songs for you bunnies January 22, 2009
A quick share of three fine bands, with images!
Where I take a 10-minute break from everything else and bring you three fine bands. Pictured above is view from my window seat on the way to DC.
Posts about These United States
watch this January 21, 2009
Video: These United States and friends sing for Presidents
Download “Rough and Ready” by These United States | Though I didn’t catch the entirety of the Songs for Presidents show, it seemed on the whole that none of these 44 songs were particularly amazing–nothing like Sufjan Steven’s “Jacksonville” that alludes to the 7th American President, Andrew Jackson. But awakening this series of neutral-sounding songs–built on the repetitive task of celebrating an American President–to a more colorful life seemed easy to some of the artists who played that night: Jukebox the Ghost, Tim Fite, Middle Distance Runner and Laura Burhenn were some of those, amongst the ones I saw, but my absolute favorite was These United States’ version of “Rough and Ready”, which was written for the 12th American President Zachary Taylor, and which you can watch after the jump. Along with Tim Fite and Jukebox the Ghost, both of whom I unfortunately didn’t film, it was a rare instance where the performers seemed capable of wholly investing themselves in an okay song and making it sound just as good as their own (gorgeous). Go on, watch the video(s).
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playing soon January 13, 2009
These United States! Presidents! Inauguration! Obama! Yay!
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Download “Honor Amongst Thieves” | I’m heading out to DC for the inauguration this weekend, for what’s sure to be stressful, cheerful, overwhelming, magical times. The Obamas are walking at the parade even!, which scares the shit out of me, but everything will be fine and Michelle Obama will be divine. What’s more, on Saturday night These United States will play their special opening set at the Songs for Presidents show at Six and I Historic Synagogue, and it will be so good because they’ll squeeze their hearts out for their reinvigorated DC. I was so sure that Jesse Elliott was already fully immersed in reinvigoration that I asked him to have a one-word conversation with me this morning:
Will you be playing new songs? Maybe. Is Mark Charles of Vandaveer playing with you? Maybe. Are you playing a full-length opening set? ish. Just how are you feeling about the reinvigorated DC? Wow! When should we expect a new album? Summer.
A host of other bands are playing, of course: Nellie McKay, Denison Witmer, Jukebox The Ghost, J. Matthew Gerken, Christian Kiefer, Tim Fite, Jefferson Pitcher, Laura Burhenn, Joe Pug, Hiss Golden Messenger, Silver Darling, plus more. And the 44th song for the 44th President will be unleashed as well. Details.
Call the box office for no-fee tickets ($16 advance, $20 day-of): 202-408-3100
Websites: These United States, 43 Presidencies, Christian Kiefer
best of December 19, 2008
This Year's 20 Favorite Songs
Where I indulge in the overrated phenomenon of a year-end list and discover my bias for sullen songs over happy ones; 20 most-loved songs of the year, with a self-imposed rule of one song per artist so as to not make it entirely pointless.
secret garden video series December 11, 2008
These United States at the Secret Garden
On the 19th of November, These United States were in town to play one of their last shows of the tour at Knitting Factory. On the evening of the 20th, they were heading out to Connecticut, and that morning we met in Lefferts Garden, Brooklyn—where they were staying—to film a few songs for the Secret Garden. The sequence of events as they happened: breakfast at the diner, kitchen table conversation and beer-drinking at the apartment, invasion of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that involved insufficient winter clothing and four awesome performances, back at the apartment for a story on the day’s adventures.
[Update: I added downloadable version for your iPod. See within!]
best of December 8, 2008
My Own Gummy Winners
Stereogum released its list of this year’s Gummy Award winners yesterday, as voted for by the website’s readers. Though this is not my ultimate “Best of 2008″ list, here’re my votes.
kitchen sink December 1, 2008
tUS (and Us) on Laundro Matinee: These United States "Secret Garden" Preview
Our new friends at Laundro Matinee have posted a preview of our Secret Garden show with These United States. The full video will be available on this website on December 9 December 10? (We’ve been kidnapped by a boatload of pirates who think their ship doesn’t smell… and so we’ll have to return at a later date) | Watch the preview ».
shit was good November 19, 2008
Video: These United States at Knitting Factory
As nice and cozy the layout is down at the Tap Bar at Knitting Factory, the sound pretty much sucked. There was quite a bit of distortion through the two band sets I stayed for, and a couple of feedback issues during These United States, but luckily there is too much charm, energy and cohesion in this band for little things like terrible sound to come in the way of total enjoyment, and I remain baffled as to what it is about these songs, especially the ones off Crimes, that makes them come alive as far bigger beasts when performed live. I must mention that they didn’t play “Honor Amongst Thieves”–why wouldn’t I be obsessed with this song, I listen to it every time I feel the need to awaken from daily slumber. But they did end with “When You’re Traveling at the Speed of Light”, which was just as good, and really the entire set was filled with goodies. Since Mark Charles is away touring with his own project Vandaveer, they played as a four-piece. I made sure to take a video of “When You’re Traveling at the Speed of Light” so that you can witness some of the awesomeness.
Obama November 11, 2008
Where Were You When Obama Won? Part 2
Jesse Elliott, These United States
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“2 of us were driving across the rainy black West Virginia night, from DC to Kentucky, to pick up 2 other of us. By the end of the night, 2 am, when we finally hit Kentucky, the sky was clear for a million miles off, and all those good stars had finally started to sink in.” Pictured from left to right are J. Tom Hnatow, Robby Cosenza, Jesse Elliot, and Justin Craig of These United States, in Chicago the day after the election. You can read Jesse’s thoughts on Obama over at Largehearted Boy’s Why Obama column.
shit was good October 1, 2008
These United States, The Loom, Band of Annuals played Union Hall
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Download “Get Yourself Home” and “West Won” | There was only one chain of thought that kept untangling in my head while I was watching These United States at Union Hall last night: I love them, I love them, I love them! When will they play here next, because I want to see them again! As much as I treasure their albums (latest is Crimes, which came out on Sept 23), the band really needs to be seen live. They get grittier, crispier, louder, and Jesse’s “weathered” voice, which easily helps sift the band out as a great amongst the goods, sounds even more magnificent in person.
