Julie Foldesi Brings It On Home

Raleigh native Julie Foldesi moved to New York to pursue dreams of performing on Broadway, but her debut CD release, "This Part of Town" definitely brings it on home with a self-described "funky bluegrass or bluesy bluegrass" feel. A couple of weeks ago she celebrated her release at The Pour House along with The Balsa Gliders.

The album is the culmination of about 5 years of songwriting efforts along with collaboration from bluegrass musician/arranger/producer Dick Neal. One thing that stands out is Neal's stellar production quality throughout.

Lyrically, the songs are mainly autobiographical, with Julie musing on relationships, her Tarheel roots, the state of the world and our government, and the music business. I can hear some vocal qualities of Jewel, The Dixie Chicks, and maybe even a touch of KD Lang on the melancholy "Should I Leave".

The band backing Foldesi on "This Part of Town" turns in a solid performance, with a wide assortment of instruments including: guitar, drums/percussion, piano, bass, cello, violin, viola, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, harp, and tambourine, packing a full-band punch to the tracks. The album has taken a big step forward from the earlier pieces featured on her MySpace. Hopefully the city life will continue to bring new and exciting ideas to fruition in Julie's work. This is a good first release, though not in my typical listening fare (you know, I dig the songs that make pets hide and small children cry). Hopefully we'll get to hear much more from her in the future. Maybe if she hangs around New York long enough she'll do something really strange! Come on Julie, you know you wanna.

Take a Ride With Calico Horse

Calico Horse is a band from San Diego with an easy feel and a penchant for waltzes (songs in 3/4 time). Their MySpace lists them as "Indie / Experimental / Psychedelic", a delicious recipe led by the writing and vocal stylings of Emily Neveu (also on guitar and keys).

From their bio:

Calico Horse formed from the ashes of the former band The Clock Work Army. Not long after the Clock Work began, guitarist Scott Wheeler moved to Portland and Emily was left to finish the album all by her lonesome. Luckily, she had the help of producer extraordinaire, Pall Jenkins, best known for leading The Black Heart Procession. Together, the two of them crafted an album that is equal parts haunting as it is amazing. Jenkins helped Emily to step outside herself and view things from his somewhat beautifully warped approach to song writing. Because of conflicting schedules and other priorities, the project became a feat in discipline, taking nearly a year to come to fruition. What could have easily ended up a disaster to a less dedicated musician and producer, they instead embraced this small hitch and every session was a whole new playground of ideas. Pressure was definitely not an issue. The extra time was truly a blessing. The result of those sessions is Calico Horse.

The music on their innovative 2008 release "Mirror" is layered confection with keyboard as the foundation, multitracked vocals, various percussion elements, and tasty guitar solos as the icing. Two striking tracks on the album are the anthemic "Onomatopoeia" and "Happy Placebo Syringe Day", a dreamlike sequence through the lives of two lifelong companions, beginning with the two at ages 12 and 8, following them until they are laying "side by side in wooden boxes". Haunting. They remind me a little of London's Stereolab, though much darker. One really cool song they have on their MySpace is a cover of Radiohead's "Idioteque". But wait! There's more! The intense instrumental of "Interlude 5" features a ghostly instrumental of what sounds like theremin and keyboard, a tasty holiday treat.

As you digest and recover from your Thanksgiving and prepare for the holiday rush ahead, take a moment to savor the amazing talent of Calico Horse.

Shows This Week

Before and/or after you feast on turkey (or Tofurkey), you may want to check out some of these shows. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Monday, November 24th

Concert for Cancer: Sequoyah Prep School, Magnolia Sons, The Trees, Starfish Bungalow, at The Pour House, 7:15PM, $12, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

Augustana, The War, at Cat's Cradle, 7PM, $15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

HR (Bad Brains), Outlaw Nation, Lionize, at Volume 11 Tavern, 8PM, $12, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

AA Bondy, The Dogwood Deddy, at Local 506, 9:30PM, $8, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com


Tuesday, November 25th

Hollywood Undead, Taradactyl Sky Culture, at Lincoln Theatre, 7:30PM, $12, 126 E. Cabarrus St., Raleigh, 919-821-4111, www.lincolntheatre.com

Gang Gang Dance, Rainbow Arabia, at Cat's Cradle, 9PM, $8-$10, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Phase Zero, Johnny Dirty Shoes, Shawna Deena, at The Pour House, 9PM, Free, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

Anaturale, Athens Boys Choir, Farmer, Miss Mary Wanna, at Local 506, 9:30PM, $7, $1 off with a can of food, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com


Wednesday, November 26th

Jon Shain, Django Haskins, Mark Simonsen, Greg Humphreys, Valentino and the Piedmont Shieks, Young Neil & The Damage Done, at Cat's Cradle, 8PM, $10, proceeds benefit the Inter Faith Council for Social Service, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

The Gibson Brothers, No Strings Attached, at The Pour House, 9PM, $10-$12, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

The Bronzed Chorus and Gray Young, at Tir na nOg, 10PM, 218 S. Blount St, Raleigh, 919-833-7795, www.tirnanogirishpub.com


Friday, November 27th

Bloodsoaked, Deterioration, Inbryo, Predominant Mortification, Malebolgia, at Volume 11, $7, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

Chuckfolds, at 42nd Street Oyster Bar, 508 W. Jones St., Raleigh, 919-831-2811, www.42ndstoysterbar.com

Deafrent, Shade vs Tommy L, Lightsout, Indica vs Wally D, at Berkeley Cafe, 217 W. Martin St., Raleigh, 919-821-0777, www.berkeleycafe.net

Spencer Scholes and Primitive Sound, at Maximillians, 7PM, 8314 Chapel Hill Rd., Cary, 919-465-2455, www.maximiliansgrill.com

David Dyer and Crooked Smile, at The General Store Cafe, 39 West St., Pittsboro, 919-542-2432, www.thegeneralstorecafe.com

Manchester Orchestra, Dead Confederate, Kevin Devine, All Get Out, at Cat's Cradle, 8:30PM, $10-$12, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Blankface (reunion show), I Was Totally Destroying It, Josh Moore, at Local 506, $6-$8, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

The Proclivities, Hammer No More the Fingers, Prabir and the Substitutes, at The Pour House, 9PM, $10-$12, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

919Noise Show Collective: Small Life Form/Craig Hilton, Weather Machine, Quetzatl, at Nightlight, 10PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com


Saturday, November 29th

Jucifer, Black Skies, Transient, Sloburn, at Volume 11, $8, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

My Radio, The Sundowners, at Local 506, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Six Plates Anniversary Party with The Watercallers, Mark Cool, at Six Plates Wine Bar, 2812 Erwin Rd., Suite 104, Durham, 919-321-0203, www.sixplates.com

The Black Swamp Bootleggers, at Milltown, 12 noon, 307 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-968-2460.

Matt Vooris and Alex Bowers, at University Mall, 5PM, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill.

The Ramblers (Hicks, Craver, Watson), at The Cave, 8PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

The Backbeat, Hege V, at Cat's Cradle, 9PM, $9, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Thad Cockrell, Bright Young Things, The Moderate, at The Pour House, 9PM, $8, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

Inspector 22, Dylan Giilbert, Bow Hunter, Ant Disaster, at Nightlight, 10PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

The Loners, Pinche Gringo, at Slims, 10PM, 227 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, 919-833-6557, www.myspace.com/slimsdowntownraleigh

Pink Flag and The Homewreckers Launch Debut CD At Duke Coffeehouse

Pink Flag and The Homewreckers are having a CD release party at Duke Coffeehouse this Saturday November 22nd, and I have been fortunate enough to get my hands a copy! The CD features 11 tracks, 6 from Pink Flag and 5 from The Homewreckers.

From the band descriptions:

"[Pink Flag's] earnest approach to all subject matter and whirlwind live performances have been infectious for audiences." I blogged about all-female trio PF a few weeks ago when we had an email discussion. You can check it out here.

This is the debut official Pink Flag and The Homewreckers release, and it is straight-up Triangle punk, heartfelt and in-your-face, and being a guitar geek myself, I was impressed especially with the writing and creativity of PF guitarist Betsy "Lucky Flag" Shane. The Flags cover a lot of ground, with power chords, great use of dynamics, and sometimes even a trio of vocal harmonies. I love the harmony on "Urgency", but the vocals here don't quite nail it. I'm hoping the PF's keep working on this one, because I look forward to hearing it live. Excellent start to what I hope will be many more from Pink Flag.

The Homewreckers are a Durham band "edging their way into the hearts of every garage punk in the Triangle, with a sound that's equal parts punk, indie, and garage with a dash of riot grrl."

What stands out about The Homewreckers is that they're just pretty damn scary. Guys, you do not want to be playing "Ex-Gov. Elliot Spitzer and mistress Dupree" with this band, because you know this will not end well. Fueled by equal parts angst and irony, The Homewreckers, and I'm not making this up--"are ready to steal your girlfriends, beat up your boyfriends, and piss off your parents." I just want to say, "Um, chill. Can't we all get along?" The Homewreckers have contributed power to this release, loud and to your heart, or maybe your throat, hard to say. At times vocalist Jill Homewrecker recalls the intensity of Courtney Love on the standout track "One Shot". This will be a really exciting show, but this relationship is bound to be short lived and painful, because The Homewreckers "won't be coming back here anymore" (according to the lyrics from "All Wheels, No Control"). Let's hope we can work it out, or something..

Don't miss the CD release party this Saturday, the 22nd at Duke Coffeehouse, Crowell Building, East Campus, Durham, 919-684-4069, www.duke.edu/web/coffeehouse

Shows This Week

Here are some happenings you should know about:

Monday, November 17th

Shesha and Mietek Glinkowski Trio (MG3) at The Cave, 9PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

Every Time I Die, The Bronx, Stick To Your Guns, My Hero Is Me, The Hottness, at Cat's Cradle, 7PM, $15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Chava Alberstein and Greg Brown, at Duke Page Auditorium, 8PM, $5-$34, West Campus, Durham, 919-684-4444, tickets.duke.edu


Tuesday, November 18th

Electric Six, Local H, at Cat's Cradle, 8:45PM, $12-$15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Autumn Nicholas, Izzy Burger, Morgan McPherson, Mysti Mayhem, at The Pour House, 9PM, Free, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

Say When, at Mansion 462, 9PM, 462 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-967-7913, www.mansion462.net

Grails, Silver Apples, at Local 506, 9:30PM, $10, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Lake Inferior, The Nothing Noise, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, at Nightlight, 9:30PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

Man Will Destroy Himself, Javelina, RBT, at Slims, 10PM, 227 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, 919-833-6557, www.myspace.com/slimsdowntownraleigh


Wednesday, November 19th

Amy Ray, Jennifer O'Connor, at Cat's Cradle, 9PM, $15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Hoots and Hellmouth, Aminal Music, at Local 506, 9:15PM, $8, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Alcazar Hotel, Jokes and Jokes and Jokes, Vodak, at Nightlight, 9:30PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

Instant Jones, Death to the Details, at The Cave, 10PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

Rosewood Thieves, Huguenots, at Broad Street Cafe, 10PM, 1116 Broad St., Durham, 919-416-9707, www.thebroadstreetcafe.com


Thursday, November 20th

Lecherous, Nocturne, Volsung, at Volume 11, 7PM, $10, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

Brett Rosenberg, Holden Richards, at The Cave, 7:30PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

Centro-matic, One (1) Babtist General, South San Gabriel, at Local 506, 9PM, $8, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

The Old Ceremony, Modern Skirts, My Radio, at The Pour House, 9PM, $6-$8, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

Jedi Mind Tricks, Outerspace, Reef The Last Cauze, at Cat's Cradle, 9:30PM, $16-$18, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com


Friday, November 21st

The Embarrassing Fruits, The Dry Heathens, Schooner, at Armadillo Grill, Bryan Center, Duke Campus, Durham, 919-660-3937.

Balsa Gliders, Julie Foldesi double CD release party, at The Pour House, 8PM, $8, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

CLARQ n CAROLINE, Impossible Hair, Tender Fruit, at Nightlight, 9:30PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

Double Negative, Whatever Brains, Rocket Cottage, at Slims, 10PM, 227 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, 919-833-6557, www.myspace.com/slimsdowntownraleigh


Saturday, November 22nd

Lost in the Trees, Southwind, at Broad Street Cafe, 8:30PM, 1116 Broad St., Durham, 919-416-9707, www.thebroadstreetcafe.com

Caltrop, Night of the Wolf, Curtains of Night, at Reservoir, 10PM, 100A Brewer Ln, Carrboro, 919-933-3204, www.reservoirbar.net

Pink Flag, The Homewreckers, at Duke Coffeehouse, Crowell Building, East Campus, Durham, 919-684-4069, www.duke.edu/web/coffeehouse

Passings

I was very sorry to hear of the passing this week of Triangle area drummer Kevin Brock. Bandmate AC Bushnell sent this tribute to Kevin:

Kevin was such a bright light. It's hard to know why anyone's time is up when it is. I am comforted only by the thought that his shining spirit goes on. Still it is not easy for the people who love him.

Kevin was also incredibly supportive of my music and when I asked him to be in the HappyJoy Band, he said, "AC, I love your music and I'm a hundred percent for you. I am there, man." That was Kevin, one of the world's nicest people --- a great guy and a great drummer with a delicate touch who could always really bring it. All I can think is let's really enjoy and cherish each other while we're here. I am so sad at his passing.

AC Bushnell's HappyJoy band will be playing a performance in Kevin's honor on Thursday, December 4th at the Blue Bayou Club in Hillsborough, including musicians Mitch Rothrock, Lance Ashley, Robert Sledge and Rob Ladd.

In other news, Mitch Mitchell, drummer and last remaining member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, passed away at age 61. Mitch was traveling with the Experience Hendrix Tour at the time. From the AP story (see link):

Mitchell was a powerful force on the Hendrix band's 1967 debut album "Are You Experienced?" as well as the trio's albums "Electric Ladyland" and "Axis: Bold As Love." He had an explosive drumming style that can be heard in hard-charging songs such as "Fire" and "Manic Depression."

The Englishman had been drumming for the Experience Hendrix Tour, which performed Friday in Portland. It was the last stop on the West Coast part of the tour.

It is impossible to underestimate the impact of Jimi Hendrix's work in the development of rock music. Mitchell's steady contribution was something many of us grew up with, an iconic influence. I still remember when I was about 12 years old, lucky to come across the Hendrix album "Smash Hits", an instant favorite on my turntable. Yes kids, back then we had turntables, not just club DJs. Those round vinyl things, we called them records.

Totally Off-Topic, but You Deserve It

OK, I want to make this absolutely clear... I do not endorse the advertiser featured in this hilarious commercial; nor do I un-endorse them. BUT, it's the funniest commercial I have seen in a long time, and even if this is purportedly a music blog, you could do worse than check out Kung Fu Clown...

Shows This Week

Some shows you may be interested in this week:

Wednesday, November 12th

Calexico, The Acorn, at Cat's Cradle, 9:15PM, $15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

The Sword, Year Long Disaster, Broadslab, at Lincoln Theatre, 7PM, $12, 126 E. Cabarrus St., Raleigh, 919-821-4111, www.lincolntheatre.com

Yearling, Goodnight Anthem, Settings, at The Brewery, 8PM, 3009 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 919-838-6788, www.brewerync.com

Harmute, Lafcadio, Mary Johnson Rockers, at Local 506, Rape Crisis benefit, FREE, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Blood Sugars, Electrical Funeral, The Lisps, at Nightlight, 9:30PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com


Thursday, November 13th

The David Allen Coe Band, White Knuckle Trucker, Automag, at Volume 11 Tavern, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

Ornette Coleman, at UNC Memorial Hall, 7:30PM, $10-$65, 114E Cameron Ave., Chapel Hill, Tickets: 919-843-3333, www.carolinaperformingarts.org

Badfish, Scotty Don't, Simplified, at Cat's Cradle, 9PM, $16-$18, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Chronicles of the Landsquid, M.O. Theory, 3 Dollar Hostage, Speakerdevil, at Mansion 462, 9PM, $8, 462 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-967-7913, www.mansion462.net

Doco, The Old Regime, Makia Groove, at The Pour House, 9PM, $5, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

The Design, at Lincoln Theatre, 9PM, $12, 126 E. Cabarrus St., Raleigh, 919-821-4111, www.lincolntheatre.com

The Moaners, The Trampskirts, at Reservoir, 10PM, 100A Brewer Ln, Carrboro, 919-933-3204, www.reservoirbar.net

Brightblack Morning Light, Zomes, at Local 506, 9:30PM, $8-$10, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Spider Bags, Rongo Rongo, 100 Yorktown, at The Cave, 10PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com


It's not music, but East Chapel Hill High School performs The Laramie Project, 7:30PM, $5, 500 Weaver Dairy Rd., Chapel Hill, Tickets: eastreservations@gmail.com, Nov. 13th, 14th, and 15th.


Friday, November 14th

The Post Modernaries, L in Japanese, at Mansion 462, 6:30PM, 462 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-967-7913, www.mansion462.net

Spencer Scholes, Primitive Sound, at Maximillians, 7-10PM, 8314 Chapel Hill Rd., Cary, 919-465-2455, www.maximiliansgrill.com

Potato Gun, at The Cave, 7:30PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

Graves of Valor, Acerima, Diavolo, Dead Tomorrow, Worse Than Birth, The Phantom Variant, at Volume 11 Tavern, 8PM, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

Toadies, People in Planes, at Cat's Cradle, 8PM, $13-$15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Edgar Allen Floe LP Release Party with 9th Wonder, Willie Evans Jr., Hencork, Dope Sandwich and Battle Squad, at The Brewery, 9:30 PM, 3009 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 919-838-6788, www.brewerync.com

The Huguenots, The Sammies, Magic Babies, at Local 506, 10PM, Free, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Snake Oil Medicine Show, at The Pour House, 10PM, $8-$10, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com


Saturday, November 15th

Dexter Romweber, at Sadlack's Heroes, 7PM, 2116 Hilsborough St., Raleigh, 919-828-9190, sadlacks.blogspot.com

The Hottness, Embracing Goodbye, Knives Exchanging Hands, The Lineage, at The Brewery, 8PM, 3009 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 919-838-6788, www.brewerync.com

Ralph Stanley with the Clinch Mountain Boys, Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road, at Garner Historic Auditorium, 8PM, $30, 742 W. Garner Rd., Garner, 919-661-4602, www.garnerparks.org

Amanda Palmer with the Danger Ensemble, The Builders and the Butchers, Vermillion Lies, at Lincoln Theatre, 9PM, $18-$20, 126 E. Cabarrus St., Raleigh, 919-821-4111, www.lincolntheatre.com

Darsombra, Pacific Before Tiger, Ala Muerta, at Nightlight, 10PM, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

Dirty Little Heaters, The Loners, Spider Bags, at Duke Coffeehouse, 10PM, $5, Crowell Building, East Campus, Durham, 919-684-4069, www.duke.edu/web/coffeehouse

A Rooster for the Masses, Rat Jackson, Arizona, at The Cave, 10PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

The Acorn Cracks the Cradle

This Wednesday, November 12th at Cat's Cradle, Ottawa band The Acorn performs along with Tuscon's Calexico. I had the chance to see The Acorn on their last visit to our area, and trust me when I say this band puts on an amazing show! Their 2008 release, "Glory Hope Mountain" is a biographical odyssey following the life story of lead singer Rolf Klausener's mother, including her journey from her native Honduras through her eventual immigration to Montreal. At the last Chapel Hill show he joked that it was either the best or worst Mother's Day gift ever. Being one of the best albums I have heard this year, I'm sure Mom would agree that it's definitely in the "best" category.

One excellent thing about The Acorn is that you will find both elements of traditional music, hand drums and chants, along side modern, effect-laden electric instruments. On "Glory Hope Mountain", this is most notable on the track "Low Gravity", with Howie Tsui's searing e-bow guitar cutting through the strong rhythmic current, as Rolf rocks a mean ukelele.

Rolf of The Acorn was kind enough to answer a few questions I sent, filling us in on what's up with the band.

Where have you had your best gigs?

Hmmm...in recent memory, there have been a plethora of really memorable, and inspiring shows, most notably:
- Final show at the End Of The Road Festival in Dorset, England. It was our final show with our "Glory Hope Mountain" touring line-up (including Shaun Weadick and Keiko Devaux), and it couldn't have been more energetic or emotional.
- Workshop performance at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this past July collaborating with Calexico and The Apostle of Hustle. It was, for all intents and purposes, magical.
- A lot of the shows on our recent North American Tour with Toronto's Ohbijou were outstanding, including a wild Tuesday night show where we, the audience (and staff for that matter) drank the bar dry at the legendary Apollo Club in Thunder Bay, Ontario; a sweaty show at the Lo Pub in Winnipeg Manitoba; an amazing first show in San Francisco; a very messy, but fun show at Spaceland in Los Angeles where Maynard James Keenan from Tool bought us one too many whiskey shots resulting in guitarist Howie Tsui jumping off Ohbijou's tour van and fracturing his heel; and most recently, two oustanding shows with Calexico at Antone's in Austin and the magnificent Granada Theatre in Dallas.

How did the band get together?

I started The Acorn in 2003 as a way to alleviate bordom when my other musical projects went on hiatus. By 2004, I had an album's worth of material and assembled my friends (drummer/writer Jeffrey Malecki, Guitarist/Visual Artist Howie Tsui, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Debutte) to help me flesh out the material live. This core membership has been together for 4 years and revel in both our musical and interpersonal relationships. It's a band founded on both the values of friendship and common artistic goals. The Acorn has always been a simultaneously collaborative and very personal project for me, and as such, I enjoy writing songs on my own and then presenting them to friends and collaborators to bring to full fruition. I'm not beholden to any specific genre, and relish that freedom. To date, the band has included dozens of collaborators including the aforementioned members and: Montreal pianist Keiko Devaux, guitarist Shaun Weadick, drummer Pat Johnson, members of Ohbijou, Flecton Big Sky, Snailhouse, The Wooden Stars, Andy Swan, Kelp Record's Jon Bartlett, The Soft Diaster and many more.

How do you approach writing new material?

I'm a bit of a slave to my moods and temperment, but do push myself to pick up my guitar or pen every day to work on ideas. Unfortunately, and like most artists, I have to wait for a little burst of manic energy or a song-fragment to magically appear in my mind to feel really inspired. Over time, it's become painfully apparent that if I don't finish a song within the first 5 minutes of starting it, it can take up to a month to chisel and hone. I typically start with a melody or just one line, hummed ad nauseum and then fall into a sort of meditative state.

What is it like working on videos with Christopher Mills (who has also directed with Modest Mouse, Shinedown, and many others)?

He's pretty darn delightful to work with, a manic ball of energy, decisive and open to pretty much anything. All that said, we do not take much credit for his work on our videos for "Flood Pt. 1" or "Crooked Legs". We gave him a basic idea of what the song was about, and just watched him do this thing.

Your EP "Tin Fist" was recently released in the US, though it appears to precede your excellent album "Glory Hope Mountain" (which everyone must buy at once!). How does "Tin Fist" compare with "Glory Hope Mountain" musically?

Tin Fist was recorded live off the floor on a weekend in the summer of 2006, about 5 months before we started recording "Glory Hope Mountain". We initially were looking to document 3 older songs ("Spring Thaw", "Feral Chile", "Maplebees") to disperse to some compilations that were looking for tracks from us. A few days before entering the studio, I managed to pump out "Dents", "Brokered Heart", and "Heirlooms". We were really happy with the 6 songs as whole and decided to release them as a full EP. Musically, it's the first recording featuring Keiko Devaux on piano and is a nice testament to our live dynamic, varied in both mood and sonic palette.

How do you describe your sound?

600 mature, recently-fed bison, dropped simultaneously from an altitude of 1000 feet onto an unsuspecting gathering of basket-weavers and child pyschologists in the Mission District of San Francisco.

What are your influences as a band?

Too many to mention, but some might/may not include: Modernity, antiquity, the vicious cycle of socio-political stagnation and renewal, Paul Simon, Ghostface Killah, Neil Young, Steve Reich, Glenn Gould, Cormac Macarthy, the standard medical text for manic-depressive illness as edited by Kay Redfield Jamison, the inevitable decay of suburban expansion, pigeons, Daniel Day Lewis, Steve Martin, the films of David Cronenberg, yogurt and granola, the inimitable death-squeal of the common squirrel.

I understand you have a live collection in the works. Tell us about that.

It's called "Heron Act", and it's a collection of live recordings, blog recordings and demos/outtakes from our Glory Hope Mountain recording sessions. It's got a cover of "Goonies R' Good Enough" by Cyndi Lauper, which I'm pretty happy with.

How did you get together with Calexico? How many dates are you playing together?

We met at the Winnipeg Folk Festival this past July where we played a really memorable workshop, collaborating on each others music. About 4 weeks ago, as we were just starting our North American tour with Ohbijou and Portland's The Shaky Hands, we got the call that the Calexico boys wanted us to join them for 2 weeks worth of shows. Luckily it all worked out, as we're having a pretty darn incredible time. Joey, John and the whole lot of them are some of the most talented and humble musicians we've ever had the pleasure of touring with. Woot Woot!!

Thanks for all of that great info on The Acorn from Rolf Klausener. I hope you will all check them out this Wednesday the 12th at Cat's Cradle. ($15, show starts 9:15)

Shows This Week

Believe it or not, the election is over. Now what? The shows go on! The main event this week is the Troika Music Festival, with about a million bands playing in Durham. By the time I got to Saturday, it was more than my carpals could bear, so check out the website for more info.

Wednesday, November 5th


The Mountain Goats and Kaki King present: The Last Happy Night of Your Life, at Cat's Cradle, 8PM, $15, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

Anathallo, Cale Parks, Lost in the Trees, at Local 506, 8:15PM, $8-$10, 506 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-942-5506, www.local506.com

Murder By Death, William Elliot Whitmore, J Roddy Walston & the Business, at The Brewery, 7PM, 3009 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, 919-838-6788, www.brewerync.com


Thursday, November 6th

Lake & Desolation Wilderness, at Nightlight, 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St., Chapel Hill, 919-933-5550, www.nightlightclub.com

Tommy Edwards, Alice Zincone, Rick LaFleur, at Captain John's Dockside, 5:30-8:30, 11550 15-501 N, Cole Park Plaza, Chapel Hill, 919-968-7955.

Troika Music Festival: Angelo Spencer, All Your Science, Paleface, Lost in the Trees, Future Kings of Nowhere, at Durham Central Park, 5:30 PM, 534 Foster St., Durham, www.troikamusicfestival.org

Troika Music Festival: Brett Harris, Bob Funck, Matthew Boles, at Alivia's Durham Bistro, 7:30 PM, 900 W. Main St., Durham, 919-682-8978, www.aliviasdurhambistro.com

Troika Music Festival: Jews & Catholics, Simple, Sugar in the Dirt, Fujiyma Roll, at James Joyce Irish Pub, 8PM, 912 W. Main St., Durham, 919-683-3022, www.jamesjoyceirishpub.com

Troika Music Festival: Red Collar, Sorry About Dresden, La Weekend, Sequoya, Pink Flag, at Duke Coffeehouse, 8PM, Crowell Building, East Campus, Durham, 919-684-4069, www.duke.edu/web/coffeehouse

Troika Music Festival: Midnight Gladness Band, Doly Roto, Oso Optimo, Sawteeth McTweedy, at Marvell Event Center, 8:30 PM, 119 W. Main St., Durham, 919-699-0975, www.myspace.com/marvelleventcenter

Troika Music Festival: Future Islands, Screaming Females, Juan Huevos, Dylan Gilbert, Alex Kotch, at Pinhook, 9PM, 117 Main St., Durham, www.thepinhook.com

Troika Music Festival: Puritan Rodeo, Fontana, Shakermaker, at Broad Street Cafe, 10PM, 1116 Broad St., Durham, 919-416-9707, www.thebroadstreetcafe.com

Transportation, Dawn Chorus, at The Cave, 10PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com


Friday, November 7th

Troika Music Festival: The Rosebuds, Kimya Dawson, The Old Ceremony, Bellafea, Girls Rock NC program, at Carolina Theatre, 5:45PM, 309 W. Morgan St., Durham, office: 919-560-3040, tickets: 919-560-3030, www.carolinatheatre.org

Savage Knights with Trio slicnaton, at Marsh Woodwinds, 8PM, $5 rec. donation, 707 N. Person St., Raleigh, 919-839-0536, www.marshwoodwinds.com

Red Clay Ramblers, at The ArtsCenter, 8:30PM, $17, 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-929-2787, www.artscenterlive.org

Matthew Sweet, The Bridges, at Cat's Cradle, 9PM, $18-$20, 300 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-967-9053, www.catscradle.com

The Explorers Club, The Never, at Duke Coffeehouse, 9:30PM, Crowell Building, East Campus, Durham, 919-684-4069, www.duke.edu/web/coffeehouse

Troika Music Festival: Ex-Monkeys, Wigg Report, at Bull McCabe's Irish Pub, 11:55PM, 427 W. Main St., Durham, 919-682-3061.


Saturday, November 8th

The Black Swamp Bootleggers, at Milltown, 12-3PM, 307 E. Main St., Carrboro, 919-968-2460.

The Black Crowes, The Buffalo Killers (outside on the Street Stage), at Lincoln Theatre, 5PM, $35-$40, 126 E. Cabarrus St., Raleigh, 919-821-4111, www.lincolntheatre.com

Latecomers, Stormfront, at The Cave, 7:30PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

Anders Manga, Taradactyl, Angels on Acid, at Volume 11, 8PM, 658 Maywood Ave, Raleigh, 919-839-0079, www.myspace.com/volume11tavern

Dom Casual, Ghostwriter, at The Cave, 10PM, 452 1/2 W. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, 919-968-9308, www.caverntavern.com

A whole bunch of bands are playing Troika Music Festival: www.troikamusicfestival.org and I'm SO not typing them all...

TR3 featuring Tim Reynolds, Vintage Freshness, at The Pour House, 10PM, $12-$15, 224 S. Blount St., Raleigh, 919-821-1120, www.the-pour-house.com

You Voted, Now What?

Well, we could sit around waiting for the results, or we could entertain ourselves with funny stories. Either way, I don't know about you, but I'm having difficulty being productive today.

I blogged about this guy a while ago who played in a band with live chickens, but now he has recounted his story "live" on YouTube.

Voting Day Dance-Off!

Chapel Hill Turns Out For Early Voting Show

What is most impressive about the marathon early voting community concert at UNC this Saturday is that local bands, along with addition of the UK's Billy Bragg (providing the European perspective), have stepped up to the challenge of getting voters to the polls this election cycle unlike I have seen in my lifetime. Really, when was the last time you have seen this much activism from the music community? The Vietnam era is the last I can think of, and that was a bit before I was old enough to know. There have been countless other shows played around the state and nationwide, and Saturday's festivities celebrated the near-end of the election season.

We made it to the show at the end of Greg Humphrey's set. Greg played solo, though he is better known as a member of local bands Hobex and Dillon Fence. Bands were performing mainly as acoustic versions of their full arrangements, appealing to a decidedly all-ages audience. The dBs, however, being the last to go on in early afternoon, and in keeping with their name, disregarded all noise ordinances and rocked the 'hood with full electric mayhem.

The first set we saw was The Bowerbirds, who played an entrancing set of inspired melodies with a strong vocal support. I always enjoy hearing unusual instruments, such as the accordion of Beth Tacular, along with Mark Paulson's violin, and Phil Moore on lead vocals and guitar. Most of the performances featured minimal or no percussion, The Bowerbirds going with a single bass drum and no kit for this show.

I Was Totally Destroying It tore it up next, and they made sure to let us know that they are usually MUCH louder. It's really challenging when forced to give up your "power tools" for spare acoustic, keyboards, and a synth-hand-drum-thingy, but IWTDI rocked anyway.

Then Megafaun was up, a rollicking Alterna-Americana set, featuring a trio of strings, including upright bass and banjo, and Megafauntastic washboard percussion. Megafaun totally drew the audience into the show, and I will give the audience an "A" for participation here--we were totally into it!

Billy Bragg took the stage and proceeded to tell it like it is from the rest of the world to the US. His public service announcement from THE WORLD: "Please don't send us another a**hole." His set and his message was hopeful, that we may be entering a time of new possibility, when the world will once again look toward the States as an example.

Ivan "Rosebud" appeared as half of the Raleigh duo The Rosebuds, on solo acoustic guitar and vocals, though he was later joined by Kelly "Rosebud" and several other of the performers on backing vocals.

Superchunk, operating as only an acoustic duo (so I guess you might want to call them just "Chunk" as they were originally named), gave a standout vocal performance by Mac McCaughan, who also began the day as his other band, Portastatic, which I sadly missed (But come on! 9AM on a Saturday?).

Last and loudest, but not least, we were treated to the rock stylings of The dBs, with guest bassist Mitch Easter (formerly of Let's Active). The dBs were a fitting rockin' end of the show, bringing back some old dBs favorites, a long time since they first appeared back in June of 1978!

All told, it was a fine day, with amazing weather, talent, and a great audience, free coffee from Counter Culture Coffee, and thanks also for the wonderful white sweet potato soup!

Photos: Superchunk, Megafaun, I Was Totally Destroying It, Ivan Rosebud, The Bowerbirds (victims of my mad photography skillz), Billy Bragg prepares to go on.