Revisiting a genuinely lost era - and place - for music via a new benefit album, due on Jan. 10.

By Blurt Staff

Cambodia's rock music of the '60s and '70s - unearthly, haunting, startling - receives an exciting retrospective in the new compilation Dengue Fever Presents Electric Cambodia, available Jan. 10 from Minky Records.

            Proceeds from the album benefit Cambodian Living Arts (http://www.cambodianlivingarts.org/) , a project of the non-profit Massachusetts-based Marion Institute devoted to supporting the revival of traditional Khmer performing arts and inspiring contemporary artistic expression.

            The 14-track collection, selected with care by the members of the internationally renowned Los Angeles rock band Dengue Fever, takes a deep look at the intoxicating rock produced by such noted Southeast Asian musicians of the era as singer-songwriter Sinn Sisamouth, one of the kingpins of the Cambodian music scene, and the brilliant female vocalists Pan Ron and Ros Sereysothea.

            A couple of the album's choicest numbers - Sereysothea's "Flowers in the Pond" and "Shave Your Beard" - have appeared in cover versions on Dengue Fever's widely praised albums.

            The music on Electric Cambodia is the product of a golden age literally lost in time. It disappeared after the Pol Pot regime took power in 1975; following the establishment of an agrarian dictatorship, the Khmer Rouge exterminated as many as 2 million on the country's bloody "killing fields."

            "Before the Khmer Rouge, it was a crazy, booming society, socially and economically - it was very progressive," says Dengue Fever bassist Senon Williams.

            The Cambodian music of the '60s and early '70s was a mating of Western and Eastern sounds. "In my opinion, they were trying to play Western rock songs," says Williams. "They incorporated their own folk music into psychedelic rock."He notes that while many of the songs used the kind of electric instrumentation heard on U.S. hits, the productions also employed traditional Cambodian instruments.

            Vestiges of the Cambodians' American inspirations can be heard on tracks like Pan Ron's "Snaeha," a Khmer adaptation of Cher's 1966 hit "Bang Bang," and Ros Sereysothea's "I Want to Shout," which takes some inspiration from the Isley Brothers' 1959 single "Shout."

            This exhilarating style was wiped off the face of the earth when Cambodia's best-known performers - including Sisamouth, Ron, and Sereysothea - became victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide. "They killed off the entire creative and forward-thinking gene pool," says Williams.

            While the artists vanished forever, their music somehow survived. Cambodia's electric music has been circulated hand-to-hand on cassette editions, duplicated cheaply at high speed and bearing little or no information about the songs or those who performed them.

            "The music on this compilation was anonymous," Williams says. "It was all off crazy mix tapes. We didn't know who was who."

            Fortunately, the older sister of Dengue Fever's Cambodia-born lead vocalist Chhom Nimol was able to identify the material - "She put names to the songs," Williams says.

            The songs and styles heard on Electric Cambodia have survived in their native land, though not exactly as they were originally performed. "Everybody knows them and loves them, but now it sounds like Chinese synth-pop," says Williams. "It doesn't seem like they're interested in playing it in its authentic fashion."

            The members of Dengue Fever show their respect for the music by performing their rocking renditions of '60s Cambodian music in their live shows - and by committing proceeds from Electric Cambodia to the nurturing of Khmer culture today.

            "We thought it'd be nice to give something back," Williams says.

***

Dengue Fever on the web: http://www.myspace.com/denguefevermusic

Tour Dates:

12/31 @ The Mint, Los Angeles, CA.
01/07 @ SoHo, Santa Barbara, CA.
01/08 @ The Independent, San Francisco, CA.
01/09 @ Berbatti's Pan, Portland, OR.
01/10 @ Neumo's, Seattle, WA.

Four nights, 100 songs, and one potentially whopping live album.

By Fred Mills

Old 97's fans, here's a treat for you if you're in the Dallas area near the end of this month: The band will be recording four hometown shows when they appear at Sons of Hermann Hall in Dallas on December 27, 28, 29 and 30.

Salim Nourallah  will be producing; he produced the band's latest album, Blame It On Gravity as well as frontman Rhett Miller's latest solo album, Rhett Miller.

There are no immediate plans to release the recordings but some form of live album would appear to be inevitable, with a projected 100+ songs being committed to tape over the course of the four evenings.

Miller and bandmate Murry Hammond will be doing solo sets prior to the Old 97's sets each night.

For details on admission to the shows, etc., go to the Sons of Hermann Hall website.

Legendary 1978 Concert At Hollywood High School Released In Its Entirety For The First Time On Live At Hollywood High.

By Blurt Staff

Elvis Costello was 23 years old when he performed a sold-out concert at the auditorium of Hollywood High School.  It was June 4, 1978 and he had been introduced to America with a controversial appearance on "Saturday Night Live" and two albums Rolling Stone would eventually rank among the 200 greatest of all time.  Twenty-five years later, in 2003, Costello would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the following year would be ranked by Rolling Stone among its 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Now that historic 20-song concert will be issued for the first time in its entirety, including 11 previously unreleased recordings, on Live At Hollywood High released January 12 by Hip-O/UMe. This second installment in The Costello Show live performance series of complete concerts follows Live At The El Mocambo, released in September (and reviewed by BLURT here).

Just three months prior to the Hollywood High concert, This Year's Model had become his second album but first as Elvis Costello And The Attractions, with singer-songwriter-guitarist Costello joined by keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas and drummer Pete Thomas.  Producing the concert would be Nick Lowe, who would helm Costello's first five albums.

From Costello's 1977 debut album My Aim Is True, the show included "Alison," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "Mystery Dance," "Waiting For The End Of The World," "Miracle Man" and "Watching The Detectives."  From This Year's Model, the band cranked out "Pump It Up," "The Beat," "Lip Service," "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" (only on the U.K. album), "Radio Radio" (only on the U.S. edition), "Lipstick Vogue," "No Action," "This Year's Girl," "Living In Paradise" and "You Belong To Me" plus the bonus single "Stranger In The House."

The band also previewed "Accidents Will Happen," "Party Girl" and "Goon Squad" from Armed Forces, which they would begin to record three months later.  That album released in early 1979 would become Costello's highest charter (#10) and his third straight to earn gold or platinum.  Included as a promotional giveaway with initial copies was a 7" single with the Hollywood High performances of "Accidents Will Happen," "Alison" and "Watching The Detectives."  A 2002 reissue of Armed Forces would add a disc with those tracks and six others from Hollywood High.

Unreleased, however, would be the concert's "Lip Service," "The Beat," "Living In Paradise," "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes," "(I Don't Wanna Go To) Chelsea," "This Year's Girl," "No Action," "Radio, Radio," "Pump It Up," "Waiting For The End Of The World" and "Miracle Man" - all of which make their debuts on Live At Hollywood High.

Upcoming releases of The Costello Show will include, among others, concerts performed at the Royal Albert Hall and Royalty Theater in London.

Nashville bassist was a mainstay of Ryan Adams' band and an in-demand player as well.

By Fred Mills

Chris Feinstein, bassist for Ryan Adams & the Cardinals, passed away on Tuesday, December 15, at his home in New York City, from undisclosed causes. He was 42.

Known as "Space Wolf" to friends and fellow musicians (the nickname was given to him by Adams), Feinstein had been with the Cardinals since 2006 and he played on Easy Tiger, Follow the Lights and Cardinology - his roots were in Nashville, where he'd played in high school bands (including several with Cardinals drummer Brad Pemberton). Over the years he also played and recorded with the Strokes' Albert Hammond Jr., Jack Ingram, Patty Griffin, Tim Finn, Matthew Ryan and others - including Moby.

BLURT contributor Rev. Keith A. Gordon penned an in-depth obituary on Feinstein at ThatDevilMusic.com, charting the musician's trajectory. Offered Gordon:

"A multi-instrumental musician that was often overshadowed by the charismatic frontmen that he played behind, Chris Feinstein was undeniably an integral element in the evolution of rock music in Nashville, a talented and important member of several crucial bands that helped put the Music City on the map as more than the home of country music and gospel. As an ambassador of the local music scene, Chris brought an honest little bit of Nashville to audiences across the world. He will be missed...."

Incidentally, among the responses to Gordon's article was one from Feinstein's mother Gayle Escamilla, who wrote, "I do so appreciate all the kind words about my wonderful son, Chris. His family has always known what a genuine, fun and generous soul he was, and it is such a consolation to know he was so admired and esteemed as a musician and as an individual to so many others."

BLURT extends our deepest condolences to Mrs. Escamilla along with Feinstein's extended family and friends, and to the Adams & Cardinals communities as well.

[Photo Credit: Neil Casal]

Photo Gallery by April S. Engram

Ed. note: BLURT writer/photographer Engram traveled to Montreal last month to take in the 4^th annual M for Montreal indie rock festival. Her impressions can be found here, but meanwhile, below are some of her choice images that she brought back with her.

Incidentally, she also covered M4M for us last year - check out that report here.

Acclaimed new album has also been made into a film.

By Blurt Staff

All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, the film that accompanies Califone's new album of the same name, will be making its theatrical premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah this January. The film was written and directed by Califone frontman Tim Rutili, and is his debut feature length film. The band will also be performing a live soundtrack alongside the film at the opening screening at Sundance.

Read the recent BLURT interview with Rutili, in which he talks about the film and album, here.

The screenplay for the film, draws on the same themes and inspirations as the album. The story revolves around a fortune teller named Zel (played by respected cult actress Angela Bettis) who lives and works in an old house crowded with ghosts. When a mysterious light appears in the woods, the ghosts realize they are trapped and begin to rebel.

The live soundtrack to the film has been a part of Califone performances throughout the fall touring in support of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, and KEXP's Brian Cullen witnessed one of these performances and wrote about it for the KEXP blog. The LA Times recently covered the album and film project before the band's performance at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, which you can read HERE. IFC.com also recently took the time to speak to Rutili and the interview is well worth the read, check it out HERE.

Even with all of the excitement surrounding the film, the band are spending the bulk of their February on tour, supporting Wilco on dates in the United States and Canada. These shows will not accompany the film, and include an appearance at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Additionally, the band has announced two shows in their hometown of Chicago, one alongside the film on March 9, and one as a standard rock show on March 10.

Califone's All My Friends Are Funeral Singers at Sundance:

1/26/10 Park City, UT @ New Frontier on Main, 9pm (includes live performance by Califone)

1/27/10 Park City, UT @ Egyptian Theatre, 9pm

1/28/10 Park City, UT @ Holiday Village Cinema II, 2pm

1/29/10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Broadway Centre Cinemas IV, 7:30pm

1/30/10 Park City, UT @ Yarrow Hotel Theatre 1, 3pm

TOUR DATES:

2/07/10 Missoula, MT @ Adams Center w/ Wilco

2/09/10 Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall w/ Wilco

2/10/10 Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre w/ Wilco

2/12/10 Victoria, BC @ Royal Theatre w/ Wilco

2/13/10 Vancouver, BC @ David Lam Park w/ Wilco

2/15/10 Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee w/ Wilco

2/16/10 Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee w/ Wilco

2/17/10 Saskatoon, SK @ TCU Place w/ Wilco

2/19/10 Duluth, MN @ DECC Auditorium w/ Wilco

2/20/10 Madison, WI @ Overture Center for the Arts w/ Wilco

2/21/10 East Lansing, MI @ Wharton Center w/ Wilco

2/22/10 Hamilton, ON @ Hamilton Place Theatre w/ Wilco

2/24/10 London, ON @ Centennial Hall w/ Wilco

3/09/10 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

3/10/10 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall

How does Marco Benevento, Butch Trucks, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Railroad Earth and others sound to ya?

By Blurt Staff

Jamband avatars moe., fresh from the Warren Haynes Christmas Jam where they pulled out the stops for two consecutive nights (one memorably moment came when Jimmy Herring joined them onstage; full review here),  is planning to celebrate their 20th anniversary throughout 2010 with an itinerary that would exhaust the most eager newcomer. More than just a series of shows, the events scheduled for 2010 are a reflection of moe.'s commitment to their fans, their community, and their planet. In addition to their rigorous schedule of upcoming gigs, moe. will release an anthology that combines some of their best-loved material, an unrecorded concert favorite and further evolved re-recorded versions of songs from their two major label releases. Honored with multiple Jammy awards for both their recordings and their marathon concert appearances, moe.'s unique hybrid of careful songcraft and fearless improvisation have earned them a substantial, devoted following. They have shared bills with the Allman Brothers Band, Robert Plant, the Dead, the Who, and Dave Matthews Band, and have collaborated onstage with artists ranging from Bela Fleck, Bob Weir, and Trey Anastasio to Peter Frampton, Blue Oyster Cult, and Warren Haynes.

The 20th anniversary festivities commence with a two-night stand at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on January 22 and 23, with the first night being a benefit for World Hunger Year (WHY) www.worldhungeryear.com. Founded in 1975, WHY focuses on creating awareness of poverty and hunger around the world, and recognizing and implementing realistic solutions to this ongoing crisis. Throughout 2010, moe. will also continue their commitments to such organizations and causes as Headcount, Free Burma, autism awareness, and other social and environmental issues. For the first night of their stand at Roseland, moe. will be joined by a number of special guests, including Butch Trucks (Allman Brothers), Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band), and Marco Benevento (The Benevento Duo). Following Roseland, moe. will take to the road for the rest of the winter and early spring, culminating on March 26, 27, and 28 with the third snoe.down taking place this time in Killington and Rutland, Vermont: a three-day music and winter sports festival founded by moe. with Great Northeast Productions. In addition to multiple moe. sets, this year's snoe.down will feature performances by Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Railroad Earth, Hot Day at the Zoo, the McLovins and more to come. (A limited number of Early Bird tickets remain. For more information visit www.snoedown.com.)

Mid April finds moe. hosting the tropical throe.down over four days on the pristine shores of the Dominican Republic. moe. will perform on the beach all four days, joining their fans in a thriving celebration of both the band's history and their future. In May, moe. will appear at the 10th annual Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois. Co-founded by moe., Jay Goldberg Presents, and Jam Productions, Summer Camp Music Festival will feature sets by The Avett Brothers, Umphrey's Mcgee, Gov't Mule, Yonder Mountain String Band, and many more to be announced. For more information www.summercampfestival.com/2010/

moe. is: Vinnie Amico (drums), Rob Derhak (bass, vocals), Chuck Garvey (guitar, vocals), Jim Loughlin (percussion, vibes), and Al Schnier (guitar, vocals).

Tour Dates:

22-Jan-10 Fri         New York, NY         Roseland Ballroom
23-Jan-10 Sat         New York, NY         Roseland Ballroom
27-Jan-10 Wed     Stroudsburg, PA         Sherman Theater
28-Jan-10 Thu     Rochester, NY         Harro East Theater & Ballroom
29-Jan-10 Fri         Boston, MA             House of Blues
30-Jan-10 Sat         Ithaca, NY             The State Theatre
31-Jan-10 Sun     Pittsburgh, PA         Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
25-Feb-10 Thu     San Francisco, CA         Fillmore
26-Feb-10 Fri         Los Angeles, CA         Club Nokia
27-Feb-10 Sat         Las Vegas, NV         Hard Rock CafÈ
28-Feb-10 Sun     Flagstaff, AZ             Orpheum Theatre
3-Mar-10 Wed     Tulsa, OK             Cain'sBallroom
4-Mar-10 Thu         Lawrence, KS             Liberty Hall
5-Mar-10 Fri         Chicago, IL             The Riviera
6-Mar-10 Sat         Chicago, IL             The Riviera
7-Mar-10 Sun         Davenport, IA         Capitol Theatre
10-Mar-10 Wed     Charlottesville, VA         Jefferson Theater
11-Mar-10 Thu     Greensboro, NC         Carolina Theatre
12-Mar-10 Fri         Atlanta, GA             Tabernacle
13-Mar-10 Sat     Atlanta, GA             Tabernacle
26-Mar-10 Sat     snoe.down               Killington and Rutland, VT
27-Mar-10 Sat     snoe.down               Killington and Rutland, VT
28-Mar-10 Sat     snoe.down               Killington and Rutland, VT

The Devil in Hope Sandoval...

By Fred Mills

The upcoming Massive Attack album Heligoland is due Feb. 9 from EMI. Read the previously announced details here; we here at BLURT have been listening to it nonstop for the past two weeks and are already willing to go out on a limb and call it potentially one of the must-hear releases of first quarter 2010, sleek and sensual with more than just a touch of evil to salt the sonic wounds it additionally inflicts.

One key song is "Paradise Circus" that features vocals by Hope Sandoval. The band has released a video for the song, directed by Toby Dye, and in it you see former porn actress Georgina Spelvin talking about the notorious '73 skin flick The Devil in Miss Jones. You can view it below.

Really, with a roster of bimbos like this, you expect anything less?

By Fred Mills

So you know all about that Runaways biopic slated to hit theaters next spring, right? The one starring Kristin Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie? The 1-minute trailer has hit YouTube, and based on the visual evidence therein, the film appears to be D.O.A. in terms of inspiration and execution. Admittedly, one cannot judge a movie by its trailer - well, not all the time. But unless you're one of those hairy-palmed girl band geeks (known to ladies who play in bands as GBG), this one looks like a dud. I say this as someone who actually saw the Runaways a couple of times back in the day, and to paraphrase a great philosopher, Kristin, you're no Joanie.

Here's an idea: maybe they should have taken some artistic liberties and filmed the entire deal using African American actors. I'm thinking Snoop Dogg as Kim Fowley and buffed-out L'il Kim as Joan Jett for starters... Hey, it couldn't be any worse than what they've got so far!

The film trailer is below, followed by a quasi-trailer created by some enterprising fan with, apparently, a huge trove of Runaways photos on hand. Just glomming those pics is far more interesting than the potential that the film itself holds out at the moment...

"Valencia" from forthcoming album El Turista, due next March.

By Fred Mills

As previously announced, songsmith Josh Rouse has a new album slated for a March 9 release via Yep Roc. Titled El Turista, it's a collection originals and covers, sung in English and Spanish - and as the Rouse camp advises us, "marinated in the folk musics of Cuba, Brazil, Spain, Venezuela and beyond." Among the material is a Civil War-era traditional number ("Cotton Eye Joe"), that Rouse once heard Nina Simone sing along with two songs popularized by Bola de Nieve (a/k/a "the Louis Armstrong of Cuba").

"It's kind of funny, this Midwestern guy doing Brazilian songs in Spanish," Rouse himself added, but the whole deal comes together seamlessly. You can check out a free MP3 of one of the tunes, "Valencia," below.

Listen: "Valencia"

[Photo Credit: Jim Herrington]