The Amnesty International-benefiting Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan (of no relation to Bruce Springsteen’s similarly titled 1988 live EP, also released in conjunction with Amnesty) comes on the heels of Dylan tribute comps like The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration and the I’m Not There OST, but this one’s far and away more comprehensive than both of those combined. The cause? Its mammoth size: four CDS, 75 songs (one per artist), five hours. The effect? It covers the entirety of Dylan’s half-century-plus career fairly evenly. And with its all-star lineup – featuring everyone from baby-boomers Patti Smith and Jackson Browne to twenty-somethings Adele and Ke$ha – it’s a project in which few people won’t find something appealing.

That said, it’s no surprise that there are a few real gems here. First and foremost might be Mark Knopfler’s hushed “Restless Farewell”, which expands Dylan‘s 1964 original via lush arrangements while Knopfler delivers the melody with the sincerity it deserves. My Morning Jacket’s bare “You’re a Big Girl Now” finds a softly soaring Jim James vocal bringing an intimacy that even Dylan didn’t quite muster when he released the song on 1975’s Blood on the Tracks. On her “Property of Jesus”, lifelong Roman Catholic Sinéad O’Connor hands one of Dylan’s few Christian-period treats a lively, gorgeous fleshing out. And while, in theory, Miley Cyrus’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” should have flopped, its tenderly finger-picked guitar and on-the-screws singing make the track surprisingly cozy. (Sign of the apocalypse?) These tracks bring to mind the best Dylan covers ever– Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower”, The Byrds’ “Mr. Tambourine Man”, and Them’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”– because the classics all sound like natural extensions of their progenitors, as does each of the other aforementioned renderings. (Also worthy of shout-outs: Tom Morello’s “Blind Willie McTell”, Bettye LaVette’s “Most of the Time”, and Lucinda Williams’s “Tryin‘ to Get to Heaven”.)

Still, plenty of versions here simply don‘t quite get the job done. Rise Against, as is their nature, crank it up to 11 on their “Ballad of Hollis Brown”, and while the song’s lyrics demand contempt via vocals, frontman Tim McIlrath overcooks it. (However, Bad Religion goes for a similar balls-to-the-wall approach on their “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue”, and it goes over markedly better for them.) Cage the Elephant and Jack’s Mannequin get a little too cutesy on “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” and “Mr. Tambourine Man”, respectively, not allowing the words sufficient breathing room. Similarly, Sussan Deyhim’s “All I Really Want to Do” somehow evokes Laurie Anderson rather than Dylan, as its five minutes focus on out-there sonic groundwork instead of the playful delivery of the original song. At the end of the day, though, these versions aren’t disappointing because they tweak things too much – Dylan himself tends to not play his songs the same way twice – but because they lack the indescribable yet absolutely there particulars the best Dylan songs all have.

At the end of it all is, fittingly enough, Dylan’s own “Chimes of Freedom”, one of his earliest surreal epics, which functions as the mystifying end-credits to these oft-cinematic songs. But as plenty of these versions lack firepower, the success of the album is ultimately dependent on the listener’s familiarity with the original songs. For Dylan diehards, none of these will touch the originals – it‘s as simple as that. But new fans, or fans of any of the artists here, could be hipped to Dylan’s seemingly never-ending wellspring of timeless songs through this tribute. And on those grounds, Chimes could wind up being a satisfying listen for anyone who comes across it.

Essential Tracks: Mark Knopfler‘s “Restless Farewell”, Sinéad O‘Connor‘s “Property of Jesus”, and My Morning Jacket‘s “You’re a Big Girl Now”

The Occupy Wall Street movement has already spurred an offshoot called Occupy Musicians. Now, as the Associated Press reports, a star-studded benefit album titled Occupy This Album is in the works. Due out sometime this winter, the collection will feature a mix of live tracks and new songs from the likes of Devo, Yo La Tengo, Ladytron, Crosby and Nash, Lucinda Williams, Warren Haynes, Third Eyed Blind, and even filmmaker Michael More, who reportedly sings.

The album is being curated by a musician named Jason Samel, with all profits going to the Alliance for Global Justice which will then be divided between Occupy Wall Street and other Occupy movements.

Below, you can listen to Third Eyed Blind’s recently revealed song “If There Ever Was a Time”, which was written about the movement.

Third Eyed Blind – “If There Ever Was A Time”

A half decade ago, Bob Dylan acquired the notebooks of the late, great Hank Williams. In them contained many unfinished lyrics and song ideas. Since then, he’s been working on a star-studded tribute album that sees himself, Jack White, Sheryl Crowe, Norah Jones, and more completing said lyrics and turning them into full-fledged songs. According to Rolling Stone, the end result of their efforts will finally see release on October 4th via Dylan’s imprint Egyptian Records.

Titled The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams, the tribute album features 13 tracks in all. Rolling Stone also reports that the full story of Williams’ notebooks will be told in the album’s liner notes, which were penned by Michael McCall of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Below, we have the tracklist.

The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams Tracklist:
01. Alan Jackson – You’ve Been Lonesome, Too
02. Bob Dylan – The Love That Faded
03. Norah Jones – How Many Times Have You Broken My Heart?
04. Jack White – You Know That I Know
05. Lucinda Williams – I’m So Happy I Found You
06. Vince Gill and Rodney Crowell – I Hope You Shed a Million Tears
07. Patty Loveless – You’re Through Fooling Me
08. Levon Helm – You’ll Never Again Be Mine
09. Holly Williams – Blue Is My Heart
10. Jakob Dylan – Oh, Mama, Come Home
11. Sheryl Crow – Angel Mine
12. Merle Haggard – The Sermon on the Mount

As our coverage of this year’s festivities should have blatantly demonstrated by now, South by Southwest 2011 was a crazy good time. From a special appearance by Jay-Z to a riot courtesy of Death From Above 1979, the festival’s 25th anniversary was one not to be missed. However, in the event that someone did skip out on the insanity, the folks organizing SXSW have teamed up with iTunes to release the iTunes Live: SXSW series of EPs.

The live releases, mastered during the festival, feature music from Glasser, Le Bucherettes, Lucinda Williams, The Civil Wars, Neon Trees, Dom Kennedy, and Chapel Club, among others. Plus, more releases from other acts will also be added throughout the rest of the week.

To get your copies of each of the EPs, head here.

They’re not yet listed on the festival’s website, but Queens of the Stone Age will play La Zona Rosa on March 16th, according to an issued press release. Also, Yoko Ono has been confirmed as the festival’s featured speaker, and she’ll also play Chimera Music night at The Elysium on March 20th.

Update: Expect to see The Strokes, too. According to the band’s latest newsletter, they have “something cool planned for SXSW.”

Other newly confirmed acts include B.o.B., …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Duff McKagan’s Loaded, Panic! at the Disco, Lucinda Williams, Liz Phair, Meat Puppets, Robert Earl Keen, X Japan, The Black Angels, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Reggie Watts, Kurt Vile & the Violators, Sasha, Calvin Harris, J. Cole, The Cool Kids, Megafaun, Jamie xx, Jesse Malin & The St Marks Social, and She Wants Revenge.

And if that weren’t enough, Spank Rock, Cyhi Da Prynce, Curren$y, Dawes, Chiddy Bang, Theophilus London, Rainbow Arabia, Big Freedia, Cass McCombs, Phantogram, The Cave Singers, Liturgy, The Fresh & Onlys, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, An House, AWOLNATION, Ben Sollee, Boats, Colin Stetson, The Ferocious Few, Hanson, Papercuts, Parlovr, and Peanut Butter Wolf are all also confirmed.

Again, this about 1/10 of the currently announced roster for this year’s festival, so head over to Festival Outlook for a even more extensive glimpse. The music portion of South by Southwest 2011 runs from March 16-20 in Austin, Texas. For ticket information and all other necessary details, visit sxsw.com.

As customary, the festival will take place over the course of two weekends. Weekend #1 (April 29 – May 1) will feature Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Tom Jones, Bon Jovi, Arlo Guthrie, John Legend & The Roots, Jeff Beck, The Decemberists, The Avett Brothers, Wyclef Jean, Jason Mraz, Kenny G, Mumford & Sons, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, and Justin Townes Earle, among others.

Weekend #2 (May 5-8), on the other hand, will feature Arcade Fire, The Strokes, Lauryn Hill, Wilco, Willie Nelson, Lupe Fiasco, Jimmy Buffett, Kid Rock, Cyndi Lauper, Gregg Allman Blues Band, Allen Toussaint, The Neville Brothers, Lucinda Williams, Michael Franti, Mystikal, and Sonny Rollins, among others.

For a complete day-by-day breakdown of all confirmed acts, click here.

Weekend and VIP will be available starting Thursday, January 20th. Visit the festival’s website for complete pricing details.

Front page photo via Frank Mojica.

The most glaring flaw to which nearly every number on See My Friends falls victim is the album’s seeming complete disregard for The Kinks as a band. Though Davies was the figurehead and chief creative force, The Kinks were a band. The classic songs Davies attacks and consistently falls short of were great for more than their words and their vocals. The originals sound youthful and adventurous, with some dating back more than 40 years, but these recently recorded songs, which feature much better technology and often quite young bands playing with Davies, come off as tired and uninspired. Davies has allowed rgw arrangements to age with his voice, but he never changes them enough to re-imagine anything. Sadly, it’s a bad covers album.

One of the strengths The Kinks used to their advantage was their ability to change their sound to suit the song, whether they wanted to evoke island sunsets or bar-room blues or just blend in to the 70′s rock that surrounded them. But that doesn’t excuse this compilation’s complete disregard for continuity or some sort of flow. Putting Lucinda Williams next to Metallica is jarring, but no transition ever sounds right on the entire collection, except the transitions that Billy Corgan and Mumford & Sons tunes take in the middle of their cuts, especially Corgan, who had the misfortune of having to perform “All Day and All Night”, a tired number any way you look at it. Weaving it with “Destroyer” is clever, letting Corgan sound like an idea man for a brief moment, breathing new life into well-worn territory.

But this cannot overshadow the bad ideas that populate the collection. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora strip the sentiment from the sentimental “Celluloid Heroes”, playing Los Angeles like Brandon Flowers’ plays Las Vegas on his new album. 70′s soft rock ballads are tricky becuase they were only acceptable in the 70′s, and the Bon Jovi-updating should have been predictable in its soulless execution. Spoon also strike-out big, taking a tune perfectly chosen for them in the more-experimental-at-the-time “See My Friends” and actually bringing it to more conventional territory. And further, they somehow don’t bring any element of their own sound to the song, with the vocals completely overwhelming the instrumentation. Spoon could have had a lot of fun with this tune, but the number sounds safe, serving only as a reminder of how lacking the entire collection really is.

And why do it? Is it for the music to find a new audience? Well, half the bands on here are nearly as old as Davies, so their audience is his audience. And the indie artists featured also don’t possess a lot of new ears for these classic songs. So with that ruled out and with it clear that the songs don’t really offer any creative re-workings, it gets narrowed down to a commercial move or a vanity project. Sure, you can’t fault anyone from saying yes when Davies calls up asking for a day of your time, but you can fault them for sounding like the thought put into it was literally one day. Tunes like these should be saved for surprise moments at the end of concerts, not recorded for re-listening.

Releasing it as a Davies album and not a Ray Davies tribute album is really misleading and unfortunate. As a tribute album, you could dismiss the collection as some noteworthy artists making Kinks songs that don’t compare to the originals. But with Davies putting his name on it, you have to interpret that the the man who wrote the songs actually thinks these are worthy to stand with his originals. And this simply is not the case and is worrisome for anyone thinking about how Davies views his classics and even his current taste level. Did he really come out of the Amy MacDonald recording session and think “That could be put in the same conversation as The Kinks version”? It is enough to really freak out a fan of The Kinks. Go back and listen to the source material and hear the intangibles: passion, chemistry and creativity. Why the originator would want grace the public with songs that only leave insights like “Frank Black and Ray Davies sound really similar” is beyond me.

When you write and record a song, there is no roadmap. See My Friends is limited by lines inside which the songs feel they need to color in order to make a picture, not knowing that the picture is already as clear as day. Take this however you want, but look at the artist list, and you’ll realize the two contributors who showed the most creativity were Billy Corgan and Mumford & Sons.

And I am not into Mumford & Sons whatsoever, but their versions of “Days” and “This Time Tomorrow” reinvent the tunes to suit their ability in pop-folk, and they are really strong cuts. The youth and enthusiasm they demonstrate is a sharp contrast with Paloma Faith and Gary Lightbody, who scream watered down adult contemporary. If you heard the recent statements from Win Butler about not being able to imagine Arcade Fire existing in ten years and how rock and roll is a young man’s game, it’s hard not to use this record as a supporting argument for the sentiment. Very few aging artists can maintain the creative passion of their youth, and their later careers are often supported primarily by nostalgia. But listening to the originals is a better way to revisit the feelings these songs may inspire. Listening to this will ultimately just depress you, learning that one of rock’s great artists has come to the point where he can’t realize when he’s hosting a karaoke night.

Other contributing artists include Steve Earle, Allison Moorer, Allison Moorer, and Sheryl Crow, who teamed up with both Lynn and Miranda Lambert for a rendition of the track “Coal Miner’s Daughter”.

The release will be available starting November 9th via Columbia Records. Below, you can find the tracklist, as well as a clip of The White Stripes performing “Rated X” live.

Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn Tracklist:
01. Gretchen Wilson – ‘Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)’
02. Lee Ann Womack – ‘I’m A Honky Tonk Girl’
03. The White Stripes – ‘Rated X’
04. Carrie Underwood – ‘You’re Lookin’ At Country’
05. Alan Jackson and Martina McBride – ‘Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man’
06. Paramore – ‘You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man)’
07. Faith Hill – ‘Love Is The Foundation’
08. Steve Earle and Allison Moorer – ‘After The Fire Is Gone’
09. Reba featuring The Time Jumpers – ‘If You’re Not Gone Too Long’
10. Kid Rock – ‘I Know How’
11. Lucinda Williams – ‘Somebody Somewhere (Don’t Know What He’s Missin’ Tonight)’
12. Featuring Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert – ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’

Mission Bell, which arrives January 25th on Blue Note Records, will, in addition to Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), feature the likes of Lucinda Williams and Willie Nelson in duets. Other guest artists include Priscilla Ahn, Pieta Brown, and James Gadson. Oh, and his backing band is Calexico, so on paper, it looks like we have a winner.

Calexico frontman Joey Burns produced the 12-track album, and Lee considers Burns’ work, along with Calexico percussionist John Covertino’s work, the reason for the “musicality” of Mission Bell. Lee said in a press release, “The musicality that those guys bring is just amazing….They’re great at creating an atmosphere–sonically, they brought a beautiful dimension into a lot of the songs, and helped them to expand and breathe more.”

You can interpret that as “Calexico made my album good-sounding and stuff.”

Lyrically, Lee didn’t elaborate much either, but he imparted: “There’s a real searching element to a lot of these songs.”

You can put to use your inner searching element by searching for Lee on his upcoming fall tour. His summer was a busy one which included stops at Mile High and Outside Lands, and the touring resumes September 28th in NYC. He’ll will be in Milwaukee for Farm Aid (organized by some of his buddies in Nelson and Dave Matthews) before playing a lone California gig with Chris Isaak October 3rd. After Austin City Limits on the 8th, Lee will take a month-long break and finish off with a short Northeastern trip. The East Coast dates include two seat-fillers opening for Dave Matthews Band in New York state in November and a New Year’s Eve show at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, MA.

Select shows are being ticketed through Ticketmaster, and tickets for the New Year’s Eve show goe on sale tomorrow at the venue’s website. The full tracklist is below, and tour itinerary below that.

Mission Bell Tracklist:
01. El Camino
02. Windows Are Rolled Down
03. Violin (featuring Sam Beam)
04. Flower
05. Stay with Me (featuring Priscilla Ahn)
06. Out of the Cold (featuring Pieta Brown)
07. Jesus (featuring James Gadson)
08. Hello Again
09. Learned a Lot
10. Cup of Sorrow
11. Clear Blue Eyes (featuring Lucinda Williams)
12. Behind Me Now / El Camino Reprise (featuring Willie Nelson)

Amos Lee 2010 Tour Dates:
09/28 – New York, NY @ Hiro Ballroom
10/02 – Milwaukee, WI @ Farm Aid
10/03 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Avila Beach Resort %
10/08 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
11/02 – Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena #
11/03 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum #
11/04 – Albany, NY @ The Egg
11/05 – Trenton, NJ @ Patriots Theater
11/06 – Wilmington, DE @ Grand Opera House
12/31 – Northampton, MA @ Calvin Theater

% = w/ Chris Isaak
# = w/ Dave Matthews Band

There is a bit of bad news though (or maybe good, depending on how you feel): The Killers’ previously announced collaboration with Davies will not be included on the album.

A tracklist for the effort has not yet been announced, but the release is still set for 2010. More details as they become available.

You can now hear Lucinda Williams perform the ominous alt-country “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” at cover song blog Cover Me. Originally written for country-rock band Dr. Hook, the tune was a 1979 hit for Marianne Faithfull. It tells the story of a lonely housewife who scales her roof one day and…well, there’s some debate on what happens next. Faithfull maintains she gets taken to a mental institute, but to this listener it sounds more like suicide. Williams gives it an appropriately spooky arrangement, a thudding drum propelling her powerful singing.

Twistable Turnable Man drops June 8 (full tracklist below). Listen to Lucinda Williams’ “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” at Cover Me.

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein Tracklist:
01. Lullabys, Legends and Lies – My Morning Jacket
02. The Twistable, Turnable Man Returns – Andrew Bird
03. This Guitar is for Sale – John Prine
04. The Unicorn – Dr. Dog?05. The Winner – Kris Kristofferson
06. Queen of the Silver Dollar – Sarah Jarosz w/ Black Prairie
07. Daddy What if – Bobby Bare, Jr. w/ Isabella Bare
08. The Cover of the Rolling Stone – Black Francis w/ Joey Santiago
09. Sylvia’s Mother – The Boxmasters
10. Me and Jimmy Rodgers – Ray Price
11. A Boy Named Sue – Todd Snider
12. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan – Lucinda Williams
13. The Living Legend – Bobby Bare, Sr.
14. The Giving Tree – Nanci Griffith
15. 26 Second Song – My Morning Jacket

The Beck track (“Bad Blood”) sounds like a perfect fit for the album, while the Williams and Costello duet (“Kiss Like Your Kiss”) will probably mirror some of that dark, bluesy sexual tension that seeps forth from the show. Meanwhile, Robertson’s “How to Become Clairvoyant” has us giddy with joy as to what the legend will pull out with such source material. But arguably the most impressive song is M. Ward‘s cover of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ for My Baby”. If that isn’t amazing, you can exsanguinate us.

True Blood: Music From the HBO Original Series Volume II is due out May 25th via Elektra Records. Tracklist below (via P4k). Here ends our bad vampire puns.

True Blood: Music From the HBO Original Series Volume II Tracklist:
01. M. Ward: “Howlin’ for My Baby”
02. Jace Everett and CC Adcock: Evil (Is Going On)
03. Beck: “Bad Blood”
04. Robbie Robertson: “How to Become Clairvoyant”
05. Jr. Walker and The All Stars: “Shake and Fingerpop”
06. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins: “Frenzy”
07. Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello: “Kiss Like Your Kiss”
08. Buddy and Julie Miller: “Gasoline and Matches”
09. Chuck Prophet: “You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)”
10. The 13th Floor Elevators: “You’re Gonna Miss Me”
11. Eels: “Fresh Blood”
12. Thievery Corporation: “The Forgotten People” (Bon Temps Remix)
13. King Britt and Sister Gertrude Morgan: “New World in My View”
14. Bob Dylan: “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’”
15. Jace Everett:”Bad Things (Acoustic)” *
16. Jakob Dylan: “Ain’t No Invisible Man” *
17. Stone Temple Pilots: “You Can’t Drive Me Away” *
18. Headbone and Bubba Kendall: “Dig” *

* = digital only bonus track

Contributing Silverstein covers for the collection are My Morning Jacket (which opens and closes the album), Andrew Bird, Dr. Dog, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, and Lucinda Williams. As if that wasn’t cool enough already, also included is a version of “The Cover of the Rolling Stone” by Pixies members Black Francis and Joey Santiago, as well as a track by The Boxmasters, Billy Bob Thornton’s band.

Let’s double back for a second here — this tribute album has inspired what is basically a new Pixies recording. Can we just reflect on this fact?

Bobby Bare and Bobby Bare Jr., who have both scored hits with songs written by Silverstein, have produced the tribute. Preview the album here and see the full track list below.

Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein Tracklist:
01. Lullabys, Legends and Lies – My Morning Jacket
02. The Twistable, Turnable Man Returns – Andrew Bird
03. This Guitar is for Sale – John Prine
04. The Unicorn – Dr. Dog
05. The Winner – Kris Kristofferson
06. Queen of the Silver Dollar – Sarah Jarosz w/ Black Prairie
07. Daddy What if – Bobby Bare, Jr. w/ Isabella Bare
08. The Cover of the Rolling Stone – Black Francis w/ Joey Santiago
09. Sylvia’s Mother – The Boxmasters
10. Me and Jimmy Rodgers – Ray Price
11. A Boy Named Sue – Todd Snider
12. The Ballad of Lucy Jordan – Lucinda Williams
13. The Living Legend – Bobby Bare, Sr.
14. The Giving Tree – Nanci Griffith
15. 26 Second Song – My Morning Jacket

Rain Machine Tracklist:
01. Intro
02. Give Blood
03. New Last Name
04. Smiling Black Faces
05. Driftwood Heart
06. Hold you Holy
07. Desperate Bitch
08. Love Won’t Save You
09. Free Ride
10. Leave the Lights On
11. Winter Song

Under the name Rain Machine, Malone will release his debut LP this fall via ANTI-. According to the issued press release, the album has been in the works for nearly a decade before he ultimately teamed up with producer Ian Brennan and Lucinda Williams to record the finished product. No other specifics have been given as of yet, but Malone does describe the album as “a nearly full spectrum of frequencies audible to the human ear– a reflection of a variety of emotions and situations real and imagined, some rhythm and some rhyme,” which while we’re not really sure what that means, is something.

TV on the Radio 2009 Tour Dates:
07/09 – Lisbon, PT @ Optimus Alive!09
07/11 – Eadestown, IE @ Oxegen
07/12 – Kinross, UK @ T in the Park
07/13 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
07/15 – Lyon, FR @ Les Nuits de Fourviere
07/17 – Carhaix, FR @ Les Vieilles Charrues
07/18 – Angouleme, FR @ Garden Nef Festival
07/19 – Benicàssim, ES @ Benicàssim Festival
07/21 – Ferrara, IT @ Bands Apart Festival
07/22 – Rome, IT @ Ostia Antica Theatre
07/24 – Nyon, CH @ Paleo Festival
07/25 – Laval, FR @ Les 3 Elephants Festival
07/26 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall
07/27 – Vienna, AT @ Open Air
07/29 – Copenhagen, DK @ Vega
07/30 – Stockholm, SE @ Debaser Medis
07/31 – Ostersund, SE @ Great Lakes Festival
08/02 – Helsinki, FI @ Ankkarock Festival
08/08 – Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/11 – Brooklyn, NY @ Prospect Park Bandshell
08/29 – San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands Music Festival

Lucinda Williams 2009 Tour Dates:
05/28 – Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
05/29 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
05/30 – Phoenix, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center
06/01 – Santa Fe, NM @ Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre
06/03 – Denver, CO @ Denver Botanic Gardens
06/04 – Boulder, CO @ Chautauqua Auditorium
06/06 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Whiskey Roadhouse
06/07 – Oneida, WI @ Oneida Bingo & Casino
06/09 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
06/10 – Covington, KY @ Madison Theatre
06/12 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music Festival
06/14 – Louisville, KY @ Brown Theater
06/15 – Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
06/17 – Kansas City, KS @ Harrah’s Casino
06/18 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
08/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre

Saturday, August 30th

At first arrival, Bumbershoot can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, as it’s spread over 74 acres and has an attendance of roughly 50,000 each day. But once you settle in and realize that it will take time to get to the various stages and events, you’ll relax and have an amazing time.

Opening up Saturday’s events, Rock-a-Billy artist Nick Vigarino added a jazz twist to his country sound by having a tenor saxaphone. As if to keep the sound consistent, Neko Case and Lucinda Williams maintained the alt-country sound. Unfortunately, many missed Case’s first song or two because security had yet to let people in for the performance. Not sure what was the problem, but the line moved quickly once it started. Case was fantastic as always playing mostly songs from her past album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood; however, she managed to pull out a few new songs that will be on a future release. Whereas Case was very soothing, Williams was more rockin’ in her country-tinged, blues rock.  She played some new songs, which at times were corny (e.g. “Real Love”), but you can’t help but love her voice and instrumentation, especially for a woman of 55. Both Case and Williams’ new albums will be something to look forward to in the near future.

Local, listener-funded, radio station KEXP puts on several intimate shows each day in a secret location, with no more than 200 people admitted. The first was with Nada Surf. Unfortunately, bassist Daniel Lorca was injured, so he was replaced by Ozma bassist Jose Galvez, who did a fine job in Lorca’s absence. They played seven songs, all acoustic with Ira Elliot on the Cajon, a box-like drum that the musician sits on and hits with his palms. The highlight of the show was the boys playing “Amateur” from The Proximity Effect, a song that rarely shows up on their setlists. If you enjoy indie rock, this is a band you need to know.

As mentioned above, Bumbershoot is not all about the music. One of the few other events that took place at the festival was a comedy show, simply titled, “The MySpace Show.” This side show consisted of six comedians doing improv comedy on two real MySpace pages from random audience members. It was fun once things started rolling, though it did take awhile to find a few audience members who had their pages not set to private.

After the comedy show, and over at the KEXP Lounge, !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk) were billed to let us dance our asses off. Unfortunately, it was in a seated venue, so it was mostly head bobbing, but in any other setting it would have been a great dance party.  Despite this, the show was unreal, and !!! sounded great with some fantastic stage presence. If you’re into bands like Ghostland Observatory and The Ting Tings, you should check out !!!.

Finally, it was time for the best one-two punch of the festival: Band of Horses followed by Beck. Although some may disagree, Band of Horses is one of the best, if not the best, live indie rock act out today. Not only did they perform well, but most of the set list was culled from their first two releases, plus two new songs to boot, one of which featured the harmonica and the other a melodica, best described as a woodwind keyboard.

Beck closed out the day with a killer “greatest hits” set. He started with “Loser” and continued through his catalogue. The only album they didn’t play from was Mutations, which was a bummer because it’s such a great album. However, the band did play “Nicotine and Gravy” off of Midnight Vultures, which was awesome. When he played “Hell Yes” and “Black Tambourine”, all five members of his band played 808 drum machines. Despite the amazing set list, the show did sound and feel a bit different. On the Guero/The Information tour, the slinky frontman kept himself busy with an elaborate puppet show, complete with dancers. Only this time, there was just a backing band, some large spot lights and a big screen made up of hundreds of bulbs. It was very minimalist, which is why it was so surprising that his sound was much less polished. It was almost grunge, actually. Nevertheless, you have to appreciate Beck for changing it up all the time. The guy is definitely a genius and should never be missed when he appears at a venue near you.

Sunday, August 31st

For some reason, Sunday was not nearly as jam packed with bands as Saturday or Sunday. Nonetheless, there were some great acts. Kicking off the proverbial sabbath, Lushy brought somewhat of a surf rock sound, only there were some undertones of jazz, too. Even with such a unique sound, it’s hard to hold the concertgoer’s attention when there’s also a vert ramp at the show. Yes, a vert ramp. With a combination of skaters and BMX bikers, the sight was pretty awe inspiring.

Following the vert ramp, there was a “Post-it Note Reading.” This was interesting, to say the least. At the reading, animation was drawn on Post-it notes, using a Sharpie, while a corresponding story was read. These light-hearted, humorous stories were a pleasant surprise. Following this, Dale Watson played his own unique style of Rock-a-billy, comparable to Johnny Cash. The only problem? The Whigs were starting up. The Whigs is a band with a fun, garage rock sound. Fun show aside, they’re a band you like, but not one that’s particularly memorable.

If Band of Horses and Beck were the best one-two punch of the festival, The Black Keys and Stone Temple Pilots (above, center) were a close second.  With crunch and huge riffs, The Black Keys’ bluesy rock is amazing, and it’s hard to believe that so much sound comes from only two guys on drums and guitar. Given Scott Weiland’s tumultuous past, you never know what to expect from 90′s rock outfit, Stone Temple Pilots; however, it turned out to be a rocking show. Thirty minutes past their scheduled set time, a tour bus drove right up to the stage and within minutes they were in front of thousands, blowing away any doubt that they could still rock. Hit after hit they rocked through a set which included a jazzy cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” on the outro of “Creep” and a plugged-in version of “Sour Girl.” It was one of the best arena rock shows in recent memory… and it wasn’t even in an arena.

Monday, September 1st

The last day was the weakest of the three days, but still a great time. Local teen sensation Vince Mira started off the work week. Mira’s only claim to fame stems from a sound that’s uncannily like Johnny Cash. Saturday’s Dale Watson sounded like Johnny Cash too, but Vince Mira is Johnny Cash. It’s a bit eerie. This 15 year old, backed by The Roy Kay Trio, played mostly Cash’s hits, but also squeezed in a few of his own that were actually not bad. He may never be able to move beyond great impersonator, but there is no doubt he will always have an audience.

Keeping the local band theme going, Head Like a Kite, an electronic/new wave/rock group, were up next. Fronted by a guy who looked like a Jonas Brother, the band held a lil’ Flaming Lips flare, with some creatures dancing on the stage that looked all too much like the sugary candy, Nerds. It will be interesting to see how these young guys fare in the Seattle music market. Following shortly after was the much anticipated Israeli band, Monotonix. These guys put on a show similar to Gogol Bordello and they did not disappoint, even despite a very short set. It was very crowd heavy too, as you could not see them because they were not on the stage, but instead playing on the floor with the crowd surrounding them. All the while, lead singer Yomtov was continually crowd surfing both with and without a garbage can. Yes, he got inside a garbage can and was hoisted on top of the crowd. The guitar player then got in on the action and crowd surfed, too. Mind you, he was still playing all the while. After two, dirty garage rock songs an announcer came on stage and said that the show was being shut down. No explanation, but a reasonable guess would be due to safety. The crowd was not happy and began booing and flipping the poor guy off. Luckily, singer Yomtov came to his rescue and talked the crowd down. One can only imagine a full set by these guys, if it ever happens.

Bumbershoot this year, if you had not noticed, was full of 90′s acts and The Offspring were no exception. Like Stone Temple Pilots and Beck, they played a hits with a smattering of songs off of their new album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. As always, the band was fun to see and sounded great. The same can’t be said for the next act, X Levitation Cult, which was essentially a singer-songwriter who could neither sing nor write songs very well. 

Bumbershoot is known for its diverse acts, but also for its diversity, and Cheb I Sabbah & 1002 Nights featuring Riffat Sultana is a great example of that. They consisted of a DJ, two percussionists, a singer (Riffat Sultana), a belly dancer and occasionally a Middle Eastern guitar. It was an interesting mix that was a entertaining, especially if one managed to snag a cold beer. Del tha Funky Homosapien sounded good, but Superchunk sounded excellent. Superchunk was probably one of the best surprises at the festival. They rocked hard with their brand of early 90′s indie rock, which still sounds contemporary. It was a good choice as Death Cab for Cutie came next, closing out the festival with a solid set. Now that they are a successful veteran band, it would be great to see them venture out a little and be more playful. Not much, just if they could add a cover or two, or play a song deep from its catalogue. You know, one that no one has heard live in years. Preferences aside, the Seattle indie group played well, predictable, but well. With a weekend like this was, it’s hard to complain.