Paul Westerberg- My Road Now

Short, but sweet! Thanks to a reader of this blog for informing me that Paul Westerberg has released a new song. My Road Now is streaming all over the net, but whether this is the first of more songs to come or if a album is in the works is unknown. The song is a piano ballad, in the style of Self Defence from Suicaine Gratification. Nothing special, but I still get excited to hear new Westerberg. I realize I can't expect the second coming of the Replacements anytime soon, but I've come to set my expectations to a different level and some Westerberg is better than nothing at all.

He hasn't released a solo recording in two years and through my search to seek info about this single I discovered that he released a couple of songs under the moniker of Mr. F, that was available as a limited edition 7" multi-coloured vinyl (and a bonus digital download of a third song). These songs are sparse sounding and demo quality and in the case of Grandpaboy's Last Stand, a lot of unfocused goofing around.
Enjoy!

Paul Westerberg-  My Road Now mp3 (download)


PAUL WESTERBERG
Mr. F 7" (2010)
01. This Machine
02. Foolish Hand Shake
Bonus track: Grandpaboy’s Last Stand

Paul Westerberg- Mr. F 7". rar

Sloan- Is That All I Get?...19 Years Later

 "It's very special night tonight because not only is it Patrick's birthday today, but 19 years ago on this very night, in this very room, I'm not even joking. We played and the show got made in a bootleg..." Chris Murphy announced before launching into the 4th song off Twice Removed, Coax Me. Yes, it was a special night especially if you're a Sloan fan that loved the album, Twice Removed because the band is touring across the country (and the U.S.) performing that album in it's entirety as well as a sampling from their other 9 albums. Since it seems to be trendy and in fashion to perform a whole record (more on that in future posts), the choice of Twice Removed is a clever and popular choice. Before the album was released in 1994, there was talk that their label, Geffen wanted the band to re-record the album citing creative differences in the sound of the record. As a result Geffen didn't promote the release and dropped the band, leaving Twice Removed unpromoted and unheard in many parts of the country. Similar to Wilco's, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot debacle, this album went on to become Sloan's most critically acclaimed record and after the commercial success of their next album, One Chord To Another, fans became aware of what a great record Twice Removed was.

Sloan played two sets, the first was the 12 songs from Twice Removed and the second set was the party set complete with smashing guitars, cake and a birthday singalong for Patrick Pentland's birthday. A couple days earlier on Facebook, the band sent out a request for used guitars (to smash) as a surprise for Patrick. Apparently during the show 19 years ago, Pentland smashed a guitar, so this time one by one band members smashed guitars (and a keytar) on the stage climaxing during their last song of the encore with Pentland destroying a green heavy metal-ish electric guitar (see the photos above and check the videos on the TDIT Facebook page).

Highlights include:

• The whole first set- What a great album, the songs flow nicely together in sequence and it's nice to hear deeper tracks that they might not perform much live. It's amazing how a band with 4 songwriters/singers can survive all these years without anyone leaving to do a solo album.
• Sound was somewhat decent considering the Pyramid always suffers from terrible sound. I stood close (just in front of the hanging PA speakers) and I had ringing in my ears days later. Towards the end of the show the sound seemed to get louder (and more painful) and during the last song the sound distorts even on my recording. I actually was surprised how good the recording came out considering.
• Epic show! The first and second sets added up to over 2 hours. This was my first Sloan show and I'll be back especially if they play One Chord To Another.

Lowlights include:

• "It's not the band I hate, it's their fans". Not all, but some are sure aggravating! The chatter around me was kept to a minimum and I didn't shoved around too much, but closer to the front some drunken idiots were tossed out for their efforts pushing and moving side to side, not up and down. Is anyone else annoyed with the amount of people that hold up their iPhones or Smartphones in the air to video and take photos? I don't mind when people put their arms in the air to take a couple of photos then go back to watching the show (I do this), but some fans had them waving in my face and the band's continually. At one point (during Unkind) Chris Murphy grabbed a girl's camera/phone or whatever that she kept shoving in his face and he finally batted it out of her hand to the ground. She was quickly escorted out. I've heard that at some shows people hold up their iPads to take photos and hi-def video...this is really getting out of hand!
• Did I mention my ears were ringing days later? Actually this is my own fault, standing too close. I think I'm getting too old for this. The price you pay to get some decent photos and a clear recording, but it was worth it!

 As I said earlier, the recording turned out better than I expected. The sound is balanced and the vocals are clearer than I remember. The recording sounds a little muffled in parts and that's from turning from being pushed or when I held my arms in the air over the mic to take photos. This would make a nice bootleg sequel to Is That All I Get (19 years later) in case the Sloan crew is interested, (but I'm sure they must have made a better recording). Let me know!
Enjoy!

SLOAN
Pyramid Cabaret
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
September 20, 2012
Audience Master

Set 1 (disc 1)- TWICE REMOVED
01. Penpals
02. I Hate My Generation
03. People Of The Sky
04. Coax Me
05. Bells On
06. Loosens
07. Worried Now
08. Shame Shame
09. Deeper Than Beauty
10. Snowsuit Sound
11. Before I Do
12. I Can Feel It

Set 2 (disc 2)
01. Everything You've Done Wrong
02. Who Taught You To Live Like That?
03. Rest Of My Life
04. Unkind
05. Beverly Terrace
06. Shadow Of Love
07. Emergency 911
08. She's Slowing Down Again
09. Something's Wrong
10. Traces
11. Fading Into Obscurity
12. Witch's Wand
13. Good In Everyone
14. The Other Man
15. Poor Boy
16. Money City Maniacs
17.
18. "Happy Birthday Patrick"
19. The Rest Of My Life
20. The Lines You Amend
21. If It Feels Good Do It

SLOAN- 2012-09-20 Winnipeg FLAC. rar (Disc 1)
SLOAN- 2012-09-20 Winnipeg FLAC. rar (Disc 2)

Juliana Hatfield- Sam The Record Man 1993

I had more requests for early Juliana Hatfield and since I've been enjoying her new "covers" album so much, I'll try to post another band show and maybe some Blake Babies as well. Juliana is on tour with the Lemonheads (opening for the Psychedelic Furs) upcoming in October and then Juliana and Evan Dando will be touring Australia in December. Hopefully some fans will be bringing their tape recorders to capture these shows. If I hear of anything, I'll share the shows here or post the links.

I meant to post this show as a tribute to Record Store Day back in April (opting instead for Paul Westerberg) and it's a good "up close" performance inside the legendary Sam The Record Man store in downtown Toronto (close to Dundas Square) which has sadly been closed since 2007. A good sounding audience recording that captures Juliana solo acoustic, circa, the Become What You Are record. A loose and relaxed Juliana plays this in-store and later that evening at Lee's Palace. I'll try to track down that show too.
Enjoy!

Juliana Hatfield
Sam the Record Man,
Toronto,
Sept. 27, 1993
Audience recording

01. Intro
02. I Got No Idols
03. Spin the Bottle
04. Here Comes the Pain
05. Big Gay Heart
06. Ugly
07. Nirvana
08. Shovel
09. My Sister

JULIANA HATFIELD- Sam's, Toronto, September 27, 1993 FLAC. rar

Young Fresh Fellows- Beans and Tolerance

Aka, The Bootleg Album (or Wonderfully Simple, Simply Wonderful) is a self-released rarity the Young Fresh Fellows recorded following the departure of guitarist Chuck Carroll and before Kurt Bloch joined the band. As pictured above (from my vinyl copy), you can see the cover sleeve is plain white and the record has no label. If you look closely you can see the identifying markings on the LP are scratched and hand drawn in, it doesn't get more homemade than this! Along with the Fellows, Hits From The Break Up Album 7" box set, this is one of my prize YFF collectibles. I bought both records through mail order directly from the band in the early 90's and both remain exclusively on vinyl (though some tracks have appeared elsewhere) and very out of print. I believe, B & T was limited to less than 1500 copies. Instead of side A (or 1) and side B (or 2) the sides of the record are identified by "upson" and "downs", musically it's clear which side is more upbeat than the other.

Musically, the sound is raw and spontaneous. Trouser Press describes it as, "Recorded quickly with more enthusiasm than care, the twelve cavalier tunes — most in a gritty and/or psychedelic '60sish vein — add up to a joyous, rock'n'rolling studio party with massed backing vocals, one-take chaos, meandering guitar solos, bum notes and everything else that such great undertakings require. The Fellows even wrote a song in tribute to the Bootleg Album, Ballad Of The Bootleg on their 2009 release, I Think This Is.

I'm posting this by request. I have the original vinyl, but I'm posting a rip from a CD transfer I received in a trade years ago. Yes, I admit it I'm lazy, it's faster than ripping my vinyl. I also have a request for the Gag Fah cassette which I have an original copy. I need to transfer it to digital first as the CD copy I have has the 3 second gaps built into each track (very annoying!), so please be patient I'll get it up soon.
Enjoy!

YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS (aka: 3 Young French Fellows 3)
Beans And Tolerance (aka: Wonderfully Simple, Simply Wonderful and the "Bootleg Album")
Released in 1989

01. Rock and Roll Guitars
02. Fruitbasket Blues
03. Vacation Rock
04. NF in Trouble
05. Stop Breathing, You’re Foggin’ Up My Mind
06. Gorilla
07. Shake Your Love
08. Silhouette
09. I Wanna Die in a Woman’s Prison
10. After Eggs
11. Tell It to the Raven
12. Whole Lotta Pappies

YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS- Beans And Tolerance FLAC. rar