Sunday, March 28, 2021

Juliana Hatfield- Live At Q Division Studios, March 2021: How To Walk Away Album

 

 
 For the fourth concert in her live album series, Juliana Hatfield chose to perform the album, How To Walk Away in it's entirety. It was her eighth solo album that was released in 2008 and is an interesting choice taken from her mid-solo career when she moved away from releasing records on major record labels, but chose to release it on her own independent label, Ye Old Records. This is her second solo studio album on Ye Old and the record is lusher and more full sounding than I originally remember it. It was a solid follow-up to her fantastic, Made In China album 3 years earlier. I didn't realize it until she mentioned it during the stream, that the album was recorded at (the late) Adam Schlesinger's studio, Stratosphere Sound. Makes sense, since Jody Porter (from Fountains of Wayne) plays guitar on the album.
  • Juliana begins The Fact Remains (track 1), stops during the song, but eventually finishes it. She is unhappy with the performance and redoes the song.
  • She plays both acoustic and electric guitar during the show. I've noted what tracks she plays electric on (e).
  • During the "encore" section, she performs two songs from her upcoming album, Blood. Some tasty, upbeat songs, Torture and Mouthful of Blood, sounds like a concept album perhaps?
  • Other highlights include a cover of Led Zeppelin's, Rock and Roll (from her covers album, Juliana Hatfield), On Your Mind from an album with Frank Smith, Sittin' In A Tree and a Some Girls song, The Prettiest Girl.
 

 The live recording, as usual, sounds perfect! I had a problem recording live because halfway through my internet started to lag and freeze constantly, so I had to stop recording. Fortunately, the video is up for two weeks after the live performance, so I had to record from that. I don't know if it affects the quality of the sound or if it's still considered lossless, but to my ears, it sounds the same. Looking forward to the next album live stream!
Enjoy!
 
I have a signed poster (still hung on my wall!) and CD for this album.

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats except for personal use
Please share! 

The video performance is still up on YouTube (only for another week, April 3)!
 
 
Q Division Studios
 Somerville, MA
Live Stream
March 20, 2021
How To Walk Away album (solo acoustic/electric)

01. The Fact Remains
02. The Fact Remains (re-do)
03. Shining On
04. This Lonely Love (e)
05. My Baby (e)
06. Just Lust (e)
07. Now I'm Gone (e)
08. Remember November
09. So Alone
10. Such A Beautiful Girl
11. Law Of Nature
 
12. Torture
13. Mouthful Of Blood
14. Away Again (June 6)?
15. Rock and Roll
16. The Prettiest Girl
17. On Your Mind
18. <talk>
 
Tracks 1-11: How To Walk Away Album
Juliana plays acoustic guitar except: (e)= electric guitar


Monday, March 15, 2021

Kathleen Edwards- UK interview 2003

 
 
Back at the beginning of the year (January 1, to be exact), someone on the Kathleen Edwards Fans page on Facebook posted a link to an eBay auction selling an interview cassette of Kathleen Edwards recorded in 2003. The poster suggested there must be a die-hard fan that would want this unique item and hinted maybe Kathleen herself would want it. Long story short, I bought the item and with shipping it cost the equivalent of about $20 cdn, so it wasn't a huge gamble. Just over a month later the cassette arrived (it shipped from the UK) and it took me another couple weeks to have a listen. I directly transferred the recording to my digital recorder as I listened and despite the typical cassette hum it sounded good. One problem was that almost all the sound was to one channel, which I fixed after the transfer to produce a listenable mono recording (see below). 
 
The interview is fascinating, it is a raw interview with just the interviewer and Kathleen and is clearly intended for a written publication, as opposed to a radio interview. The sounds from the street (cars, sirens etc.) are audible, (probably the window was open) and it's a candid interview discussing her new album, Failer and other interesting subjects. This interview cassette was from the collection of a journalist for "The Face" and "Arena" magazines UK based style, culture and music magazines. Later, he was a correspondent for the "Sunday Times". Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the journalist or where this interview ended up appearing, if at all. If anyone has a clue or any further information, please let me know. Shortly after listening to this tape about a month ago, I attempted to reach out to Kathleen (through Instagram) regarding this recording. I was hoping she might provide more insight, more details surrounding the circumstances and the exact date of the interview. (I'm still waiting for a response) I'm guessing the date is sometime around May 7th (?) since she was touring the UK around this time and playing London on the 7th and in the interview she mentions playing on the Late Night With David Letterman TV show earlier in the year (January 17), so we know it's the right year. 
 
On the cassette tape, the audio was all to one channel (L). I used Audacity to convert the poor "stereo" to mono so the sound was equal on both channels and amplified the volume to compensate. A much more pleasant listening experience! I don't usually post audio interviews, but Kathleen Edwards is a favourite of mine and I find this piece of nostalgia offers added insight into her early career and it is worth sharing with her fans and the readers of the blog.
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats, except for personal use.
Please share!
 
 
KATHLEEN EDWARDS
UK Interview
May 2003 (?)


Cassette tape> Aiwa tape deck> Tascam DR-07> wav>
Audacity> Wave track splitter> FLAC> rar

01. Lucinda Williams comparisons
02. Springsteen
03. Dedicated to Grandma
04. Tea
05. Writing Songs
06. Serving Tables
07. Cowboy Junkies/Blue Rodeo
08. Big Break
09. Band
10. TV Appearances
11. Relationships
12. Radio Play
13. Drinking
14. Publishing Company
15. Traveling Childhood
16. Violin
17. Violin 2 (after tape flip)
18. Listening To Music
19. Irish
20. Canadian Artists

The recording is divided up into subject segments for easy access. This is an interview, there is no music.

KATHLEEN EDWARDS- 2003 Interview UK FLAC. rar
 

Thursday, March 11, 2021

Wilco- The "Last" Concert Revisited- 2020

 
 
As you're probably aware, this week marks the one year anniversary when the world changed. You can interpret this whatever way you want (I don't want to get political), but there is no doubt things changed. Today marks the one year anniversary of WHO's official declaration of COVID-19 pandemic. It also marks the day the NBA put a hold on their regular season and the NHL's Jets played their last game (in Edmonton). This evening a year ago I was attended what would be the last music concert I've attended live. Wilco was playing at the Centennial Concert Hall and this would be the band's last show, the next day the rest of their tour was postponed, then later cancelled. Even at the concert, things felt different, a little uneasy with the news swirling about the pandemic throughout the days leading up to the show, we were lucky the show went on. There was casual joking references to "social distancing" during the show and never could imagine it was so serious. In today's Winnipeg Free Press (*) some of the writers share their stories of the last show they attended before the lock-down, Many were at this same show I was at. They also shared some of their most memorable concerts they had attended (good idea for another post!), so the reminiscing of the lack of live music continues and really highlights how important live music is in people's lives. 
 
(*) You may need to be signed in to the Winnipeg Free Press website to read these articles. I took photos of the newspaper articles and posted them on the TDIT Facebook page. Interesting read.
 
 
I posted a write up and the live recording of the show, (Wilco- Live In Winnipeg March 11, 2020) so I'll spare you a repeat of the details of the evening, but as an encore I am re-posting the link so you can relive the show and fantasize of when we can do this again, at least in this scale of a full-blown concert experience. We can only hope!
Enjoy!

Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats, except for personal use.
Please share!
 
 
Centennial Concert Hall
Winnipeg, MB
March 11, 2020
AUD Master

Row 7 middle
Sony ECM-DS70P mic> Tascam DR-07> SD card > 16 bit Wav>
Direct Wave MP3 splitter> FLAC> rar file

01. Bright Leaves
02. Before Us
03. Company In My Back
04. Can't Stand It
05. One and a Half Stars
06. Handshake Drugs
07. War On War
08. Hummingbird
09. Via Chicago
10. How to Fight Loneliness
11. Laminated Cat (aka Not For The Season)
12. Random Name Generator
13. Reservations
14. Impossible Germany
15. Love Is Everywhere (Beware)
16. Box Full of Letters
17. Passenger Side
18. Everyone Hides
19. Theologians
20. I'm the Man Who Loves You
21. Hold Me Anyway
22. The Late Greats

Encore:
23. California Stars
24. Red Eyed and Blue
25. I Got You (At the End of the Century)
26. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

 

Saturday, March 06, 2021

Juliana Hatfield- Live At Q Division Studios, February 2021: Only Everything Album

 

 
In the her third online concert, Juliana Hatfield changed it up slightly by plugging in and playing solo electric for her performance of the album, Only Everything. Since the album was known for it's louder electric sound, it seemed appropriate that Juliana wanted to replicate the sound complete with searing guitar solos with the help of a loop pedal. For the most part it worked, after she coordinated the loop function and had to re-start an early song (Universal Heart-Beat), otherwise it was great to hear her rocking out for most of the set. The performance of the full album set was followed by some bonus tracks of a Police cover (in French), a teaser of Dinosaur Jr's, Raisans, Yardsailing from the Universal Heart-Beat ep single and Everybody Loves Me But You from her first solo album, Hey Babe.
 
Juliana with a copy of her soon to be released album, Blood. Release date, May 14, 2021
 
The recording from this live stream as usual sounds great. There is a benefit playing in a recording studio with professional sound staff instead of a home setup like so many live stream concerts, because the sound quality is flawless. I assume Juliana will continue this concert setup at least in the near future and if she's comfortable with it, why not? The plan sounds like more album shows and during the "talk" segment after the music she solicited more album suggestions. I threw in a couple suggestions, a Blake Babies set and an all-covers (not limited to the Police of ONJ). It doesn't really matter what album she plays next, I'm happy either way and just fortunate this has become a regular event. Looking forward to the next concert, I'll keep you posted when.
Enjoy!
 
Please do NOT sell or profit from this recording!
Do NOT convert to lossy formats, except for personal use
Please share!
 
 
 JULIANA HATFIELD
Q Division Studios
Somerville, MA
Live Stream
February 21, 2021
Only Everything album (solo electric)


01. What A Life
02. Fleur De Lys
03. Universal Heart-Beat
04. Dumb Fun
05. Live On Tomorrow
06. Dying Proof
07. Bottles And Flowers
08. Outsider
09. Ok Ok
10. Congratulations
11. Hang Down From Heaven
12. My Darling
13. Simplicity Is Beautiful
14. You Blues

15. Hungry For You (Police cover)
16. Raisans (portion- Dinosaur Jr. cover)
17. Yardsailing (UHB b-side)
18. Everybody Loves Me But You
19. talk

Only Everything album: tracks 1-14