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Music, Pop Culture

Video Clip of The Week: Neko Case, “Last Lion of Albion”

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At a time when the reigning administration has zero regard for the environment: dismantling the EPA, selling off our public lands, aggressively polluting the water and air through the abolishing of regulations meant to protect the health of all citizens, and expediting the extinction of endangered species, this week’s anthemic Video Clip, “Last Lion of Albion” from Neko Case, is a call to action, in case you aren’t paying attention.

Brough to life visually in an animated clip by artist Laura Plansker, “Last Lion of Albion” is a requiem for the magnificent landscapes and creatures that have been erased from our planet by the effects of humans. Case explains, “I’m very honored and excited to debut this video by one of my very favorite artists. I’ve loved her work forever; she‘s so skilled at using handmade figures and props to create surreal worlds. Her work perfectly balances humor and darkness in a way that breaks my heart. Laura has a way of making something so artificial [feel] so very alive. The turning of the lion’s head to look at the sky, or its own reflection, makes me cry my eyes out. There is so much straight ahead compassion in Laura’s work, there’s no need to manipulate emotion of the viewer, it is the perfect balance. I’m so happy to share it here with you!“

“Last Lion of Albion” can be found on Case’s recently released album, Hell-On, which includes contributions from some three dozen guest performers, including k.d. Lang, Laura Veirs, Beth Ditto, and Robert Forster on backing vocals, Joey Burns of Calexico and Doug Gillard of Guided by Voices on guitars, and Barbara Gruska and Matt Chamberlain on drums. Enjoy!

Neko Case Hell On Cover

Music, Pop Culture

Video Clip The Week: Jon Spencer, “Do The Trash Can”

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My favorite memory involving Jon Spencer (he of the eponymous Blues Explosion) goes back to the time that I was assigned to write a cover story about him for a now long-defunct Rock magazine, whose editors would not allow writers to use the word “that” in any articles. Just being serious. For the interview, I arranged to meet Spencer at a Starbucks in the neighborhood where we both live, assuming it would not be impossible to settle in at an empty table and just chat over the reasonable din of people getting coffee and taking up space. When no tables were free at Starbucks, we attempted to find another nearby restaurant or bar to duck into, but there were no viable options, for some mysterious reason.
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Music, Pop Culture

Video Clip of The Week: Blushh, “I’m Over It”

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You know what I never get tired of? Sassy ladies and their punk rock anthems. Seriously, I could listen to songs like “I’m Over It” from Los Angeles-based artist Blushh all day long. Because that is how I roll. We’re closing in on the end of summer pretty quickly, and I am trying to milk it for all its worth by posting any video with a vibe that’s even  tenuously-related to summer, for which “I’m Over It” qualifies, because a swimming pool comes into play. Any port in a storm.

Anywhey, after sitting down to breakfast and discovering that she is out of her favorite cereal, Blushh takes the bus to a Birthday party that she seems to be concerned about arriving to on time. In fact, she arrives so late that the party is way over, and she wanders though the detritus of post-celebration decor (strongly influenced by the color scheme at IKEA) before snacking on admittedly-delicious-looking cold pizza, wandering out to the backyard, and diving fully-clothed into the pool. Because, she is over it. To find out what happens next, check out this rad video! Recommended to all who love the sassy punk ladies, “I’m Over It” can be found on Blushh’s recently released, 5-song EP Thx 4 Asking, out now on Yellow K Records. Enjoy!

Blushh EP Cover

Music, Pop Culture

Video Clip of The Week: Visitors, “Pollyanna”

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People will say that originality is overplayed: I disagree. While it may be virally impossible to do anything truly original within the pop music landscape, that does not mean that intermingling the definitive essences of two bands that really have nothing in common — and that may or may not even be verifiable influences on the band performing the music in question — isn’t going to be utterly mind-blowing. What am I even talking about? It’s this week’s Sunday Jam, the curiously named “Pollyanna,” which comes to us from the experimental progressive rockers called Visitors. Successfully combining the best of Yes‘ most LSD-ridden mindfuck prog meandering with Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell releasing his Id with wild abandon, this song is intense.
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Music, Pop Culture

Video Clip of The Week: Low Cut Connie, “Hey! Little Child”

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In the midst of a summer tour with OC Punk legends Social Distortion and upcoming festival appearances, Philadelphia band Low Cut Connie has just released this nostalgia-inspiring video for their cover of Alex Chilton’s “Hey! Little Child.” I think it’s the perfect song for the somewhat intangible mood that accompanies the start of summer.

Of their choice to cover the tune, LCC frontman Adam Weiner admits, “Alex Chilton is one of my songwriting heroes. What a mercurial genius! We recorded our version of ‘Hey! Little Child’ in the same room in Ardent Studios where he did the original. We are on the road constantly and spend a lot of time in divey bars talking to local yokels and shooting pool. Roy Power and his crew had the good sense to hang with us a couple nights snapping pictures of the band in our scruffy off-stage moments. It may be my favorite LCC video yet.”

“Hey! Little Child” can be found on Low Cut Connie’s recently released fifth album Dirty Pictures (Part 2), which was just named one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Albums of 2018 so far. In his four-star review, David Fricke called the record “a stand-alone triumph of missionary zeal.” I don’t know that means, exactly, but if Fricke said it, it’s some kind of big deal. Tour Dates are below! Enjoy!

Low Cut Connie Summer Tour Dates:
6/15: Winnetka, IL – Winnetka Music Fest
6/16: Minneapolis, MN – Rock The Garden
6/27: Columbus, OH – Express Live! #
6/28: Sauget, IL – Pop’s Nightclub #
6/30: Pittsburgh, PA – WYEP Summer Music Festival
7/02: Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre #
7/04: Denver, CO – Fox Street Compound #
7/06: Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot #
7/07: Boise, ID – Knitting Factory #
7/08: Bend, OR – Midtown Ballroom #
7/10: Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory #
7/11: Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre #
7/12: Portland, OR – Roseland Theatre #
7/14: Bozeman, MT – Live From The Divide
7/17: Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall Ballroom
7/18: Newport, KY – The Southgate House Revival
7/28: Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival
8/3-5: Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon
8/24: Detroit, MI – El Club %
9/02: Bethlehem, PA – Levitt Pavilion Steelstacks
9/15: Los Angeles, CA – Vintage Vibe Festival
9/21-23: Bristol, TN – Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
9/22-23: Franklin, TN – Pilgrimage Music Festival
9/28: Philadelphia, PA – Philly Music Fest
# – with Social Distortion
% – with Tank and the Bangas
Low Cut Connie Album Cover