Not only is the new Ted Leon & the Pharmacists album Leon's best to date,  it's a strong candidate for one of the finest full-lengths of 2010. Released this week on Matador.

By Ron Hart

"What about the voice of Geddy Lee?" once pondered an indie rock wise man. Well, from the sound of "The Mighty Sparrow", the opening track off The Brutalist Bricks (Matador), the outstanding new album from Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, it seems as though the Washington DC-by-way-of-Brooklyn-by-way-of-North Jersey punk great swallowed it whole (significantly when he hits that high note at the end). But don't think PhX has gone all Rush on us here, kids.

In fact, this taut, tight collection of 13 songs that make up the DNA of The Brutalist Bricks find Leo's trademark indie punk sound getting the major kick in the ass it so desperately needed, especially after 2004's underwhelming Shake The Sheets and 2007's disappointing Living Among The Living left a sour taste in the mouths of fans pining for the glory days of Hearts of Oak.  Elements of folk, only previously touched upon by Leo in the past, are more prominent on several of these tracks, particularly on "Bottled in Cork", a song that laments being an American overseas during the Bush presidency, and the vaguely psychedelic "Tuberculoids Arrive in Hop". Elsewhere, "Mourning In America" employs the faux-electro throb that confirms Leo's recent admittance to being a big Daft Punk fan, while "One Polaroid A Day" offers up the romantic white funk of vintage Orange Juice.  Then, of course, you have your classic PhX rave-ups like "Woke Up Near Chelsea" and "Gimme The Wire", jam-packed with crunchy, four-to-the-floor riffs and Leo's indelible, sentence-busting lyrical agenda tying it all together (albeit glistened with a power pop sheen that is far more Stiff  Records than Dischord).

It sounds as though Teddy boy is out to take over what's left of the rock radio airwaves with The Brutalist Bricks. And, in a perfect world, we'd be hearing songs like "Even Heroes Have To Die" and "Last Days" ad nauseum on the FM dial than Nickelback and the Foo Fighters. Because not only is this his best album to date, it's a strong candidate for one of the finest full-lengths of 2010.  Needless to say, this man is ready for the big time.

[Photo Credit: Ellisa Keller]

Fuerza Chile features 11 Chilean artists from the Nacional roster.

By Blurt Staff

In the wake of the Haiti disaster zillions of people stepped up to donate to Haitian relief programs, but the whole thing was so overwhelming and the media coverage so relentless at times that for many, "Haitian exhaustion" kicked in. As a result, in comparison the Chile earthquake, though admittedly not causing the same amount of damage and suffering, tended to be downplayed. It's a sad but true state of affairs.

So in an effort to revive the spirit of giving in the minds of the music community specific to Chile, the good folks at Alternative Latin label Nacional Records have put together a digital-only benefit album to raise funds. Titled Fuerza Chile, it cherrypicks 11 tracks from Chilean artists across Nacional's catalog. All proceeds will be donated.

Nacional founder Tomas Cookman was in Chile with management and label artist Los Fabulosos Cadillacs for the Vina del Mar Festival when the earthquake occurred. Fortunately no one in the band was injured but Cookman suffered a bruised leg. The group ended up taking a van across the Andes Mountains back to Argentina and were able to witness the devastation firsthand.

Chilean mixmaster Latin Bitman was DJing a massive party when the earthquake occurred. He escaped but within minutes, Bitman noticed that the ceiling had caved exactly where he had been spinning.

‘FUERZA CHILE' TRACK-LISTING

1. Francisca Valenzuela - Run Run Se Fue Pa'l Norte
2. Ana Tijoux - Mar Adentro
3. Gonzalo Yañez - Maldigo De Alto Cielo
4. Primavera De Praga - Pajaro Muerto
5. Los Tres - Cerrar Y Abrir
6. Latin Bitman - Shine
7. Javiera Mena & Diego Morales - Ausencia
8. Los Bunkers - Llueve Sobre La Cuidad
9. RH+ - Curb
10. Señor Coconut - La Vida Es Llena De Cables
11. Angel Parra Trio - La Jardinera

The album is available For Only $5.99 at iTunes and had already topped the iTunes Latino charts. That's a damn bargain, so step up to the plate, folks, and open up those wallets.

Blurt blogger published appreciation of the late organ wizard.

By Blurt Staff

We couldn't say it any better:

"The roll call of great jazz organists is finite but full of very large characters with very large talents; Richard "Groove" Holmes, "Brother" Jack McDuff, Johnny Hammond, Charles Earland and of course Jimmy Smith come immediately to mind. But for my $, Jimmy McGriff is top cat, the baddest of the bad, soul brother #1 of the jazz organ."

That's BLURT blogger Carl Hanni, deejay/archivist/crate digger deluxe, waxing enthusiastically about the late McGriff in his latest "Sonic Reducer" blog. Whether your bent is jazz, rock, blues, indiepop or some amalgam thereof, somewhere in your record collection is either an album featuring McGriff's keyboard talents, or some artist who's deeply indepted to the master musician.

Find out why McGriff's the top cat at Hanni's blog. Meanwhile, let's check out some of McGriff's classic LP sleeves, above, and below.

Do you ever think about how awesome it would be to make it big? Well, the U.S. Government wants to know about it!

By Fred Mills

It's 2010, and that means some underpaid schmuck canvassing for the U.S. census is going to be knocking on your door any day now, asking you personal questions about how many adults, children, illegal aliens and Republicans live in your household. You don't have to respond, of course, but hey, if the census taker happens to be pretty hot, consider inviting he or she in for a beer and then tell ‘em you'll answer all their questions if they'll have sex with you.

"Dear Penthouse, I always thought that the letters in your magazine were fake until last Friday afternoon when a blonde census taker with large breasts and dressed in Daisy Dukes knocked on my front door..."

Anyhow, we've just learned of another census going on right now too: The 2010 U.S. Rock and Roll Band Census. Our buddies over at hi-nrg D.C. pop band The Public Good have kindly transcribed the census questions at their blog, and we highly recommend you scoot over there and start answering those questions - they've kindly provided the webspace so you don't have to worry about wasting a postage stamp.

As the band explains, "This is how your government determines distribution of Rock and Roll Bands in the United States." So it must be important, right?

Among the key questions:

How many people do you think of as "in the band," at least most of the time?  Count all musicians regardless of whether or not they're any good.  Include managers, roadies, and hangers-on/groupies who dance on stage and/or play unamplified tambourine.  Do not count anyone in a jail, prison, nursing home, or other detention facility. 

Is this a real band, or are you just jamming?

o  We are as real as it gets.

o  We're just jamming.  But the other day I turned on the radio and I was like, man, we could do that.

Do you ever think about how awesome it would be to make it big?

o  Yes.  It would be totally awesome.

o  I try not to think about it.  But it would be totally awesome. 

Prepping for Viper Room gig on Friday followed by high profile coming out party in Austin at SXSW, the erstwhile Hanoi Rocks frontman played an intimate party last night at the Finnish Consul General.

Text & Photos by Jose Martinez

So just before most people in the music biz head to Austin, TX for SXSW a few lucky L.A. invites headed to the Finnish Consul General's palatial estate in ritzy Bel Air to see an intimate performance from former Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe.

Feasting on fancy treats and a bar loaded with free wine and Finnish vodka, Monroe and his "guys" played the living room which in a stroke of genius had all the furniture removed. The last time I remember seeing Monroe was in 1989, back when a slim & trim Axl Rose co-starred in the "Dead, Jail or Rock n' Roll" music video. And much to Monroe's credit, he has remained as fit and as vibrant and as energetic as ever. Wow, give me some of what he's got.

Ready to go into the studio soon, he has a sold out night at the Viper Room this Friday before playing showcases at SXSW next week. Tonight his set consisted of mostly older material, including Hanoi Rock's "Malibu Beach," the aforementioned "Dead, Jail or Rock n' Roll," and one new song. Climbing the furniture, Monroe's sophomore antics are refreshing as it's obvious he's living in the moment offering the most sincere performance possible.

"It's hard not to want more": Ultra-hyped indie summit between Danger Mouse and the Shins' Danger Mouse yields some promising moments, but nothing that will eclipse the principals' other projects. See ‘em live on Letterman in the video below.

By Hal Bienstock & Fred Mills

A two man "supergroup" of sorts, Broken Bells is a band featuring James Mercer of The Shins and uber-producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Black Keys). The result is Broken Bells (issued by Columbia this week), an album that has elements of blue-eyed soul, trip-hop, folk and new wave.

But what's most surprising is what the album doesn't have - the pure pop bliss that both of these guys are known for. There's not a "Crazy" or a "So Says I" in the bunch. Instead there are songs like "The Ghost Inside," which sounds like Hall & Oates meets The Postal Service (in a good way), the cinematic "Sailing to Nowhere," and "Mongrel Heart," which is reminiscent of Joy Division and The Cure.

When word first broke of the collaboration last fall, the collective panting from bloggers was heard from here to Saskatchewan - not without justification, given the duo's respective output. (The pair had originally met at a rock festival in 2004 and, upon comparing notes, declared themselves mutual fans; work began on the album at Danger Mouse's L.A. studio two years ago, in March of 2008.) Of course, pretty much any time either man combs his hair someone posts a news item about it; Mercer's firing of half his band was a headline for months, while the torturous trajectory of the Danger Mouse-helmed Dark Night of the Soul project seemed to ping the pop radar every couple of months. This only served to heighten the anticipation for Broken Bells, and in December, with the release of the (free digital) single "The High Road" (which they performed this week on the Letterman show), anticipation grew even greater.

What you'll get out Broken Bells depends on what you expect. As a debut album from a new band, it's promising. As a collaboration between people who gave us some of the catchiest songs of the aughties, it's hard not to want more.

Well, um... it's probably more fun to sit around listening to Kinks albums and yakking about that reunion that will probably never happen... hey, there's always the new documentary Do It Again: One Man's Quest to Reunite the Kinks which will be screening soon.

By Lee Zimmerman

Who could blame a Kinks Kultist for drooling in anticipation of a DVD chronicling Dave Davies' coming of age? After all, wasn't it Ray's younger brother who crafted the patented riffs that fueled the band's earliest entries and subsequently composed a series of solo outings that typified their innate English charms? 

Unfortunately, for purchasers of Dave Davies Kronikles: Mystical Journey (E1 Entertainment), those expecting a thorough history of Dave's musical trajectory will likely find themselves sorely disappointed after viewing Davies' overly long and deadly dry narrative describing his path to inner enlightenment. In fact, for all his endless musings about the meaning of life and the connection to the cosmic workings of the universe, Davies' philosophical offerings come across as so much intellectual pabulum, both tedious and tiresome. 

While the commentary becomes hopelessly mired in these paranormal possibilities, suffice it to say Davies makes no excuses about his beliefs in unexplained phenomenon, extraterrestrial and otherwise.  He claims his older sisters possessed a measure of psychic ability and that his extraordinary mental connection to his siblings, Ray included, took root early on. However, his urge to get metaphysical breaks down into a ponderous series of discussions with like-minded believers and cult practitioners and scenes of Davies walking aimlessly around his old childhood haunts, driving towards unknown destinations in the countryside and illuminating himself in reverse images of various landscapes that supposedly reflect mystical possibilities. 

Despite a precious few home movies of the fledgling Kinks, some scattered personal recollections and a soundtrack culled from Davies back catalogue, his fabled musical legacy takes a back seat to his philosophical discourse, which, by the way, sounds as if he's reading from some sage text.  A menu of bonus features provides no further respite, consisting mainly of fuller conversations with like-minded disciples -- save a performance of his classic "Creeping Jean" rendered recently with his Dave Davies Band. 

Davies does make a point when he speaks of the artist's obligation to serve his spirituality through his music.  In this case, all would have been better served by letting the music speak for itself.

Indie tastemaker (!) cohosting events with Second Motion, Bloodshot, Insiders Network, Mpress and Sonicbids. Much drinking of frothy beverages predicted to ensue.

By Blurt Staff

Everybody getting ready for Austin? We're headed there too next week for the annual South By Southwest music conference and festival. We're thrilled to be partnering with several labels and organizations this year for some seriously fun parties and showcases - our main deal is the Second Motion Records showcase featuring Adam Franklin, Grant Hart, Tommy Keene, Marty Willson-Piper, Gemma Ray and the Walls, but of course every event is crammed with some seriously fine artists. Full details are below.

A very special thanks to our hosts at each of these events, as we are damn proud to be a cosponsor. Please drop by for the festivities and refreshments, and make sure you come up and introduce yourselves to us.

SXSW LINEUP

Saturday, March 20:

Blurt/Second Motion Official SXSW Showcase

Taproom at Six, 311 Colorado Street, 8 - 1am

Confirm your attendance at our special Facebook page!

8pm - The Walls (from Ireland)

9pm - Gemma Ray

10pm - Marty Willson-Piper (of The Church)

11pm - Tommy Keene (full band)

12am - Grant Hart

1am - Adam Franklin (of Swervedriver) & Bolts of Melody

Thursday, March 18:

THE iNSIDERS NETWORK Showcase

BD Riley's, 204 E 6th Street, 12-5

Cosponsored by BLURT

12:00-12:35 Karl Mullen

12:50-1:25 Seth Glier

1:40-2:15 Robert Deeble

2:30-3:05 Michael Miller

3:20-3:55 Steve Poltz

4:10-4:45 Roman Candle

Friday, March 19:

15^th Annual Bloodshot Records Party

Yard Dog Gallery, 1510 South Congress Avenue, 12-7

Cosponsored by Rolling Rock and Blurt

12:15-12:45    The Silos
12:55-1:25    Whitey Morgan & the 78s
1:35-2:05    Ben Weaver
2:15-2:45    Ha Ha Tonka   
2:55-3:25    Rosie Flores
3:35-4:05    Justin Townes Earle
4:15-4:45    Exene Cervenka
4:55-5:25    Deadstring Brothers
5:35-6:05    Waco Brother

Sonicbids Official SXSW Party

Maggie Mae's, 323 E Sixth Street, 11:30-5:30

Cosponsored by BLURT

Twelve bands, two stages: The Law, Cassavettes, Bad Veins Obi Best, The Uglysuit, Cosmo Jarvis, Jets Overhead, The Broderick, Bear Hands, Kate Miller-Heidke, Francis, Family of the Year. Free drinks, free food, sweet giveaways and great music. RSVP for the Party here: http://www.sonicbids.com/SXSWParty/

Saturday, March 20:

MPress Records Showcase

Soho Lounge, 217 E. 6th Street, 12-5:30

Cosponsored by BLURT

Rachael Sage, Seth Glier, Katie Costello, The Mieka Canon, The Paper Raincoat,

Melissa Ferrick and The Kin.

Also - SXSW Panel Action: BLURT'S Kate Bradley will take part in the panel "From the Stage - An Artist's Perspective," discussing how artists are handling the transition from the physical to the digital world. The panel was put together by recording artist Samantha Murphy (who operates her own multimedia company The Highway Girl) and will feature Bradley (also of Outlandos Music and the Insider's Network), Michael Petricone (SVP Government Affairs of the Consumer Electronics Association), recording artist Rob Giles (of The Rescues) and recording artist Anais Mitchell. It all takes place, naturally, at SXSW ground zero, the Austin Convention Center, on Wednesday March 17, 3:30 - 4:30.

The indie buzzband descended on the Great Scott venue (in Allston, Mass.) on March 2 and nearly justified the buzz. The potential's there, but the jury's still out.

By Wyndham Lewis

West Palm Beach is up there with Sedona or Provo on the list of cities likely to hatch the next hot indie rock band. In the case of Surfer Blood, the mix of sunshine, strip malls and nursing homes seems to have provided the surprisingly appropriate environs to create Astro Coast, a terrific, riff-driven debut album.

So what does a South Florida band, that counts its existence in months rather than years, do to distinguish itself as a live act worthy of multiple sold-out club gigs like the one recently played at Great Scott in Allston?

Having seen this recipe of young band, limited material and inexperience before, the possibility was there for anything from disaster to greatness. And, as is frequently the case, the crowd was treated to something in between. The set opener was the album's lead track Floating Vibes, a song that hints at the heavy riff, light vocal approach of Sonic Youth or Built to Spill's ‘90s output.

Despite the fact that they likely spent it in Huggies, the early ‘90s is obviously well plumbed territory for the band. In several ways they recall early Pavement. Surfer Blood's songs have a similar reliance on guitar, although the lyrics and structures are more conventional. Both bands would look equally at home getting out of the van with tennis racquet bags rather than guitar cases and both rely heavily on a percussionist/screamer to provide the animation and entertainment for the rest of the crew. Surfer Blood's resident wild man, Marcos Marchesani, looks like he was plucked from the evolutionary chain somewhere between Frank Zappa, Magic Dick, Jim Martin and Gallagher. More than Bob Nastanovich, his counterpart in Pavement, live Marchesani adds a significant dimension to the songs with his percussion work.

Take It Easy, which would sound at home on a Vampire Weekend or Shins set list, followed and the band's confidence and comfort was almost chart-able as the evening progressed. Lead singer JP Pitts' voice is slightly huskier live, but in most respects, Astro Coast lays out a true sound from which the band does not significantly deviate. Harmonix was given an extended feedback session at the end, but it seemed like more of a way to add time to a short set than anything.

Playing and singing his back-up vocals on Twin Peaks and Anchorage seemed to wake up guitarist Tom Fekete who spent much of the set's first few songs remarkably expressionless, as if he were bored with math class. When he playfully butted heads with Pitts mid song, he cemented the kid brother quality his looks portray. Playing the guitar intro from Weezer's Undone (The Sweater Song) drew enthusiastic hoots from the crowd that died quickly when the tune was aborted. It was a pretty amusing moment, that hinted at a sense of humor and engagement that will hopefully become more clearly articulated as the band's identity and experience grow.

By the time they played Swim, with its Boston-worthy power chords, the looked like they belonged on stage and were enjoying themselves, and the crowd was rapt.

So I guess the answer to the question raised above is - Surfer Blood definitely has the potential, and the road ahead looks good, but we'll see.

Surfer Blood is currently on tour - they'll be all over SXSW, doing at least 10 shows. Go to their MySpace page for dates.

[Photo Credit: Chris Jennings]

First album in nearly a decade; US tour being sketched out for later this year.

By Blurt Staff

Cornershop will release Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast on April 20 in North America through their label, Ample Play.  Released in the UK and Europe this past summer to critics' delight, this is the follow up to 2002's critically acclaimed Handcream For A Generation.  North American tour dates are planned for this fall. 

Long before indie bands were mixing global influences, Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayres set up Cornershop and were releasing tracks from 1993 onward, giving the band cult status in the US.  By 1997, the band hit the top of the international charts with the lauded When I Was Born for the 7th Time featuring the evergreen hit, "Brimful of Asha."  Their music has been used in film, theatre, TV and adverts since.  Last year Nike licensed the funk-charged "Candyman" for one of their commercials featuring basketball superstar LeBron James (View it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SiQKxja79M)

Through the years, Cornershop have earned a worldwide fanbase counting the likes of Johnny Depp, Prince, David Byrne, Noel Gallagher, Jarvis Cocker, Morrissey, and Nelly Furtado.

The North American release of Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast will include two bonus tracks.  Exclusive to iTunes, "Something Makes You Feel Like" features French songstress Soko. Originally recorded for John Peel, a cover of early Rock'n'Roll pioneer, Lonnie Donegan's "Battle of New Orleans" will be exclusive to Amazon.