Now Hear This » Bruce Springsteen

Bat For Lashes: New EP, more covers

Michael — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:19:18 +0000

Bummed I missed the Bat For Lashes show at the Great American Music Hall the other night. You just can’t get to ‘em all unfortunately. And judging by the snippets of live tracks she’s streaming on her myspace page it was a magical night. I say snippets because the full versions are on the Pearl’s Dream EP available on iTune’s UK store (no word on whether or not the US store will have it). Here’s the tracklist:

- Pearl’s Dream (album version)
- Pearl’s Dream (Cenzo Townshend Radio Edit)
- Sleep Alone (909′s In DarkTimes Mix)
- Siren Song (Live At Shepherd’s Bush Empire)
- Good Love (Live At Shepherd’s Bush Empire)

909 is apparently the pseudonym of David Sitek (TV on the Radio & Telepathe). Since we haven’t gotten our own copy here at NHT we’ll just have to share what BFL tracks are kicking around the old hard drive already (covers of course):

I’m On Fire WAY more convincing than the Boss, from the beeb’s Dermot O’Leary Show in 2007

Sweet Dreams The Eurythmics’ classic from Jo Whiley’s Live Lounge (also on the BBC) in 2008

Use Somebody A Kings Of Leon cover also from Jo Whiley’s Live Lounge, this time back on April 9th of this year

THere’s a video for Pearl’s Dream up on BFL’s website but it’s not nearly as cool as the video for What’s a Girl To Do from her 2006 debut Fur And Gold so I’ll post that instead!

Avett Brothers video/Fillmore shows in May

Michael — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:23 +0000

I’ve been an avid Avett Brothers fan ever since Emotionalism made my Best of 2007 list but sinister forces have conspired to prevent me from catching their live show, which I hear is spectacular. That will certainly change when they play the Fillmore two nights in May (Friday the 15th & Saturday the 16th). Rumor has it Magnolia Electric Co. will be opening. What a night of alt-folk bliss! Tickets go on sale this Sunday @ 10 AM. The video below comes from a nifty little corner of Bruce Springsteen’s website called Hangin’ Out On E Street where an eclectic assortment of folks (Ted Leo, Wylcef Jean & Birdmonster to name a few) present their take on the Boss and wax reverent about his influence on their careers. Guess whoever’s in charge was unaware that Sleater-Kinney used to do a rippin’ cover of “Promised Land.” God I miss those ladies…

I love how the stock clerks rockin’ the storeroom look fits perfectly with Bruce’s blue collar oeuvre. How much fun would it be to jump behind that drum kit?

More tour dates at the Avett’s website.

Golden Globe #2 for the Boss

Michael — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 07:01:15 +0000

Bruce Springsteen picked up his second Best Original Song Golden Globe last night for his theme for the film “The Wrestler.” He won the same award for 1994′s “Streets Of Philadelphia.” While he certainly deserves kudos I mention his victory over Peter Gabriel, Clint Eastwood & Miley Cyrus merely as an excuse to revisit of my favorite records of 2006, We Shall Overcome: The Seegaer Sessions. The Seeger Sessions is a rollicking, heartfelt tribute to a giant of contemporary American folk music. While the sound is big enough to verge on bombastic there’s a rowdy sincerity that’s impossible to resist. Instead of literal interpretations of Seeger’s spare sound Bruce infuses these tunes with a careening energy as diverse as a 60′s hootenanny mixed with Dylan’s work with The Band.

Here is an incredible sounding recording from the Seeger Sessions tour when it stopped in the UK.

St. Luke’s , London 5/10/06

John Henry
Oh Mary Don’t You Weep
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live?
Mrs. McGrath
My Oklahoma Home
Jacob’s Ladder
We Shall Overcome
Pay Me My Money Down

Get the whole deal at once: Seeger Sessions live zip