhythmic interlude: "Distorsion"

I believe that "Oh How I Miss You" represents an effort by the speaker to communicate just how much she misses the object of the song ("you").



"The Little Bell" from Haha Sound (2003)

Acclamation via SongMeanings:

I absolutely love the analogies here. Broadcast is amazing

I was somehow expecting a lot of in-depth analysis from Broadcast fans, like the extra effort on some of the videos.



"Winter Now" from Haha Sound (2003)

Truly.

Rest in Peace

And someone made their video for "Hawk" private, and there are no comments over at SongMeanings - so great job! If you've got Spotify, try here. Otherwise:

Sow the seeds
Of everything to be
Safe in sleep
I winter in my dreams

Speak your words
Define your grief for me
Out of reach
Some things just can not be

Now is the winter of our beautiful bummer...

Genre - Hauntological Art-Pop
Official/Myspace - myspace.com/broadcastuk
Location - Birmingham, UK

Review - Treble Zine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Amazon

Ascent - Six Organs of Admittance (#3, 2012)

I gotta move on with these Top 10 from 2012. I was floored by how much I dug this record. Some light drone-folk, some blistering guitar shredding, some pared-down tunes, some full-band... But all of it worked so well, and somehow fit together as an actual album.

Although a 3xLP vinyl retrospective of 6OA rarities did make it to #10 of 2009.



"Waswasa" from Ascent (2012)

If I don't go looking for full-album streaming, then it doesn't exist. You can get that opening rocker free on In vveirdo veritas (2012), volume 9 of our blog MP3 collections. Would it have been so inappropriate to name my own MP3 comp in the yearly top 10? So... "Waswasa" rocks out with a fury that Ben Chasney & friends don't really maintain or replicate elsewhere on this disc.



"One Thousand Birds" from Ascent (2012)

More full-bodied take on an 11-year-old freak-folk-fest. This also happened with "Close to the Sky," updated as a slow-burn jam with Comets on Fire, compared to the original version (from 2003). I didn't listen to his stuff back then, so that's pretty rad.



"Solar Ascent" from Ascent (2012)

I like that one quite a bit - kinda reminds me of Six Organs' probable influence on Barn Owl. Slow, stately, mystical, desert/space folk-drone. Last couple live (and full Glasgow show)... Show opener was this tune, I guess that's how he does it.



"Even If You Knew" from Ascent (2012)

Slowly growing epic. Also for what it's worth, I detect a hint of Jandek (#3 Live, 2009) in the recipe. Notsomuch in the cosmos-shattering ax-ploration parts, but in parts.

Haven't found the final smoke-out "Visions (from Io)." But in looking, I learned about a 2012 Three-Lobed Records RSD exclusive called Eight Trails, One Path - which includes the narcotic drone-out of "Stranded on Io." So there's some bonus 6OA from last year!

And I guess check out this Ascent-heavy 4-song live set, and/or this randomly-selected interview.

Genre - Folk + Rock Guitar-Heroics
Official - sixorgans.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/sixorgans
Location - California, USA

Review - Filter Magazine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Forced Exposure

Mo' Alexander Tucker

I was reading this Top 10 list over at BoingBoing, because I like reading things that agree with me... (GOAT #1!)

Pretty cool list, but I was intrigued by his description of Alexander Tucker - whose name think I'd heard, probably via Thrill Jockey Records:

This is the soundtrack to all those Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated stories if those stories were really ancient myths. Acoustic metal through the language of folk, Tucker is a magician of song-story. His singing is reminiscent of Brian Eno, an Eno haunted by witch kings and desolate planets. Third Mouth is a quiet masterpiece.

So let's check it out - official video-style:



"Andromeon" from Third Mouth (2012)

Pretty cool - I listen to some music like that sometimes...



"The Glass Axe" from Third Mouth (2012)

That one's got even more views than the label-official video. On first listen, I think I like that one better too. As you might guess, he's a Modern English Folkie.


Alexander Tucker - Window Sill by Thrill Jockey Records

Completely different tune, free download... you can buy the album from Thrill Jockey.

One last song, this one has the most YouTube views of the 3, and is the most different: "RH." Lilting church-organ drones?

Happy New Year!

After doing all the holiday season (oct/nov/dec), I almost slipped up & forgot New Year's Eve.

I think here is literally how this year's series got started, all leading up to this one video:



"Happy New Year" by Shockabilly, from Heaven (1985)

Love that tune! And honestly a lot of Shockabilly...

I'd posted "Pile Up All Architecture " (another classic) on Facebook while on vacation, but I don't think it made it onto the blog itself - until now.



"Congratulations - A Happy New Year Song" by Pink Martini, from Joy To The World (2010)

I dunno. How about some Chinese lounge jazzfolk? A local record store owner was suggesting Pink Martini to me not that long ago. Not sure if that's my thing.



"New Year's Eve" by Tom Waits, from Bad As Me (2011)

Was trying to make it to "Auld Lang Syne," so that works out well. Final cut on the last Waits album, just last year (or 2 years ago, if you're reading this from 2013). Heard it was good, but I've not been keeping up.

Have a good one!

Benevolent Yule Tidings

I've done these for Hallowe'en and Thanksgiving, but totally forgot that I'd done one last Christmas!



"White Christmas (live)" by The Flaming Lips, from The Soft Bulletin tour (1999)

I caught this tour in Houston the following April 7th. I don't recall any special Tax Day covers, but a strong show all around (especially as a trio). O yeah, and it was in some small metal club in South Houston.

Obviously, with the Lips I could have picked any number of holiday cheer options: "Christmas at the Zoo," "Little Drummer Boy," a whole secret Christmas album (2007), "A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)," "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" (w/ Sean Ono Lennon), "Silent Night," "It's Christmas Time Again" (really anything at all from the Christmas on Mars film, 2008), "What A Wonderful World," "Miracle on 42nd Street," et cetera... And that's not even touching on the many random Jesus songs.

[Edit: HA! Immediately after posting, I see on the Flaming Lips Facebook feed: "Here's the newly discovered Imagene Peise track, Christmas Kindness Song. Love." ... posted 15 mins ago.]



"Please, Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)" by John Denver, from Rocky Mountain Christmas (1975)

Project Grimm played this song on Friday, wearing these creepy Christmas luchador masks. It was a bit more rockin' version...

The opening act covered Mariah Carey for some reason. Irony, I'm thinkin'.



"Troika/Romance" by Sergei Prokofiev, from the score for Lieutenant Kijé (1934)

Here's some 20th-century classical music from Prokofiev. You can watch the Soviet film at Archive.org.

I know that piece has been used in tons of winter movies, but I just read about Free Design's song "Kije's Ouija." Groovy! It's Love and Death (1975) I was thinking of - hilarious film.

Oldsters Return Again

I've touched on the acclaimed ladies and rockers of 2012, based on what I saw other people listifying. Now we're going to dig deep into the musico-historical psyche of Canadia, and I guess some USA too.

Might as well get America out of the way first... and that doesn't mean NY.



"Duquesne Whistle" by Bob Dylan, from Tempest (2012)

I liked Together Through Life (2009) pretty well, but this new one by Bob Dylan (#3, 1966) is getting even more love. I never got the Christmas album... Hard to judge from one video from one song, but I'll probably pick this one up eventually. I like Bob.



"Show Me The Place" by Leonard Cohen, from Old Ideas (2012)

Never have known too much of Cohen's music, but I have respect. Apparently these recent live tours have been completely epic, but I don't remember him coming around here. (Well, Austin it would seem...) The album also received a lotta love.



"Psychedelic Pill" by Neil Young, from Psychedelic Pill (2012)

Like Cohen, ol' Neil Young in secretly Canadian - but it's kinda one of those "open secrets." Back together with Crazy Horse for this one... Did I ever tell you about the time I saw Sonic Youth open for Neil Young & Crazy Horse at the Summit? In 1991, that was! They opened with "Tom Violence" as we were finding our seats. Thurston wore a Pain Teens Born in Blood t-shirt. The Neil Young crowd was not impressed - after the set, many seemed on the verge of rioting. That was not a pleasant trip to the restroom, in my Butthole Surfers acid-sheet-artwork t-shirt! I read special emphasis in my neighbor's menacing insistence about "Cortez the Killer" ... Wait, what was I talking about? O yeah, Sonick Youth! Their stadium opening set was a lot like this (3 weeks earlier).

Nah, I just really don't have that much to say about the 2012 Neil Young. Might be great, but I haven't been drawn to his new output in a long while. Maybe I should read up on this one. There's quite a few official videos from this album on Neil Young's YouTube. I did see a Psychedelic Pill Blu-Ray at Cactus, which might explain that.

The Story So Far: Barn Owl #8

I'm seriously gonna have to move fast to close out last year's Top 10 before this year's is due. When it came to a certain kind of drone, there's a progression in my head. Originally I never cared too much for Sunn-O))), then I did like some Robedoor, and finally discovered Barn Owl. All these bands (& others like them) are pretty different, but this progression is in my head.

Sunn-O))) is more doomy & metal (and maybe I should try again), Robedoor (#11, 2011 and #15, 2010) is more ecstatic & noisy, and Barn Owl (#11, 2011 and #11, 2010) is Morricone & mescaline & the desert - with just a couple of guitars and a bit more. So let's dig deep into the earth and see what we find.



"Teonanacatl" from From Our Mouths A Perpetual Light (2008)

Here's the first Barn Owl that I heard, but I still don't own it - only have a couple of tunes from internet mixes. A little bit more folky, maybe? But I could wander the badlands, exploring various records and just getting lost. Check out a partial playlist.



"Walnut Tree" from Barn Owl CDr (2007)

Earlier in 2007, there had been a couple of self-released CDr's: a self-titled and Bridge To The Clouds. Let's see... I did not know about a Tom Carter split (2008)?! Might gonna have to track that down - nothing streaming that I could find.



Side "II" from Smoke Loom Ceremony cassette (2008)

Wait, we're already back through 2008? Okay... That's apparently only one of a few cassettes out that year. I'm imagining some epic opium den/rehearsal space jam-improv galore.



Side A of The Conjurer (2009)

Wait, wait, wait... I've never once talked about this album? It's fantastic! Like, I dunno, the best Earth album ever or something - and then more. First side is "Into the Red Horizon" and "Across the Deserts of Ash" (above). Here's Side B: "Procession of Golden Bones" and "Ancient of Days" (if you wanted just one song).



"Light from the Mesa" from Ancestral Star (2010)

As much as The Conjurer might have deserved a Top 10 ranking, Ancestral Star almost made it (#11, 2010).

Sometimes downloading those free live jams is the way to go. Barn Owl has got at least the 2nd part from Live on WFMU's Long Rally, Nov 19th, 2010: either from Archive.org or over at Free Music Archive! You can stream their first piece from the show page, or just click here.



"Light" [w/ Infinite Strings Ensemble] from The Headlands (2010)

I remember this coming out, but not why I never picked it up. Among others, per Important Records:

In 1981 Ellen Fullman began developing the “Long String Instrument,” an installation of dozens of wires fifty feet or more in length, tuned in Just Intonation and ‘bowed’ with rosin coated fingers. Fullman has developed a unique notation system to choreograph the performer’s movements, exploring sonic events that occur at specific nodal point locations along the string-length of the instrument. She has recorded extensively with this unusual instrument and has collaborated with such luminary figures as composer Pauline Oliveros, choreographer Deborah Hay, the Kronos Quartet, and Keiji Haino. http://www.ellenfullman.com/

The individuals of Barn Owl - Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras - have released quite a bit of solo material and with other combos. I might come back with an overview later, but don't bet on it!

Seeing Skip Spence

It looks like the only times I've ever mentioned Alexander "Skip" Spence was talking about covers or comparisons. So today will be his day!

Picture comes from this William Gibson packet. Thanks!

Skip played drums for Jefferson Airplane on their debut album, and then got one of his songs on Surrealistic Pillow (1967) - without even appearing on it.



"Omaha" from Moby Grape (1967)

As many drummers do, Spence decided to be a guitarist... one of three in Moby Grape, a terrific late-'60s SF psych-pop rock band. He only wrote a couple of tunes on their debut, but one was the band's most famous song, "Omaha." His other song was "Indifference."



"Just like Gene Autry: A Foxtrot" from Wow/Grape Jam (1968)

Skip Spence contributed more to their next record. Some of his songs were more rockin', more dramatic, or more country... but none was as weird as "Gene Autry."

As explained on that YouTube:

"Just Like Gene Autry: A Foxtrot" is a 1920's-era sounding dance number complete with a cameo spoken introduction by Arthur Godfrey himself, who also happens to play ukelele and banjo on the number. As if this tune isn't odd enough, the original vinyl on Columbia mastered this one track at 78 rpm rather than the typical 33-1/3 rpm as the rest of the album is pressed at. An announcement precedes the track "reminding everyone to kindly get up and change your turntable to 78, thank you!" after which there is a lock-groove that stops the needle from playing any further until you pick it up and place it on the next track.

During the making of the album, Spence freaked out on acid and apparently chopped down a hotel door of another band member.

"Save me" indeed.



"War in Peace" from Oar (1969)

After Skip got out of the psych ward (not psychedelic), he took his ideas, bought a motorcycle with his record advance, drove down to Nashville, and recorded Oar all by himself. It's a harrowing but incredible minimalist doom-folk album. For some reason, "Little Hands" seems to pull the most attention, but pretty much the whole album's excellent.



"Grey/Afro" from Oar (1969)

The unprecendented final jam. And other than some re-issues and compilations, I kinda thought that's where it ended. But I happened to notice that Skip had actually participated in some later Moby Grape output down the years.



"Chinese Song" from 20 Granite Creek (1971)

So that's a Skip Spence song on a Grape album that Skip actually played on. Looks like he also played on 1978's Live Grape, where they included 1 total Spence tune (and it wasn't "Omaha" either).

It's too bad how things worked out for Skip, but he made some fine music during his burning-bright youth.

Sun and Shade - Woods (#7, 2011)

I'm gonna have to hurry to finish last year's Top 10 before this year's gets posted!

Woods's previous album was #6 of 2010, and they've already put out the next one - pretty good as well. Before the films last month, I had posted the Woods Story So Far history.

I don't think I'll discuss all 12 tracks from Sun and Shade here. Lots of good songs, but I think you'll get the idea without complete overkill.



"Pushing Onlys" from Sun and Shade (2011)

I thought this was the designated 'big hit,' but there's no official video? (Not a Woods specialty to be sure...) Catchy, jangly, sunny folk-rock - well, I like it plenty. They do throw in a twinge of weird, some sonic warble, but not enough to be disturbing... which can be enough.



"Any Other Day" from Sun and Shade (2011)

But the second song gets that video? Kinda odd stylistically though, seems to me.



"Out of the Eye" from Sun and Shade (2011)

Most of the tunes are shorter like those first couple, and then you get a couple of extended jams. Like the kraut-y, Neu!esque "Out of the Eye" (still available on the free APF5 mixtape) - and also an Español-language semi-'title' track: the spaghetti-western sprawl of "Sol y Sombra."



"To Have in the Home" from Sun and Shade (2011)

I'm just throwing out a couple more. I think I picked that one just based on the visual effort from the videographer.

No secret messages!



"Who Do I Think I Am?" from Sun and Shade (2011)

I do like that song especially - with the melody & rhythm & the really nice vibe. But who do I think I am anyway?

Genre - Folky Psych-Pop
Official - woodsist.com/
Myspace - myspace.com/woodsfamilyband
Location - Brooklyn, NYC

Review - Paste Magazine
Download - Amazon, iTunes
Purchase - Woods

Another Six Organs Ascend

Okay, what else do we have here? How about...

Six Organs of Admittance (#10, 2009), back together with Comets on Fire. Which means a bit more rockin' out! But still plenty of psych-folk-drone guitar stylings as well.

[Edit 10/16: Oops, forgot to link to this recent SOA live bootleg on NYCtaper. Get it!]



"Waswasa" from Ascent (2012) [download]

Whoa. That's some riffs - like definitely more than usual. If I had to explain it in terms of the cover art, I would say the opening track is kicking up the dust behind bio-suitcase spaceman. Or is that the Earth after this tune has scorched it down?

Of course, the mellow space-outs come too. The restraint shown not to paint Saturn up in there...



"One Thousand Birds" from Ascent (2012)

That one's a self-cover of previous acoustic version from Dark Noontide (2002). I don't go back that far, though.



"Close to the Sky" from Ascent (2012)

Seriously groovey, sez I.

Wait, maybe the cover art is supposed to be from Io, "the innermost of the four Galilean moons of the planet Jupiter."

Spelunking & Cavedwelling

I was recently checking out the Sunrise Ocean Bender blog (pretty dang sweet) - and the first thing I found was Cavedweller.



Have a quote: "Coming from various locales over time in Texas, Cavedweller may seem like a small operation, but Michener and his rotating assists put everything about right where it needs to be to inflate his reverbery space in size to the point where you’re looking at his home-state from the other end of the microscope." They also linked to the LP4 "Crom" video!



O yeah! The Cavedweller Bandcamp contains the music. Some of the mellowest, folkiest "space" - but I haven't heard too much. And some detailed & technical liner notes for that one...



Live at the Carousel, Austin, TX, 2006

Video from official website. I've always considered that a pretty weird venue, what with the garish carney decor.

The Story So Far: Woods #7

Woods are a Brooklyn folk-psych-pop band of recent vintage. I haven't delved too far into their back catalogue... until now. Next Woods post should be the #7 of 2011 write-up, for Sun and Shade.



So I discovered Woods opening for Dungen (#4 Live Show, 2009) - by which I don't mean that they were unknowns and I signed them to a record contract. And much more recently they played a great set at this year's Austin Psych Fest.



"Kids Got Heart" from How To Survive In / In The Woods (2005)

I believe I have this album on back order from Rough Trade. One of those deals where they had it on their webstore, but not actually in stock. Ugh... I'm calling it 2005 (2xC20 cassette), but there seems to have been a 2006 CD release, and then the big one in 2007...

Visuals from Jean-Luc Godard's Charlotte et Véronique, ou Tous les garçons s'appellent Patrick (All the Boys Are Called Patrick, 1959). "Holes" is a good Woods tune. I would normally be turned off by "Make Time for Kitty" as an introduction, so maybe just skip it.



"Blood on the Sand" from Ram single (2006)

First 7"! Hip!! The background vocals are a little different than usual.



"Don't Pass on Me / Keep It On" from At Rear House (2007)

But overall, what am I gonna say? It doesn't sound like they went through various stylistic phases, or significant growth from crappy new act to later greatness. They seem to have always done kinda noisy, sorta lo-fi, catchy tuneful acoustic folky songs, with high-pitched and divisive vocals. I like it, but I'm comfortable with others not. Rear House is a real place, Woods' home studio. Couple more from here: the dirgier "Be Still" and the mellow "Ring Me to Sleep."

Kooky album cover, though...



"End to End" from Woods Family Creeps (2008)

Official video! Getting closer to the known universe... Someone made some YouTube found-film vids for "Creeps Collage" and "Howling on Howling" too. Album sounds a little more ghostly and disembodied.



"To Clean" from Songs of Shame (2009)

More official!! And here's where I enter the picture, or Woods enters my picture... I can support anything from Songs of Shame to nowadays as a good starting or continuing point for the Woods. Here's a cool video of "Rain On [live]" that I think I might have posted before. Big loose jam called "September with Pete!"



"The Dark" - B-side of "Sunlit" single (2009)

Someone did a video art project with this song. I couldn't find the A-side to see if it was significantly better - a mystery for later!

Next came At Echo Lake, 2010's #6 Record...



Although last year's full-length was my #7, I did miss a couple of things. Apparently, there was a Kurt Vile Summer Tour split (with "Skull" and "Cold Blue") and the "Find Them Empty" single (which I might have bought & forgot). It will be on the upcoming record out later next month though!

NeW seBADoh

Haven't covered ol' Sebadoh too much here given what a once-upon-a-time favorite they were for me: list appearances at #7, 1993 and #8, 1987, plus some free live stuff.



And they've got a new EP out (well, a few weeks now)! According to the secret EP Bandcamp page:

$5 for download, "a taste of our upcoming 2013 album, but, NONE of these songs will be on that album..," "this is our first new material in 14 years ( wtf! )...," and it's got 2 of the classic line-up - Barlow & Loewenstein!

I would say that certainly sounds like Sebadoh! Definitely nice to hear they're back in action, and seems worth a sawbuck to me... Looks like they've been touring pretty regularly for a few years recently, even with Gaffney. Don't remember them ever coming through Texas though.



"On Fire" live at Rudyard's, Houston, TX (ca. ????)

Ha!! Not what I was talking about, but I didn't know about this one & that's just a few blocks from where I live (now).

Per another video's 2006 description from the same poster:

This is from the acoustic tour Sebadoh did a couple of years back. It was Jason lowenstein, Lou Barlow, and a boombox...

Sooo... around 2004 maybe? Looks like they did play Emo's Austin on 02/19/2011. I also live a short distance from the site of the original Emo's Houston, which no longer exists (now). I believe this 1994 show was the only time I saw them live... at the Abyss, on 10/5? Think so.



No, wait!! Lollapalooza 1993, at some dusty paved raceway. Saw Lou walking back to the 2nd stage area in time to miss Dinosaur J. He was wearing a t-shirt with a drawing of Bigfoot with big deer antlers, I said hello, but he seemed kinda in a hurry.

Good times!

Current Woods Ongoing

We'll get to the #7 parade for last year's Woods real soon (previously #6 of 2010) - this one's about 2012!



Always something going on with these busy dudes, hopefully a return to tour Texas soon. And the next full-length actual record is coming out... okay, September 18th.



"Cali in a Cup" from Bend Beyond (2012)

First single! Pre-order 7"! Exclusive b-side!!

Live videos exist for the epic title track and "Is It Honest?" The most recent Woods recording from NYCtaper (05/05/2012) has all 3 of those tunes.

Wait, one more!


Woods - "Size Meets The Sound" by forcefieldpr

Just put up a couple days ago - it never ends. Interesting...


Okay. Also this year, already out:


"Wind Was the Wine" from Amps for Christ split-12" (2012)

Most of the Woods tracks at least seem super-short. I don't know Amps for Christ, but it sounds like an interesting project. Powerviolence pioneer?


Woods & Amps for Christ - From Oatmeal to Buttermilk by DIY Magazine

Collaboration tune for download... the rest of it's either one or the other.

Wide Latitudes

Quite a few interesting releases recently from the Latitudes series, bringers of Grails' Interpretations of Three Psychedelic Rock Songs from Around the World EP (2005). And also of 2010's Sky Burial drone EP by Nadja (co-#4 Drone/Ambient and #16 Metalloid, 2009).



First up, not sure how I missed this one from Pac-NW mystic collective Master Musicians of Bukkake (#11 of 2009, #37 of 2010)...



"Elogia De La Sombra" from Elogia De La Sombra (2010)

The title track charges up that good ol' motorik buzz. And there's also a more typically ersatz-Eastern A-side: "Tainted Phenomena."


Sylvester Anfang II - Jam 3 by Southern

From Belgium keeps coming Sylvester Anfang II (#9 Drone/Ambient of 2009, #22 Overall of 2010). I guess this one is self-titled (2012), and comprises five live jam rituals. Such as "Jam 1," "Jam 4," and finally "Jam 5."



And these last two groups were featured in my Aurora Borealis FB posts.


Grumbling Fur - Solar Nights & Rainwater by Southern

Grumbling Fur manifests here as a duo - with members from AEthenor (#7 of 2006, #16 of 2009, & #13 of 2011) and Guapo (#2, 2006) - to release the 3-song Alice (2012).

If further interested, there's an mp3-sample of "Wylderness Waiting" streamed over at Aquarius Records. More singing from Daniel O'Sullivan, as with Miracle (co-#5 of 2011, with Zombi's).

p.s. Someone finally posted Miracle's B-side cover of BÖC's "Veteran of the Psychic Wars!"


Haxan Cloak - The Men Parted The Sea To Devour The Water (excerpt) by Southern

The Haxan Cloak are still new on my radar, but I went ahead and ordered it anyway! That excerpt is from the single 27-minute track for this release.

Check out the whole thing! Someone also put up their entire 2011 self-titled full length - I'll have to check that out as well...