Pick To Click: Middle Brother - "Me Me Me"

The front men of some pretty good indie bands have banded together to form Middle Brother: Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Matt Vasquez (Delta Spirit) and John McCauley (Deer Tick). McCauley takes the lead on the first single, a rave-up that reminds us of another (unfortunately obscure) side project named Rockpile, which featured Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds. Turn it up and maybe try out some private dance moves.

Dawes & The Morning Benders Collaborate

If there is one album that The Night Owl should have elevated to its Top 10 in 2009, it is Dawes' North Hills (it was in our second ten). The debut of this Laurel Canyon, California group has continued to enjoy regular rotation on the turntable at TNOP World Headquarters. Dawes continues to hone its craft on the road in support of that strong effort, and are also in the process of introducing new tunes, to the approval of audiences.

Dawes recently went into the Yours Truly studio to record two of the stronger songs off of North Hills, collaborating with Chris and Jon Chu of San Francisco's The Morning Benders. [The Benders released their second long-player earlier this year, the fine Big Echo.] The guests lend a particularly strong harmony to the affecting "If You Let Me Be Your Anchor." Enjoy.

There Will Be News

TNOP stays on top of the latest doings in music for your reading, viewing and listening pleasure. And we promise no one-hour specials for announcements that take all of 15 seconds to make. So without further ado, this news . . .

MIA, The-Dream, Wavves and Ariel Pink are featured in this month's "Summer Music" issue of The Fader.

Express Night Out interviews Wilco's guitar-slinger Nels Cline, who reveals that the band's contract with Nonesuch is over. Recording for the next Wilco (The Album) will commence later this month. "Jeff [Tweedy] was basically not wanting to be on a record label for a while — he didn't renew his contract with Nonesuch — so we're striking out on our own, our own label," Cline said. While Cline added that Wilco might first release a "souvenir" 7" single through their nascent label to coincide with the Wilco-curated Solid Sound Festival, a band rep told Rolling Stone, "It has not yet been determined who will release the next Wilco record, but forming their own label and releasing future albums through it is definitely a potential scenario."

Hard to believe Metro opened in Chicago way back in 1982, but the concert venue is still chugging along. Pitchfork reports that on 22 July a compilation titled Metro: The Official Bootleg Series, Vol. 1 will be for sale, with proceeds benefiting charity Rock For Kids, a non-profit that centers its efforts on providing music lessons to underprivileged children. Tracks from The Flamings Lips, The Decemberists and Alejandro Escovedo are included.

Elton John has recorded an album with the assistance of one of his chief influences, the under appreciated Leon Russell. Called The Union and produced by T-Bone Burnett, it is set for release on 19 October in the US and 25 October in the UK. Russell began his career as a session musician in Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" productions, then went on to produce Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, George Harrison and other notables. "I remember when Leon lost his publishing," Elton told MOJO. "I was so distraught at the time. That was in the '70s. Now his music is with EMI Records and we are hoping to relaunch his catalogue when this album comes out. There's no point in doing this record and not bringing all his great work to light at the same time. It's the old story; you sign your life away when you're young so when you hit 70 you've got nothing left. Look at Nina Simone. We're trying to repair that damage." Musical heavyweights abound on the record: Marc Ribot on guitar, Jim Keltner on drums and guest appearances by Neil Young and Booker T. Jones.

Who discovered America? Ozomatli wants you to remember the Latin contribution to our melting pot. In anticipation of the band's appearance at Celebrate Brooklyn! tonight, they talk to The Village Voice.

Richard Starkey, MBE turned 70 this week. So Paul McCartney sang "Birthday" to him in New York. Before thousands of fans, naturally.

Mark Bowen, the co-founder of Wichita Recordings, talks to The Guardian about his favorite recordings for the label over the first ten years. In addition, Bowen and Dick Green provide The Quietus with a great Spotify playlist.

Dawes contributed a new Daytrotter session this week.

The Oxegen Music Festival, just southwest of Dublin, opens today and continues through the weekend. Headliners this year are Arcade Fire, Muse and Eminem, but the undercards are loaded with great acts. Celtic Ray says don't forget your wellies. And if you can't make it, the next best thing is listening to Nialler9's Oxegen mixtape.

Giving West coast baseball its due (uber-Red Sox fan Stephen King represents the Eastern seaboard above), No Depression brings us this tidbit: On Monday August 9, the San Francisco Giants will pay tribute to Jerry Garcia on the 15th anniversary of his passing. Jerry Garcia Tribute Night will see Garcia’s daughter Annabelle will throw out the first pitch while Bob Weir will perform the National Anthem. Later, during the seventh inning stretch, Mickey Hart will attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest kazoo ensemble, leading more than 7,000 fans in “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” Fans who purchase special event tickets will receive a seat in the Jerry Garcia designated section at AT&T Park along with a limited edition Jerry Garcia/Giants themed bobblehead, portraying Garcia’s National Anthem performance at Candlestick Park back on 4/12/93. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Rex Foundation.

Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey are gearing up to tour next spring. Apparently, the hook this time would be performances of the rock opera Quadrophenia, which the duo took on recently at London's Royal Albert Hall with the help of Pearl Jam and Kasabian. Daltrey tells Billboard.com “We definitely don’t want to stop. We feel it’s the role of the artist to go all the way through life ’til you can’t do it anymore.”

That's it from the news desk. Stay cool and listen with us to The Lovin' Spoonful . . .

The Live Vault: Dawes

14 February 2010

Turner Hall, Milwaukee

[Note to our readers: On occasion, our far flung correspondents attend and review shows. Here's another one.]

Taking the stage before Cory Chisel and his band last night, it was clear from the very beginning that Dawes was armed to the teeth with wattage to spare, nary an acoustic guitar in sight. This is not exactly the impression left with the listener upon repeated spins of North Hills, the California quartet's 2009 debut (and one of TNOP's favorite albums of that year). Front man Taylor Goldsmith may as well have quoted Stephen Stills at the end of the acoustic set on Crosby, Stills & Nash's Four Way Street: "We're going to take a break. And then we're going to come back and play some electric music. And good music."

The opener, "When You Call My Name," is joyous in its melody that would fit snuggly beside any track on The Jayhawks' Hollywood Town Hall. But it gives the audience an indication of just how personal - and literary - Goldsmith is as a lyricist, in the grand tradition of many of his Laurel Canyon forebears: So if you want to get to know me/Follow my smile down into its curves/All these lines are born in sorrows and pleasures/And every man ends up with the face that he deserves.

The elegant harmonies of the band were featured in the next two numbers, "Give Me Time" and "Bedside Manner." The former seemed sped up half a beat to match the electric treatment. The latter, a fascinating cradle to (mostly) grave tale that encapsulates the speedy passage of time and the question of whether faith - or simple remembrance - matters. Goldsmith delivers a beautiful, pleading vocal with Neil Young guitar riffs while playing off the stretched out piano chords of Alex Casnoff.

The healthy sized crowd were also treated to two new songs. "If I Wanted Someone" combines a chugging rhythm that brings to mind On The Border Eagles with whipsaw lyrics highlighting the narrator's basest instincts, which are sought to be satisfied without questions asked or complications attached. "Time Spent In Los Angeles" is bittersweet, and no doubt somewhat autobiographical. The members of the band have talked about the love of their North Hills, California roots but also their detachment from home given the nomadic lifestyle that a road band must adopt. My friends don't see me/Without a suitcase in my hand sings Taylor Goldsmith to a solid county rock beat.

"That Western Skyline" is the opening cut and certainly one of the highlights of North Hills. But the crunching guitar approach on this night just did not seem to fit, even though it was obvious from the start of the concert that Dawes would be coming at the audience full bore. This achingly beautiful ballad of distant friendship due to geographical differences began well enough with the slight vocal echo on the verses, but the sledgehammer attack took away from the heartbreak the song so effectively delivers on the LP.

But the finale provided the "wow" factor that only bands with the right stuff can deliver. "When My Time Comes" is an anthemic triumph that shows the true strength of Dawes and why the live approach to the recording of North Hills was so effective: minimal overdubs, real musicianship (the thundering beat and matching harmonies of Griffin Goldsmith paired with the pacing bass of Wylie Gelber) and a personal connection to the fans that simply cannot be manufactured.

Dawes is out on the road honing their craft. See them in the small venues while you can; The Night Owl has a feeling this band is on the verge of bigger things.

SET LIST

'When You Call My Name"

"Give Me Time"

"Bedside Manner"

"If I Wanted Someone"

"Love Is All I Am"

"How Far We've Come"

"Time Spent In Los Angeles"

"That Western Skyline"

"When My Time Comes"

FURTHER LISTENING AND VIEWING

Daytrotter session from May 2009.

Article and video profile of Dawes from November 2009 issue of Rolling Stone.

Interview and performance from 27 January 2010 edition of WXPN's World Cafe.

What's In The Daily News?

TNOP will tell you what's in the daily news . . .

Muzzle of Bees devotes its occasional feature called "5 Albums" to the Laurel Canyon, California band Dawes. Interesting and spirited choices, including influences Randy Newman, Art Blakey, Paul Simon and Donny Hathaway. After a few enjoyable listens to their debut album North Hills, The Night Owl has no problems with the list, but would add Neil Young and The Band to it.

"Trust: Photographs of Jim Marshall" has been published by Omnibus Press. See a sneak preview of the rock photographer's work at the Rolling Stone web site.

Paste runs an excerpt from Robert Hilburn's new book, Cornflakes With John Lennon.

Amy Linden weighs in on the 25 years of hip-hop on the Def Jam record label. [Minor aside: Horrors! Apparently Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin didn't like Heavy D.]

Bob Dylan starts a three night stand at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom tonight.

The Times of London speaks to the surviving Bee Gees about their long - and varied - career.

And how about this for a concert line-up? The Flaming Lips, Phoenix and Pete Yorn. 11 December at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Ticket details here.